CAREER SPECIAL..Five Ways To Deal with a Change in Leadership

JYOTI AHUJA WAS taken completely by surprise when her favourite boss put in his papers. She had trouble getting used to the new man in charge — she failed to create the same equation with him, and failed to deliver the way she used to. Finally, she quit, too. The arrival of a new boss or leader can either be a rewarding or damaging experience. Writankar Mukherjee discusses how professionals can survive a change in leadership comfortably

1 Give Your Best
At the end of the day, performance talks. Give your best shot when a new boss takes over, since that’s the only way to attract his or her attention. Work for some extra hours each day, and try to achieve something. Try to meet your deadlines and targets. “Performance never goes unnoticed, whatever the equation with the new boss,” says Sahil Roy, a mid-level HR executive with a foreign bank.
2 Take on New Projects
Take on some extra work , especially if it is conceived by the new boss. That way, you can easily get the boss’ attention. And if you can perform well in such projects, you can earn some brownie points too.
3 Don’t Show Off
Even when you try to boost your performance to gain attention, do not exhibit a know-it-all attitude. Talk in a measured way and avoid speaking about a subject that is not directly in your area of work or expertise. Showing that you are a valuable asset is good idea, but overdoing it can set a bad example.
4 Observe your Boss
Every boss has a different leadership style and way of working. So, an executive should study the working style and expectations of the new boss and accordingly adjust theirs. You can also meet the new boss and ask him or her about his or her expectations. “Employees should realise a change in guard does not change the business goal. Only the style of operation may change. If they can adjust to it, the job is easier done,” says Sunil Goel, director of HR firm GlobalHunt India.
5 Be Patient
The golden rule to adjust to a new boss is not to be impulsive and react to a situation randomly. Just like every person is different, so are bosses. People should not panic during a tough situation and at the same time, not be too happy during a light moment. “People should have a wait-and-watch approach before taking any hasty decision. It takes time to develop a healthy and happy working relationship and one should give that much time to manage the transition,” says James Agrawal, director and business head (India) at BTI Consultant, a part of Kelly Services.

(ET6J0112)