WHEN THE BOSS CHANGES, EVERYTHING'S UP FOR GRABS

WHEN THE BOSS CHANGES, EVERYTHING'S UP FOR GRABS
Written by Rhoberta Shaler, PhD

Any change in management can lead to fear, anxiety and tension within a company or department. These insights and strategies will help you to cope with the possible changes and prepare to manage yourself as they occur.

WHEN THE BOSS CHANGES, EVERYTHING’S UP FOR GRABS

Recently I was speaking at a national conference. I met so many wonderful people who really wanted to learn how to manage difficult times, circumstances and people effectively. When I asked them what situations were truly on the tops of their minds, several told me that, due to financial changes, their bosses were being replaced. Two women in two separate companies were particularly concerned because the new CEOs they were getting were total unknown quantities. Further to that, what they did know was that the new CEOs were unfamiliar with their industries!

When the CEO, or manager, changes, it can be a relief. We all know that.

“Finally, there might be a breath of fresh air in this company.”

“Working with that guy was so stressful, anyone would be an improvement!”

And, that could be true. However, it is also true that stress mounts when change occurs—even if you think you want the change.

In the case of these two companies, the stress was preceding the change by weeks. When that happens, productivity slows, anxiety accelerates. Conversation increases, effectiveness decreases. Small mistakes begin to appear. Timelines are altered and deadlines skimmed or missed. Job security feels threatened and people think about their career paths. STRESS! Everywhere.

The questions each of these women had for me were simple:

1. “How do I keep my anxiety to a minimum?”

2. “How do I help the staff stay focused and on track?”

3. “What do I do when this new CEO arrives and relies on me to show him the ropes while I’m resenting that he knows nothing about our industry or culture?”

Huge questions. So, let’s look at them in reverse order with the suggestions I offered.

WHEN A NEW CEO ARRIVES…

When someone new arrives on your staff, the learning curve can be steep on both sides. They need to get up to speed as soon as possible, and you need to maintain an open mind and a helpful attitude while learning about them. Tall order. Even though, you may have done it many times, it does not diminish the size of that task. When that someone is the CEO, it is monumental!

In these two instances, the task was exacerbated by the pre-knowledge that the CEO was coming from a different industry with no familiarity with the work of their firms. It would be simplistic to suggest that a CEO is a CEO is a CEO. Yes, leadership skills are somewhat generic and transferable. Understanding of an industry? Not so much. In the ideal situation, the new CEO will be open to learning and ready to absorb all his or her staff can do to help him/her comprehend the uniqueness of their industry. The fear is that the new CEO will be much more interested in making his or her mark early in the relationship, regardless of their level of understanding and comprehension. That was top of the list the two women brought.

My answer:

“Give him—in both cases, the new CEOs were men--the best you’ve got and the information, support and opportunity to win. Put aside your resentment of his lack of familiarity with your industry and be a reliable source of information. Remember, if you’re not part of the solution, you’re part of the problem.

Be unwilling to engage in gossip and negative chatter about “the way it should be” and “downside potential.” Take a leadership position yourself by choosing to behave in ways that match your own values and the outcomes you most want. When folks endeavor to engage you in negativity, just sidestep it by being too busy or by having some pressing task or engagement that requires you excuse yourself.

Give the new CEO what you would want for yourself if you were walking into a similar situation. Never forget the human factor in all this. The CEO is a ‘people’, too, with fears, anxieties, concerns, issues and worries. No matter what manufactured “I’ve got it covered” face he puts on, he has his misgivings and may think he has to put on a mask of superiority or an attitude of not needing help. Hopefully, the new CEOs will be wise and use their senior staff members as their teachers in the early weeks and months of their new positions. They will not see is as less than strong to be well-advised, while avoiding gossip and politics. That would be ideal!”

HELPING THE STAFF STAY FOCUSED ON WHAT MATTERS…

No matter what your level of position with the company, you have the choice of attitude, thought, words and behavior. What do you choose? That will be a key to your ability to be part of the solution. If you happen to be part of the leadership team, you can make a critical difference in these changes by what you say to others and how you behave.

My answer:

“First, stay focused on what matters yourself. That might turn out to be a full-time job. If so, that is a good thing because it will keep you away from the water cooler chatter. It was former US Vice-President, Spiro Agnew, who, in a speech, penned by William Safire, called the media “nattering nabobs of negativity.” You are the media in your office. You spread the news. What are you spreading?

Second, encourage your team to also focus on what matters. When meeting with complaints, griping or moaning, you can simply ask whether or not that will help us move forward the through this learning curve. You again take a leadership role. Refuse to be a repository for the “aint’ it awfuls’ and the “how could he’s.” You can point people in the right direction when they forget that down is not where they want the team to go.

Then, continuously remind folks that the show must go on. Hopefully, it will not come to a place where you have to point out that their pay has not stopped so neither should their work!”

HOW DO I KEEP MY OWN ANXIETY TO A MINIMUM?

Great question. You have to be a star player on your own team. You need to use your time, energy, expertise and experience to keep yourself on track, healthy and demonstrating your values. There is no substitute for that. You may not believe that anxiety is a choice, however, I invite you to rethink that. And, I mean that literally. When you take time to examine what thoughts you are allowing to fill your mind, you may be surprised at what you are choosing to entertain. Fortunately, you can change that channel!

My answer:

“No matter what is happening at work, in your relationship, with your family or inside yourself, how you view it is entirely up to you. If you decide to adopt the generalized fear of the office, ask yourself why. Notice that you have a choice. Reduce your engagement in the fear-mongering chatter. You decide what you talk about. You decide what you think about. Take charge of that.

At the conference, I had given a couple of sessions on Keeping It Together in Tense Times, one of my favorite break-outs. I reminded these two women of their ability to learn to walk on the backs of alligators while remembering to drain the swamp. That keeps their head above water and able to see what needs their attention. Fear drags them down to the level of the alligators. It’s a choice.

Again, choose to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem. You cannot do both simultaneously. Focus on how you can help the new CEO. No, it’s not political, just human. Would you want to go into a hostile environment and feel the chill?

A little forgiveness will go a long way. The new CEO will make mistakes whether or not he is ready to admit them. No one learns anything without making a few mistakes. Release any perfectionism and help others keep it at bay, too.

AND, take very good care of yourself. VERY good care. You are the only person who can truly know what you need and provide it. Ask for help. Ask for support. Find healthy outlets for your fear, anxiety, frustration or concern. Get it out of your body as quickly as possible. The working hours take up much of your day. Be sure to balance this with rest, exercise, laughter, quiet and the nurture of great relationships.

When the boss changes, everything is up for grabs. That’s true. How about starting with the possibility that it will be an improvement and move on to do all that is in your power to make it so?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Rhoberta Shaler, PhD, psychologist, consultant, coach and catalyst, makes it easier to talk about difficult things. Founder of the Optimize Institute in San Diego, CA, she works with organizations that know their people are their top resource and with leaders who know that building relationships is a top priority. She leads her clients to create right-sized, high-performance teams that consistently, effectively and productively achieve goals and sustain profitability. Dr. Shaler is the author of Wrestling Rhinos: Conquering Conflict in the Wilds of Work and more than two dozen other books and audio program. www.Rhoberta.com www.OptimizeInstitute.com