“Since Joanne* took over from Serge* as our team leader, things haven’t been going well. Serge knew our work inside out. We understood each other without having to spell everything out. It was only to be expected – he was our supervisor for 12 years. But we don’t know what Joanne expects from us, or how she works. What should we do?”

With the current reorganisation, some of us are bound to find ourselves with a new boss. This is a delicate situation that can elicit as much enthusiasm as concern. What can we do to make it as smooth a ride as possible?

This is an entirely legitimate question when you have a new boss. The status quo is disrupted and a period of watching and wondering ensues. During this phase, it is important for both the team members and the new boss to keep an open mind and be realistic. Take the time to observe and make up your mind about each other, without prejudice. Give each other the benefit of the doubt.

Joanne, despite being highly qualified for the role, is also uncertain about some things: “I’m the newcomer in a team of competent, experienced colleagues who have known each other for years. I know what my superiors expect of me, but I don’t know what my team expects. I need to learn what their strengths are, where they can improve, and what their potential is.”

The team members also have expectations of their own: “I hope Joanne will make an effort to sit down with each of us and get to know us. I hope she’ll listen to our views and aspirations. I hope she’ll tell us soon what she plans to achieve, and consult us about how to go about it.”

Having a new boss is a win-win situation, provided that everyone shows willing and is open to dialogue. To begin with, there will probably be some uncertainty, misunderstandings and disappointment on both sides. But if everyone is open-minded and clear about what they expect, new horizons can open up.

The best approach is for everyone to start with a clean slate, whether you’re the boss or a team member. Set aside your prejudices, forget about people’s reputations, give each other a chance to prove yourselves, and maximise your chances of success. Once the observation phase is over, it’s also very important that everyone is honest about what they expect and what they can realistically deliver. Those initial fears can turn into opportunities. After this adjustment phase, the team will run smoothly again, to the benefit of everyone.

*Names have been changed

Pierre Gildemyn

If you’d like to comment on any of my articles or suggest a topic that I could write about, please don’t hesitate to e-mail me at Ombuds@cern.ch.