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    What Not to Do When You’re at a New Job—and the Boss

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    By Barbara Ruben
    December 2, 2019

    After an exhaustive search, you’ve been hired for your dream job, one in which you’ll be supervising a team of employees. To ensure a smooth transition, focus on starting off on the right foot with those who will report to you.

    “Being the boss of a completely new team also means influencing a group of employees you don’t know very well to work together (and with you) toward a common goal. Nerve-racking, yes. But not impossible!” writes Marietta Gentles Crawford in The Muse.

    She outlines four mistakes new supervisors can make that will hamper getting off to a good start with your employees.

    Making Big Changes Right Off the Bat

    You may have been hired to bring fresh perspectives to your division and want to jump right in to update technology or streamline what look to be cumbersome processes. “But ignoring input from experienced team members—particularly those who have been at the company for a while—won’t win you any fans. Instead, you’ll signal to your team that you’re only interested in running a one-person show. And it will leave you vulnerable to making bad decisions that could’ve been avoided had you gotten some context,” Crawford warns.

    Fixating on Your Old Job

    Yes, the job you just left is your frame of reference, but if you’re always talking about how things were done at your previous institution that may hamper you from adapting to your new one. Your staff want to hear about your plans and how you’ll work with them where you are now.

    Keeping Your Door Shut

    Signal you welcome your employees to share their ideas and concerns by not holing up in your office. Keep the door open most of the time. And if you’re in an open office, take your headphones for at least part of the day to show you are ready to listen.

    Not Fully Understanding Each Employee’s Role

    “Take the time when you’re just starting out to talk to each employee individually to learn about what they do, what their current challenges are, and how their tasks fit into team or company goals,” Crawford recommends. If you know their communication style, strengths, and weaknesses, you’ll be better at managing and motivating them.

    About the author(s)

    Barbara Ruben

    Barbara Ruben was a senior content creator at CASE.

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