ALT-1 How to Impress a new Boss
Whether you are beginning a new job or it is the boss, who is the new person, you want to impress him or her. The first days and weeks that you are together will dictate your future relationship. How you go about building that relationship will be important for you both.
Many people believe that soft soap, flattery and hanging onto the boss’s every word will impress, no boss with any sense would fall for that. There are much better ways to impress your new boss.
In any relationship, the most important element is trust. Your actions are much better than words in this matter. Show the boss that he can trust you, make your word your bond, if you say that you will do something by a certain time or day, do just that.
Do your work, work hard and capably and show the boss that he can trust you to get on with your work, do not need him to watch you every second.
Do not try to be over-familiar, and never ask impertinent questions about the boss’s private life. If the boss tells you about his private life that is fine but you should not ask. Be welcoming and polite but no more than that.
Remember the boss could be unsure, especially if he is the new employee. You may have been at the company for years, but do not try to “train” him as you would a new employee on your own level. If the boss is feeling unsure of himself, you will only make him feel worse, if not you will come across as condescending. Unless your knowledge is relevant to the current situation or the boss specifically what has happened before keep it to yourself. Then tell him respectfully, do not be tempted to crow.
Remember that if the boss is in a new job, he has to find his own way. He may check on employees more than your old boss did, he does not know you, or your colleagues. He has no idea how you work and everything is new to him. Give him time, when he realizes that he has no need to keep checking, he will stop doing so.
Bosses are individuals they do not all do things the same way. Your new boss’s methods may seem strange but do not dismiss them immediately. If he institutes a new procedure, give it a chance, you may find that it is a better way to do whatever it is.
Change is unsettling and you may have liked and respected your old boss. Some of the things that your new boss does may surprise you. It is very tempting to gossip with colleagues. Gossiping shows you as untrustworthy, and your first impressions of the new boss may be coloured by the fact that he is new and they will not necessarily be your lasting opinions. Your boss might overhear you gossiping or he might take you for a habitual gossip, which will destroy any trust he has in you.
The most import element in impressing your new boss is trust. You must show the new boss by your actions that he can trust you to work hard and accurately with minimal supervision. Showing the boss that he can trust you is crucial in building a successful relationship. That relationship is vital to your career prospects.
