Wednesday Wisdom: Who's the Boss?

Dear Claudia,

My company just went through a series of layoffs, and in an unexpected turn of events I have been promoted to replace the manager of our small recruiting team. One of the remaining recruiters is really angry that I was given the promotion; she’s been with the company longer, and says she was being groomed for the job by our old boss (who was let go in the last round of layoffs). As you might imagine, between the layoffs and the politics our office is not a fun place to be at this moment, but this is a great opportunity for me and I want to do a good job. Any suggestions?

Underdog Boss

Dear Underdog,

Wow – trouble always brings friends, as my grandmother liked to say. I’m going to assume that you were promoted to the manager role because you merit the promotion, and not because you were the tallest person in the lineup that day. If that’s not the case, and you were selected because of dysfunctional politics in your company, there’s more trouble waiting for you around the corner – but let’s deal with the current problems first.

Today you have two immediate objectives: be a leader, and lead your team. Let me explain:

Be a leader
Managing a team starts with a plan. Since this promotion was unexpected, maybe you haven’t thought much about this yet – but don’t wait a moment longer. Every team needs a point on the horizon to aim for, and your job is to locate it, shine a spotlight on it, and measure the team’s progress toward reaching it. Start by having a conversation with your new boss, and ask these questions:

1. What are your goals this year? How do those fit into the larger company objectives?
2. What would you like to see fixed or improved in the recruiting services offered to the company?
3. What innovation would you like to see in the recruiting services offered to the company?
4. What would you like me to accomplish in the first 90 days of my new job?

Everything that happens next must support that vision. Once you’re clear about the direction, it’s time to move on to your second objective:

Lead your team
This will be fun, and not-so-fun, I’m thinking. Let’s get the not-so-fun out of the way first.

Start by taking your rebel recruiter out for lunch, or to a place where you can speak privately and undisturbed. In this conversation, it’s important to acknowledge two things: that you understand her disappointment in not being offered the job, and that you want her help and support as part of the team moving forward. That conversation can be as warm and fuzzy as you’d like to make it – but the cold reality is that you’re the manager, she is not. She can either choose to make the best of it, or choose to move on - and you will support her decision either way.

Next, gather all of your recruiters together for a strategy meeting. Tell the team up front about the goals of your own boss and how they fit into the larger goals of the company, and in that context ask them these questions:

1. What would you like to see fixed or improved in the recruiting services offered to the company?
2. What innovation would you like to see in the recruiting services offered to the company?

They will have more ideas than you could possibly integrate into your near term objectives, I promise. But your job as leader isn’t just to gather ideas on a white board; you have to turn ideas into an action plan that aligns the activities of your team with the goals of your boss. This will ultimately create specific, measurable objectives for each member of your team to accomplish in that context.

Building commitment and excitement around common goals is one of the best parts of being a leader, but never forget that you’re not paid to run a committee. Make decisions, measure progress, be accountable for results, and reward great performance – after all, you’re the boss. Good luck in your new job, my friend!

**

In my day job, I’m the Head of Products for Improved Experience, where we help employers use feedback to measure and manage competitive advantage in hiring and retention. Learn more about us here.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Amitai Givertz on March 25, 2009 at 8:49am

Claudia, as usual, great advice.

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Permalink Reply by Recruiting Animal on March 25, 2009 at 11:35am

Claudia, this is a very well-written piece. But... you ducked the big issue: "or choose to move on"

How do you handle that on a blow by blow basis. You see, your readers want to know what do in the worst case scenario. But you're playing coy with that very thing.

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Permalink Reply by Claudia Faust on March 25, 2009 at 2:55pm

Well now, that's right to the heart of it Animal :))... It turns out that I had a little experience with this very issue in the past, so I'll tell you how I handled it:

First, I stated the obvious. "I'm your boss now." Not easy to say when the other person expected to be in your shoes, but there it is.

Next, I acknowledged her feelings about it. "You're angry. You don't want to report to me. I understand. I would be angry too if I had been promised a job from a boss who is no longer here to deliver on that promise."

Next, I focused on the immediate future. "Regardless of the situation, there is a lot of work to do. I like you, and want to work with you."

Next, I asked her what she wanted. "What do you want?"

After she told me she might have to report to me but didn't have to like it, I said "You're right, but it would be so much easier on both of us if you did. The situation is what it is, and the way I see it you have two choices right now: you can become an active part of the solution for this team, or you can start looking for another job." Hard to say, but it was the simple truth.

She was really angry for a week, and then not so angry for a few weeks more, and then grudgingly accepted the situation. She left the company for a new job about 6 months later, but we never again disagreed about who ran the recruiting department.

Recruiting Animal said:

Claudia, this is a very well-written piece. But... you ducked the big issue: "or choose to move on"

How do you handle that on a blow by blow basis. You see, your readers want to know what do in the worst case scenario. But you're playing coy with that very thing.

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Permalink Reply by Recruiting Animal on March 25, 2009 at 3:05pm

Thanks. Passed over on a promotion, she was a fruit ready to be plucked. I'll bet you didn't mind seeing her go.

Do you believe that she was a bit immature when she lost that promotion? Or would you consider that kind of resentment almost inevitable for any normal person.

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Permalink Reply by Claudia Faust on March 25, 2009 at 3:19pm

Actually, in my situation the recruiter hadn't been promised my job - she just didn't think she needed a boss. I gave her every opportunity to step up and contribute during the time she was there; she made a choice to disengage and move on.

It can stir up some difficult emotions when a peer becomes a boss, and it takes maturity from both sides to make things work from there. But like it or not, the situation is what it is and the business has to win . People choose their behavior (or, behaviour in Canada). What happens next separates the professional from the emotionally immature.

Recruiting Animal said:

Thanks. Passed over on a promotion, she was a fruit ready to be plucked. I'll bet you didn't mind seeing her go.

Do you believe that she was a bit immature when she lost that promotion? Or would you consider that kind of resentment almost inevitable for any normal person.

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Permalink Reply by Recruiting Animal on March 25, 2009 at 3:25pm

Claudia, your replies to my questions are very interesting.

I would disagree though when you say that people choose their behaviour. It's really hard to go against your feelings and they are not in your direct control though I believe that they can be shaped over time.

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Permalink Reply by Claudia Faust on March 25, 2009 at 3:49pm

I suspect that we're saying something very similar, but coming at it from two different angles.

I really enjoyed reading about the work that Daniel Goleman and many others have done on Emotional Intelligence, which is really what we're discussing: the awareness of one's own emotional state, the ability to manage those emotions effectively in any situation, and the ability to recognize and manage the emotional states of others. According to their research, and as I understand it, EI is a learned set of behaviors; the more we learn the better we become at social interactions.

Clearly we all have raw emotions, and in situations like the one we're discussing it is hard not to have a knee-jerk reaction. That's partly why I gave the recruiter time to adjust her own emotions after having that conversation. And no, I wasn't at all sad to see her go. :))

Recruiting Animal said:

I would disagree though when you say that people choose their behaviour. It's really hard to go against your feelings and they are not in your direct control though I believe that they can be shaped over time.

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Permalink Reply by Recruiting Animal on March 26, 2009 at 7:06am

Thank you, Rayanne. It would be interesting then to find out what percentage of people have to look outside the current employer to be promoted.

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Permalink Reply by Claudia Faust on March 26, 2009 at 9:10am

I was curious about that too, so went to do a little research. There's an interesting Fast Company article here that says:

According to the U.S. Department of Labor and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of people who quit jobs (instead of being fired, laid off or downsized) accounts for 42-63% of all people who leave jobs in a given year.

and then it says:

Based on information gathered over a thirty year period, the Gallup organization reported the following reasons for leaving:

1. Career advancement or opportunities for promotion (31.5%)
2. Pay and Benefits (22.4%)
3. Poor job fit (20.2%)
4. Management or the general work environment (16.5%)
5. Flexibility or scheduling (7.7%)
6. Job security (1.7%)*

Things that make you say, "Hmmmm...."

Recruiting Animal said:

Thank you, Rayanne. It would be interesting then to find out what percentage of people have to look outside the current employer to be promoted.

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Permalink Reply by JobsforKarma on March 29, 2009 at 2:17am

First of all Congrats!

Second of all, you need to show this person, the rationale behind this decision. Give credit, where its due, you included.

My last recommendation is to learn Yoga Meditation! :-)