When we gain experiences at various levels in different organizations, apart from being employed at the place; what majority of us remember is the good boss who not only handled you well – but also helped you grow professionally. One would very fondly remember this person as a mentor who helped you groom your ways and attitude for things, presenting innumerable situations to learn things with a 360 degree directional view. He is the individual who doesn’t spoon-feed you, leaves critical things on your head with minimal supervision, has an eagle’s eye to every step that you take to fulfil your responsibilities, and doesn’t mince with words when you aren’t prepared or have been ignorant for long.
Quite many times it’s the first boss of your professional life who makes all the difference on how you take things and those who are fortunate enough find the right combination in the beginning. However, the give and take is so perfectly tuned that when due to unfortunate/fortunate multiple reasons either the boss puts up his papers or is asked to leave; the subordinate is the very first person who feels the pinch of it. There have been situations when the subordinate contemplates of putting up his papers too, despite counselling from family/friends asking to stay put. When the conditions are unknown, speculations rise and the subordinate is confused and unable to comprehend a change in the power play of the position. Several times for the initial period they find themselves in defiant position withholding information that can aid the new boss smoothly continue the operations or are unwilling to co-operate and respond appropriately. unknowingly making things difficult for themselves as people are still watching.
Being open to change is the best deal among all pulls and pushes, rebellious attitude and withdrawal symptoms. Strange it seems but people do face withdrawal. A new boss may suddenly feel incompetent to the role given to him. There may be times when the new person may ridicule the strategies of the predecessor spelling out a chance for loyalty test. Whatsoever be the reason, a successor to a post always finds the predecessor has been less effective on the role and somebody not exhibiting high levels of capability. As for the reasons unknown which paved the way for the ex-boss’s exit, the management is definitely not coming upto you and specifying the points (a), (b) and (c). In case you enjoyed privileges from the old equation and may now no longer enjoy them, time to pull up your socks and prove why you’ve been hired for the position. The working styles shall never be the same and every new person brings in lot many good things with him, from his previous employer(s), best practices from his experience and a new line of thought for the same old problem. Apart from your growth which now seems to be halted temporarily and your desire for the same conducive environment to prevail; remember the old boss too moved out for better opportunities. Most importantly nobody joins companies to befriend people and be buddies forever. Each one is a competitor to the other, trying to edge better and perform better than the other; though in the process they end up continuing a long term professional and personal association. Rewards, better compensation, more challenges in the profile are what motivate people to move forward!
So if your boss just left and a new one stepped in, instead of holding tight on your skill and still swaying under the effect of the predecessor – time to be open to change, time to be the hungry child ready to learn everything the new boss can offer and much more than that. One never knows what may be in stock for you, but if you limit yourself to the earlier learnings; you’re being instrumental in limiting your own growth. It’s in the perception and the thought, change it and you would look forward to being in office; else you would be serving a notice period – hoping to perform better and start afresh in a new organization.
