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Organizational mergers and downsizing often brings in a new management team that rearranges the org charts to the disadvantage of the remaining executives.  You may soon be reporting to someone, new to the company, who views you as an unknown quantity. You previous manager’s support, and mentoring, as well as your secure and protected position may soon be nostalgic memories. Are you adequately prepared to jockey for position and status with a new boss? What are the best steps to take lay the groundwork for a successful relationship?

Sometimes vacating the field of play is the better part of valor. Take the time for reflection on your job options and a review of long and short-term career goals. What is your career direction for the next 5 to 10 years?  Which would better serve you, staying or going?

Immediately evaluate the politics of your situation to determine your timing and action plan rather than waiting to see what happens. Typically, new management brings in their own team and replaces the holdovers from the prior management. Why risk being marginalized or terminated when you can strategically make changes in advance?

You may be able to arrange a shift within the organization before the new management takes control. Making a pre-emptive job move can mitigate the risk of a negative association with the previous management and even extend your term of employment.  However, at senior professional levels this may not be feasible.

Alternatively, you can make a concerted effort to proactively steer your relationship with the new management in the most positive direction possible. How can you develop a favored or at least neutral relationship? This takes analysis, preparation, and a willingness to let go of any residual attachment and loyalty to the former executives.  A negative attitude can stand in the way of creating affinity.

Begin with searching Google to uncover background information on the new management such as employment history, education, accomplishments, and personal data. What style of company culture has formed your new manager?  They will bring a way of doing things that draws from previous successes in other organizations.   How do those cultures differ from your company? Are you able to recognize the differences and, most importantly, accommodate them?

In addition to business background, the details of personal avocations, passions, and affiliations can enable casual conversation on topics of mutually shared interests albeit perhaps newly acquired on your side. Shared non-business interests can establish a bond of rapport and understanding that facilitates the business side of the relationship equation.

At your initial meeting, proffer a one-page well-branded executive summary to provide an accomplishments overview beyond the litany of a resume.  Let the summary position your contributions as indispensably useful to your new manager. Your agenda in all early conversations is to demonstrate a willingness to be on-board with new executive team.  Avoid career kiss-of-death comments such as, “we already tried that” or “we have always done it this way”.

Guide your manager’s opinion of you in a favorable direction, with your demonstrated enthusiasm for their ideas, and buy-in to their goals. A new executive wants to succeed, hit the targets and establish themselves solidly. Align yourself with their goals clearly and directly and you will win regardless.

Finally, to not have a back-burner job search at the ready to heat up if all your efforts fail to build a positive relationship with new management would be foolhardy as you may very likely need it.