Strety’s Post

You’ve got a new manager; buckle up, you might be in for quite a ride. You might not be around very long in your position or employment with the company. Often it does not matter how long you worked there or how much value you’ve brought. You have not done anything for the new manager and frankly they likely look at you as a threat. Someone who makes them look bad and that others look up to. The new manager often feels threatened by you and how you are viewed and the value you bring. Especially if you've previously been peers or you were considered for the role. One common theme with all my clients when there are issues with work is that there has been a change in leadership. Either at the top or their direct manager. A new manager who makes it clear they don’t want them. Of course, rarely ever directly, but having to read between the lines and interpret. Regardless of how well they’ve done in the past. In fact, often because of how well they’ve done in the past. ❌ treating them differently than others ❌ micromanaging them ❌ constantly questioning them ❌ not providing access and support ❌ lacking patience and understanding Almost every client I have the issue starts with a new manager taking over within the last 3 months. You take a new job with a new employer and.. ✅ everything is going well ✅ your manager loves you ✅ you love working for them ✅ your exceeding all of your goals ✅ you've been acknowledged and rewarded Your manager leaves or is promoted and you get a new manager. Things change. It may not be instant but usually within a few months. The new manager.. ❌ makes it clear they don’t want you on their team ❌ does not view you as one of their people ❌ did not hire you ❌ does not view you a loyal to them It is truly sad how often this happens and senior leadership allows it to at the expense of the company losing strong talent and the employee who is being punished for delivering on what they’ve been asked. If you've got a new manager, keep your antenna up and finely tuned. Don't be blindsided, be aware. There are plenty of good managers and perhaps even more lousy and insecure ones. Figure out which one you work for and plan accordingly.

Dan Goodman- Oh yes, this scenario rings so true for me. After pointing out to a senior director about miscalculations to quota for the sales team, "Bruce Almighty" brought a new manager of my analytics team (who supported the field sales organization) who clearly had an agenda with me as a target. “Mikey Michigan” came in like a dutiful bad cop who wrote me up for calling a separate calculation in the internal sales portal a “black box”.   I had no idea what the calculation was, so I called it a black box – (hidden or mysterious to the end user) for which it was. "Mikey Michigan" fabricated a disciplinary action that was equivalent to a fine for jaywalking in a rural neighborhood. Clearly, the senior director was looking for retribution after pointing out facts that made him and his team look bad while impacting the field sales organization. Clearly, self-preservation and his image were more important than quality and getting incentive comp accurate for 600 to 700 individuals – a true leader. Of course, in exchange for his retribution skills against me, “Mikey Michigan” got his true wish to be relocated to Cleveland (hometown, but outside of policy for location) that I heard from another a good source "Babbling Brook" through her better half "Mocking J"  - a large source and sieve of personal information of leaders in the company.  Sorry for all the character names. That’s how things worked at JNJ for me. I thought my experience was isolated, but the news from my former employer demonstrates a pattern – Talc (Texas two-step, trying to move lawsuit to a friendlier state judicial location, gaining the votes with less-impacted women to get a settlement), Fortis Advisors v. JNJ (covert "bakeoff"), Lauren Moore v Vanessa Broadhurst & JNJ (very length list of accusations) and the monitoring of employees (badge swipes, in office attendance hours computer tracking, ISP location for reduction in workforce scoring) are all signs of a culture that seems to have veered off the Credo mantra that has been in place for 80+ years.

Facing the Challenge: What to Do When Your New Manager Wants You Out Well, Dan’s post below packs a hard punch! 🥊 As a workplace anti bullying coach, I frequently encounter reports of abusive and toxic behaviour from new managers towards their high-performing team members. These experienced employees often come to me 6-12 months after a new manager or leadership team is put in place. Before thinking that the new manager is ‘weeding out’ the hangers on/complacent/less able, I note that my coachees performance records are exemplary, often award winners and garner the upmost respect from colleagues over a well established career. These high performers are often baffled, shaken, and their confidence has been intentionlly eroded by their new boss. It dumb founds me as to why these more experienced and capable employees are vilified in these ways and pushed out instead of embraced and nurtured?! Often the new manager is being enabled in their behaviour and intent. Dan Goodman gives his no nonsense perspective below and this fully tally’s with my clients experiences (thanks for your post Dan). So what can you do if your new manager is making your workplace difficult? (despite your attempts to resolve it) Remember 2 things: 🔸 **Be Mindful**: Pay attention to behaviours that undermine you or create a toxic atmosphere. These may be 🔺Excessive criticism 🔺Exclusion from key conversations or projects 🔺Disinterest in what you have to say 🔺Favouritism towards others 🔺Accusations you are struggling in your role 🔺Lack of recognition when you’ve clearly done well 🔺Gaslighting, especially in 1-1 situations (there are many more I could mention…) 🔸 **Look for Patterns**: Document any instances of concerning behaviours. Keeping a record (time, date, who, what, when & screenshots if able) is essential for addressing issues constructively and ensuring accountability when/if you decide to report it. It also helps validate your feelings when you think you are losing a grip on reality! If you are suffering from a destructive workplace environment due to a new manager, call me for a chat. Together, we can Navigate, Overcome, & Thrive’ You are not alone, you are not imagining it. Take action and plan! 👍💪☎️📆 #WorkplaceCulture #Leadership #Coaching #RespectInTheWorkplace #antibullying #workplacebullying #harassment #culture #career #mentalhealth #wellbeing

Being a manager can feel like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders. You’re tasked with leading teams, making crucial decisions, and driving results, often while receiving minimal training and support. The unfortunate thing is that according to Gallup (2023), only 1 in 10 managers strongly agree that their organization effectively develops them. Here is a script you can use to respectfully push back to maintain your sanity and avoid burnout: “I agree that this is important — although if we take it on now we won't be able to deliver on X, Y, and Z. Could you help me understand how this new request fits into our overall strategy so I can re-prioritize if needed?” 💬 What’s the toughest part about being a manager? Share your story in the comments. ♻️ Repost and give me a follow for more visuals like this. 📌 Want the best career tips? Subscribe to my newsletter, Career Bites. Link in the comments.

Don't think you need right away a label or a manager. They're not the golden key to success. I mean, I'm guilty of this too. I thought a manager would open doors for me. But I realized: ▶️ I was not at a point where I needed one ▶️ it's a preconceived idea that we need a manager to succeed. ▶️ most of the ones I talked with, did not have the network to get where I wanted So I stopped looking for a manager. What I'm doing instead: ▶️ Taking ownership of my career ▶️ Pushing boundaries beyond what's comfortable ▶️ Consitnuoyslu learning and expanding my skill ▶️ Delivering great mixes one after the one ▶️ Networking and making relationships Because at the end of the day, the one who cares the most about your success is you. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂? 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀? -- PS: Maybe, I'm finally at a point to open new conversations with some managers... Do you want updates if I do so?

Do I want to be an individual contributor or a manager? As our careers progress, this is a choice that many of us will face. One is not necessarily better than the other. How do we decide? Sometimes we might choose the former as the path of least resistance or because our imposter syndrome holds us back. Sometimes we might choose the latter because we are driven by status, salary, or ego. Are these the best criteria? To be a successful salesperson, I believe you need to be invested emotionally in your clients. This can make our relationships protective or jealous. If as consultants or engineers, we are deliverers this is even more so the case. The project outcomes are our reputation. Involving colleagues in our accounts can therefore be a challenge. I have introduced Daniel Harris, Hery-Christian Henry, and Michael Pickford to some of my clients. This week I was in the privileged position of receiving glowing feedback from 3 separate clients on their capabilities and interpersonal skills. So how does this link back to my original question? Receiving the feedback clarified for me a key question to ask yourself (and be honest with the answer): Do you get more satisfaction from what you achieve personally or do you get more satisfaction from what you achieve through others? The answer for me this week is clear. What is your answer? #leadershipdevelopment #salesexcellence #highperformingteam #personalsatisfaction #whyamIenjoyingmyself

If I’d just been promoted into a people-manager role, here’s what I’d do I've had a few conversations lately with people new into manager roles And feeling wildly out of their depth (not surprisingly, it's a whole new skill set) So if this is you, here's a couple of thought-starters to get you going...       🎯 First off, make sure you get clarity on your objectives & deliverables: - What does success look like in your new role? - How will you be evaluated?     🎯 Curiosity is your best friend: Your learning curve will be steep right now and there will be lots you don’t know. That’s a good thing!   - Use this time to embrace the fresh eyes & new perspective you bring - Ask questions - Start to connect dots - And give yourself time to build your point of view     🎯 Build those relationships: - Get to know your team, how they like to work, what's important to them - Ask what they need from you - Take the time to build this trust & respect - And invest the time in those wider relationships: your key stakeholders, leadership team and also mentors & sponsors     🎯 Dial up the self-compassion: Moving into a new role means you’ll be out of your comfort zone more often, which means feelings of self-doubt or imposter syndrome creep in. - Think about what support you need & who from - How can you be more compassionate to yourself right now?     I’d love to know, what do you wish you'd known when you got promoted into people-management?

Congrats, You've become a manager!!! 🎉 .......Now what?....... 🤔 You were most likely promised that you would have an onboarding period and mentorship from your boss or a more experienced manager. It will most likely stay at that, being a promise. You will get a small window of getting acclimated (if you're lucky), then you will be expected to get results. And what should have been an amazing career jump can become a career killer, if you don't handle it properly. What can you do about it right away? Here are the 𝟒 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 that I do when I take over a new team: 𝟭. 𝙂𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙢𝙮 𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙢 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙙𝙤 🔹 We have weekly team meetings 🔹 I have a bi-weekly/weekly 1 to 1 with each of my team members. I make sure that they feel heard, I am curious about them, personally and professionally 🔹 I shadow each team member to see what they do and how they work. I am curious, there are no stupid questions at this point. I'm expected to not know that much 🔹I get my hands dirty! I do each task that my team does. They are my teachers and I am only learning 𝟮. 𝙊𝙗𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝟮 𝙩𝙤 𝟯 𝙬𝙚𝙚𝙠𝙨 🔹 I observe how the team is working without getting involved 🔹 I don't make decisions. I let the team do everything as it was before. I only get involved, if I am required to make a decision. Even then I defer to their suggestions 🔹 Even though I may have the expertise from before, I refrain from using it. 𝟯. 𝘽𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙 𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙨𝙩 🔹 I build trust from day 1 and my team has my trust right away. 🔹 Building trust is a long-term game and it will take time (months) to build 🔹 I always have it in the back of my mind that I can ruin our trust within a day, even if I was building it for months. My team will be watching me all the time 𝟰. 𝙃𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙣 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙪𝙣𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙢𝙮 𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙢 🔹 I have an open-door policy, everyone can talk to me at any time 🔹 I share as much info with the team as I can. I don't hide anything from them 🔹 If I don't know something, I tell them that. No one expects me to know everything 𝑹𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓, 𝒊𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒖𝒑 𝒕𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒎 𝒔𝒖𝒄𝒄𝒆𝒆𝒅𝒔, 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓. 𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒋𝒐𝒃 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒉 𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒎 𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒓𝒐𝒍𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒐 𝒔𝒐. Enjoy the ride and the process as it is an exciting one 😀 #leadership #management

The best gift a manager gave to me was an ultimatum… He said he didn’t want me doing both. I had to chose between employment and my side business. I totally understood where he was coming from and appreciated his candor. ➡️ He had invested in me heavily with executive coaching and hours of mentorship. ➡️ He had challenged me to think bigger, broader, and beyond what I was used to. ➡️ He gave me space to implement ideas and was quick to give me feedback in timely but compassionate way. Then came the very best gift 🎁 any mentor or leader had ever given me… 👉 An Ultimatum 👈 Having to choose was scary, but at this point I’d seen something that I couldn’t turn away from. My belief in myself and the value I could bring to future clients and business was at an all time high… all thanks to this manager. It was time to fly and so I took the plunge not knowing what the future would bring. And guess what? I’m flying… sometimes awkwardly lol 😆 and in the wrong direction 🤦🏻♂️ but I’m flying and I wouldn’t have it any other way. For this I’m thankful. Mentorship is powerful if you’re willing to realize the value by taking a risk. No Risk = No Reward To that manager, if you’re reading this… you know who you are… thank you 🙏🏽 Agree? What am I missing? Comment your thoughts below ⬇️ For help finding A players, DM me or comment “aplayer” below👇 ☑️ Follow me for more hiring tips 📌 Save for later ♻️ Reshare

When you’re transparent in communication, you take ownership of decisions, outcomes, and results. These emails also serve as a source of truth when referring back to meetings, discussions, and decisions made in conversations as a reference. Receiving feedback that emails in a format of timelines, events, and steps taken are ‘CYA’ and ‘confrontational’ is borderline unprofessional and assumptions based on fear and insecurity. Protect yourself. Protect others. Take ownership of past decisions. What’s the problem?