Easy on the Attitude

We’ve all heard stories of what works (and what doesn’t) when starting a new job at a management level. Ideally, the new leader takes a measured approach to the first 100 days, evaluating how things work, how the team functions, where progress stands against metrics, and whether the metrics are the right ones to begin with. It’s an opportunity for a new leader’s true colors to shine through—particularly when the job in question was vacated by a less-than-capable predecessor.

Well, there’s a new colleague, in a new leadership role, in a function we’ve struggled with over the past two years. I feel for him, because his predecessor was a classic, bumbling dolt: a raving lunatic a with a special talent for throwing herself in front of anything that might make our work successful, and a magical calculator that boosted her department’s numbers a little higher than they really were. She made our lives a living hell.

This new guy is working hard to make his mark and he’s largely doing all the right things. I think he’s a fast study, because it looks like he did his 100–day survey of the landscape in under a month. I’m cool with his direction, with one exception: He keeps throwing those of us who are still here under the bus for the decisions his predecessor made, and the barriers she put in place. The latest rant: Over the weekend—in an e-mail, no less—he scolded my team like children for something his predecessor scolded us like children for attempting to do six months ago.

Why are we spending so much time looking back? Why can’t we just wipe the slate clean, reset the expectations, and get moving? I suspect he’s getting these questions from the same senior leadership that endorsed his predecessor’s crap, and they’re employing their own CYA strategy. I, on the other hand, have nothing to cover. I’m perfectly fine standing up for my team; my conscience is clear, my paper trail is spotless, and we’re not making excuses.

I’m ready to step up and help this guy be successful, because it’s the right thing to do. But if his attitude keeps up, he’s going to get a lot more than a reason why something isn’t done yet.

Now we had a chance to meet this young man, and boy, that’s just a straight shooter with upper management written all over him. —Office Space (1999)

Comments

[jenny]

Our old manager quit out of frustration to start his own business as a 'Bob.' He basically took everything that he found 'wrong' w/ our operations for the foundation of his new venture. I sure miss him, despite the fact that he's since flourished, including financially. He offered his help/consults to us again once he became grounded, but stubborn attitudes declined... Even before he left, he was the reason the Office Space comparisons/jokes existed in my workplace...but its just not the same now...cheers.