Did you know as a new boss:
- You can feel lonely and disconnected.
- Going it alone and not connecting with others is detrimental to your career success.
- You are no longer part of your former peer group.
- Bouncing ideas off your employees can cause them anxiety about change.
- Your new coworkers will get concerned about you if they disagree with your ideas.
- Your boss will ignore you since they are only interested in solutions and the bottom line.
So, what can you do to develop a trusted sounding board and overcome feeling lonely? Remember, your job responsibilities go far beyond your job description and rely on your ability to connect with others. Going it alone is not an option.
Tips to Get Connected and Overcome Loneliness
Prioritize Your Time Management to Build Relationships! Yes, you’re busy learning your new job. But make this a priority. Meet with employees, customers, peers, upper management, vendors, and other business professionals in your industry, 1:1 and groups.
Ask and Listen More Than Talk. Ask about their work. What do they like? What could be different? What is the #1 issue they have with your team? Asking these questions and listening (not defending) can offer surprising insights into your team, company, and customer challenges. Also, it’s amazing how quickly and easily issues get resolved when you develop good working relationships.
Rely on Your Team. Too often, you have an idea, and presto, you want to implement it immediately! But the problem is, you didn’t ask your team for their input! Your team does the day-to-day work and can provide insights on the pros and cons of any idea. Ask. Listen. Brainstorm. Discern with critical thinking before implementing. Then, manage for results!
Ask for Help. Work with a company mentor and an outside executive coach. The inside mentor can help you gain political and industry insights. An executive coach navigates you through sticky situations and work relationships while helping you build your inner power and confidence.
Get Involved! Participate in after-hours get-togethers, team sports, and community and industry activities. Don’t forget to join others for breaks and meals. Staying in touch with others avoids surprises (e.g., poor employee conduct, business cut-backs, new opportunities)! And, never participate in gossip … and it can be a career derailer!
©Jeannette Seibly 2023 All Rights Reserved
Jeannette Seibly is a champion for bosses and teams delivering intended results. Does your company or department have a persistent problem? Jeannette’s many years of experience and wisdom can guide you through sticky situations and challenging relationships for dynamic results! Contact Jeannette for a confidential discussion. She is also a 3-time Amazon Best Seller.
A note from Jeannette about loneliness as a new boss or leader: It’s hard for coworkers and employees to be honest with new bosses and leaders. So, it’s essential that you learn how to connect with others to keep your fingers on the pulse of your teams, company, and customers. Contact me for a confidential conversation about how to become a great boss!
Have you considered the benefits of strengthening your superpowers and becoming a great boss? It’s not complicated, but it does require an experienced sounding board. I have extensive experience guiding bosses and leaders to work with and through their teams to achieve unprecedented results. Contact me to learn more about my in-depth, one-on-one, customized coaching program. Remember, coaching speeds up your ability to have more fun and make more money!
If you’d like to help employees to be talent ready, explore using the PXT Select to ensure job fit now and for future opportunities.