Effective Ways to Engage New Managers

I recently had lunch with a friend who was bemoaning the fact that his supervisor of 20-plus years was retiring. How unusual that is, I thought, to be with the same organization and have the same boss for more than 20 years. 

On the opposite end of the spectrum, I have a colleague in PR who has had nine different supervisors in nine years, albeit some of whom were repeats. 

Whether through job changes, mergers, acquisitions, reorganizations or retirements, it’s not unusual for the average American worker to have an estimated 10-15 different supervisors throughout his or her career. Job-search site Zippia estimates that the average worker will have 12 different jobs in their lifetime. 

I’ve read plenty of articles about how to manage employees, but I thought what might be missing are tips on how to introduce yourself to a new manager. Having been through several job changes and reorganizations, I’ve always tried to be proactive in setting the stage for a good working relationship.

Following are some tips I’ve developed that mostly call upon soft skills to build a good relationship with a new boss.