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Submitted by richboberg on
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BLUF: What is the most effective way to communicate my past performance effectively to my new boss.

Background: My company is currently in the middle of a massive re-alignment. My division has been eliminated and our stores are being absorbed into another, much larger division. The contacts and friends I have in our division are all losing their jobs. I manage a department store in a remote location relative to my new district and to my company's new headquarters. My current boss just announced his retirement and I am anticipating my new boss will be from our new division with no knowledge or history about me or my location. In addition I have only known my new boss for a short time and he doesn't know my history as well as I would like.

My store and I have been very successful in the past and have won many awards but are having difficulty in the current local and national retail environment. I want to professionally communicate my past behavior and successes to my new boss so he/she can have an accurate read on me. I'm concerned that the past difficult year will cloud his/her judgement. I just need some advice on how to do this the MT way!

jhack's picture

The briefing book described in the M&A casts from Aug 2006 is a great tool for turbulent times.
http://www.manager-tools.com/2006/08/managing-during-mergers-and-acquist...

When you meet your new boss, focus on the coming period's performance targets, and help the new boss understand how you are going to hit your numbers. Showing that you think and act effectively is more important than the past. And when you hit those numbers, that will be all that matters.

John

thaGUma's picture

Agree with John, it is good to show you have an appreciation of what is important to the company. And you want to show your new boss how good you are - give him your resume.
Your company has gone through a time where any sane employee would have an updated resume. Therefore it should not shock your boss to know that you have one.

If you are uncomfortable giving him your resume, use it as briefing notes for a presentation to him.

He will be expecting some form of briefing and whether or not he has had something from someone else - you have the most to gain from him getting the correct information.

Good luck. Chris

HMac's picture

Good suggestion about the resume, Chris. As long as it's presented matter-of-factly (without showy hestitance like you did something wrong to have an updated resume), it makes a powerful statement about your value to the company, and to the larger marketplace.

Plus, if has the added benefit of the MT resume process - getting realy crisp about what you did, and how well you did it. :D

jhack's picture

Yes, you should have your entire team's resumes with you (including your own). You are not, however, applying for a job and you should not "promote" it.

You should focus on your team's performance, and your financial results.

John

richboberg's picture
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Thanks for the great suggestions. I will focus the quarter's numbers and communicating how I am planning on delivering those. I discovered MT in December and had just rebuilt my resume the MT way, ironically, the same week the big announcement was made. It gives me a great deal of comfort and confidence having a MT resume so I'll have those accomplishments at my "fingertips" when I talk to my new boss. I'd forgotten about many of my accomplishments and now they are nicely documented on the master copy of my resume.

BTW, my old resume really stunk compared to my new one!

Rich