My basics for handling your own manager

Problem

"When you start under a new manager, you start with a positive face value and credibility. But you need to rapidly confirm and reinforce that initial trust."

Actions taken

"In the beginning, you may want to copy them in on every significant email you send, in order to build their trust in your ability to manage work and to effectively communicate. Also, periodically (every day or every alternate day, as appropriate) stop by their desk for a quick five-minute sync-up and to bring your manager up to speed on anything important and to keep them informed. This helps your manager feel more secure and increases their confidence in your ability to be in control. It, in turn, makes them feel more in control."

"It's very important to not come across as a problem creator or problem informer. When you approach your manager, you want them to be able to think of you as a problem solver with thought-leadership. If your manager bad mouths someone, listen and be respectful of their experience, but do not ever join them in gossiping. This prevents you from getting into a position where your manager decides that you are responsible for workplace negativity. If it keeps coming up, analyze whether it is a generic issue or a real problem. Can it be solved and can you be a problem solver without stepping on any toe? It could be anything from a coffee machine or printer that needs fixing, to a broken process that is a problem. In my case, I helped to fix a broken process, which helped to build further trust with my manager."

Lessons learned

"To manage your manager well, it is very important to sync-up on your role and responsibilities early on and keep them well informed of your work."