I am a recently promoted department head in a large Veterans Administration hospital. I'm confused about advice I have been receiving from friends and colleagues. On the one hand, I have been told that it is critical that I keep my manager informed of my department's successes. Others have encouraged me to focus on building relationships with my key stakeholders, including my manager. In your opinion, where should my efforts be focused, communicating successes upward or in building relationships?

Congratulations on your promotion. This must be a very exciting and challenging time for you. As you probably know, success in the early months of a new job requires that we focus on doing several things well. I remember clearly the first few weeks in a new job as a training manager. My energy was extremely high and I couldn’t wait to start executing. Fortunately, I realized that I needed to thoroughly understand the organization before I could implement any of my ideas. While I was gathering this information from a variety of people, I was also building relationships.

The following recommendation is from a healthcare executive who has made a number of successful transitions. Dr. Richard Benjamin, Chief Medical Officer for the American Red Cross Biomedical Services in Washington, D.C. states, “Carefully consider the expectations of the person who hires you and build a ‘world view’ that aligns with these expectations and the overall vision and mission of the organization. Speak with as wide a group of people as possible and identify the major issues that the new role should address.”

It’s important to understand that, when it comes to success in a new job, our manager is the most critical person in the organization. Once you have defined his or her priorities for your position and the goals of your key stakeholders, it is time to develop a plan and get buy in from these individuals. Every manager has preferences for how direct reports communicate the status of work and other important information. Have a discussion with your manager about his or her preferences for reporting including: written monthly updates, scheduled one-on-one meetings, email status reports and voice mail. Structured reporting is important, but as you have already surmised, building informal relationships with your manager and others is critical. The reporting alone is insufficient to work effectively with your manager. Everyone, no matter how driven, has non-work relationships and interests that are important to them. Be aware of your manager’s hobbies and interests and don’t be afraid to ask about them from time to time. “Small talk” is a social lubricant that brings humanness to our conversations. It helps the other person know you more fully, not just as an accomplished professional. When you master the art of building informal relationships, work becomes more enjoyable and your organizational influence will grow to a new level. Make a list of all your key stakeholders and divide them into two groups, describing your relationship as strong or needs work. Develop a plan to improve the situations rated “needs work.” Spend time getting to know these individuals and watch how it increases your enjoyment as well as effectiveness.

Good luck in your new position. Don’t hesitate to contact me if I can be of further assistance.

Copyright , Mark J. Campbell. All rights reserved.
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