Promotion Derails Career?

I've worked at my company for 5 years and prior to the last 6 months have been very happy. Six months ago one of my coworkers was promoted to direct our department. This is an individual whom I greatly respect so I was looking forward to working under his leadership. However, since his promotion communication within our department has totally broken down, once enthusiastic employees have become apathetic and a few of our best workers are looking for other jobs. The most significant problem seems to be the new boss' communication style - everything from assignments and information exchanges to problem solving dialogue happens via e-mail. He never picks up his phone and often keeps his door closed. We've transitioned from a team that always talked to each other to one that only communicates via e-mail. Confusion, misunderstandings, bad feelings, poor quality work, missed deadlines, and unhappy customers abound in our department. What can I do?

Communicating solely via e-mail is incredibly ineffective yet my sense is that your boss suffers from more than just a poor communication style. Often when a superstar contributor is promoted to a leadership role he or she suffers a loss of self-confidence. The new position comes not only with new responsibilities but also high expectations of the new boss and the new direct reports. Your boss may have initially felt excited by the new position but over time that excitement transitioned to feelings of inadequacy and overwhelming ineffectiveness. In response to these feelings your boss has, unfortunately, retreated to his office and is probably using e-mail as a shield from the risk of face-to-face interactions.

This situation is not something that will go away on its own but will continue to get worse with time. Your boss needs support. If he's unable to reach out for it you may consider initiating a conversation. Depending on the kind of relationship you and your boss had prior to his promotion you may start by talking with him. Mutual trust and respect between the two of you is key to the success of this conversation. By expressing your concern and genuine interest in supporting him and his success you have the potential to shift the direction and inspire your boss to reach out for help.

If you don't feel you can approach your boss in this way I encourage you to find someone else in the organization whom you trust and talk through options with that individual. Someone with an understanding of the business culture will be able to identify what type of support your organization's leadership will embrace. Options for support include a mentor, internal coaching, or hiring an external coach.

Reaching out to support someone in your organization, whether he or she is a co-worker, a peer or your boss, is one of the greatest acts of kindness. I applaud your courage and willingness to participate in the success of your fellow employees.

Take Control of Your Schedule

"My schedule is crazy, my workload heavy, and the demands of my job and family unrelenting. I am doing everything I can to just stay above water and not drown."

Sound familiar? Is it true for you or your employees? What are you doing about it?

"I keep doing it - I just need to get through the next few weeks and then things will slow down."
or
"Some things just are not getting done - there's no way I can keep up."

If the craziness is no longer working for you and you are looking to regain some control of your schedule here are some tips to help.

It is impossible to manage your time if you don't know how you are spending this limited resource. Start by assessing your time utilization.

1. For the next week document how you spend your time. Write down all of your activities and the time committed to each. Include everything - scheduled and unscheduled events, commuting, meals, e-mail, TV, conversations at the coffee pot, etc.

2. After completing your documentation ask yourself the following questions
a. What did you actually spend your time doing?
b. On what did you anticipate/ expect to be spending your time?
c. How do you feel about how you are actually spending your time?
d. What action will you take from what you observed?

Now that you have a good handle on what's filling your schedule let's look at habits you can develop to help you regain control of your time.

1. Sitting on e-mail is a huge time waster. Build blocks of time into your schedule to read and respond to e-mail. If you have a handheld device first respond to a message by asking yourself "is this urgent or could it wait until later?" Chances are it can wait.

2. Do you have an assistant? This person can be your right hand and a key to your success. Learn to ask for help and cultivate a good working relationship with your assistant.

3. Take care of yourself. Having control of your time takes energy and stamina. Pay attention to what you are eating. Have breakfast at home and resist that pastry at the morning meeting. Get away from your desk even if you only walk to the bathroom or kitchen to wash your hands. Better still go outside for a walk around the block.

4. Develop a routine. Get up and go to bed at the same time. Arrive to and leave work at the same time. Schedule coffee with colleagues. Schedule dinner with you family. When developing a routine look for balance between rigid and flexible. Sticking to a routine requires discipline but it can also be taken too far.

It all makes sense and seems easy enough yet taking control of your schedule is going to require time and effort. This investment is worth it if you are truly tired of the craziness. The pace of business will continue to increase. Take control of your time right now and develop the habits that will support your success today and in the fast paced days to come.