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.