Getting a new manager can sometimes be exciting but it’s often also equal parts nerve wracking. More often than not, timing isn’t ideal and these sorts of changes can be quite last minute.
Having been in this situation a few months ago, I jotted down some notes on what I did to make this transition easier.
First off: Logistics
Understand the timeline and work backwards to make a plan from today through the last day you have with your manager
Make sure this covers: (1) handover of any content that you’re taking over from them, (2) professional development wrap-up, and (3) final reviews
On #2, importantly, this should include getting final feedback (informally), documenting what your own goals are, and where possible, asking your manager to share this information with your future manager. You should also cover any promotion timelines and to-dos
On #3, this refers primarily to admin logistics — even though this is on your manager, you should check with them to make sure that any reviews they need to submit for you or any other forms/paperwork are completed
Second: Finding other support
Oftentimes, when a manager is leaving, their backfill isn’t figured out yet. This means you’ll likely have an interim period where you report to a skip or maybe someone else. These arrangements tend to be a little awkward and can result in reporting to someone who doesn’t fully understand your scope. If this is you:
Find a few other stakeholders or colleagues who can support you in the interim. They could be peers, mentors who are more senior in their careers, or even colleagues in completely unrelated teams
Some ways they can support you may include:
Being a sounding board when you’re faced with a tough problem to crack
Providing career guidance and mentorship on key decisions
Serving as an outlet for venting in moments of frustration
Having someone at your manager’s tenure can be particularly helpful as they can answer “manager”-y questions as they come up, especially if your interim manager is stretched thin
Third: Candid conversations to have
Fairly self-explanatory, but having a manager who’s on the way out is a gem just waiting to be discovered. Ideally, you can set aside some dedicated time and outside of the office to have a longer, deeper conversation. Here are some conversation starters I recommend:
What are your unfiltered recommendations for me as I approach my role and career here?
What are things to watch out for?
What are your reasons for leaving?
What are you most excited for in your next role?
What will you miss the most about this workplace?
What was your experience recruiting for your next role?
How do you think about your career over the next decade?
Do you have any other wisdom/advice for life?
In closing:
This is pretty much the checklist I followed a few months ago. It served me extremely well and set me up to handle the world without my awesome manager. Readers, anything else you’d add to the list?