I'm Replacing My Boss for a While
6 April 2009
Read by 3105 persons
Temporary absence of a superior sometimes leads some managers to take control of a department, or even a company. This management experience can be a real opportunity for development, provided it is well managed.
Before the replacement
First, ask yourself what the expectations of the person who appointed you are and establish a roadmap with them. This preliminary identification makes it possible to define your areas of decision (what you can decide alone, what needs to be validated by your N + 2, etc.), the indicators to monitor and the objectives that will need to be reported on upon their return. Then plan to inform the rest of the team together of this appointment, by email, during a meeting or in a more informal way, during lunch for example. Finally, remember that any replacement inevitably leads to a upheaval in the company's organizational chart: unless you find yourself in the first command position, you will face a possible "change of boss". Again, focus on foresight by gathering as much information as possible from the person you are going to replace and who is used to working with your new direct contact.
During the replacement period
It is better to communicate and involve the other employees while maintaining an open attitude: neither too authoritarian nor too permissive. Keep in mind the temporary nature of your position, the priority being above all to be operational and organized. "Effective time management and being able to count on the entire team by identifying everyone's responsibilities remain the keys to a successful replacement" recalls Joëlle Imbert, a business consultant. It is also essential to learn to delegate, to prioritize the most urgent tasks and to ease up on some of your own missions, while prioritizing the most important tasks in the short term. Above all, do not take the risk of making overly strategic decisions that are outside your usual competences (breaking a commercial contract, dismissing an employee, organizing an exceptional meeting, etc.).
On the return of the superior
"To be sure to take a step back, ask yourself the right questions very quickly during a personal review" advises Bertrand Poulet, a trainer at Demos: "Was this experience positive? Did I feel obliged to accept these responsibilities? What problems were solved and which ones were left unresolved? How did the team behave towards me?"... So many useful questions to then review with your management during a first debriefing. The handover also allows you to find your bearings and prepare for a possible next time, or why not, a promotion? This replacement period has indeed given you the opportunity to carry out new tasks. You have made yourself known, you have been observed, exposed. It is up to you to use this experience to assert your potential and thus capitalize on the trust that has been placed in you.
Posted on January 5, 2009
apec.fr
Before the replacement
First, ask yourself what the expectations of the person who appointed you are and establish a roadmap with them. This preliminary identification makes it possible to define your areas of decision (what you can decide alone, what needs to be validated by your N + 2, etc.), the indicators to monitor and the objectives that will need to be reported on upon their return. Then plan to inform the rest of the team together of this appointment, by email, during a meeting or in a more informal way, during lunch for example. Finally, remember that any replacement inevitably leads to a upheaval in the company's organizational chart: unless you find yourself in the first command position, you will face a possible "change of boss". Again, focus on foresight by gathering as much information as possible from the person you are going to replace and who is used to working with your new direct contact.
During the replacement period
It is better to communicate and involve the other employees while maintaining an open attitude: neither too authoritarian nor too permissive. Keep in mind the temporary nature of your position, the priority being above all to be operational and organized. "Effective time management and being able to count on the entire team by identifying everyone's responsibilities remain the keys to a successful replacement" recalls Joëlle Imbert, a business consultant. It is also essential to learn to delegate, to prioritize the most urgent tasks and to ease up on some of your own missions, while prioritizing the most important tasks in the short term. Above all, do not take the risk of making overly strategic decisions that are outside your usual competences (breaking a commercial contract, dismissing an employee, organizing an exceptional meeting, etc.).
On the return of the superior
"To be sure to take a step back, ask yourself the right questions very quickly during a personal review" advises Bertrand Poulet, a trainer at Demos: "Was this experience positive? Did I feel obliged to accept these responsibilities? What problems were solved and which ones were left unresolved? How did the team behave towards me?"... So many useful questions to then review with your management during a first debriefing. The handover also allows you to find your bearings and prepare for a possible next time, or why not, a promotion? This replacement period has indeed given you the opportunity to carry out new tasks. You have made yourself known, you have been observed, exposed. It is up to you to use this experience to assert your potential and thus capitalize on the trust that has been placed in you.
Posted on January 5, 2009
apec.fr
