1
Meeting Your New Supervisor

STRATEGY

Your goal when meeting your new supervisor is to clearly demonstrate you're not a problem. You're smart, but not so smart as to possibly be construed as any kind of threat. If you're given the opportunity, make a full verbal presentation and then leave behind a formal memo outlining what you presented. If you're told there's no time, make your elevator pitch and set up another appointment; don't leave behind the full memo since it could be used to avoid a full meeting. If you're confronted with a problem that you anticipated, frame it as an obstacle and launch into your pitch. If you're surprised, explain that the problem is news to you and offer to get back to the supervisor with information as soon as possible.

TACTICS

  • Attitude: Be welcoming but entirely businesslike. You're a good soldier with a sense of urgency.
  • Preparation: Draft a formal memo reporting on the status of all your projects, your staff, and your budget projections. Use this memo to prepare an oral presentation that touches on all the important points. Then, develop an elevator pitch.
  • Timing: Initiate the meeting by setting up an appointment with the supervisor or their assistant.
  • Behavior: Dress the way you normally would at work. Make sure to maintain eye contact and use your formal body language.
Flow diagram depicting a course of action for 1. Meeting Your New Supervisor with an opening statement, four situations, and five responses.

ADAPTATIONS

This script can be modified to:

  • Meet one of your company's major clients or customers.

KEY POINTS

  • Initiate the contact.
  • Have a detailed memo, a full verbal presentation, and an elevator pitch prepared.
  • If you're short on time use your elevator pitch and set up another meeting.
  • Use the written memo as a leave‐behind, but only to back up your full verbal presentation.