Manager handoffs

You, your previous manager, and your new manager meet in the same room or video call. Most of the talking happens between the managers, but there should be clear opportunities for you (the direct report) to jump in as you feel like it.

The goals are:

• Share relevant information from the previous manager to the new manager about the direct report
• Do this transparently such that the direct report can get a good sense of whether there’s things unsaid or things that differ from their own perception, with an opportunity to disagree or clarify
• Reduce the natural career friction, pausing, or hiccups that happen when a person gets a new manager.

This is an opportunity to turn an otherwise lossy process into a much more thorough, supportive process for a direct report.

The 1:1:1

One of the managers should start by restating the goals (transparent handoff of career and manager info, an opportunity for the direct report to clarify and even disagree with what’s said, and reduced changes to the direct report’s career momentum).

After the restating of goals, the former manager should share their context directly to the new manager. Again, this is awkward, as the direct report is sitting right there, listening! But as much as possible, be transparent and honest (while mindful) as you share your context, history, feedback, goals, etc.

The new manager should feel free to ask questions as it happens naturally. Get clarification, aim for that shared understanding of history, goals, etc.

If the direct report is quiet, the new manager should be routinely asking them - how do you feel so far about what’s been said? Does this description match your experience? Are we missing something on that topic? Anything we should clarify? Anything you disagree with?

I’ve seen this be a super boring meeting where everything is clear and agreed with.

I’ve seen this get sticky and uncomfortable when a direct report has an opposing viewpoint or different recollection. As necessary, acknowledge out loud that it’s okay if this is awkward.

If it gets to a point where the dialog isn’t productive anymore, the new manager should talk with the direct report separately and privately about their experience.

It’s totally natural that the former manager and direct report have different perceptions of the same events or feedback - we’re humans, which means this stuff is messy. Where it helps, restate those original meeting goals.

More often than not, even when things get uncomfortable, it’s still a really productive use of everyone’s time, and starts the new reporting relationship off on a much healthier foot.

It’ll be quicker for the new manager and direct report to form a trusting relationship. And thanks to the shared understanding of events that the new manager had no prior firsthand experience with, hopefully nothing is changed about the timeline for the direct report’s future promotion process, trajectory towards goals, etc.