MM Blog 6/8: A new boss

Well, it is officially still four weeks away, but I now have a new boss. I think I have shared with you all of the transitions going on at P&G, in particular our Beauty & Grooming business. It is all good, and makes all the sense in the world long-term. In the short-term what it means for me is a new boss. My old boss, who had worked on Pantene for over a decade is moving to another role and we are getting a new boss. I have heard nothing but great things about her (yes, another female!) and we have lots in common (she too is a mother of three).

Like any new working relationship it will take time. She is Dutch by ethnic background, and is married to a Greek, so very diverse. She spent her whole career in Beauty which will be great. The hard part for me is I don't really "report" to her but on paper. My role is pretty autonomous in nature and works as closely with R&D. My old boss was totally fine with this and it worked, I just need to ensure the new one is as well.

I will meet her for the first time tomorrow, as she is hear onboarding this week. Unfortunately even though she officially starts July 1, she won't move to Cincinnati until mid-August, so it will be a long transition. And word on the street is my role may be changing and I move to a new general manager by the end of the calendar year...so as I say to my husband "I am just holding on for the ride, hoping it goes smoothly."

I think moms and even more so working moms are wired to handle change. It just comes with our hormones I guess. I often like to lump all change together. For example, I moved to another country, started a new role and got married all at the same time. The same on our return from Europe, started new role, moved into new house in new neighborhood in Cincy and got pregnant all at the same time. So, based on this I thought I was used to it. But to be honest, all of the change going on at work has been a bit much to handle. While I am doing just fine, still have a great job and love coming to work. Not being fully informed, and not being able to steer the organization as much as they need to be has been tough. I like to keep my people fully informed but there is just so much day-to-day change it is hard.

On the other hand, I think trying to steer the change vs sitting back is always the right thing to do, even with your children. As a mom or manager we owe it to those who look up to us to do right by them and to try to make their world a little better, easier, more comforting. So no matter how uncomfortable I feel, I need to step up and not let that come across to do right by my people...and at home, by my kids should that much change ever be needed at home.