How do I make sure my new manager is aware of my growth plan?

Question

I had some 1-on-1s with my former manager and my last 1-on-1 I tried to bring up my growth plan. I asked him specifically, "What are some things I can work on" and "Where do you see me growing in the company and in my career"

He brought up some things I could do to improve (most of them communication-related). I thought they were all relevant and while I still have a long way to go, I feel my former boss has a good understanding of where I want to be and how I want to grow in the company

Recently we hired a new manager who I will report to and the new manager now reports to my former manager (we hired someone who will serve as an in-between essentially) and I wanted to know what is the best way to make sure my new manager is aware of how I want to grow. Should I ask my former manager to fill him in or is it my job to do that?

Answer 1

what is the best way to make sure my new manager is aware of how I want to grow. Should I ask my former manager to fill him in or is it my job to do that?

It's your job.

While others may help, this is your career, your growth plan, and thus your job to communicate it effectively with your new manager, if you wish to enlist his help.

Hopefully, you'll have regular one-on-one meetings with your new manager. That is the ideal time to talk about work, expectations, and about you. You'll need to learn what your new manager expects from you, and you need to tell him what you expect of him.

If you have formalized your growth plan (some companies have written systems for that), bring it with you and ask for a good time to discuss it in depth. If you don't have a formal growth plan, write things up for easier discussions.

Don't assume your new manager will have been fully briefed on your individual needs by your previous manager. Often, the ramp-up period for new bosses means there is little overlap time with prior managers to handle all the details. Take it upon yourself to get to know your new boss and help him to know you. You'll both benefit from that.

Answer 2

In an ideal world, your former manager would give your new manager some kind of handover for every employee - and your former manager sounds like he was doing the right things, so this may well happen.

But there's no harm in gently bringing the subject up yourself during 1-to-1s with your new manager - "I think I'm doing well at the growth plan I agreed with (old manager's name). I've improved my (foo) skills and have made a start at (bar)." If all's well, your new manager will have read your growth plan so this won't come as a surprise. If not, he'll privacy be having a quick chat with your old manager just after the meeting :-)

Answer 3

Should I ask my former manager to fill him in or is it my job to do that?

Yes, you might request him to fill him in.

This is because, your manager might actually know how things should work out(which you might not know due to your lack of experience/due to where you stand in the hierarchy table) so that your growth plan successful. So, he can convey it to the one filling his position in his own words and how he actually sees your growth ladder.

And yeah, even you should also meet your newly appointed manager, and talk to him about your plans, and how sees it and how do you successfully implement it.

Answer 4

I think it is your responsibility, but you can allow your new manager to decide whether or not to consult the former manager. You may not be aware of the dynamic between them. A current boss who worries about the former manager interfering, may want to avoid this, so ask for a 1on1 meeting and suggest that you discussed this with the previous manager and now want to discuss it again.

Be prepared for the new manager disagreeing with the previous advice. The key for you is to grow professionally, but you also need to make sure you're in synch with your new manager's expectations. If you don't want to change your current path, what are you going to do? You may want to wait and get to know the current manager so you know how to approach this.