At Work with The Ready AUA: Promotion Problems - Managing Former Bosses
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Oct 13, 2025 What do you do when your former boss becomes your direct report? The hosts dive into navigating awkward power dynamics and suggest openly addressing the tensions. They emphasize the importance of genuine conversations to rebuild trust and delegate effectively. Handling feelings of shame within the team is crucial, as is knowing when to make tough decisions for the team’s benefit. With practical tips, they tackle one of the trickiest leadership challenges head-on.
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Call Out The Awkwardness
- Acknowledge the awkwardness directly with your team to defuse tension and create space for honest work.
- Invite people to tell you what they need from you so roles can reset without pretending nothing changed.
Ask For Real Advice
- Have one-on-one conversations with your former boss and supervisor and ask for their advice genuinely.
- Only ask about things you truly want to hear and might act on, or risk losing trust and provoking retaliation.
Shame Shapes Behavior
- Shame may be the prevailing feeling for reassigned leaders and can paralyze team dynamics if unaddressed.
- Treat their competence as real while being mindful that embarrassment can distort how they show up.