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Change Communication

	About a year ago, a good friend of mine was promoted and became my boss. He asked me to change my schedule and take on extra duties. I agreed, and everything went well, but he was suddenly promoted. For the past two weeks, I have had a new director who expects me to do all these tasks, and she has given me new assignments and constricted my hours. All of our conversations have focused on what she needs. How and when should I have a conversation to talk about my needs, such as extra benefits for my extra work?
	When you have a new director who enjoys giving directives, there are some direct steps you can take. Since there was no two-way communication when she rearranged your job, it is not surprising to find that her approach to introducing change also introduced dissatisfaction, resistance, and resentment. If your plan is to wait for her to come around, you could have a long wait. Instead of that, you should approach her as soon as possible and ask her for the most convenient time for the two of you to meet. When you have this meeting, try to use more questions than answers. For example, ask her how she plans to change the reward structure as a result of the changes in your job. Notice the implicit assumption that the rewards will be changed. By asking these types of questions, you have a better chance of getting the answers you need about your job over the near term and your future over the long term.

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