Building Trust and Respect with Your New Boss: How to Create a Productive Working Relationship

Jonathan H. Westover, PhD
May 30
7 min read

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Abstract: Research demonstrates that establishing strong connections with new managers is essential for professional success and satisfaction. This article examines evidence-based approaches to developing effective leader-subordinate relationships while providing practical guidance for implementation. Drawing on scholarly research, the authors identify four fundamental elements that contribute to productive working relationships: trust and respect, open communication, adaptation to leadership styles, and collaborative goal-setting. The article outlines specific actionable strategies for each element, including demonstrating reliability, seeking to understand the manager's perspective, maintaining regular check-ins, adjusting to different management approaches, and establishing clear expectations. By implementing these research-backed techniques, employees can create solid foundations with new managers that foster mutual respect, clear understanding, and shared accountability, ultimately leading to enhanced performance and career advancement.

When starting a new job or taking on a new boss, building a strong relationship from the start is crucial for long-term success and job satisfaction. However, navigating a new reporting structure can be challenging without the right approach.

Today we will explore what research tells us about effective leader-subordinate relationships and provides practical tips for building trust and respect with a new manager.

Research on Effective Leader-Subordinate Relationships

Scholars have extensively studied what builds strong bonds between managers and their direct reports. Several key factors emerge as essential.

Trust and Respect: Research clearly shows trust and respect as the cornerstones of any healthy working relationship (McAllister, 1995; Dirks & Ferrin, 2002). Employees must see their boss as credible, caring, and principled to feel comfortable taking instruction and guidance. Likewise, managers rely on subordinates they trust to carry out tasks competently and loyally. Building this foundation is crucial.

Communication and Understanding: Frequent, two-way communication allows understanding to develop (Sproull & Kiesler, 1986; Thompson & Coolen, 2022). By getting to know one another on both personal and professional levels, expectations become clear while concerns can surface early. However, communication must go beyond just information-sharing to include active listening and perspective-taking (Graen & Uhl-Bien, 1995; Kim et al., 2019).

Leadership Style: Tailoring approaches based on a manager's preferred style fosters cooperation and cohesion (Blake & Mouton, 1964; Hersey & Blanchard, 1977). Authoritarian, democratic, and laissez-faire styles each have pros and cons, so adapting flexibly lifts productivity while respecting individual norms. Understanding a new boss' tendencies informs the working dynamic.

Setting Goals and Expectations: Agreeing upon objectives, boundaries, and workflow standards provides structure and accountability vital for progress tracking and performance evaluation (Locke & Latham, 1990; Kinicki & Fugate, 2016). However, meaningful participation by both parties creates buy-in and motivation to achieve goals and address issues that arise.

Build Trust and Respect from Day One

Upon starting a new role with a fresh reporting structure, demonstrating dependability, competence, honesty and care for the manager's priorities lays the groundwork for trust and respect. Several proactive steps can facilitate this.

Be Punctual and Reliable: Arriving to work and meetings on time while following through efficiently on assigned tasks that are completed accurately illustrates reliability (Dulebohn et al., 2012). Dependability is the cornerstone of trustworthiness, so consistently meeting or exceeding expectations sets the right tone.

Seek to Understand Their Perspective: Ask open-ended questions to learn about the manager's background, leadership philosophy, current priorities, and pet peeves to gain persceptive and avoid potential landmines (DeRue & Ashford, 2010). Demonstrating a drive to see issues from their viewpoint shows respect for their position and concerns.

Follow Through on Commitments: Back up words with action by delivering what was promised by deadlines agreed upon (Dirks & Skarlicki, 2004). If delays occur, properly communicate changes respectfully and transparently. Credibility hinges on honoring promises made to build confidence.

Add Value from Day One: Look for proactive contributions aligned with the manager's goals such as taking on an additional responsibility temporarily or offering a novel solution to an ongoing issue (Kim et al., 2019). Initiatives that relieve their workload and benefit objectives fast-track trust and respect.

Communicate Openly and Actively Listen: Frequent, two-way dialogue is key to forging understanding between a manager and direct report. Make communication a consistent focus through several habitual approaches.

Schedule Regular Check-Ins: Propose brief but recurring meetings, such as weekly 15-minute stand-ups, to touch base on progress, upcoming due dates and any roadblocks (Greenberg, 2011; Thompson & Coolen, 2022). Set an open yet structured forum to facilitate transparency.

Communicate Issues Promptly: If unexpected delays or problems arise, do not wait for scheduled check-ins to update the manager (Maanen, 1975). The sooner communication occurs, the more credibility and understanding result from transparency when things change.

Listen with an Open Mind: Focus on understanding perspectives shared rather than just waiting to reply (Moon et al., 2017). Take notes and repeat back key points to verify comprehension. Receptive listening conveys respect and interest in their viewpoint.

Ask Questions Respectfully: Inquire further to gain complete clarity especially on unclear directives or feedback, displaying active engagement in two-way understanding versus just compliance (Lee, 2001).

Tailor Your Approach to the Manager's Style: Different managers have unique preferred ways of leading that employees must adapt to for cooperation and cohesion. With some observation and discussion, tailoring approaches accordingly lays the foundation for a productive dynamic.

Identify Their Tendencies: Look for signs of authoritarian, democratic, or more hands-off styles in their level of input, preferred delegation technique, and feedback approach (Blake & Mouton, 1964). Ask respectfully if needed.

Adjust Your Interactions: For example, a directive boss requires more structure in check-ins and status updates, while an empathetic manager welcomes casual brainstorming (Yukl, 2013). Conversations and work habits should suit their natural inclinations.

Be Flexible in Your Style Too: While keeping a natural communication mode, expand familiar habits to suit their needs periodically, like taking detailed notes for a planner versus maintaining a casual dialogue (DeRue et al., 2011). Adaptability demonstrates team focus.

Set Goals, Expectations and Follow a Structure: Creating structure and setting clear performance markers from the outset fosters progress, accountability and management ease down the road. However, collaborative goal-setting boosts buy-in.

Discuss Strengths and Development Areas: An early candid conversation helps identify strengths to leverage and aspects to cultivate (Luthans & Peterson, 2003). Honest yet supportive feedback prevents assumptions and guides growth.

Engage in Goal Development: Solicit participation in creating objectives that are specific, measurable and timely versus assigning unilateral goals (Locke & Latham, 1990). Participation leads to commitment and enthusiasm for realistic targets.

Set Performance Management Protocols: Agree on check-in frequency, preferred mechanisms for submitting updates and feedback, documentation practices and escalation procedures for issues to provide structure (Kinicki & Fugate, 2016).

Conclusion

Building a productive working relationship with a new manager sets the stage for long-term career success and fulfillment. Through an open, trust-based dynamic underscored by clear expectations and two-way understanding, any new employee-manager partnership can thrive. Applying foundational research on leadership coupled with the practical suggestions - like tailoring communication to styles, setting collaborative goals and demonstrating reliability from day one - provides a framework to establish a strong foundation from which both parties and the organization overall can excel. Consistently cultivating these ingredients of trust, respect, understanding and accountability will sustain a supportive reporting structure with new and seasoned bosses alike over time.

References

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Jonathan H. Westover, PhD is Chief Academic & Learning Officer (HCI Academy); Chair/Professor, Organizational Leadership (UVU); OD Consultant (Human Capital Innovations). Read Jonathan Westover's executive profile here.

Suggested Citation: Westover, J. H. (2025). Building Trust and Respect with Your New Boss: How to Create a Productive Working Relationship. Human Capital Leadership Review, 21(3). doi.org/10.70175/hclreview.2020.21.3.7