What To Do When They Hire Someone Above You

When I joined Microsoft, I was supposed to report directly to a General Manager. It was the perfect setup: strong visibility, access to influence, and a path that looked wide open for growth.

Plus, he was one of the most well-liked leaders at the company (literally the dream).

Six weeks in, everything changed. Leadership announced they were bringing in a Director above me.

I was crushed. I had built a great rapport with the GM, I was getting exposure, and suddenly it felt like the ladder had pulled up under me.

My first thought? “Did I just lose my shot?” “Should I leave?”

But over time, I learned something important: being layered doesn’t have to be the end of your path. It’s a test. And how you handle it determines whether you fade into the background—or prove you’re already operating at the next level.

Today, I want to share with you what you should and shouldn’t do if you have been leveled, and how to manage this curveball with dignity and come up on top.

Phase 1: Shock & First Impressions (0–30 days)

The first reaction is always emotional. Frustration. Fear. Resentment.

But here’s the mistake: letting those emotions leak into how you show up. Gossiping. Withdrawing. Acting bitter. Those behaviors kill credibility fast.

The executive move is different.

• Show composure. Even if you’re frustrated, stay steady. People are watching how you handle the change. You are better off saying nothing or asking for time rather than acting emotionally.

• Get curious. Ask yourself: Why was this new leader hired? What’s their mandate? The answer tells you what the company values most right now. You could also ask why you weren’t considered for the role, or what they were looking for that they couldn’t see in you. As painful as it may be, it could give you insights about how you are perceived and help you identify gaps to work on.

• Open the door. Don’t wait for them to approach you. Introduce yourself, share what you’re working on, and signal you’re here to collaborate, not compete.

That’s exactly what I did at Microsoft—and it’s what kept me from losing visibility during the transition.

Phase 2: Build Influence & Preserve Your Visibility (30–90 days)

This is where careers either stall or accelerate. Too often I see people retreat and keep themself small out of spite, and end up hurting themselves more than anyone else.

This behavior is childish and petty. Try this instead:

Stay visible—but not desperate.

The knee jerk reaction of losing status is trying to win it back…sometimes too aggressively. Visibility doesn’t mean spamming people with every task you complete to get some attention. It means consistently putting outcomes in front of the right stakeholders.

You may have a new manager, but that doesn’t mean you should stop communicating with your (now) skip or leadership team.

Think: monthly “impact snapshots” that highlight measurable wins, or presenting a success story in an exec staff meeting.

Or volunteer to co-present a win with your new boss to leadership (you both get credit).

Use leadership positioning tools.

You are still the same leader you were before this new layer of management was added. Don’t take a step back or assume you have less authority. Instead, step up and show up as the leader you are to establish a good baseline. This is what your new manager will see in the first few weeks, and how you behave will define their perception.

Act like a leader - and they will assume you are one.

• Lead a cross-functional sync to align stakeholders—proving you can lead through change.

• Give your new boss context and quick wins: what’s working, what’s fragile, where they should focus. Become their guide, not their competitor.

• Recognize your team’s contributions. Executives notice leaders who can keep morale strong during transitions.

Be useful. Be reliable. Be visible.

One of the fastest ways to build influence with a new boss is to make them successful. When my new Director joined, I gave her a download of the landscape: the big wins, the landmines to avoid, and the opportunities to go after. That made me a partner, not a problem.

Create a “state of the function” doc that shows you think like an owner and walk them through it. Bonus tip: Invite your skip manager and get extra visibility while you show up as a damn good leader.

Add reliability (deliver consistently, flag risks early) and you become the person everyone trusts to lead. Including your new manager.

And here’s the insurance policy most people forget: build relationships across the org. If your entire career rests on the perception of one manager, you’re vulnerable. But if VPs, peers, and cross-functional leaders already see you as credible and capable, one re-org won’t derail you.

Phase 3: The Decision Point (After 90 days)

By now, you’ll know whether this new structure is a springboard or a ceiling. If you have room for growth or whether you get along with your new leader.

That’s the right time to make a strategic decision about your next move. Do you stay and work on your next promotion, or go elsewhere to continue your journey?

• If you stay: use the trust you’ve built to restart the promotion conversation. Ask: “Now that the structure has shifted, what would it take for me to be the obvious choice for the next level?” If you’ve made your boss successful, they may become a sponsor.

• If you go: exit strategically. Frame it as growth, not resentment: “I’ve taken this org as far as I can in the current structure, and I’m looking for my next level of scope.” Your impact snapshots and cross-org relationships become the story you sell externally.

That’s exactly what happened for me at Microsoft. By leaning in instead of pulling back, I preserved my relationship with the GM, built trust with the new Director, and eventually transitioned into a more senior role that reflected where I wanted to be.

What NOT to Do

Let’s be clear. There are a few fast ways to tank your credibility when you get leveled. You should avoid these at all costs:

• Gossiping or venting about the new hire.

• Retreating into tactical work and letting your visibility fade.

• Pushing for a change of management right away (it looks reactive, not strategic).

If you avoid these traps and focus on composure, influence, and visibility, you’ll come out stronger than you started.

Your Next Steps

If someone was just hired above you, use this 90-day guide to help you through the transition:

• In the first 30 days, show grace and curiosity.

• In the next 60, build influence by being useful, reliable, and visible.

• At 90 days, decide: double down internally or make a strategic move externally.

And if you want to prevent this from happening, invest in an insurance policy:

• Develop your executive presence to be seen as a leader

• Build relationships with senior stakeholders across the org

• Talk about your impact. They may promote you instead of hiring above you.

Want to know how to do that? I put together a 25.5-minute masterclass to show you why hard work won’t protect you, and what to do instead to be seen as executive-ready.

Grab it here while it's available

I believe in you, and I’m rooting for you

Maya❤️