Ask a room filled with communicators, “Who’s had a new functional boss or CCO in the last 12 months?” and you’re likely to see a majority of hands go up quickly. It’s the next shuffling of the deck chairs to align talent and opportunity. Two strategies quickly emerge for those getting new managers: get out in front, or lay low until the new boss tells you something is needed. I can assure you, based on experience, that the latter strategy isn’t your best option.

I once had a new boss who’d been announced to the company, but hadn’t yet started the job. I knew it was too early to send a welcome note to a company email address, so I asked for, and received, a personal email and sent a quick note of welcome and introduction. To this day, that boss tells me my note of welcome – even before the job started – left a lasting, unique and positive impression.

But the more important strategy with a new boss is all about empathy — not necessarily emotional empathy, but cultural, historical and functional empathy.  It’s putting us in the shoes of a new leader who needs to understand history, context and process. Importantly, as these empathic insights are shared, it’s not with an “it’s-always-been-done-this-way” mentality, but rather a “looking-forward-to-adjusting- shifting-gears-or-blowing-it-all-up” attitude.  Some new leaders will need orientation to the function; others will need it for the company and/or industry, as companies decide on different reporting structures and sourcing options for communications/marketing/HR/Legal leadership.

Regardless, when a communication professional acts on this kind of empathy, it sends a message that he/she wants the new boss to succeed, wants to flex to support the change in leadership and wants to be a contributor to the new team. To me, it’s surprising how many people opt for the head-in-the-sand strategy. It really doesn’t show one’s best side.

While it’s true that some manager/employee combinations are destined not to work, why ignore an opportunity to at least give the new regime a chance, and to be an enabler instead of a spectator?

And lest there be any confusion, showing empathy isn’t about managing up or giving trite praise.  Sure, sartorial splendor never goes out of date, but the old, “My, that’s a great looking tie,” or “Awesome shoes; where did you get them?” isn’t what we’re talking about. In the example I shared about my once-new boss, I followed up the email with a detailed binder that included everything from bios on the team I was managing, to financials about the businesses I was supporting and suggested “people to know” on those businesses. Oh, and I included an invitation to come out and spend a day with me and my team.

There are lots of ways to show the new boss you’re there for him/her. Here are five questions to ask yourself about your new boss that should get things moving in the right direction:

• What does the new boss need to understand about the function/processes that I currently manage?
• Who are the key leaders I work with who the boss should meet?
• What history can I provide that will illustrate clearly and simply how we set strategy, execute, measure and report our communications work?
• How do I best keep the new boss informed and engaged about what I’m doing (preferred methods of communication and conditions – like how to break through any walls when there’s a crisis)?
• How can I support the new boss’ mandate for change? And how do I show it?

The ostrich head-in-the-sand may be safe in the short term, but it’s a bird-brained strategy for the bigger and more strategic picture.