I always wonder if the new (boss, co-worker, neighbor,coach, fill in the blank) is going to be wonderful or from hell. In my imagination there is often no middle ground at first — because, as you’ve said, change shakes people up. It’s a very human response.

I hope whoever is responsible for hiring has a good interview process — that really matters. And I hope whoever comes on board has great change skills so that she can help the staff and clients move through the uncertainty as quickly as possible.

I wish “as quickly as possible” were one of those “okay, now it’s done” accomplishments — but when change is involved, it’s an up-and-down process.

I highly recommend the book Managing Transitions by William Bridges. Anyone going through an organizational change can benefit from it. And because it describes the psychological process and impact of change, I find much of it useful for personal transitions as well.

Let me know how the new boss works out.