Ever wonder what it’s really like to jump into a new leadership role? Here’s the truth nobody talks about: the grief hits hard. Even when you’re excited about the change, you’re mourning the loss of relationships, routines, and being the expert in the room.

Andrea Herron, Chief Human Resources Officer at AAA of Oregon and Idaho, joins the podcast to share her recent career transition story. Six months ago, she changed industries after spending eight years building deep connections with her team—including navigating the entire COVID experience together. What followed was a masterclass in starting over while still being a leader.

In this honest conversation, Andrea breaks down what those first 90 days really look like when you’re learning acronyms, building trust from scratch, and trying not to miss your old team too much. She shares practical strategies for getting up to speed fast, establishing operating norms with a new team, and dealing with the ghost of the beloved previous leader.

Whether you’re about to make a career move or you’re still figuring out how to build relationships in your current role, Andrea’s insights will help you navigate transitions with more grace and less overwhelm.

Key Highlights

• The biggest surprise in any career transition is grief—you’ll miss the relationships and people you left behind more than you expect, and the first 30 days are the hardest
• Not everyone can or should be a leader—90% of us don’t have natural leadership abilities, and being great at your job doesn’t automatically translate to leading people
• When joining a new team, prioritize learning each person’s strengths, communication preferences, and what level of feedback they’re used to receiving
• Establish operating norms early (meeting frequency, communication styles, working locations, shared calendars) to build trust and accountability
• Following a beloved previous leader is actually a gift—the bar is high, but you’re stepping into a team that already respects the role
• Use simple connection tools like question cards at team meetings to learn about people beyond work
• Balance asking genuine questions about your team with sharing authentically about yourself—it can’t feel like a checklist
• Give yourself grace during transitions—you’re going from being the expert to asking “how do I turn on my computer?”

Resources/Links Mentioned

• There’s an Elephant in Your Office (Andrea’s book on managing mental health in the workplace)
• Website: https://sidesconsultingservices.com/
• Andrea’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreaherron/

Guest Bio

Andrea Herron is the Chief Human Resources Officer at AAA Oregon/Idaho, published author of “There’s an Elephant in Your Office,” and host of the award-winning podcast The HR Scoop. She was recently selected as one of Ragan’s Top Women in Wellness and HR Awards, an Agent of Change in American Healthcare Leader magazine, and a Top Leader in DEIB by Mogul.