When Your New Boss Keeps Blaming the Old Boss

In a healthy organization, a new leader acknowledges the past, then focuses on building the future. Criticism may surface during a transition, but it should fade as trust and direction take root.

But what if it doesn’t? What if your new boss is still pointing backward months—or even years—into their role? “I’m cleaning up their mess.” “We wouldn’t be in this position if it weren’t for them.” Instead of inspiring confidence, the constant blame signals avoidance. For staff, this dynamic is discouraging, confusing, and destabilizing.

As academic librarians, we often experience this firsthand. We inherit shifting directives, new reporting structures, and changes in administrative vision. A boss who lives in the past traps the team in a cycle of negativity, gossip, and frustration. You can’t control your boss’s behavior—but you can control your response. The CALM framework offers practical guidance while helping you preserve and shape workplace culture.

Communication: Redirect the Narrative

Gossip thrives when leaders fuel blame, and gossip corrodes culture. Staff can model healthier communication by focusing on clarity and forward momentum.

Strategies:

• Avoid echoing gossip. When conversations turn negative, pivot with: “What can we do now?” This models a culture of solutions rather than complaints.

• Use open office hours to ask future-oriented questions: “What would success look like for our library this semester?” Questions set a cultural tone of accountability and forward-thinking.

• Document and share your accomplishments in writing. Regular updates reinforce progress and help shape a culture of transparency.

Adaptability: Stay Grounded in Today’s Work

A boss who dwells on the past creates instability that seeps into culture. Adaptability means focusing on what you can control—your projects, your professional growth, and your service to students and faculty.

Strategies:

• Keep your own log of completed tasks and initiatives. This models a culture of reliability and evidence-based accountability.

• Frame reports in terms of current institutional goals: “This project supports student success and aligns with accreditation priorities.” This demonstrates adaptability while reinforcing a culture of alignment.

• Adjust to shifting demands without internalizing negativity—flexibility fosters a culture where resilience is normalized rather than fear.

Learning: Extract Lessons Without Carrying the Weight

Blame culture often masks deeper issues. Instead of defending the old or resenting the new, reframe situations as opportunities to learn—and to encourage a culture of growth.

Strategies:

• Ask yourself: “What lessons can we apply now, regardless of past leadership mistakes?” This sets a tone for a culture that values continuous improvement.

• Listen during office hours or meetings for insights—what isn’t being said often reveals cultural priorities.

• Use professional development and networks outside the library to broaden your perspective beyond internal drama. Modeling ongoing learning strengthens a culture of curiosity and innovation.

Management: Protect Morale and Model Stability

If you supervise others, your role is to buffer your team from leadership’s negativity. Management here isn’t just about tasks—it’s about creating a stable, positive culture even when higher levels falter.

Strategies:

• Celebrate wins, however small, and connect them to the library’s enduring mission. Celebrations reinforce a culture of value and contribution.

• Remind staff that their work matters beyond shifting leadership narratives. This cultivates a culture of purpose.

• Set boundaries. If the negativity is constant, limit exposure and keep conversations with your boss focused on actionable topics. Modeling boundaries creates a culture of professionalism and respect.

Final Thought

A new boss who constantly blames the old one is showing you something important—not about the past, but about their own leadership. You can’t rewrite their story, but you can choose how to respond. By applying the CALM framework—communicating with clarity, staying adaptable, treating blame as a chance to learn, and managing morale—you protect your confidence and help your library move forward.

Blame erodes culture. CALM restores it.