The boss is away? Don’t panic, this is your time to shine

If you’re wondering why I’ve spent the past week madly typing in a coffee-induced blur, allow me to explain: my esteemed editor has jetted off on holiday, leaving me in charge. While the childish part of me has spent the past few days gleefully spreading my assortment of muffin wrappers, empty cups and books I’ll never read across two desks, the other part of me (the one that remembers she has rent to pay) recognises what a fantastic opportunity this situation offers.

Whether your manager is off for a week’s holiday or a six-month sabbatical, being asked to step in while they’re away can be simultaneously exciting and terrifying.

Opportunities like this are like gold dust for the ambitious among us. Most of us, if we’re honest, would quite like to our boss’s job. I’m not suggesting you move into their office and put your name on the door the second their plane takes off, rather that you see this as a rehearsal. When they move up or move on, you want to be the one to step into their shoes: this is your chance to prove that you can do it.

Be brave

If the buck never stops with you, it can be easy to rely on other people, rather than learning to trust your own judgment. The first step to making the most of your time in the hotseat is to be brave. This doesn’t mean making drastic changes, just taking a deep breath and going with your instinct, rather than over-thinking every little decision and worrying about making a mistake. A good leader has the ability to make decisions quickly and assertively: nurture this skill now and it will serve you well in the future.

Don’t ask permission

If your boss is part of the growing tribe of workers who check their emails on holiday and never quite turn off, it can be tempting to act as if they’re still in the office – asking questions, checking decisions or getting their opinion. This is bad news for everyone concerned: your boss won’t have a restful break, while you are unconsciously telling everyone involved that you’re not ready for more responsibility.

Make things better

People often grow less connected to the day-to-day running of a business as they become more senior. You have an obvious advantage here: if you’re in the middle of the action, you’re in a perfect position to look around, take stock and identify where and why things aren’t working. This is a great opportunity to try out the kind of minor changes that make life easier for the masses and help everyone work more efficiently.

Raise your profile

If you’ve done something well, speak up. This is your chance to engage with the leaders in your company, work with people you might not usually come into contact with and show everyone you are ready to step up. Socialise, speak up in meetings and use the time to reconnect with your colleagues, including those more junior than you – if you want to move up, you need a good team behind you.

Report back

If you make your boss’s return to work as painless as possible, everyone benefits. Don’t leave a list of questions and unfinished business sitting in their email inbox, it will just make you look disorganised. Put together a comprehensive handover document, sent the day before they’re back in the office, so they can catch up and get ahead if they choose. Book in a meeting in the first week of their return to discuss any issues that arose during their time off and be honest about any mistakes or potential problems.

Don’t fear ambition

It’s a common, and extremely frustrating, problem that while most people view ambition as an attractive quality in a man, it often changes into a negative attribute when it crosses the gender divide. Many women I’ve spoken to, particularly those starting out in their careers, are hesitant to show the true extent of their ambition, fearing it will alienate them from colleagues and hinder their progression.

This can actually have the opposite effect: if you don’t speak up and get noticed, you’ll struggle to move forward in your career.

So when your boss books a week off, take a deep breath and step forward. It might be the best decision you ever make.