Difficult Colleagues.

Green Mile · 01-12-2011 6:14pm #1

I started a new office job last year. I came in and got through my work and got on well with my colleagues. My team leader announced she was pregnant and the manager asked me to take up the job as team lead.

I was informed by friends that my current colleagues will be livid since they were working towards that position for a lot long than myself. They are under the impression that they can do the role and they probably can.

I find it so so hard to deal with my colleagues now. When I was new, I always had lots of questions with the work, they always obliged to help me out but now, as it stands, when I need something done or ask someone to process something a certain way, they reply with "no, it's not done that way," or "i've never had to do this before so I don't think that's right"

Being Team Lead and always in talks with management, it is management who advise me to handle thing a certain way so I am really only convoying the instruction to the staff.

Also whenever I ask for details on something that they know and understand well, they simply point me to the folder instead of just telling me the answer saying "there's the paper work, do the research"
It's would just take one second to answer by question.

I feel they are hindering my performance. I feel they are talking behind my back about me. I have always been nice and continue to be nice.
I have always been a passive person and my reaction is always shock as opposed to replying firmly to their aggressiveness.

Is there anyone else out there that is or had been in the same position and can maybe offer advise?

I am sure there's books out there on how to deal with bad staff. Any links, please send them my way.

K

suitseir · 01-12-2011 6:43pm

Let me guess or correct me if I am wrong....are most of them female colleagues?

Many years ago I had a similar situation.....my way of handling the situation at the time was to toughen up and play them at their own game!!!! No room for sentiment or you will sink. You sound like a really nice friendly person but I am afraid you will need to box clever on this one!

That is the best advice I can give you but I am sure there are others on boards who will have other "methods" for you to make it work for you.

Good luck.

doolox · 02-12-2011 12:38pm

When you are given a command post, even temporarily, it means you are good at your job and can do most things or you wouldn't be considered for the role otherwise.

If the job has written procedures for all tasks you need to read them all and do your own research and stop asking colleagues how this and that are done.

You need to become the expert at your job.

It is in the nature of people, especially those there longer than you, to feel jealous and insecure that you have "overtaken" them in the job.

You need to stop relying on other peoples expertise and rely on your own memory to do things. People will start to question why you were given the position if you are constantly asking "how to" questions off your staff. You are in charge now, you should have all the answers.

Most bosses I knew took research notes home with them or put in extra time if needed to learn their jobs well enough to keep ahead of their staff. Most were better at the job than their staff.

mikemac1 · 02-12-2011 12:51pm

As team leader they'll be looking at you and expecting you to do the job at a higher level then any of them.
If you are superb at every aspect of your job then nobody will be able to catch you out
When you get to manager you don't have to be good technically if you can manage people. But at team leader you're going to have be great at both

You have to outperform them all, I've had a teamleader fall in late and drunk every Friday, do nothing most days and then tell me how to do my job :rolleyes:
Do you think they got any respect??

You are there since last year so if you are asking procedure questions they will be wondering how you even got the job.

Of course asking question is part of any job but if you are asking basic stuff, well your staff won't be impressed

And if it's a case the workplace is a mess with different procedures, well now is your chance to impress the boss and write up a manual for the workplace

Also, you're probably going to do their appraisals in a few months
Until then, speak up and talk to them.
If someone walks into a meeting expecting a top appraisal and gets a bad one, it's the team leaders fault.
At all times the staff need to know where they stand, if they aren't performing, say it now and not write it on an appraisal in five months time.
When I had to do them for myself and when I gave them to staff we had to give a score and almost always, the score given was the score you'd get back. Staff have to know where they are at any given time

You're going to need multiple examples for everything you tell your staff so write notes to yourself, jot down conversations and save emails. I'm constantly writing emails to myself and just save them

Mrs OBumble · 02-12-2011 2:38pm

Ask your manager for advice on how to handle the team: their job is to help you do your job.

Eoin · 02-12-2011 3:15pm

moved to work problems

doolox · 02-12-2011 3:25pm

Where there is a constant change in the knowledge base of a particular sector, I do not expect a manager to be up to date in all aspects of the jobs of his subordinates. I would expect a team leader, who is doing a large proportion of his job on the floor and is also a leader "part time" to be as skilled and knowledgeable at his job as each of his immediate subordinates. How can he rate their performance otherwise?

When a move is made into management on a formal basis, usually indicated by salary or shift time changes etc. then a certain distance implies that up to date skills will become lost over time and to expect a supervisor to do a job as good as a full time operator would be asking too much. The supervisor should be able to judge and rate performance through his reports and relying on the knowledge and judgement of trusted workers in each area he covers.

Because you are in a temporary position and not formally a supervisor you should still have up to date and full knowledge of all procedures in your area. You should also be able to access, memorise and retain knowledge of all these procedures, given that human nature being what it is you will find it difficult to get that information verbally from your colleagues, jealousy and rivalry being in existence in most organisations.

Most managers I have talked to view teamleaders role as a step up to the more rewarding and less stressfull fulltime management positions and as a role to be got through mainly by putting in long hours in your own time to learn as much as you can so that you can move up to more senior positions.

Teamleaders take trouble both from the top AND the bottom but lack the power to do anything about it. It is a temporary road upwards or it should not be taken on at all. Happily over time anyone who finds the teamleader role to stressful can step back into a junior role. Full-time juniors who fail at their jobs have to quit or be let go.................

Green Mile · 02-12-2011 3:52pm

OP Here,

Thank you all for the feedback. It is very constructive. The reality of life is, I am new to this and my knowledge in all areas is narrow. I was a specialists in my previous role and the other colleagues are specialists in their roles and I would not have dealt with their workings or processes before.

Most of my questions are to the management team to which I can comfortable communicate to the staff but it is the staff who are reluctant to listen to me even though I am merely repeating.

Of course I am reading processes and procedures to cover all angles but in reality, everything is not that simple. Conflict seems to arise on items that are outside of the norm to which I am ill prepared.

I understand human nature and their attitude change. I just wish there was a way for them to understand the same concept of human nature and facilitate and aid my role as I do in return. I know I am able to do the role but this is very hindering.

Again though, thank you all for your feedback.

K

tenchi-fan · 02-12-2011 9:04pm

I'm not in a supervisor/manager position, but it seems to me you should try throwing some weight around.

Show the team that you have the power to make their life easier.

If you feel there is one person in particular out to get you, put them on the late shifts, give them early lunches, refuse them annual leave and pick holes in their work.

If you ask a question and are given a reply "here's the paperwork, find the answer yourself" you should delegate the work to them. If they say they don't know how to do it, ask them to find out, and bring up their lack of knowledge at their performance appraisal.

By contrast, praise team members who help you. Give them easier work. Be more flexible with them. CC them on emails where you compliment them to other staff members.

LegacyUser · 03-12-2011 5:43am

At this stage I would get 2 hard backed A5 notes books. One is to keep notes on your work/tasks in hand/short cuts/ processes ect which you can refer to when you have a problem and another is to keep notes on your co workers. The notes on the co workers would include what they are doing on a daily bases, any back chat your getting and those who are working well for you.
You will find out using this within a week or 2 who is good and not to good. After 2 weeks I
would arrange a meeting with each person on your team to chat with them.
The ones who are giving problems I would tell you will not accept the lack of respect but you are there to help them if they have a problem. Ask them all for any suggestions they have to make as you maybe able to work on improvements together which will benefit everyone.
If they continue to have an attitude with you keep note of this and you can refer to this when they look for holidays or at apprisel time.
I would not put this information on your work computer as it can be access by people in it ect.

Bandana boy · 08-12-2011 11:56pm

Its a difficult position and one I have myself in a few times(albeit not in a temporary role).
I have found what works best is to be forthright with the employees in question.
If you have a question and they give you a non answer ,take a breath leave the issue for the time being and at the end of the day take them to one side.
Explain we are part of a team trying to get something done ,ask them if they feel there answer was how a team mate would behave.
Ask them what they expect you to read into this behavior.
Ask them how they think this behavior reflects on them.

Most employees will be very uncomfortable with this line of questions and admit there mistake.
If they do not I lay down in very certain terms how I judge this behavior and how I believe it has long term consequences.I state my expectations from the staff member and ask if they feel they are capable of meeting these expectations.

mikemac1 · 10-12-2011 11:53am

wise woman wrote: »

At this stage I would get 2 hard backed A5 notes books. One is to keep notes on your work/tasks in hand/short cuts/ processes ect which you can refer to when you have a problem and another is to keep notes on your co workers. The notes on the co workers would include what they are doing on a daily bases, any back chat your getting and those who are working well for you.

And lock your drawer

People work different hours and otherwise someone in early or working late overtime could have a great read for themselves if they are on the desk

LimeFruitGum · 12-12-2011 11:46pm

Bear in mind that a refusal to answer valid questions could be expressed in an appraisal as an "unsupportive" communication/teamwork issue ;-)
One way of skinning that cat!

I'm a team lead, so I have a fair idea where you're coming from. You're caught between two levels - too senior/experienced for daily production and but it will be another while before you are considered for middle or senior management.

But this is a great opportunity. Maybe you don't know the same production stuff as the others, but you must be very good at something to the extent of getting the lead role so soon after joining.

I'm sure a lot of it is just sour grapes about not getting that role. There's not a hell of a lot you can do about that; you need to exert authority asap. The way you express you role makes it sound like you just pass on messages and I'm sure there is a lot more to it than that. Think about what way you are adding value to the job, that nobody else can do. You need to push right back if you are not getting the information you need. That part is going to be hard at first, but you've got to do it; asking nicely isn't working! They need to leave their attitude outside and be professional. Part of the job is to remind them of that. G'luck...

Difficult Colleagues.

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