so you are at a point in your career where you have surpassed your seniors/supervisors in term sof qualifications and are now considered a potential threat to them.. so what they do is start hiding things from you.. like if you are away and come back, unlike before they don’t update you or keep you in loop just so you lack something.. since your work is mostly in the field, you really dont know much about the office situation unless someone keeps you posted.. Before that, people used to send emails to each other but not anymore BUT they still expect you to keep them updated while they are away!
and your supervisor is not a good manager, for instance you were asked to break the news of your passing the exam in a subtle manner just so people dun get upset.. yes you passed it but other people will be hurt because they haven’t able to take the exam or pass it for several reasons so that shows how incompetent your manager is!
How do you deal with this? who do you confront? do you just ignore it? It’s affecting your work and your relationship with the co workers!
Any pointers?
ps: you work for the state and they have passed the regulation that only people with specific qualification will be funded next year and rest some will be grand fathered in and some not.. so yes everyone is trying to save their job!
Our company has an ethics department. All the concerns can be reported to/discussed with them (even anonymously) and they will conduct an enquiry. Do you have such body within your work setup?
I will look for another job. If my whole team is not with me or supporting me and the manager is a coward . There will be no joy in working at such a place.
I will not quit right away in this economy but will certainly start looking around.
TLK we also have EAP (Employee Assistance Program) and everything is confidential but honestly I don't see how and where it will go.. it's justa very small number of people and I want to have a good relationship with them! :-(
Mirch.. quitting is not an option right now.. one all my exam expenses were paid by work and by virtue of that I have to stay here at least until July, second I love working here but this recent situation is just making it worse especially when everyone wants to out you down and don't want you to learn anything!
Assuming I have to stay in this stuation, what can be done?
GTG , I would have said you contacted the EAP .. but since you dont wish to take things to that level as yet ... here's the next best thing to do , in my opinion:
Be patient. Perhaps the manager isnt being a coward but just trying to maintain a balance between the team .. just like in a classroom , some kids will perform brilliant, others wont .. you cant just shove the brilliant ones into the non brilliant ones faces .. you know what i mean?
So , remain patient... try not to make them feel that you have outdone them ... yes you have achieved something brilliant , but you will be isolating yourself if you get fixated by that brilliance ... hence be humble with them so they dont feel you as a potential threat. If its a situation where dog eats dogs , then you may have no alternative but to quit as soon as your contracted time with the company is up.
you see , your brilliance will get paid by your seniors , via promotions and increase in pay as and when. your colleagues or 360 Degree co workers will have no interest in your qualifications or achievements , so there is no point really expecting them to acknowledge you. The real stakeholder , who should acknowledge you is the manager and the senior manager. For now, do what they are asking you to do and convince yourself to look at the bigger picture.
If eventually after a few months you still feel a level of hostility , then start looking at alternative department within the firm or a new job .
TLK we also have EAP (Employee Assistance Program) and everything is confidential but honestly I don't see how and where it will go.. it's justa very small number of people and I want to have a good relationship with them! :-(
Mirch.. quitting is not an option right now.. one all my exam expenses were paid by work and by virtue of that I have to stay here at least until July, second I love working here but this recent situation is just making it worse especially when everyone wants to out you down and don't want you to learn anything!
Assuming I have to stay in this stuation, what can be done?
I did not say you quit right now. You can start exploring other opportunities. The whole tide seems to be going against you as I sense from your first post. CB has provided brilliant advice above.
Stick it out! It shows strength of character, and start trying to find ways to schmooze the managers' senior!
Also make youself indespensible, get involved in every project, so even if they don't want you there, they will NEED you there.
In these situations it's all about seeing the end goal and maybe putting personal feelings aside for a while, it's difficult but can be done and you will be so much the better for it after. Cause as you get higher up the competition only get fiercer!
Two specific suggestions in addition to what everyone else has said:
1- try to socialize and be extra helpful to those who might be feeling insecure because of you. This is an opportune time in the year to engage in such an undertaking. Take some time to talk to them and mingle with them, show them your friendly side, give them a greeting card or a small gift, verbalize and appreciate some of their strengths, and also offer to help in any projects that you might be able to contribute to. What you’re trying to do is alleviate any erroneous perceptions about yourself in the minds of people.
2- depending on the culture in your organization, either get your manager to help you with this, or take the initiative yourself to offer a couple of workshops or tutorials that your colleagues might find helpful in pursuing the qualifications themselves. Make sure you wangle this as a selfless action though... something that you don’t need to be formally acknowledged or rewarded for, but are doing this for the betterment of your organization. Also invite suggestions for topics or issues that your colleagues might want you to address in these workshops and make it as interactive and audience friendly as possible.
GTG , if you want to stick around and are not a quitter , and are willing to work hard on turning it all around then.
I will add some more to what LC said above. Take out all your opponents for one on one lunch and try to let them know in subtle way that you are a friend to them not a threat.
I have tried that many many times it always works as a charm. In a one on one everybody lowers their guard and listens to you and you listen to them , this starts new chapter in your work relationships.
Thanks everyone.. thats exactly how I have been trying to make things work.. I am as supportive and friendly as before and in fact I have taken the person out for lunch and made it very clear that I am not interested in titles at all but apparently it's a big deal for some people! Sometimes I really wish I hadnt passed the test at least things would have been just as normal as before!
I would rather not quit because this is my dream job at the very much needed/wanted location! Nonetheless it's tough!
What do you mean , you wish you hadn’t passed the test GTG .. don’t say that … you got an opportunity and you availed it and got through it with your effort and hard work. So don’t dismiss the perfectly brilliant opportunity.
However, do remember that the fortunate ones, in any field, have to face the politics too ! It’s human nature , you can’t change that really. So keep your faith. Continue harder to win them back. Remain patient. It’s still a new thing for them and it will take time for things to settle in their minds ..
Here’s an example : one person is chosen from amongst his peers to lead them purely due to his leadership abilities … Its but natural that there will be resistance of all sorts from his peers. But does that make the person less of a leader? No it doesn’t. Does he have to learn to deal with the added pressure of leadership? Yes he has to, who said leadership comes easy !
.. don’t say that … you got an opportunity and you availed it and got through it with your effort and hard work. So don’t dismiss the perfectly brilliant opportunity.