Dealing with an angry colleague after your promotion?

[Fiona2011231]

Could you pls advise?

A colleague and I applied for an internal promotion to head our department, and I got the position. Immediately after the announcement, my colleague was angry, accusing the interview panel of being unfair. She told me that since she was older and joined the company earlier than me, she should have got the position.

Now I'm her line manager. In fact she is supposed to be my trusted deputy. Instead, she refused to work as hard as she can and refused to be co-operative.

What would you do? I know I should talk to her, and I tried once since that promotion. But the talk did not go anywhere.

Thank you

[LaurieFairyCake]

You need to actually manage her now. Give her stuff to do, timescales to do it. Acknowledge that you realise she's miffed but say it's now time to get on with the work and you want to support her to be able to do that.

But you have to give her work to do and ensure she is doing it.

[HoneyDragon]

You need to start managing her now. And I think her behaviour has demonstrated why she hasn't been promoted and you have.

[Millionairerow]

Life and times. Could be you on crap end so acknowledge colleague strengths. I am in shite situation where I was bees knees but now on SHIT pile. It will happen to you one day so be prepared. No matter if right now you think IT won't.

[WhoaCadburys]

If it continues badly then it's a performance issue - disciplinary.

[MagicalHamSandwich]

Her acting the way she does may be the exact reason why she is not suitable as a manager!

Set up a meeting with her. Explain that you acknowledge that she is unhappy with the decision but that this is the way things are now and clearly outline your expectations of her (first item on your list: no toddler tantrums - she's a bloody adult!). I'd also tell her that I would be as supportive as I could be in terms of giving her opportunities for professional growth and that you know what she's capable of and really want her to use her skills to the benefit of everyone but that her continuing to behave like a stroppy teenager will not be accepted.

Follow up with her on a regular basis. If she won't play, you will need to make it clear to her that there may be disciplinary action as a consequence of her behaviour and - and this part is crucial - you will have to follow through with this.

If she does comply, reward her and make it abundantly clear how happy she is making you.

... or that's my general strategy in a nutshell. It tends to work pretty well.

[JapanNextYear]

As magichall says above. Exactly. You got the job, you have to manage her. Likely is she'll move on once you do.

Don't do what I did which is ignore it, not confront the elephant in the room and let it fester for a year till it all gets really horrible.

[WhoaCadburys]

Maybe consult HR at this stage and record those initial conversations so that you are following process, or you may waste time having them again at a later date as part of the process.

Best case scenario here is that she does a complete U-turn or leaves.