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Should I keep my head down, or say something?

12 replies

Keenbutnowdisappointed · 19/06/2018 17:47

I work in a role where I have counterparts in various sites across the UK. For the past few years, our senior manager has been based in Manchester, and there has very much been a Manchester-centric culture in the department (for context, I am nowhere near this area).

We recently had the opportunity to apply for a new, but related role, which sounded really exciting. I applied, and was successful - yay! The senior manager for the new role is also based in Manchester; the colleagues are spread throughout sites across the UK as before.

The new role doesn't come into being for three months (in the meantime, we carry on as we are). However, I have just found out that a team will be piloting the new role a month early, having an opportunity to shape the role, iron out initial difficulties etc. Guess who will be doing this - yes, the team in Manchester Sad.

I am really disappointed, as I feel it heralds yet another era of other sites being the poor relations to the Manchester royalty - also it seems likely to result in the new role being done 'The Manchester Way' rather than having input from the other sites. We will be playing catch-up from the outset.

I strongly want to say something - as positively as possible (that I really want to be part of the pilot and feel I would have lots to offer, rather than alluding to the Manchester royalty problem) however, I don't know my new manager and I don't want my first appearance on his radar to be as a nuisance. It might sound as though I am telling him how to do his job. It am fairly sure the location of the pilot is a done-deal so it would probably be pointless exercise anyway.

I do feel a bit dampened and have a sense of deja vu which is demotivating.

How do I overcome this? Should I say something, or would this be a really bad idea?

OP posts:
KentUnicorn · 19/06/2018 17:51

Could you come up with a positive slant about how you were disappointed not to be able to be involved and suggest how you could contribute to the pilot project from your location. I think if you can keep it proactive, keen and positive they can't view that badly.
If you say nothing will you stew on it and feel worse later?

Keenbutnowdisappointed · 19/06/2018 17:56

It's difficult to say whether I'm having a knee-jerk reaction *KentUnicorn and will feel OK about it in time, or whether it will smoulder.

I'm worried that my 'poor cousins' mentality will become a self-fulfilling prophecy and I'll start imagining slights where there are none. We will essentially be doing the same thing as the Manchester team, so contributing wouldn't be difficult, but it's hard to come up with an angle to suggest what we could offer, without knowing exactly how the others do things - it's the sort of role where there are bound to be slight local variations that won't come to light until we start working together.

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Di11y · 19/06/2018 17:59

If there's any way you could professionally outline how you could add to the pilot I'd do it - do things run differently because you're not hq? Or something

ajandjjmum · 19/06/2018 18:02

Would there be an option of you working in Manchester with that team for a period of time, so that you can be part of the pilot?

Keenbutnowdisappointed · 19/06/2018 18:05

The idea of having people spread across different sites is to bring consistency to the role - there shouldn't be any location-based differences in what we do because of location; rather that different local ways of working will have evolved - this is supposed to be a brand new role, however, so it's frustrating (to me) that an opportunity is being missed to take the best of working practices everywhere to bring to the new role, so that the consistent version is the best it can possibly be.

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hesmyworld · 19/06/2018 18:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Keenbutnowdisappointed · 19/06/2018 18:09

I would love to do that, but I'm too far away to commute there daily, ajandjjmum and it's unlikely they would have the budget to pay for accommodation plus someone to cover my existing role on a temporary basis before the permanent replacement is released from their existing role.

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Keenbutnowdisappointed · 19/06/2018 18:16

The new manager is planning one-to-ones with us over the next three weeks, so there might be an opportunity to say something like that face-to-face, hesmyworld if the meeting seems to be going well. I'm just paranoid about popping up as a nuisance before I have properly got to know him and built a reputation. I thought about saying something to my present manager, but I don't think he would have any influence over the new project.

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shoelaces · 19/06/2018 18:19

I would ask to spend time with the Manchester team. Don't worry about budget and don't even mention it.

Working 2-3 days per week from Manchester will give the team the opportunity to consider local variants and why they have developed, without assuming that one sites way is the best way. Remaining in role for 2 days per week allows you to contribute to training a replacement and handover work.

Highlight the business benefits of having regular input from other teams. If your new boss discounts this out of hand and without consideration, I would be worried about the ability to succeed in the role. Best of luck.

Keenbutnowdisappointed · 19/06/2018 18:30

I will ask the question, shoelaces and ajandjjmum - it can't hurt to ask, and the more flexible I am in suggesting different ways of taking part in the pilot the more chance there is of being given an opportunity, so thank you for the suggestion.

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Mrsramsayscat · 19/06/2018 19:18

My understanding is that the Manchester team will be piloting a new role, and that you will be a role holder in this new role? Can't you just say you've been told that, and ask if you could input to the creative process? You could outline some benefits to them and to you eg it would help you to hit the ground running when you take up post.

Keenbutnowdisappointed · 19/06/2018 20:17

Thank you, Mrsramsayscat and everyone for your helpful suggestions. I will set out the benefits I think I can bring to the pilot and how it would benefit me, and introduce this in my one-to-one, with an offer of location flexibility - you've made this sound a reasonable thing to do! I will have to clear my head of any negative preconceptions about the Mcr. team. Hopefully even if it's unfeasible it will demonstrate enthusiasm!

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