Newish to management, advice needed.

[Chattenoire]

So this is not my first rodeo, I was a manager more than 6 years ago, but it was a completely different set up (it was an outsourced team).

I just started my new leadership role. It's a fairly small company and my team has different levels of seniority. The whole idea is that I'm here to take the tasks my manager needs to delegate so she can for all terms and purposes lead the company's strategy.

So the most senior of my new team kept telling me today, "well you do what you, want it's your team".

The other members were quite happy to take some guidance in what I think the team needs, but not her.

She obviously wanted the promotion but at the same time she apparently never voiced it and she doesn't want to go to FT.

She's clearly very efficient and knowledgeable but how do I win her? Or not

Get to know your team, and their strengths and weaknesses. Have an open door policy with them. Utilise your team's knowledge and gather information, but then be clear in your decisions and communicate them well. Just set out to be the kind of manager you'd want, for your whole team, rather than try to win over a particular person. Don't second-guess yourself, or couch your decision-making in what you think she'd prefer.

You dont need to win her over.

You get her to do her job, otherwise disciplinary and boot her out.

Shes paid to work and take instructions, not give them. Thats not her job - its yours. Be open, but be firm. If you wobble, she will walk all over you.

Make it known you wont be fucked with and she should climb back in her hole. And if she doesnt, use the company policies to manage her ass out the door.

She has the longest tenure in our department, so I doubt I could manage her out, and I don't want to. I just want a decent working environment for everyone.

What is she saying that to? Is it because you are giving her work? Bullies do it because they can, so need standing up to. Don't let her be rude to you in front of everyone, ask her what she means and to talk to you directly if there are any issues. Be polite at all times, it will annoy her that she isn't getting a rise out of you.

To me on our first 1:1, I was just telling her about my initiatives for the team.

Her length of tenure is meaningless.

Either assert your authority now, or be prepared for her to undermine you at every turn.

You bet.

I have my manager's full support to put her in her place.

I don't think you need to go in all heavy handed about this. Just take her at her word and do what you think needs to happen and delegate to her accordingly. You can absolutely assert authority without "putting her in her place".

She might have expressed it rudely, but I suspect she thinks you're trying to use her experience and ride on it. Which must be galling, especially if she wanted your job. Your aim should be getting to a point of mutual respect and trust between you.

That's my goal, but I don't know if she'll even let me.