Namechanged for this... long post!
I have a colleague, let’s call her Judy, who has been at the place where I work for about 20 years. I joined 4 years ago.
She had a massive role, and was struggling to keep on top of all aspects of it, so a section of it was given to me a couple of years ago. Let’s say she runs 3 departments and I run 2. We have other areas which we run separately which don’t overlap.
The 5 departments should really run together with similar structures and aims. However, Judy has a totally different approach from me, and also extremely long-winded paper systems and refuses to change them. As one example, I’ve found a way of doing something electronically on my own in about 45 minutes that she likes to do with 4 others over 2 hours, using about 800 pieces of paper to cross-reference. When I suggested this method to her she said she preferred to do it the paper way and it had always worked fine for her. No problem - I’m not remotely bothered I just thought it would save her time.
Another example was asking her about how a particular system works which affects all 5 departments, because it seemed to me that there were quite a few loopholes. Again she said to me that it had always worked fine, no need to change anything. I didn’t press her on this but did find a way of streamlining it slightly.
I know she is really annoyed that I have this job as she didn’t want to give up any part of what she did. She basically told me this and how it was her favourite part of the job (I know it wasnt because she could choose what she wanted to give away). Anyway.
So my two areas are running really really well with a few new systems in place, and I’ve been pleased. Our boss (we share the same boss) has also been really pleased but has been asking me about how well I feel I communicate with Judy, and wondering how Judy could do a few things in a similar way to me. It’s not just the systems, it’s also what we spend our time on.
Judy categorically won’t budge on anything and is very slow to respond to requests for info or to share what her plans are until the last minute (if at all). This creates a lot of tension across some department leads.
Last week she was meant to turn up for a presentation but didn’t - she got caught up in something.
I have recently created some data across all 5 departments and shared this with department leads. Our boss has said that he thinks Judy feels a bit threatened because really she should be producing this kind of thing (but doesn’t). He’s been asking me what my ideas are to improve communication, and reiterating that I am not doing anything wrong, but my efficiency and work rate are very high and that this is possibly exposing Judy (he didn’t say this in exactly those words but this is what he meant).
Does anyone have any advice on what I could do? My instinct is to keep out of her way and to run things as best I can with my 2 departments because whenever I share ideas with her they are ignored or rejected. She shares nothing back. I could also slow down or not share across the 5 departments but it seems a bit churlish if I’m doing it for my own and it’s helpful to others. But I’m keen not to create a problem. Judy has been there many years, a lot of what she does is great and I really like her as a person. Am I doing something wrong do you think? If so what do I need to change?