To think my manager hasn't got my back and is double dealing?

[littlegreybird]

I am so anxious about this situation at work and am building it up over the weekend.

I line manage about 11 people in a public sector organisation and have a sort of deputy who is supposed to take a leadership role, under me, in the team. This person (an external appointment) has under-performed pretty much since day one. I have followed the procedures in place to address this but the final point has never been reached, partly due to wfh etc during Covid, partly due to absences the person has had, but also because of the way my organisation is run tbh.

We are now at a point whereby this person is refusing to meet with me and I have been told (not in front of them) that they have to be given one final chance to run a project in my team. Senior manager has said they don't expect my deputy to succeed but they need one more go. The problem is my team is under immense pressure and this person is not respected as they are neither hardworking nor competent. I have done my best to deal with this in a professional manner but what do you do when people see someone getting paid more to do less and tell them what to do??

I'm pretty certain that this person, when spoken to by our senior manager, has said stuff about me in their defence. I am pretty sure my manager believes me because there is evidence of things this person has messed up that is pretty conclusive, and I have kept records that show I've followed the procedures, communicated professionally and offered support/given clear instructions etc. But my manager is now procrastinating about holding a meeting with the 3 of us and I feel I can't go forward with anything and I just don't know what to do on Monday with the situation as it is. Knowing manager as I do they've probably said stuff to keep the peace and now it's coming to a head they don't want it to all come out in the wash.

Any advice would be brilliant.

Ah crap , you are living my nightmare. The only thing to do would be to continue as is, and ensure any project has some management framework from the outset (so if they're failing its spotted quickly and is irrefutable).

But knowing how these things bump along theyd probably do OK on a spoon-fed project with milestones, which makes you back to square one if you need a competent doer on the team pulling more than their weight.

Do as your manager says and let them run the project. Don't support them any more than you would normally support someone PMing. When your team come to you and say 'this is rubbish and they're doing a rubbish job' then follow any feedback procedures you have, don't hide or absorb anything. In other words, let them fail.

The conversation you need to be having with your own boss is actually 'OK, that's fine - I will do this and be absolutely hands off so how are you going to support the rest of the team actually doing the work with their concerns and feedback as deputy manager won't actually sit down with me? I need a clear line to report back any people issues.'

Then step away. This literally isn't your problem.

Thank you for the replies. The problem is we have clients/service users, whatever you want to call them, who would potentially suffer if I go down the 'let them fail' route. I have considered it and have been advised to do it by others but, apart from me others in the team will probably step up to keep it from going completely tits up because of the potential impact on others. I mean, we're not nurses so it's not life or death, but most people are just so professional and dedicated and this person rides on that .

What @NoYOUbekind said.

Have worked in public sector and left because my department seemed to be stuffed with lazy incompetents who were impossible to fire and no one thought this was odd. Well done for trying to address this. Make sure your own back is covered and perhaps ask the team on the project managed by the deputy to put concerns/complaints in emaiks to manager?

It's short term pain for long term gain. You need a frank talk with the team about the situation and how reporting needs to be done. Every T needs to be crossed to make sure that this is the last fuck up they get.