Promoted.. already have issue with one colleague

[1982mommaof4]

I have worked for the company the same amount of time as my colleague. We have worked on the same projects in the past, there have been a few communication issues. Fast forward we have both applied for a promotion and I got the position.

It is clear my colleague is unhappy, I have been in the role for a week and they are already being challenging.

I'm looking for tips on how to manage this as sensitively as possible!

Challenging in what way?

You need to provide more details

I sent her an email suggesting we meet to discuss her work schedule and the best time for us to discuss what days suit her best to hand in the monthly reports. Her response was that she didn't have time to respond to this answer today.

I sent an email out to the team to arrange a team meeting in January and suggested a few dates, I had checked the teams diary to make sure the dates fit in with the service we are under, all the team agreed on a date but no response from her. I left it a few dates and sent out an invite for that agreed date, she responded to say that she had not agreed the date. I asked which date would suit her and we can look at changing, her response was I will let you know in due course ( two days ago) 😵‍💫

Also sorry to drip feed, this is not the first time I have had similar issues to this kind of response to emails. This is my first senior role and I want to deal with it sensitively. I do understand her frustration however this kind of behaviour has happened before my role change.

Tell her that is when the meeting will be. She should have responded promptly. Next time set a deadline for responses.

I don't want to seem bossy, maybe I'm not suitable for a senior position!!

I'm just annoyed I have worked so hard for this!

Yes, this definitely needs nipped in the bud. I'd arrange a call with her asap and tell her you've noticed she doesn't seem to be engaging with you, can she tell you a bit about that.

If it's in her working hours tell her it's mandatory

Yes, maybe I need to handle this head on.

Use supervision to get to the bottom of the issues. Plus you need to be telling her when the meetings are, not offering to move diary dates around to accommodate her.

I'm just trying to ease my way in but you're right, I'm probably making things more complicated.

Stop pandering to her straight away, because it will only get worse.

It's not bossy.
It's endlessly frustrating to work under someone who does everything by committee, it means things either take forever or never get done. Just make some decisions and tell her "we are doing X on date Y." If she comes back with a complaint that she's not available, "I'm sorry I caught you on the back foot, in future please respond to requests for availability in reasonable timeframes and I will be able to take your availability into account."
Don't let one person's opinion or complaints change what you are doing if it works for you and everyone else!

We have supervision in January so hopefully we can smooth things over.
I am absolutely dreading it!

She will continue to try to be evasive. To counteract this you need to be very precise with your questions. 'Please respond by 12 noon on Thursday.'
You can then say - I asked for responses by that time. You did not reply and so I chose a date based on the replies from the rest of the team.
Repeat every time.

Thanks for the responses, you are all telling me exactly what I know I should be doing. Fresh start Monday!

Is this a joke?

It's difficult to change gears when you're promoted from within, but you just need to be calm and assertive.

It's your job to do this. Being wishy washy isn't good, it's confusing and annoying for the team. It also reinforces her belief that she should have got the job because you aren't acting like you deserve it.

We are meeting on X day at Y time. The end. Be polite, be friendly, but be decisive. She'll either get over it or not, and that's her issue not yours.

@PaulaPocket No unfortunately not, like I said this is my first senior position. I am just conscious of how come across to the team, who are all my previous colleagues.

Thank you, this is helpful

Have you have relevant training to become a manager?

Yes but it's ongoing, I haven't had any other issues so far. I have lead various projects.

As previous people have said, you should be telling not asking. My boss sets a meeting for the team, I move things around to accommodate it! She needs to do the same for you.

Didn't you have to organise meetings when leading projects? Meetings should be the easy bit - you look in everyone's calendars and find a mutually suitable time (admittedly this isn't always so easy, if you have a lot of people) and tell them that's when it will be. If they don't keep their calendars up to date, it's their problem to fix.

Would it be easier to put in a recurring monthly or fortnightly meeting, and reschedule only if it becomes necessary?