Restrictions due to being proactive! Anyone willing to provide a view?

[OutofDepth1000]

Bit of background. I work in a relatively new team and get on with my manager and team manager. However there’s been a fair bit of back biting and disruptive behaviours in recent months amongst team members.

I’ve tried to stay out of it and focus on how I can develop my career and offer the support and outputs my manager needs to get the work done.
I’ve also tried to work on my networking and skills development. I have spent a lot of time finding training and some conferences to attend. This has all been within the set budget and I have been very proactive to manage my own development and not wait for anyone to do this for me.

Others in the team are not managing their own development and are moaning and expecting things to be ‘given to them’ rather than putting in the effort and work to make things happen.

I have now been offered a free ticket to an event that is exclusively in my field of work, it would normally be around £1k. I’ve been told whilst I am supported to go others may feel I am getting more network opportunities and training than them so maybe need to think this through.

In addition I was not selected to work on some activities last week that are clearly in my remit and was told it was because others think ‘I’m a favourite’. I didn’t raise this as I am willing to roll with it to some extent, but I think I am now being penalised for meting good at my job and trying to be proactive in my skills development.

Am I missing something here? Or am I being unreasonable to think that the reason given is not really appropriate and this is unfair treatment. Any guidance much appreciated.

Office politics are a nightmare and it takes real skill in managing them.

You have said that you are good at your job and keep out of the backbiting, but are you a team player? Do you help your colleagues? Do you recommend to them the courses you have found? Do you share your networks with them, if they may be of use to them?

I have worked with people who are good at what they do, just as you have described, but they also aren't team players and will push forward their own agenda at the expense of others. Now, I'm not saying that this is you. I'm just giving you an idea that how you perceive yourself may be different from how others perceive you.

Your managers should be fair to all of their team and maybe this is their way of levelling the play field. Whilst it may seem unfair to you, is this something you really want to push? And if so, at what cost? Personally, I would let it go, or raise the issue informally with your line manager in your 121.

I would also look at trying to build a good relationship with your immediate team members. Particularly if you want to progress within your organisation. Don't underestimate the importance of soft skill development. This includes how you work with your team, emotional intelligence, communication skills etc.

Thank you for your response. I appreciate that my post didn’t touch on the things I have done in terms of team playing.
For the last conference I attended I negotiated additional extra passes for two other team mates, I also suggested another team mate attend a training programme I am completing. They declined though as weren’t able to make the time commitment.
I also actively reach out to others and offer to help them out when they are struggling. I have completed work tasks to cover when other team members have been off sick and I have also taken on additional work to cover when there have been other issues.
I am a mentor to staff members in another department and externally to help develop confidence in others.
I am genuinely a positive person and will take others for lunch or a walk around the park when they are struggling, sometimes taking work home as I have used the time to listen and it has impacted on my own tasks.
I’m not saying I am perfect, far from it. I lack confidence, feel I should say no more and struggle to speak up and offer my opinion when I am feeling overwhelmed. In fact my push to do this training has been motivate by my need to try and put myself out there more.
I do not want to have a battle and value my relationship with my boss but I feel I’m damned if I do and damned if I don’t.

I think you should speak to your line manager. You also may need to re-think about how you perceive the decision from 'why wasn't I given this task?' to 'why was XX chosen?'.

There could be lots of reasons why someone else was chosen for example a development opportunity, the other person had more capacity, they were best suited to complete the task, it was assigned as a reasonable adjustment, your manager had another task they want you to focus on.

Sometimes, decisions are made which have nothing to do with you and are outside of your control. It may not seem fair, but you have been given lots of opportunities, so try not to take it personally.

Thank you, that all sounds very sensible and I appreciate you taking the time to respond EmpressJ. Have a lovely evening.