Micro management and exceeding my job description

[myohmywhatawonderfulday]

I have been in education for 16 years. I am highly qualified and led different departments for 13 of those years and was on SLT for 3 years.

I have left teaching and now have a role as a team leader for a small charity. I have taken a 75% pay cut but it is 200% less stressful.

I have never been micro-managed and always been very highly thought of by both managers and co-workers. I have been valued both verbally and financially, in the past.

So I have come into a new role and got on with it. Made great connections, got stuff moving, could list a ton of great things. One of the trustees has taken a great dislike to 'how fast I am moving' and how I am doing things 'without passing them by the trustees and seemingly without boundaries'. She now actively blocks things I want to do, ignores requests when I need information from her and goes out of her way to stop me from contributing to decisions. All in a passive-aggressive way to 'slow me down.'

I don't really know what to do..I feel quite shocked as I feel quite put out that she is not recognizing my skills and experience nor the impact that I am having so far....

I wrote a five year plan for the trustees for how I would move the charity forward and everything I have done so far has been taken directly from the year one targets from that plan. So, as far as I am concerned I have run things by the trustees.

I need to have a meeting but I don't really know what to express and how to express it without coming over like an arrogant arse.

Or if I am being unreasonable for exceeding my job description - which I definitely am by giving the Charity a vision and strategy (which it didn't have before I came along, it just sort of existed having some good impact but there was a vast opportunity for more waiting to be realised).

Sorry that was very long.

I'm following because I'm in a similar position, albeit a corporate role. Just a couple of shareholders who are making life inordinately difficult.

Let's hope someone comes along in a minute with good advice that doesn't involve murder.

Are you the most senior paid member of staff in the charity? This really matters in terms of advice. Happy for you to PM me.

Thanks @Scater - I am the most senior paid member of staff in the charity. I am the only one with a salary - the others are paid session workers.

Hello @Alonelonelyloner

Not sure if PMs show on the app, I'll log in tomorrow on a desk top, really more than happy to lend an ear on this, ive worked in lots of charities at senior levels and have a bit of a thing about supporting smaller charities thrive.
Otherwise happy to ask MN to broker us sharing contact details. Take care, I'm sure you are doing great!

@scater I have pm'd you! Thanks, have a great evening.

Would of liked to of read advice offered, any chance you could share @scater (even the bullet points would be helpful) thanks

It isn't clear who you actually 'answer to' in terms of reporting lines, is it the woman who's putting all the barriers in your way? (being polite here!)

I think it's reasonable to assume that you've come into the charity like a whirlwind, shaken things up (in a good way), woken a few people up from their stupor and have put this person's nose out of joint. You haven't needed to ask for help, you know exactly what you're doing, and even though they've hired you to do just this, it's taken them by surprise.

Could you take your foot off the gas a little, and try to meet her half-way? Maybe a bit 'slowly catcha monkey' to see if it needs more time, to get used to each other's communication and working styles. If you're a "Fiery Red" - action lists and deadlines and she's a Sunshine Yellow - collaboration, team checkin's and positivity, you could complement each other's styles in time, but for now it's clash of the titans and rubbing each other up the wrong way.

An informal meeting to talk candidly about how you can work well together, find out more about her expectations for your role and come to a useful working compromise might be a good investment of your time.

In short - ultimately, the contribution you're making will have a significant positive impact on the charity, but you need to take people on the journey with you, rather than dragging them kicking and screaming

Charity CEO here. The key issue here is who is the Chair - as you line manager they are key. If you have agreed a strategy with the trustees and are now following through on the first year plan that sounds fine. But if you are having an issue with one particular trustee you should discuss it with the Chair and they should deal with it and be making it clear that if you are working to an agreed strategy you are acting with their authority.

Hello @daisychain01 - you hit the nail right on the head. Very perceptive!
@Bouledeneige thank you that is helpful. The chair is very supportive of me and I do think she is going to broker a conversation.

@daisychain01 I am fiery red and she is cool blue!!!

Don't fall into the trap of 'but I have so much skills and experience from an xx background, why does the charity not value me etc.'

I have seen this before where people come from a corporate background full of skills and enthusiam, come up against barriers and decide the charity sector is the problem and leave, which is a loss.

Ultimately every organisation has its challenges. You may feel particularly vulnerable because you are going solo as it were, and in my very limited experience the smaller the organisation the more micro management there feels to be because you are closer to senior decision makers.