Hi all,
I have recently taken a 18 month secondment within my organisation. it was a promotion from my previous role and quite a big pay rise. I was previously part time and this secondment was a full time post. I was really excited to start as the position is something i see myself doing permanently.. but I am really not enjoying the department that the secondment is based mainly due to one member of staff who has worked in this area for years. They basically ran the department due to lack of visible Sr management before I turned up. They don't have a specific job description (can't figure out why tht is - no one seems to know or be willing to tell me which makes me think something has happened in the past), and this individual is making my job really difficult and making me not enjoy the role.
They are past retirement age but in no rush to retire. i think they will work until they drop dead TBH. performance-wise there are no issues - they are compitent at their job...
the problem is, they know what is going on in the department before i do as the senior manager!!! I have written to other managers within the organisation to tell them that i am now in post as Sr Manager for my department, and to send any queries /issues to me rather than this member of staff... but it is still continuing to happen.
any decisions i make are being questionned by the team member or told that what i am asking for wont work (but can't back these statements up - think they just dont want to change how things are being done).
i just feel really deflated - i was really looking forward to this opportunity and feel like i'm just not enjoying it due to this staff member. i have spoken to my boss who just shrugs it off and says "its how they have alwasy been" or "it makes your job easier if they are doing stuff" ... but that isn't the point. i took this secondment because i wanted to learn and progress and this member of staff is stopping that.
how would you approach this? i want to be careful and dont want to come across as bullying but then again don't want to be a doormat manager!!!
please help me :( lol!