Hi, I need some help asap! I should be on maternity leave (little one only 8 weeks) but whilst I was off, my manager got a secondment for four months and her position become vacant. I work for a Local Authority, and they had invested a lot in me in terms of training (paid for Post Graduate Dipolma, and a Leadership course) and my manager actually suggested that I should apply for her position - this is going to be a four month Acting-up role.
I did apply .... and was successful! Yay! I am so upset to be leaving DS's (3 and 8 weeks) and was looking forward to three more months maternity leave. Anyway, my thinking was that in gaining management experience, I will be able to hopefully secure a higher paid role sometime in the near future and thus be able to afford to do job-share and spend more time at home with the children in the long-term. Short term loss for long term gain - fingers crossed!
Anyway, I have a good knowledge of all the management theory, but I'm so terrified of dealing with the change in dynamics in the team when I return. It's hard having been away for three months anyway, but also I am the youngest in the (small) team, and two of the others applied for the role too. I got on well, generally, with the team when working alongside them, but how do I approach the change in balance? As it's only for 4 months, I'm not going to be radical - its more about sustaining the work of my manager; but I'm worried the team will be hostile with me, or fail to take me seriously. (Maybe its just nerves) I go back tomorrow! Any ideas of how to approach this?
Btw, this role may become permenant if my manager likes her new role. I would have to reapply though etc....