Advice- given feedback on experience working within a team but my side of the situation dismissed

[ThisOrTha]

I’ve been working with a temporary team and it’s quickly become apparent that some team members aren’t reliable or delivering what is needed. They’ve missed deadlines, agreed to do things and don’t, haven’t captured actions that we agree and then don’t deliver and rely on me to prompt them, resolve issues and check for any errors etc.

I’ve tried to be patient, I’ve spoken with the manager and have weekly updates where we agree what needs to be done. I have been left is some tricky situations and had to pick up the slack because of things they haven’t done. All of this is invisible to my line manager. Though I have said there have been some challenges.

It all has become quite overwhelming and I had to email out a list of what I anticipated we needed done but hadn’t happened. I’ve now had feedback from head of dept that I haven’t been nice to them. I said that I have been directive but there is another side to that, she said not interested in that as it’s what I’ve done that is the issue.

I feel like I’m carrying the full weight of this and it’s really upset me. I have a good reputation with my team and the staff I manage. I have even said I want to learn what I could do differently next time but also want to explain the pressure I’ve been under as the temporary team haven’t been performing. That is just being dimissed though and I am being labelled as the one that is in the wrong.

any tips on how you would handle this or should I just suck it up?

You say the feedback has come from head of department - what role is your line manager playing in this? Am I right in understanding that your line manager doesn't manage your temporary team; you are just 'seconded' to a team under a different line manager.

I would say your line manager needs to have your back here; perhaps support you in a meeting with the manager of the temporary team and the head of department to agree a strategy for the non-performing team members.

It may well be that there are learning points for you on how some of your messages have been delivered, but that shouldn't be used to distract from the issue of things not getting done. That's what you and the management need to be working together to resolve.

Thanks for getting back to me, I think you are 100% right. I’ve even arranged a meeting to ask for feedback to understand how my messages have caused concern. I genuinely want to understand and learn as my intention and the way they have been received definitely needs to be thought through, by me!

My line manager doesn’t seem to care, says none of it matters and also has she has seen how rubbish some of the team are. Just laughs when I tell her about some of the issues. I’ve been left to on with it’ and my manager has said she doesn’t want to get involved as it’s not worth it and she needs to pick her battles.

That's a very poor attitude from your line manager, I'd go so far as to say it's pathetic, especially if the head of department is getting involved.

If she really won't get involved, you might have to press ahead and see if you can meet with the team manager and the HOD to discuss the way forward. Set an agenda of this being to resolve the non-performance issues, and if necessary arrange a totally separate meeting to discuss any feedback on your communication style.

You need to break the cycle of the non-performance being blamed on your communication style, because even if that's accurate (I doubt that it is) no one will get anywhere while the discussion is all about what you've done in the past.

I think you've got a longer-term issue with lack of support from your line manager and if that's a pattern with her behaviour, I'd probably start thinking about how you can move up or sideways to a line manager who actually cares;

How long do you need to work with this team?

Sounds to me like you are caught in the crossfire of some inter-departmental politics. In which case, if it is a pretty short-term secondment, I’d try not to worry too much.

Thank you, I’m not sure what the outcome will be. However just being able to get your response has helped me as I feel my situation has been validated. It’s been so hard to just feel unheard.

Interestingly I have just ‘moved up’, but a few months after, there was a restructure so I’m being managed by her again. She just cares about networking, looking good and being at the right meetings unfortunately.
The temp team is being wound down so not an enduring team, that’s why she said not to bother with it. However my HoD isn’t viewing it like that and it’s about my reputation and not being able to put my side across etc

In the spirit of wanting to learn can you try to get your HoD to give you some examples? So say that there was situation xyz (underperformance - pick the worst one) and so you did abc (copy emails sent) and this has clearly upset the team. Can HoD suggest a better strategy or best practice you could learn from?

They’ll probably ignore you but at least you’ve put some of your side of it across.

Do you have anything in writing from your line manager which evidences what you're trying to tell your HoD and can forward?

The other way to look at this is that you actually don’t need to justify your actions. You don’t need to outline to the HOD or anyone how this team is rubbish. If they’re being wound down then the issues are presumably already apparent.

Have the meeting in a non-defensive frame of mind. Listen to what the team took umbrage at with the messaging. Agree that you could perhaps have been less directive and more conciliatory and you’ll take that feedback on board for the future. Don’t rehash all their failings, or say you were frustrated, or under undue pressure. Just agree that whilst you’d felt a directive tone was warranted, because less forceful approaches weren’t seeming to have effect, you’ve reflects that you could have taken some heat out of the situation by X/Y/Z (I’m sure you’ll come up with something) and will try that next time should a similar situation arise. But you’re confident it won’t etc.

Don’t ask for ‘your side to be heard’ - you don’t need to defend yourself, you’re not on trial. You did X, they reacted badly with Y, you and HOD discuss how to avoid that in future, it’s all over.

that’s a really good point squirrel, yes I will try to think of it like that. I just feel wary as my LM brings things like this up later and uses them areas I need to develop, suggesting that it is all on me and it feels quite deflating.