For this first time ever in my working life, (I'm 60 now) I've come across a colleague who I just can't work with. He's uncooperative, doesn't want to discuss anything, won't come to meetings I've set up, & winds other people up too. I've recently realised it's not just me.
He sets up work tasks without telling anyone what he's done and expects us all just to pick it up and run with it. Even 3rd parties are attending site visits, not knowing what it is he actually needs them to do.
His response to emails is brief and often does not address the issue I raised and if I try to call him or speak to him at his desk, he either messages that he's too busy, or tells me to send him a spreadsheet and he'll look at it later. One task we've been waiting for him to complete for over 6 months now because he's too busy to bother with it and has lots of 'more important' work to do.
He earns far more than me and I've been told on several occasions that he gets paid a lot for his expertise but he doesn't respect mine.
On a personal level he's funny and engaging but work wise he seems unaware of the stress he's causing me and others. His line manager seems to think the sun shines out of his proverbial and brushes off complaints. Indeed they arrive at work together, go off into meetings together, have lunch together and leave together.
What's going on and should I go above the line managers head and speak to the head of dept, or just lay low?