Useless co-part manager, no accountability

[Howsentimental]

I'm a middle manager, as is this other person and I'm finding it incredibly difficult to work with them, my opinion is they shouldn't be a manager.

I feel frustrated at their lack of ability, professionalism,late every day without fail, leaving early despite work not being completed & goes for a fag break for 15 minutes once an hour, negative to everything, scruffy appearance. We're in a sales and account management type role which is very driven by performance and targets. We manage different teams but have cross overs in accounts, and have an overall group target.

This is where my frustrations come in. I am completely burnt out, I come in early, leave late, work beyond my hours to get my targets. I'm usually well performing and highly praised but I have to put in 200% to get there due to the absolutely dreadful market. I'm told this is noticed and appreciated.

I've brought up before with my manager that her behaviour, lack of drive is lowering standards and it feels unfair that I'm putting in all this effort, driving high standards to my team and putting in the hours. I've been told to mind my own business and they're hitting their targets so senior management are aware but not bothered.

It's end of our financial quarter and I've found out this week that that their targets are half of mine and my targets have now been doubled, theirs however has not changed. Also note they have an additional staff member, but this person is like an admin assistant who carries out their day to day to stuff, they delegate majority of their work to them, I honestly can't see they do much.. They hold no 121's or training, they delegate that too where as I do that all myself.

I'm really not sure what to answer is when I'm told to just stop complaining, I feel like cutting back but it's my work that will suffer and they will still carry on.
I'm not hitting my target, so I don't feel like a payrise is justified, although I am massively underpaid compared to market.
Leaving is difficult as the hours and location is ideal for childcare.

(A bit long sorry, this is just tip of the iceberg)

The reward for working hard is usually more work.

You sound very focused on this other manager, and I get it, they are getting paid the same as you for less effort and lower standards. But you are choosing to go consistently above and beyond, to run yourself into the ground. Effectively this is your peer and so your managers are right - its really none of your concern. You need to focus on yourself and your own role and why you are so resentful. It could be that you could learn something from this other person's approach, or you could ask for a pay rise with all the evidence of your extra work, or your own admin person.

I completely get that, I wish I could act the same but I don't, I think it's embarrassing. How can I expect my team to act a certain standard when the other team doesn't. It makes me look bad and like the other manager to be the "fun" one.

I definitely feel penalised for working harder though. Unfortunately I've been told to get my own admin person I need to achieve even higher than my current targets. Where as this manager automatically inherited their own so not by merit but by default.

I'm not saying act the same, but reflect on your approach and where you might take the pressure off yourself a bit. Your managers are never going to give you an admin person or decrease your targets all the time you're being the golden goose that keeps laying the eggs they want.

There's a lot to unpick here OP.

Firstly, I can understand why the other manager annoys you. However, you have raised your concerns with senior management already and they seemingly have no intention of doing anything. You therefore need to focus on your team and things within your control.

Secondly, you cannot continue to give 200% and run yourself in to the ground. That is not sustainable and you will end up very ill (you sound very stressed already). You need to set some boundaries on what a reasonable, sustainable amount of effort at work is, within your working hours and stick to them. Senior management will otherwise continue to treat you as a workhorse and happily let you work yourself in to the ground. You may well be shooting yourself in the foot- by covering extra work, you are showing that your workload is manageable for one person and hiding the need for a second.

Next up, look at your workload. What are the priorities? What can be delegated? Is there scope to give work to others in the team? What needs to go on the back-burner? Is there any management training or a mentorship scheme for leaders available at your workplace?

As a word of warning- It seems quite apparent to me that these new targets will be difficult reach if you are already stretched to the max. You are likely to fail if things carry on as they are, so you need to start covering you and your team. If you are not doing so already, I would schedule in 1:1s with your boss periodically to update them about the department. If there's too much work, ask them what the priorities are. Sometimes you have to politely but assertively make things a problem for other people. Follow up the meetings with an email outlining the the main points and who is undertaking what actions. If your boss won't meet with you, send weekly emails outlining the situation in your department.

If you're willing to share what field you work in, someone more knowledge will hopefully have some more advice

Both made some valid points, I definitely need to make some changes.

Interesting take on the targets as you're right I am completely stretched already, I've done a management course already (the other manager refused to do it as couldn't be bothered) and I've learnt lots of time management techniques that I use for myself and my team and they help us all massively. But I do need to look at where I can protect myself and my team moving forward as their targets have had to increase too inline with mine.

We do have manager meetings where they are updated and my team updates are always positive and full of good news and successes. I may need to be a bit smarter with this moving forward.

That's helpful if you already have a manager's meeting. I agree, be smart- don't just give the good news (though definitely highlight the successes). Talk through the issues too e.g project y is delayed by 1 week due a,b,c reasons. Show that you have a good understanding of the problems and where possible, present a solution. If you don't have a solution, ask for advice. For example:

There are 3 projects to due in by Friday, but due to team sickness it will only be possible to deliver 2 on time. Which projects would you like prioritised? (Sorry if this isn't a great example for your specific role, but hopefully my point makes sense).

I appreciate it is very difficult to balance your work, the needs of the team and senior expectations. I suspect you will get some pushback as they probably expect you to now give 300%, but it's time to politely yet assertively put your foot down, be realistic about what can be achieved and protect yourself from burnout.

Thankyou, I'm a big believer in that too, coming with solutions and I always do. Other manager never does, just complains and makes excuses but managed just shrug their shoulders and go "ok". But I will see how I can do this tactfully moving forward to highlight how things are being affected and maybe i do need to ask for help.