Work Dilemma — Colleague holding up project, what to do?

[Cocteautwin6]

I’ve been working on a project with a colleague for the past month and it’s been… tricky. The project uses software I’m much more skilled in, so naturally I’ve taken on a lot of the heavier lifting. The problem is, while they have been slow, they also seem to be trying to wrestle control, which is in turn holding the project up. (For context: we’re both new.)

Example: I created a full project plan, we reviewed it, and they had no comments. The following week, they suddenly claimed not to understand what to do and went off and created their own. They also keep revisiting elements we’d already agreed, so it feels like we’re constantly going backwards.

The reality is they’ve done very little actual work so far, and they’ve even admitted they’ve been slow. We’ve got another big project coming up together, and I’m worried it’s going to be more of the same.

My questions are:

• How do I take the lead on this next project so it doesn’t get held up again - without causing drama? I have given her fantastic feedback so far and don’t want to affect relations
• Why do you think they might be behaving this way (is it insecurity, control, lack of confidence, something else)?

Hm tricky one. What has your manager said?

They are pretty chilled and unaware. But I have a meeting with our Senior tomorrow who is overseeing the project, and might bring it up then?

So a couple of thoughts spring to mind- so they have other stuff going on that you might not be aware of and so they are acting in this way/ not really engaged etc.

do you think you need to have clearly defined work between the two of you so that it's clear what each of you is responsible for and then how you get any work agreed/ cleared if that's needed?

in terms of you taking the lead on the next one do you think you could steer is so that you agree your roles & responsibilities upfront, based on your skills/ experience/ areas to develop?

If you are new you don't create waves. You manage the tides. Find solutions. Identify the challenges (things, not people, never people!) and provide solutions. Plan it out for them so they don't have to.

They are pretty chilled and unaware.
I am not entirely sure what that means but there is a general rule of thumb, especially if you are newish in post. NEVER go over your managers head. If your manager hasn't understood the issue you have either not been clear, or they need managing (see above solution). But giving someone senior the impression that your manager isn't managing is not career enhancing.

We had clear outputs from the start but these things still occurred. It’s hard to know what to do different, aside from insist on taking on more of the work (which I already did tbh!) and leaving not very much to do?!

Not planning on flagging it to my manager tbh, was just gonna manage it between us :)

And defo not planning on making waves, just haven’t experienced this before. But thanks!

Definitely bring it up. Be honest about how the previous project was and how you are concerned about the future project.

You can keep things professional by saying that you want the project outcomes to be done well and efficiently, and you could do with some help managing the roles and responsibilities between you and your colleague. Mention that time is being wasted through for example duplication of a project plan.

Thank you. Great advice 😊

You are new and not the other persons manager.

Have a 1 on 1 in private with your manager/that Senior and go over what has been happening to date. Do not bring it up with the other person in the room as that creates a conflict and on-the-spot crisis

Then let your manager decide what is to happen next. Trying to problem solve a HR issue on your own can backfire in so many ways.

@Cocteautwin6 You said above you’ve “given fantastic feedback” - did you give any constructive feedback because if it was truly “fantastic”, perhaps your colleague has no idea there’s a problem?

Presumably your manager has seen that feedback and potentially also thinks colleague is doing better than they are?

The colleague has been asking for frequent feedback on the actual work produced, and it is good. I am unsure how to move forward on the timing issue though, and if it is my place to do it.