Got demoted, don't know how to handle

amother

Mon, Nov 30 2020, 3:52 pm

SixOfWands wrote:

To be blunt, its unlikely that they hired someone above you to take over your client and executive communications because they were happy with your work. I wouldn't panic, but I'd start looking for a new position.

In the meantime, speak to your new supervisor. Tell her you want to clarify the work flow and structure, to ensure that you are aware of your responsibilities. During the meeting, let her know that it would be very helpful to you to be kept in the loop regarding decisions, particularly as people continue to come to you.

Good luck.

Thanks, Six. It was my first thought, too, when they hired her. Like, "what had I done wrong?"

There are a few issues at play, though. For one, the company just went through a merger. So there were definitely more people involved, and management got confusing and bloated. Two, my job as a consultant frequently ran into a brick wall. I could confidently state when things would be legally okay or not okay, but if things went further, we would need actual attorneys. It got to the point where it became cheaper to have an attorney in-house.

I must have been not-so-stellar for the attorney to be placed as my supervisor instead of together on my team. That also really bothers me, and I wish I could figure out what I did wrong. I also wish I knew how to play the game better at work. I'm too much of a straight shooter and not enough of a manipulator to get ahead, if you know what I mean. I'm also bad at hiding my displeasure at something.

The last paragraph? Already done. I have weekly meetings, let's see how today's goes.

amother

Mon, Nov 30 2020, 3:54 pm

amother [ Aqua ] wrote:

I don't think its clear that they hired this woman bec. they're unhappy with your work. It really depends on the company. sometimes the boss wants someone between him/her self and the rest of the staff. The question was were you someone who was overlooked for this position, and are you at the highest rung you'll ever get? If yes, are you okay with that? You don't have to be miserable to find other opportunities. Even a lateral move into a company that there is place to grow, or you're more valued could be worthwhile. Yes, be grateful to have a job, for sure, but that doesn't mean you have to settle.

If she's a lawyer, not practicing law, I wouldn't consider her "higher degree than you" . Her law degree is irrelevant to her position, unless its that kind of business.

Thanks for this! I should look to a lateral move, but I hate change. Anyone else?

I'll put out some feelers, hopefully it won't come back to the company. These things tend to get out.

amother

Mon, Nov 30 2020, 4:01 pm

amother [ Saddlebrown ] wrote:

I was in that position of the “new supervisor.” I don’t know your office so I could be totally off, but in my case the company was growing and the owner needed to step back a little. He no longer had the time to be involved in the day to day. He needed me to restructure the way things were done to be able to handle the growth of the business. I remember certain employees who were there from before having a hard time understanding why the changes were happening. Open and honest communication is your best bet.

ETA I also had a coworker who sounds similar to your supervisor in that he tried to make himself sound more important than he was/ get involved in things that weren’t his department and make it appear like he’s boss/ cutting into others contacts etc. It was really hard and frustrating. A lot of employees felt micromanaged. If that’s the case here then again, open communication with this person and whoever is on top of said person. We had meetings and worked things out but the difference is that I was on the same level as this employee. We were each supervisors of different departments. I ended up leaving that well paying prestigious job because of the stress.

So sorry to hear that! What specifically was the straw that broke the camel's back? For my last management job, it was when the boss had a total fit and screamed about some random, trivial thing. She later apologized, but I thought at the time that the time had come to leave. They don't pay me enough to lose control and scream at me about their own problems.

amother

Mon, Nov 30 2020, 4:02 pm

amother [ Tangerine ] wrote:

Is she in a legal role in your company? Is her title "Counsel" or similar? If so, is it possible that she has been put into this middleman position because they specifically wanted an attorney? For privilege purposes or other reasons?

For other reasons, yes. She's there to do some other work in the company as well, but somehow I come with her corporate package?

amother

Seashell

Tue, Dec 01 2020, 1:19 am

I was at a job like this not too long ago. The guy they brought in did exactly what you’re describing and brought a lot of toxicity and drama to the department. People started leaving because they couldn’t handle working with him. Then covid hit and the company laid off some people. This guy was one of them. But, people who had outlasted him didn’t get to go back to the way things were. The fact that he was brought in in the first place was because upper management had a lot of issues. Those of us who left are happier than those who stayed.

There are books I read while I was still working there, about playing the game at work, that helped me see the workplace dynamics clearly and helped me decide to leave. You might want to check them out.

I agree about starting to jobhunt. It’s much easier to get get a job when you already have one. If you don’t find anything appealing, you can wait and see what develops at work, but personally I’d be working on an exit strategy.

amother

Tue, Dec 01 2020, 1:37 am

amother [ Seashell ] wrote:

What books? Would love to read.

amother

Saddlebrown

Tue, Dec 01 2020, 2:37 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

There were a number of factors, the main being the way the stress was affecting me emotionally and physically. The actual job was right up my alley and the bosses were very appreciative of what I did for their company. I had a medical reason to leave which was the perfect excuse to get out.