Joining new company in a management role

amother

Wed, Feb 19 2020, 10:13 am

I recently joined a new company; I have many years experience and am entering in a managerial position. This is a large company which does not have much of a department yet for my niche, they would like for me to eventually hire staff and build the department. The issue is that there is one woman who has been doing this job to some extent, but she does not have much experience and has a lot to learn. Before signing I knew that she felt threatened and didn’t want me. I made it clear to the boss that I would not join unless she is fully on board, and he assured me that he spoke to her and everything’s good. Unfortunately I don’t think that’s the case, she has been very passive aggressive from day one. For example, she wouldn’t give me access to company information that I needed without a struggle.
How would you handle this situation? I see my options as being overly sweet and trying to win her over, or going straight to the boss and saying this is not what I signed up for, you have to get her in line. Thoughts?

amother

Aquamarine

Wed, Feb 19 2020, 10:36 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Is this woman meant to be a member of your department going forward? Or was she just helping out in your area until a hire was made, such that your need to work with her will drop off sharply after the initial transition?

Running to the boss to complain about her is not a good way to start off. If she is obstructing you in petty ways, you need to try to "show" this, rather than "tell" it.

Request what you need from her by email, so that she is more likely to respond in writing. Then take her at her word, and proceed to pursue what you need. For example, if she refuses to give you certain information because you are not permitted to have it, you email IT (or marketing or whoever "owns" that information, maybe even the boss) asking about the proper authorization process to obtain the information. If it turns out that there is no authorization process and she's just hiding freely available data, she looks difficult and you look reasonable.

amother

Dodgerblue

Wed, Feb 19 2020, 10:42 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Can you elaborate on the bolded?
How are you communicating with her?
If you need something, email her. Even if she is sitting right next to you. If you don't get a response, follow up.
Of you don't get a response, email your manager, supervisor, higher up whatever and ask them if there is a different way for you to obtain the information you require because you didn't receive a response. I wouldn't be all sweet and I wouldn't go straight to the boss that this isn't what I signed up for. I would make it clear that I'm here to do my job and not taking **** from anybody.

amother

Wed, Feb 19 2020, 1:10 pm

amother [ Dodgerblue ] wrote:

She ‘suddenly’ had to take off from work the week that I started and the manager shared with me that he was upset about it. I emailed her requesting access to the information, and only received a response 2 days later. In the meantime people in other departments told me that she has been responding to other emails even though she was out...
We will have to continue working together. A strong part of me doesn’t want to run to the boss but another side of me wants to nip this in the bud.