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team members creating problems, situation for team lead

 
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Hi,
I am leading a 7 member team which basically working on a transition phase of project. i have newly joined current company and team members includes 3 old employees having 2+ exp rest are freshers. These 3 experienced people were really reluctant to listen me in initial days. Somehow after some arguments and managers intervention they started listening to me and doing things that i ask.

Problem is one team member is influencing others and changing there attitude. So whenever i ask something they reply back to me that "you are lead you need to take care of this thing" which really frustrates me. Anything that i say, they disagree and suggest useless alternatives. Going beyond they complained about me to my manager meeting him in group in my absence. Now my manager defended me there but in one to one he started finding my faults at micro level due to this, Certainly i was not happy.

Point is this is making my image bad. I have been giving them lot of responsibilities and improving there career which they are not getting. I am and had performed very well and appreciated by client as well. What should i do in such situation? this really frustrates me.
 
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Hi Preeti,

For me it looks like attribute + jealous kind of problem! Those two employees might be thinking 'we're here since day one, she came newly and starting showing authority on us'... If I were you, I'll arrange a meeting with all team members along with Project Manager. This meeting should be discussed on who is leader in team, what are leader's responsibilities, who needs to listen to whom etc. Also, have some bending from you side as well. That said, you also tell them to have a constructive argument, of course, if their solution is good, certainly you will accept it.

So, arrange a meeting with everyone (make sure everyone in one room) and settle things for good. Don't be emotional in the meeting, stay cool and don't take things personally. Try to show live action to your PM indirectly like 'see! this is what happening! what to do!' kind of stuff. You know what I mean?

I stay out of people management, because I know that managing computers and servers is easier than managing people, after all, computers will listen and follow your instructions to the point

Good luck!
 
Preeti Jamadade
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Actually, my manager have already told them that i am their lead. But they are not treating me as a lead. Anything that i ask to do, they argue with suggestions and i have to tell them all the explanation why i am asking to do that. They are not proactive about coming to me and asking something to learn from me. Even if i want to confirm some date with client i need to ask and get these resources permission. I cant just tell them that hey we need to do this thing on this date. This is affecting my decision making. I dont understand why should i think a lot about them rather than thinking about project.

This time my manager have started finding faults in me because of these people. Same manager was saying that i am very good performer. Now he says you are arrogant, you dont talk much i haven't seen you laughing. Ohhh my god this much micro management which is totally wrong. how can he say that? he sits far from my place. I cant tolerate this.

Shall i resign here. My manager and even team is frustrating me. please help
 
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Don't resign. You need to learn how to deal with this lest it happen to you again.

You could try meeting with the team members one on one. That way you develop a relationship and trust. And communicate very clearly about who does what. If that doesn't work, you could try asking your manager for advice.
 
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Normally members should be dealt with calm communication but I see that your team members are not ready to listed. My suggestion is just that since your juniors are behaving like this you need to show who is the boss but do this in a professional way. At the end of day send a mail for each to send status of work you had assigned to them. CC this to your manager too. Next morning if they havent done tell your manager to call for a meeting and they will be scolded a bit.This is my opinion. I am not a team leader but if tomorrow I become a team leader and get into this position I will do like this very calmly.
 
Preeti Jamadade
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Jeanne Boyarsky wrote:You could try meeting with the team members one on one. That way you develop a relationship and trust. And communicate very clearly about who does what. If that doesn't work, you could try asking your manager for advice.



I had one to one with 2 of these and got shocked to know that this complaint was from third team member alone and my manager lied to me saying it was from team. This third member is closer to manager as he is helping him with some non-technical things. And my manager is somewhat jealous about my team and the way i do things in a very good and organized way. When i joined and started doing things with my style professionally he took meeting with me and said that he understands that i am doing things professionally and organized way but this will not work here. i was surprised to listen that but i firmly answered that i want my team to be developed from every angle and satisfied with their lead.

Somewhere i see my manager is feeling upset as i do things professionally and planned way and rarely go and ask something to him. its more of giving him demand and he wil be happy. Among 7 teams under him my team is doing very good with no issues.

I hope you all are getting my scenario. Now situation has somewhat changed i am able to change mind of some team members with my technical knowledge but still some people are trying to make trouble. It may be un-looping me from emails to client and increase there dependancy. what should be my next step?
 
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Preeti Jamadade Preeti wrote:
I had one to one with 2 of these and got shocked to know that this complaint was from third team member alone and my manager lied to me saying it was from team. This third member is closer to manager as he is helping him with some non-technical things. And my manager is somewhat jealous about my team and the way i do things in a very good and organized way. When i joined and started doing things with my style professionally he took meeting with me and said that he understands that i am doing things professionally and organized way but this will not work here. i was surprised to listen that but i firmly answered that i want my team to be developed from every angle and satisfied with their lead.

Somewhere i see my manager is feeling upset as i do things professionally and planned way and rarely go and ask something to him. its more of giving him demand and he wil be happy. Among 7 teams under him my team is doing very good with no issues.

I hope you all are getting my scenario. Now situation has somewhat changed i am able to change mind of some team members with my technical knowledge but still some people are trying to make trouble. It may be un-looping me from emails to client and increase there dependancy. what should be my next step?




What I find really ironic here is that the first post is complaining about the lack of trust from your (indirect) reports. And in this post, you are now complaining that you don't trust your own manager.


IMO, what is good for the goose is also good for the gander. Work on earning the trust of your reports (while hoping that they give you the chance to do so). And as for your manager, give a bit more trust -- after all, isn't that what you want from your reports?

Henry
 
Preeti Jamadade
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Henry Wong wrote: Work on earning the trust of your reports (while hoping that they give you the chance to do so). And as for your manager, give a bit more trust -- after all, isn't that what you want from your reports?



Thats what i did in last week, I worked on building team level relationships and it worked for 2 members. Third member is really arrogant and dont listen to me, skips using some excuses always, bipasses me in mails to client. Point is he is closer to my manager and my manager listens to him. This resource lies things about me to him which makes my image wrong. After this my manager comes to me and says 10 flaws in me. why should i suffer due to this person? I have given him some chances but things doesn't look improving. He dont treat me as a lead.
 
Henry Wong
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Preeti Jamadade Preeti wrote:

Henry Wong wrote: Work on earning the trust of your reports (while hoping that they give you the chance to do so). And as for your manager, give a bit more trust -- after all, isn't that what you want from your reports?



Thats what i did in last week, I worked on building team level relationships and it worked for 2 members. Third member is really arrogant and dont listen to me, skips using some excuses always, bipasses me in mails to client. Point is he is closer to my manager and my manager listens to him. This resource lies things about me to him which makes my image wrong. After this my manager comes to me and says 10 flaws in me. why should i suffer due to this person? I have given him some chances but things doesn't look improving. He dont treat me as a lead.




First, regarding on "earning trust", in my opinion, either you are doing it or you are not. Earning trust is an on-going exercise, not a one week team building thing. So, there should be no "did in last week" -- you should still be doing it.

Having said that, it sounds like you have already made up your mind. Your main concern is about your suffering from this -- meaning you are looking to mitigate your pain, instead of fixing the situation. There is nothing wrong with that -- in fact, it is perfectly fine. However, you should decide whether you want to fix this, or you want an exit strategy, because this leads to two different plans.

Henry
 
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iMO, being a TL is impossible unless you have the support of your manager. If you don't trust your manager, and he is not able to provide you constructive advice, find a new job.
 
Preeti Jamadade
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Jayesh A Lalwani wrote:iMO, being a TL is impossible unless you have the support of your manager. If you don't trust your manager, and he is not able to provide you constructive advice, find a new job.



I completely agree with you Jayesh but question is why should i spoil my successful career so far. One more incident happened 2 days back. Same resource in response to my mail asked manager to suggest me some training on writing emails, behavioural skills. My manager is just looking at emails. I am handling 9 people team now and all are happy with me with best performer team. I replied to manager to take feedback from rest of team. But i got same answer that dont fight. How should i get this resolved now? I haven't done any argumentation or fighting. Why should i tolerate these kind of emails from 2+ yrs exp resource. i think its managers duty to firmly tell this resource that Preeti is your kead, you have to listen things from her. Every now and then they should not reach to manager bi-passing me.

I dont understand this resource is not having technical competancy and still which basis he is behaving like this.
 
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Well, if you can't resolve the problems with this individual in your team, and the rest of your team is working happily and productively, then maybe you should ask your manager to move this person to another team where he will be happier?
 
Preeti Jamadade
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Well, if you can't resolve the problems with this individual in your team, and the rest of your team is working happily and productively, then maybe you should ask your manager to move this person to another team where he will be happier?



Ummm my frustration level was so high as my manager was silent all the time this has been happening. I asked for releasing myself finally as i think we cant lead team without managers support. Now client has escalated regarding performance of this person and still i can see my manager silent. I dont understand why this guy is so much important for him. Moreover my manager is not talking to me now from the day i asked release. his silence have spoiled things a lot.
 
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