Heeding The Warning Signs Early

I am tearing my hair out about a situation at work. Our Group Account Director has moved a senior account director onto our account. I have just been appointed an account director and instead of overseeing my area and another account director’s, she is spending all her time on my side as she has little experience in the other area. She is arrogant, insensitive and keeps saying things about my performance. It is starting to make me question my work which was never the case before. I have spoken to the GAD who I get on well with but he is burying his head in the sand and hoping the problem will go away. The account director agrees with me but she is not affected. It is getting worse because the SAD is disrupting the team and saying things which imply that they are not doing their job (not the case) and that we should all be lucky that she is on the account to sort it out. As the client has said that things do need to improve, she does need to sort things out but she is going about it the wrong way and targeting the wrong people. She is a total nightmare and it is driving me to the daily feeling of not wanting to go into work. Help me! What can I do?

A very difficult situation but not uncommon. Your last point is very worrying and that sounds as though you could decide to leave your job because of another person’s incompetence. That’s why I am going to assume a few things and recommend an urgent course of action.

First of all, you need to discuss this with people outside the agency. Just talking about it will act as a bit of therapy but probably better with people outside the business. Make sure you are reading the situation correctly and feel comfortable talking about it a bit more objectively (well as much as you can). Get other people’s views. Also the more you see it as a business issue rather than a reflection of your status, you won’t be so sensitive to the daily interactions with her and you won’t get wound up so much.

Now my next course of recommended action is a very strong one but desperate times call for extreme measures. You will need to feel comfortable with the idea because you will be under the spotlight. However my instinct tells me that if you do not do something now then you will become even more miserable and the account could be put in jeopardy. And the latter point should be your angle. I suggest that you get the support of the other account director who can vouch for the fact the SAD is only doing one part of the job and is upsetting the team. Then convene a meeting with your GAD and Client Services Director (and/or HR depending on structure) and lay out the facts: you seriously believe that her remaining on the account could put the account in danger, the team dynamic is being disrupted and you are so unhappy that you are questioning your future.

This is something you may resist because it is quite hardcore but they obviously rate you as they have just promoted you and would not want to lose you. And most importantly for the CSD and GAD, it will highlight that the account is in jeopardy. Otherwise you could just bury your head in the sand like your GAD and post something on ihatemywork.net (yes there are some very bitter people out there).Good luck!

Thanks to Matt Frederick for the photo