Watch Your Back
I recently caught up over lunch with a friend. She’d recently been promoted, and had to compete for the role with one other person-I’ll call him Ace-who had a more top-down (Oh hell, I’ll say it, micro-managing style) and rigid management style, more filial piety than collaborative, you know the type.
Ace was, however, very astute at managing upward, always made sure he delivered on what was asked, (but seldom acknowledged the work of his staff to senior management) and thus overall regarded well within the company.
My friend had Ace’s number, but the boss didn’t. He was too busy, and not overly concerned as long as the results were on target.
When the position opened up, she and Ace applied, fairly standard process, and they lobbied their internal stakeholders. As she has better deportment, along with a more supportive network, (and is not a micro-manager) was able to adroitly knock Ace out of the ring, got the promotion, and he now reports to her.
Over lunch I asked how Ace was taking the new reporting line.
“Great”, she said. “He has had a complete turn-around, he’s helpful, he’s cooperative, I’ve had a number of talks with him and he is on board with me and the team. I’m really pleasantly surprised as to how much he’s changed since we had our ‘race.’ And he really has been great so far. Really and truly he is.”
She picked at her food for a minute, and then continued.
“But of course I don’t trust him one bit.”
“Oh? After all the glowing comments? Que pasa?”
“A panther doesn’t change its spots, and I figure he’ll go back to his old ways at some point. So while it’s great that he’s changed and become a team player, I keep my foot on him-lightly but firmly nonetheless. I know he’s waiting for an opportunity to pounce. But that’s OK, I’m ready.”
She’s likely right, and savvy enough not to get fooled by the wolf in sheep’s clothing. The same applies for you. The Reaganism of ‘trust but verify’ is a sane way to work within a matrix organisation. If you work with an Ace-type, pay attention, and do NOT get caught off-guard.
Does that make me sound paranoid? I hope not, just pragmatic. How you handle conflict at work impacts how you’re viewed as a manager or leader. The sooner you learn how to deal with confrontation effectively, positively, and realistically, all the better.
Written by Neal Horwitz, President of Henry Hale Maguire
