Score one for the Best Team!

I don't often write about my work and even in this post I'll be fairly generic. I don't want anyone to recognize my work from this site, it would be damaging and not only to me.

I run a company, I think that's been said before. Revenues are in the millions per year and there is a sizable staffing budget. Enough said, you get the picture.

There was a recent attempt at a power play by a 'star' player, the hope was not that I'd be replaced but that I'd be redundant to the team. Here's the history:

Last November a senior manager I recruited tried to stage a coup while I was away on work related business. I don't believe he wanted my job, however he did want to establish his dominance with the entire team of managers. He wasn't very strategic in his attempt and I prevailed with respect from my team intact. I thought about firing him then. In hindsight the only thing I should have done but the manager had over 30 years of experience behind him and a great deal of strengths.

He grossly underestimated me. This does happen unless you work closely with me, I'm very relational, warm, friendly and even on occasion bubbly. I don't fit the mold for powerful executive. Even my clothes are very feminine, not a three piece suit anywhere in my closet. I wear four inch heels on a regular basis and my hair is always done but not a bun to be seen. I don't look severe, bitchy, or come across as strident is what I'm trying to say.

I'm very strategic in business, I'm capable of playing chess with my work place and most often make moves when I'm absolutely sure I'll win the game. If a risk move is required I'll have examined the alternatives prior to and know the move is now. I don't react in a knee jerk fashion. Stress is something I handle well and never behave like a chicken with my head off. I can execute a plan even in the midst of chaos. A skill I've had since I began my management career in my early 20's. I've always been recognized by the upper ups as an asset and I've never wasted time in companies that don't 'get it'.

The issue I'm dealing with at present is the manager became quieter in his quest for dominance but I never lost sight of the potential yet the addition of two new team members has revealed some of the hairline cracks in his public persona. The new have aligned very well with our company values and have felt very supported in their roles and my Right Hand, a super star, has gained their confidence. One new manager revealed a text message to my Right Hand that clearly identified the senior manager toxicity and I knew I had to make a move.

I should point out prior to our conversation, which follows, he'd made a point in a management meeting to act like he was being worked to death. His compensation package for this overwork is significant and he was receiving many perks that others were unaware of, plus he'd accepted the deal in our negotiations for his position. Only two weeks earlier he told me he felt he had a dream position. This public display to the other managers painted a picture of a man being abused with nothing in return and was pure b.s. I left the meeting for other business and while out of the room he implied to the entire team that we were doing something untoward in reporting to outside stakeholders. An issue I found extremely offensive, if not risky to us, because of the value we place on transparency.

When I called him in I used a forceful tone. A strategic move because it was time to put away the niceties. (and he often used one himself in meetings to emphasis how strongly he felt about things - I wanted to mirror him).

Me: Are you for me or against me? Because I'm believing right now you're against me. (me means company)

Him: (bristles) Why do you say that?

I bring up the issues that had occurred in the earlier meeting and don't bring up the text message. I choose not to bring out the text message because I feel it might damage trust amongst my team besides I had enough to go on with the behavior at the meeting. The text was simply proof to me I was right. I mention his rant about his job made me want to blurt out his compensation package to the team, but it wasn't their business. I told him that I could easily sit in that room with a list of how difficult my job was and how nobody appreciated me, but it wasn't the place, time or the people who should hear it. My point being, if you're unhappy you have that meeting with me not with a group present. It was manipulation and I knew it.

He then goes down the complaint road of how difficult his job is on his family and time and I concur. I point out that he's being significantly compensated for his time and he fires back that he earns it. I again agree and say he earns every penny. I said the issue seems to be the lack of work life balance he's experiencing and it's something we can fix. I point out the compensation package would need to change based on a reduction of demands on his time and we'd be able to use that to fund another position. I point out we would not be able to double the budget, that we weren't adding another full time position to our staffing model. I was very conscious of my approach - I did not want him seeing this move as a threat to him or as me trying to manipulate him to keeping the position as is - I was just being upfront about what his request for reduced commitment would mean.

Him: What do you want from me?

Me: I want you to have my back.

Me: Want to you want from me?

Him: A vacation.

I laughed as he was leaving the next day for two weeks and I said, "done". We ended on a seemingly positive note.

I want to add that he owed the company money. He borrowed time and time again and the company owner was generous in floating the movable loan. The company is nothing if not understanding and generous.

And...

He quit.

And...

He informed the entire team prior to quitting.

And...

He asked for an advance before quitting...and was paid.

Sure he's stirred up the team.

But...

With a couple of exceptions the team is solidly behind me/the agency. The 'exceptions' were known to me prior and plans had been underway to 'redistribute'. (I feel like I'm using mafia terms).

I feel like he used weak sauce in his latest attempt to get the team behind him. I called him on his attitude and agency support, or lack of, and when he tried to trumpet this injustice to my team they already had seen the evidence of it. i.e. texts and verbal conversations. He underestimated me AND them. Poor sod.

Truthfully I believe he wanted to be asked back and thought this was a gauranteed power play move that would have me at his feet begging him to come back. He didn't know I knew about the text which backed up my claim, nor did he know the team he thought he had solidly behind him wasn't. I've had managers since talk to me and tell me they feel I was right on what I called him on. I will not, nor haven't shared our conversation with anyone, but they knew from what the Senior Manager told them. He claimed he was hurt beyond that I'd suggest he was unsupportive of me/company. Dude, what are you thinkging crying this to a team who'd heard you make disparaging comments about me/company. Jeesh. The attempt at a power play fizzled while he thought he had us in the penalty box. He thought he was the captain and had the team behind him NOT. Score one for the Best Team!

The way I see it this 'star' recruit of mine resented my position. I'm not only female, but decades younger than he is and have no field experience...but suck it up buttercup because this is an amazing place to be (and I created it) and the benefits outweigh the idea you're behind me in command. You lose.

(I find business and game closely related which is why I post it)