Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
So I started a new job about 5 weeks ago. My teammates (it's a marketing team) also started 5 weeks ago. They started the team from scratch, and we are a team of four, all started on the same day. Our boss, the CMO started about two months ago and it has been his job to start the team from scratch.
So far things have been good, a little disorganization, a little craziness, but it's also because we are ALL brand new too.
Yesterday, my teammate wanted to go out for drinks so I said sure. Low and behold, I have discovered she is starting a campaign to get the CMO, our boss, let go. She asked me if I thought he was unfit to the lead the team. She also began to tell me how everyone in the company hates him. She has gone around to different execs, and people in the company to get their opinion on our boss. She told me that no one likes him.
Then she told me that she wants my honest opinion on our boss. That we can't go to HR with our complaints if we aren't all aligned. We have to have each other's backs in order for them to see he is unfit to lead our team. And she kept trying to give me different situations to try to convince me.
Now I know how to play the game of politics and this a stupid move. In response to that I told her that yes, I do agree that there are some things that the CMO could do better (which are true) but I also told her this team is new and from scratch and we have to give it time. She then told me again that everyone dislikes him, and she doesn't want to be on his sinking ship. I told her that she needs to have a discussion with him about her challenges, that she is going on a very very slippery slope. She also told me that the CMO is not needed that we can all work independently and his big salary should be distributed.
Low and behold this morning I found she is having the same conversations with the two other teammates on our team. One has agreed to it, agreeing that he is unfit, the other one, I believe is more aligned to me (haven't discussed it yet).
She went to HR to complain about the CMO. HR now pulled me into a meeting, to ask me how things are going. I told HR, it's quite obvious there has been some tension between people, some things that have been said, and that there are challenges that need to be solved. I told HR we should all just have open communication with each other to discuss these problems, not create any drama. I also told HR that we are only 5 weeks in and a brand new team, so we are going to have some bumps in the road.
Anyway, I feel no good is going to come out of this now. What I am trying to to do is keep myself out of it as much as possible. The teammate who wants to do the coup, I am not aligning myself with her, but I am also feeding her a little just to make sure she doesn't become an enemy because I don't trust her one bit.....
My approach is that eventually all will come to light and take care of itself, which I think she will get fired. Am I going about this the right way? Is this not crazy?
Now how did i know that it was a woman behind this?
Look, you fel for it..it doesn't matter, shes just starting up drama because she can..and trust me, she will throw him under the bus and then who do you think she is going to say who the new boss will be? I promise you that it won't be you.
I have a pretty good idea that this boss, doesn't even know whats coming..she probably just complains and talks about him behind his back. Think about it, what if you were this boss, and this was you? How would you feel?
My advice: Be friendly to this co worker if you have to, lie to her, if you must, but don't actively participate in anything she is doing..she is trouble and she will drag you down with her.
Last edited by Galvatron99; 03-22-2017 at 09:44 PM..
This will all backfire on the instigator. When push comes to shove, everybody who is agreeing with her now, will not be there when confronted, when the stuff hits the fan. I will stay as far away as I can. If he is doing something wrong, or could be doing something better, then why not let him know that instead of trying to get the guy fired. I'm sure the guy needs his job just like the rest of you all. Try being apart of the solution, instead of being a part of crowd trying to fire the guy.
Not sure where you are getting that I am part of the crowd trying to fire my boss. Actually it's the opposite, I am trying not to involve myself because I don't want it to happen...
How do you know she ignores the boss's emails? How does the boss prove someone "choosing" to ignore an email? This sounds like fake news. If the boss is really that bad..."sometimes a soldier falls on his own sword."
She told m this morning. She said she is not responding to his emails anymore. I didn't respond to her or anything when she said it.
Now how did i know that it was a woman behind this?
Look, you fel for it..it doesn't matter, shes just starting up drama because she can..and trust me, she will throw him under the bus and then who do you think she is going to say who the new boss will be? I promise you that it won't be you.
I have a pretty good idea that this boss, doesn't even know whats coming..she probably just complains and talks about him behind his back. Think about it, what if you were this boss, and this was you? How would you feel?
My advice: Be friendly to this co worker if you have to, lie to her, if you must, but don't actively participate in anything she is doing..she is trouble and she will drag you down with her.
Yeah, I agree with everyone has said. I will ask we change the subject from now on when she brings it up. Luckily it's been less than 24 hours since I have been involved in this. So I am nipping it in the butt right away in regards to my involvement.
Telling the CMO isn't a good idea. A decent manager won't like a rat. Plus...this coworker sounds shady. Trying to tattle will definitely backfire.
I agree. Maybe if I had been working at the company for 5 years, and knew my boss that long, I would pull him aside. But I have only been there 5 weeks, and want to detach myself from any drama as much as possible.
She also began to tell me how everyone in the company hates him. She has gone around to different execs, and people in the company to get their opinion on our boss. She told me that no one likes him.
She is trying to manipulate you if you haven't figured it out by now or understood what people have posted here. She doesn't want to be out there on her own in this. Assume nothing is factual unless they have been verified, and even then, it's not your job to go around checking up on gossip. She will either get fired or quit. I've been through this with someone who couldn't stand working for bosses and a secretary who all belonged to the same church. He imagined he was being spied on. His work was fine and his personality was fine otherwise, but he eventually quit because he drove himself crazy.
I agree. Maybe if I had been working at the company for 5 years, and knew my boss that long, I would pull him aside. But I have only been there 5 weeks, and want to detach myself from any drama as much as possible.
Trust has to start somewhere. Because you were interviewed by HR, you know that an internal investigation is already under way.
You are in a terrible situation, and it is all the fault of your crazy coworker. If she succeeds in getting your boss fired, she isn't going to stop being crazy. It is in your own best interest to be honest with HR about what you have observed in this instance. In time, your boss will find out and be appreciative.
I do not envy you your position, but in your situation I would be mildly supportive of your boss behind closed doors.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
