Having been in a small but prestigious accounting firm for five years, CPA Sally had established herself as a savvy, responsible, dependable, conscientious, and profit-making employee. As a result, she received a managerial promotion which put her one rung below the firm's partners. Despite her having some anxiety about the company's expectations of her and her doing her best to match those expectations, she was confident and well-prepared to meet almost any business circumstance.
That is, with the exception of Martha, the Office Supervisor. Martha had overseen the company's secretaries and receptionist for seven years. Over this time she personally had taken on more and more managerial-type authority in spite of her supervisory job description. This was because a managerial-level void existed and she flowed into it, quietly seizing its associated power.
But now Sally who had been groomed by the organization to fill that void herself had appeared on the scene. While Sally's interactions with Martha in the past had been relatively infrequent and innocuous, they were now frequent and full of conflict.
One day when Sally had other auditors working on a report that had to be finished by the end of the week, Martha swooped in and declared that the offices were disorganized and unkempt. This "wretched state of affairs" had to be dealt with immediately. As a result, Martha began rounding up Sally's auditors, who while not under Martha's control, chose not to argue, to get them going on her task.
Sally was nonplussed and felt impotent except to shout at the disappearing bodies, "I need them now to get this report out." Martha waved a dismissive hand in her direction and stated, "They'll be back when I've finished with them."
While Sally was still angrily gnawing on this bone a few days later, Martha came by to address an expenditure Sally planned to make. Martha placed a maternal hand on Sally's shoulder and stated, "All the equipment and miscellany you want for doing webinars are too expensive and nonessential. We really can't afford to do this right now in our economic situation."
Sally, who was constantly doing presentations for potential clients, and didn't rely on in-person PowerPoint, was taken aback once again and blustered, "But we need it to make good presentations to clients." Martha knowingly shook her head, "We're doing fine as we are. We can't do this right now."
Besides getting medication for her high blood pressure what should Sally do?
Rather than simply going off half-cocked and demanding that Martha stop overstepping her bounds, Sally needed to generally understand both Martha and the circumstances surrounding her behavior. What was Martha's actual role and domain of authority as stated in her contract? Had she been granted other powers outside that or had she simply assumed them? What had been going on lately with Martha or in the office that might make her act more authoritarian and dogmatic?
Based upon her collected information, Sally had to decide the best way for her to address the problem so she could get what she wanted and not make a mortal enemy of Martha?
Sally determined that Martha's authority was over the secretaries only but because the firm has been without a line manager for awhile, Martha had informally taken on that role as well. But now that Sally had been elevated to that position, Martha was once again relegated to being office supervisor only - a step down in her eyes.
Having enjoyed this power, Martha now felt hurt and her ego was bruised. She saw the situation as unfair. She also felt less secure about her position and her value to the organization. Did she really want her old job back?
Since she never really had the management position, she couldn't fight with the partners to get it back. Being angry with them would only backfire so she was taking out her disappointment and displeasure on Sally who had "stolen" her job.
Resolving conflict is never easy especially when there are two perspectives on who has the authority and control in the situation. When you can't punch them out or get them cement booties, what can you do? What would you do in this case?
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