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I am honestly so torn, so tortured I cannot think anymore...

September 2005

Dear Office-Politics,

I was hired as a supervisor 7 years ago. My responsibilities described at time of interview and in the written job description were basically 1/2 time teaching and 1/2 time supervising over a university unit.

Shortly after being hired I discovered that a staff member in the department in reality was the "true" department head and himself and the dean of the respective college were somehow bound and whatever this manager wanted or said was law, even superseding the department chair. I am not allowed to evaluate this employee nor can I terminate or discipline him.

The manager is incredibly territorial, highly volatile and vindictive. He wants all to bow to his feet and tries to control all around him and basically does. I have survived by keeping my head down but we have had some conflicts, just due to me trying to do my job. Many times I simply don't know which way to turn and my stress level is constantly eating away at my health and quality of life. However the pay is good, my options are limited due to the specialization of my training. I would love my job if it were just what I was told it would be and what is in black and white in my job description. I am a supervisor in name only with no true authority but with the responsibilities and expectations of the position.

The manager is not my superior, by the way. All my evaluations have been good to excellent. Currently my unit is not performing well due to my one employee that is simply insubordinate and incompetent. I have almost 3 years of documentation and requests to my department chair that he should be fired and the results of his actions and lack of action, but to no avail. To make matters worse, my employee has picked up that I do not have true control over the program and is becoming even more insubordinate and his work quality is horrid.

Currently I am getting accused of not providing enough direction for this employee and the future of the program is in jeopardy, as pointed out by the dean. The manager I spoke of shares some of the direction for this employee but again feels I am to blame and has convinced the dean of this, according to my department chair. Also, I have developed a serious but not disabling health condition which administration seems to ignore in the fact that they direct me to do the same duties as my employee when I am not teaching. Three years ago I was on a cane for over a year and now I am expected to perform extremely strenuous labor to much humiliation and severe pain. I paid my dues many years ago and was very accomplished before taking this position and have been recognized numerous national awards and recognition. I have great physical pain when performing these duties and I wish to point out none of these responsibilities is in my job description or mentioned during my initial interview. I feel my employee has convinced the manager that in some part he is getting no direction, which is simply not true. The manager and the department chair do however agree that my employee is not performing, as he should.

My department chair openly states he can do nothing and that the manager calls the shots. I do not feel they are trying to attack me directly as they have so many other methods they can use and not being tenured faculty they can fire me at a whim in my "right to work" state. In conclusion, I feel robbed of the job I interviewed for. I left a good position for this one. I am humiliated by not having the authority to do my job and an employee that is openly insubordinate because he knows the political situation and being forced to do his job as well as my own at this point in my career. My professional reputation I feel will be ruined if this program is closed and will affect my chances for future employment in my field. My mental and physical state is suffering greatly. Each day twists me up inside and I feel at the end of my rope.

As stated before my options are extremely limited due to my specialized training, age and the fact that I wish to stay in the area because my family is here. Do I throw way 15 years, take a job out of my field making 1/4 of my current salary I am making now and relocate leaving my family and ties? I am honestly so torn, so tortured I cannot think anymore. I realize this email is lengthy but the situation is so complex. I plead for your advice and council.

Thank you.

Torn up inside

Dear Torn up inside,

Bottom line, a happier healthier work environment is what you need and deserve. The question is how do we help you get there.

Given the stress related illnesses and promised job description, I recommend that you consult with counsel to ascertain your legal rights and to determine the legal leverage, if any, you may have to cause a shift in the employment dynamic. I would do this at the outset since it is always best for you to know where you stand legally.

It could also be valuable for you to speak to someone who can help you get empowered and deal with the enormous stress levels you are experiencing. An experienced therapist can help significantly.

The situation does not appear to be working well for any of the players -- you, your employee, the supervisor, the dean, the program and the school. If I were running the school, I'd hire an organizational consultant to figure out how to get everyone working as a team in a healthy dynamic. Such a person would be able to help the parties define clear roles and responsibilities, lines of authority, ground rules for accountability and respect, and an exit strategy for those who cannot meet the objectives that serve the department and school optimally.

Since you want this job to work out, perhaps you can do some research on organizational consultants in your area and interview a few to see if they believe they can help. In the process, you may gain some valuable tools and information on how to deal with the situation. After you identify one or two consultants you would work with, perhaps you can then speak to the Dean and propose the school hire one of these consultants to help everyone work through this challenge. The consultant should be able to help you figure out how to have the opening conversation with the Dean.

It may be you can shift the current environment or it may be you need to switch jobs. Either way, I believe the assistance of legal counsel, a therapist and an organizational consultant should help you gain the clarity, strength and tools you need to create a happier healthier work environment for you.

Thanks for writing to Office-Politics.

Arnie Herz

Arnie Herz, Esq.
Author, LegalSanity
Attorney at Law

Feedback from Torn up inside
Thank you so much for your time and advice. I will take all these recommendations under consideration. I doubt seriously an organizational consultant would even be considered. There is an extreme amount of arrogance in this situation. My gut tells me the dean and the manager is bounded by much more than butt kissing but some illegal activity. A university farm is an excellent way to skim off the top, with quote, cattle dying, births, non-reported births, crop failure etc. I am sure you get the picture. If you have seen the "Shawshank Redemption" it explains my theory well. I have a good lead on another position within the university and if attained it would be professionally satisfying. It is a shame anyone can be tortured in the way I am. I am no fan of "Right to Work" states and the political sellout of employee's rights. Justice is such a valuable thing and I must admit I have taken it for granted in the past. I have learned some very valuable lessons and will try my best to not be pessimistic about the working world and my vocation. I truly appreciate you taking your valuable time to examine my problem. The act of describing my situation was far more therapeutic than I would have ever imagined. Thanks again and God bless.