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I hate games
I'm one of three senior managers in a “highly matrixed organization.” I'm very good friends with Manager 1, but she and I always frown at Manager 3, who is good at creating opportunities for attention. In meetings with middle management, she finds ways to hold the management's attention longer and sometimes interjects when we are talking about unrelated but attention-grabbing points. She regularly finds time to work on projects that are beyond the scope of our work. For example, she started a learning series for young associate managers. This was great for the team and Manager 1 and I were on board as well, but Manager 3 went out of her way to brand the series as her HERS. Manager 1 and I also frequently host training sessions, but we never thought of branding them and communicating them to the entire organization. Most recently, Manager 3 announced that he would be launching a “Get to Know Our Executives” series where he would be interviewing executives across the organization.
I'm mad that she plays the game better than me, but I don't want my job to be a game. I prefer to join a company and do a good job at the actual job description. If you look at the numbers, my brand actually outperforms hers. But with all the publicity she has, I'm starting to feel like the actual work doesn't matter. If these attention-seeking efforts were actually part of the job, I could work on it too. When Manager 1 or I try something new or host a training, we collaborate with each other. We are aligned and want each other to succeed. We both feel that Manager 3's goal is to bury us, which is making us both miserable (and anxious about the next promotion). What would you do in our position?
– Anonymous
Manager 3 is clearly willing to take the lead. I understand why it's frustrating, but instead of being annoyed, she might need to adopt some strategies that will help her a lot. You said she went above and beyond her “actual job description,” which is generally what it takes to be successful in almost any endeavor. You want to arrange your professional life to your liking, and the only way to achieve this is to become self-employed. If you just want to work according to your job description, which is your right, that's fine. But we can't resent those who can't do that and choose to do more.
Now, the most interesting part of your letter is that it has better numbers. Find a way to emphasize it. You don't even need to bring Manager 3 into that conversation. You're successful – let it be known! Take credit when you implement an interesting idea. Your colleague is very good at self-promotion. Instead of getting angry at her, think about which of her strategies you can adopt. There are also ways to “play the game” that don't feel like you're playing a game.
