I work in an organisation which has a "no||walls" \\// "no||titles" policy. Our company likes to think we are so liberal that our company can function smoothly without any hierarchy or managers. And this is not some start-up. We are a fully functioning MNC with a very big workforce!!! For the most part it is an inclusive environment. But there are some people who take advantage of this liberal environment and decide to be a Bit*h. I also work in a pre-dominantly female environment. There are very few men in my floor. So more dominant women, seem to be able to get their way. Irrespective of intellectual capability. Usually we work in a collaborative environment where each project has a team lead. I am a PM and there's another lady who is also PM. She is more dominant than me and always bosses me around. She always asks to review my work - even though she has no reason to do so. She always asks me to feedback to her and really keeps breathing down my neck. This has been happening for about 5-6 months now since she moved from a different unit to ours. It has gotten progressively worse. I cannot seem to tell her to mind her own business because we don't have hierarchy and we are supposed to be so 'inclusive'. But she has slowly crept into my role and today she completely took over what I used to do earlier. I had a yelling match with her because she claimed that she should be the one to send out work that I did from start to end. She yelled at me and bullied me. I felt so bad and felt like crying. I hate looking at her face. This is the 11th time in the last month that she has behaved horribly to me. I need some hugs ladies
The problem is I don't have a manager. I only have a mentor who is not really involved in my day-to-day work. She does not have a manager either. This is why all these problems are happening. I wish I was in a traditional set-up where I had a manager! She is black (it's not offensive to use that term here in britain. I know african-american is the term used in the US. Here they are called black). I think she is taking me for a ride because I am the only Indian in the whole building and only non-european / non-american in the whole London office of 300 people
What will happen if you ask her to mind her own business? Will she complain to someone? Nobody can hurt me without my permission. - Mahatma Gandhi
Stop reporting to her. ie DO NOT divulge any details to her. If she asks say you are busy and can not chit chat. Repeatedly and compulsively do this. Say a NO straight to her face. With aggressive people, staying assertive and firm alone helps. (Going aggressive from our end will be like a yelling war)
If I ask her to mind her own business, it will be against our office culture where everyone collaborates with everyone else on everything. I have asked me mentor for a meeting. WIll see what he says. She's so annoying. I hate people who are confrontational for no reason.
tanuja has given a great answer. "Better still ask her to send you an email and CC your boss and her boss about it so that everyone knows and are in the loop". My bro faced the same kind of problem and he did the above and it worked great.
How are projects allocated ,is there a PMS which has details as which project belongs to whom ,may he you can use it . I will guess you have learnt your lesson now and not share any info in future .
I understand this is against your office culture. But hypothetically, what will happen if you shrugged her off.
How about mailing your mentor? Giving the details of the work done by you, and asking suggestion from him, mention what you want to do. After you get his response, just forward it to this lady and do what is approved by your mentor. See, you are just being inclusive by getting your mentor's opinion. :Bow: Don't get into confrontation with such people.. It only harm your reputation..
