[jzq20m]

For the past few years, our provost has stressed the importance of embracing change in order to better meet the needs of our clients (community college students). Unfortunately, there hasn't been an impetus to make any changes, so we just keep plugging along, business as usual.

Approximately 7 months ago, our team hired a new director. This director has shaken up the status quo; bringing in new processes, opening up channels of communication with other departments and campuses, improving the quality of the classes we offer, etc. I'm excited about the changes because we're finally doing things right, and I support what the new director is doing.

Unfortunately, not everyone shares my enthusiasm. My teammate is very loyal to the former director. During our weekly team meetings, she is unresponsive, surly, and sometimes even belittling to me, etc.

Approximately 1 month ago, we hired another new employee. This new employee questions everything and has decided our new director is incompetent and doesn't know what he is doing. A few of her comments do have merit, many do not.

Her comments are making me doubt my support for the new director. Have I thrown my support behind the wrong person? Am I blind to the flaws of the new director?

Any advice you can give me is greatly appreciated. My support of the new director has not been without peril, I've been placed is some uncomfortable situations at times.

Other Facts
1. We use templates to create courseware. (The new director helped redesign and improve our old templates.) The new employee does not like our templates. She asked me to review the work she had done so far. On some template pages, she had written "snarky" comments regarding our templates.
2. The new employee must be right at ALL times and likes to argue.
3. I'm not sure the new director knows how to handle the new employee.

[hvert]

I think you should trust your opinions about the new director. What you describe is pretty common when a new director comes in and shakes things up. Some people are happy with the changes and some people get really upset.

I am not sure what your best options are. Perhaps the best option would be not to let these other people's comments get to you. It's okay to tell them that you disagree or that you don't care to hear these snarky comments. You can explain why you like these changes and remain enthusiastic and positive. Don't let their talk make you doubt yourself or your opinions. It's okay to be open to other people's thoughts, but it sounds like your teammate is blinded by her loyalty and not being objective.

If you are close, perhaps you could take her out to lunch and talk about how she is feeling? I worked for a company that had two customer service agents. When they got a new boss, one of them hated him and the other loved the changes. They had always been best friends and it was a challenge for them to accept this difference of opinion, but they tried to understand each other.

The person who has only been there one month seems to be treading on thin ice, already complaining about her boss during a probationary period?

[jzq20m]

Thank you hvert for your comforting words. You're right about not letting other people's comments get to me. That's definitely something with which I've always struggled.

[StayinAlive]

I have thought and read about similar situations quite a bit. I supervise people who supervise people. There is always someone who doesn't like his boss. Basically, those people aren't doing themselves or the organization any good. There are basically two choices: 1) look for a new job or 2) find a way to help your boss be successful. You are on the right path. No leader is perfect. I'm sleepy and hoping this makes sense.

[jzq20m]

StayinAlive...yes, your comment makes perfect sense! Thank you for the reassurance that I'm on the right path. I have a hard time remaining confident during stressful times. (Heck, even non-stressful times produce self-doubt!)