People who just suck

[Old Baby]

I've been working for the same public library system for the last 9 years.  I started out as a branch circulation clerk and 4 years later got promoted to administration where I wear the titles Tech Coordinator and Cataloger.  In my 4 years working at a branch, I worked under a supervisor who was just lazy and cared more about being friends with her staff and flirting with me than in actually doing the job she was paid for.  I was glad to get promoted and get away from her, but unfortunately her work ethic and crappy attitude permeates the whole system and forces me to have to deal with her incompetence.

Several times I've had to report her for being an abject failure because her incompetence was infringing on my job.  As a result, she's been scolded and threatened many times by the powers that be, but instead of learning anything or accepting responsibility, she just continues the same old shit while talking shit about me to her staff and harboring this huge grudge.  Now, I can't even train the staff without the woman talking over me, finishing my sentences for me, being disrespectful and acting like she's joking.  I don't have a problem with any branch but hers, where her staff actually snubs me based on whatever the hell she's told them.  What a miserable person.

She has this game she plays with the custodian where she acts like she's his friend, then when he warms up to her she treats him like shit.  Then, he runs off and tells on her and when she's called on it, she always says that she was just joking and accuses him of having very sensitive feelings.  He gets mad at her for a short time but she always turns the charm back on and reels him back in to do it all over again.  She tries to do the same thing with me, but I just blow her off.  It just sucks that I can't even have any sort of normal interaction with these people without a miserable shitstorm of drama erupting from it.

/rant

[Reforged]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Office-Politics-...0091923964
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Laws-Power-Rober...s+of+power

Might help. Next time don't make it your problem, subtly make it someone elses and bring popcorn.

[Cato]

Does the behavior reveal itself in the branch's performance? If so, brow beat them and make comparisons to other branch's plainly visible. To whatever extent you have the influence, there should be consequences for substandard performance. It's the only way to completely sidestep the politics of it all.

If they perform despite the shenanigans, then you're left dealing with a purely political issue. I haven't read the first of RD's links, but have read Greene's '48 Laws of Power' and highly recommend it. Prior to reading it, I was a bit naive regarding office politics and dealing with the types of personalities you describe. Greene's book, if nothing more, at least allowed me to re-frame what was going on around me. Since, I have been able to identify the gambits and better manage them for what they are rather than continue to be frustrated by someone's cuntish behavior.

[drfuzzy]

Wow, hello, fellow disgruntled librarian!  That supervisor sounds like a piece of work!  How has she managed to keep her job? 
I had one that was similar, a year or so ago.  She had managed to make most of the staff hate her guts, but the director thought she was wonderful.  (sigh) I got along with her by saying very little, avoiding her, and being very efficient.   
You should have heard my director this a.m. - - I'm the sole cataloger - - "we don't need these long records, we don't need this RDA stuff, we don't need "statements of responsibility" - just give us author, title, date, ISBN, and maybe a description.  That's all our people ever search for."  AUGH!  
  
Work.  Grateful to have it, but geez . . . sometimes you almost wish you were outside, driving a tractor and mending fences.

[Minimalist]

How has she managed to keep her job?

She's probably blowing somebody.

[Old Baby]

Does the behavior reveal itself in the branch's performance? If so, brow beat them and make comparisons to other branch's plainly visible. To whatever extent you have the influence, there should be consequences for substandard performance. It's the only way to completely sidestep the politics of it all.

If they perform despite the shenanigans, then you're left dealing with a purely political issue. I haven't read the first of RD's links, but have read Greene's '48 Laws of Power' and highly recommend it. Prior to reading it, I was a bit naive regarding office politics and dealing with the types of personalities you describe. Greene's book, if nothing more, at least allowed me to re-frame what was going on around me. Since, I have been able to identify the gambits and better manage them for what they are rather than continue to be frustrated by someone's cuntish behavior.

Yes, the branch performs poorly.  Both myself and many others are constantly reminding the library director of this.  The director assures us that it will be dealt with, but it never is.  I've gone so far as to tell the director that not one of her promises of resolving the issue has ever resulted in change.  She just said "It will this time, because this is unacceptable."  Then, she has a meeting with the supervisor and threatens to fire her, or she goes and manages the branch herself for a while to "get them back on track" but things fall apart again as soon as she leaves.  If the director sees one vague sign of improvement, she acts like everything is fixed.  Then, when we go back to her with evidence that nothing has changed, she gets defensive as if we're the ones with the problems for complaining and being petty.  I don't think the director necessarily favors this woman, but she just seems like she has no idea what to do with her, so she just tries to convince everyone else that we're overreacting.

[Old Baby]

Wow, hello, fellow disgruntled librarian!  That supervisor sounds like a piece of work!  How has she managed to keep her job? 
I had one that was similar, a year or so ago.  She had managed to make most of the staff hate her guts, but the director thought she was wonderful.  (sigh) I got along with her by saying very little, avoiding her, and being very efficient.   
You should have heard my director this a.m. - - I'm the sole cataloger - - "we don't need these long records, we don't need this RDA stuff, we don't need "statements of responsibility" - just give us author, title, date, ISBN, and maybe a description.  That's all our people ever search for."  AUGH!  
  
Work.  Grateful to have it, but geez . . . sometimes you almost wish you were outside, driving a tractor and mending fences.

Wow, that's nuts about your records.  I admit, I'm more of a copy cataloger than a real one.  I wear too many hats to be an expert at anything. 

I've found that most people who are in positions of authority have no idea how to use it.

[brewer]

Peter principle? I fucking hate the corporate game. Sounds like that's what's being played.

Could nickname her "Hoover". If asked just say it's an Animal House reference. Doubt you could get away with "Wet/Dry Vac".

[Old Baby]

Peter principle? I fucking hate the corporate game. Sounds like that's what's being played.

Could nickname her "Hoover". If asked just say it's an Animal House reference. Doubt you could get away with "Wet/Dry Vac".

Maybe but I don't think so.  Not to be insulting, but she's really overweight, sloppy, terrible breath, acne.  I'm really the only male authority figure and I can assure you I wouldn't touch that even if her womb was the last hope for humankind.

[ignoramus]

When you not liking someone for their unprofessionalism turns to personal insults of her person, it may also backfire on your integrity also. You're a good person, maintain your integrity at all cost. Just my 2c.