My previous acting supervisor won’t give me help, as he openly resents my promotion above him. I want to establish a good supervisor–subordinate relationship before going to management. Tactics?
First, be sensitive. Deliberate obstruction or cynical resentfulness on his part cannot be justified – but acknowledge that his disappointment is understandable. So try to see the situation from both sides.
Think about what help you’re after. There’s a big difference between legitimately asking for information to which only he would have access during his time as acting supervisor (facts, figures, emails, reports), and asking for advice or suggestions about what you should do in certain situations, now that you’re in charge. If he tells you openly to figure things out for yourself (and adds sarcastically that it’s because management clearly thinks more highly of you than him) that might suggest you’ve crossed that boundary. Think about it: in normal circumstances, asking a junior colleague what to do might send the wrong message about your capability – but in this scenario, it’s asking for trouble.
If, however, it’s factual information you seek, then it should be straightforward to point out (gently) that you can’t be expected to know everything about certain issues. And if he’s still obstructive then he’s clearly being his own worst enemy. However, as you have only recently been promoted, it’s likely that the way in which you manage your relationship with him will be judged by senior management as a sign of whether they did indeed make the right decision. So be cautious, take a step back and review the situation honestly before taking any action. Sometimes, bad office situations can be made to recede as rapidly as they appeared – if both parties are willing.
One last word of warning: let’s hope your ready use of the word ‘subordinate’ doesn’t indicate that classic ‘first-time boss’ mistake of being carelessly feudal about your new role. Take heed – and good luck.