Question:
I love my job as a midsize medical clinic’s administrative manager. That’s why my husband and I agreed I’d take only a short six-week maternity leave, and he’d take the full two months his employer offered. When I told the managing physician, he thanked me profusely for my commitment.
I diligently searched for the best temporary replacement, and “Sally” seemed to be the answer to my prayers. She’d just moved to Alaska, had run a slightly larger clinic in the Midwest and possessed all the skills we needed. Sally and I spent two days together, and she picked up things quickly. She told me her goal was to find a low-key job in a nonprofit agency, and working as a temp for six weeks would give her a chance to get a sense of Anchorage’s nonprofits.
When I returned from maternity leave, the managing physician told me Sally had done such a great job he planned to keep her on. He told me excitedly that she could “uplevel” our clinic and had already made important changes that improved efficiency. I soon discovered Sally’s changes were to systems I’ve used for years, rendering many of my favorite shortcuts inoperable. I hadn’t expected anything could make me feel threatened about my job, but whenever I turn around, I spot Sally chatting with each of the physicians, all of whom really like her.
The more I’ve grown to know Sally, the more I sense she wants my job. When I asked her about her desire to work for a nonprofit, she smiled brightly and said, “Plans change.” I’ve recently learned she’s hinted to several physicians that when my husband returns to his job, I’ll want to leave to be a full-time mom. I believe she intentionally changed some of my systems to sabotage my effectiveness, but she so skillfully promoted the changes she instituted the physicians bought into them. She seems to have her fingers in everything.
I feel I have to act fast if I don’t want Sally to take over what I’ve built and push me out. I know that seems crazy, but she’s scarily competitive. That’s part of how she entrances the managing partner, by showing him how our clinic can leap forward in marketing and revenue. What do I do?
Answer:
When you’re up against someone gunning for your job and she’s effective at managing up, you need to keep a cool head. If you react with resentment or indignation, it can make you look petty and jealous. Instead, you need to be your best self.
During your six-week leave, Sally developed relationships with your physicians. Don’t let that intimidate you. You have a foundation of respect built over time with each of them. Solidify it.
Meet with each of them, ask how it’s been since you’ve been gone and quell any rumors about you potentially leaving. By keeping your relationships with your managing partner and the other physicians strong, you make it harder for Sally to push you out.
You say Sally has the managing physician’s ear and appeals to his desire for growth. Prior to your leave, did you keep him abreast of the projects and goals you had in mind for the clinic’s future? If not, Sally found your Achilles’ heel. You need to fix that. Meet with him. What motivates him, and what does he want for the clinic? You need to clarify your value in creating a strong future.
Going forward, you need to ensure your managing physician knows the value of what you have and can accomplish. Regularly share your wins so you build a case for your value.
Prior to your leaving, you had a clear role and responsibilities. You’ve noted Sally seems to have her fingers in everything. Fix that by developing clear boundaries between your and Sally’s roles and accountabilities, so she can’t institute new or modify existing systems in areas for which you’re responsible. Document and assess the system changes: are they improvements, or simply different, and if so, were they necessary?
Finally, have you reference-checked Sally? You’ve described a woman with a take-no-prisoners approach to getting ahead — chances are she’s left workplace bodies in her past.