Thank you for both replies. They are very useful to me.
Here is some more info -
This friend is a Desi. The junior employee is caucassian (local national ).
As per my friend, the junior employee comes from a phsycology background, is very devious and will use every trick in the book, politicaly very sound and technically flop.
OB: Here are answers to your questions :
1) How long has this manager known her and the junior employee to make such a decision.
# --The manager knows my friend for last 7 years since she is working in the co. however she was hired by a different manager. The current manager was a team leader when my friend was hired. Since last 4-5 yrs he is my friend's direct manager.
The junior employee is hired by this current manager 5 yrs ago.
2) How and why is this person deemed junior. Your friend has 7 years experience. How much are their respective experiences in the company and in total.
#-- My friend 7 yrs in the co. The junior employee 5 yrs.
3) Stressful could be resulting due to the insult. But why is it insulting to report to a junior ?
#-- Don't know to be honest, may be an individual feeling. 4) If she could be manipulated by a junior then either this junior is a cunning person or a smart one, which one is it ? OTOH she's probably very gullible or not authoritative or doesn't have any authority. #-- Based on my knowledge of my friend I suspect, both things are working here. This junior employee is very cunning and uses my friend's shyness against her.
My friend did not want a conflict initially because she couldn't change cos (visa issues etc), did not have much skills experience,and also not authoritative at all.
I remember an experience that made her feel manipulated. This junior employee tried to organise a meeting with her when she had marked holiday in her meeting calendar. My friend told her I can't because I am off and she said to my friend that is fine we will do it another time and after 2-3 weeks my friend's manager told her he is not happy with her performance - this person is trying to book a meeting with you for last 3 weeks and you didn't respond, we can't afford to have this happening in our team. My friend was very shocked with this behaviour and lost her composure and was unable to speak anything in her defence.
5) Working 7 years in an organization (is it IT, probably not) and she has to run ? Doesn't the organization value her ?
#-- This organization like some others, work ont he fresh blood concept. They don't value skills, experience as much as political abilities (this is my friend and some of her co workers' observation)
6) Quitting your job because of someone you think is junior is escapist.
#-- May be in one way. In other way may be it may give her a chance to realise her own potential, however, it will come at a cost. I particularly don't want to give her biased advice because she is a single mother and it may affect her financially.
7) Your friend has some deep thinking to do. Since the facts are second hand, nothing much can be concluded. #-- Agreed, it could be a hard task. However, I will try and bridge this gap as close as possible.
Please keep posting your replies. It will give a good view from both the sides and in some time I will have some good advice to give her.
r2pun1 (Original Message)Sent: 2/6/2007 1:55 PM