Morty - we could have talked about this last week, but bagpipes got in the way. I had my end of probation year meet on Tues, and passed, but not before a fairly new manager (new in that he has just been made our managers' manager, and not that he hasn't been in the same office as me all year....) had insulted me by saying I was too intelligent for my present job, that I character assasinate too many people (oddly enough, one a complete waste of wages and one a definate solo player, both his favourites..... spot the pattern?)and that I should be quieter and less disruptive..... This from a man who has started 4 stand up arguments, caused more meetings, friction and upset in the 4 weeks (yes, just 4, count 'em....) that he has managed our team than I have in the year I've been there. Oh, and apparently some of them look up to me because of my age..... HA!

Being a team player when you are part of a team is the only way to work. However, your team is only as strong as the weakest member. If the weakest member is totally destroying morale then you have to work around that person or get rid of them. If you are the strongest member of your team, then naturally you will want to lead them on to greater things. The difficulty comes when you have a manager who is less "creative" than the team's weakest link. That manager will see the strongest as a threat and will make efforts to undermine, if a bad manager or encourage to promotion or team leadership if a good manager. If they just want you to join in or else, then they are probably aware that you are better than they at the job, and just want you to make them look better.

We have a problem with a non team player at the moment, in that he refuses to cover other phones, won't use anyone else's PC, will do nothing if it is not his allocation, and won't let anyone else touch his, even when he is on leave/sick. He is being not a team player because he has different working practices and has been screwed over by someone giving him grief for something someone else did on his allocation. The other waste of wages (WOW) has a chip the size of the pyramid at Giza, so won't play because he doesn't want to, and his daddy says he doesn't have to. I end up being NATP, because they drive me to distraction because they don't want to join in, and I don't mean conform....

Confront her and ask if being a team player is more important than getting the job done to the best of your abilities and in the best interests of your 'customers'. Ask her if there is anything she feels you ought to know, and why she feels that way. Then shut her fingers in a drawer... no, sorry..... erase that, wishful thinking.....

If the job is getting done and no one (staff that is) has screamed obscenities across the office at you because of something you have or have not done, and you get invited to the staff drinkups, then in my book, you are doing OK, and she should recognise that fact. If no-one will talk to you, your work is piling up and most of those office appraisals you sent me apply to you (when two people are talking, one looks bored witless, then he's the other one) then you need to move on, you are in the wrong environment!!

LTS