Since the start of this year the bank I work for has implemented a new position at work. The position is not new to the company but is new to our region. The woman who assumed this position at our location is very enthusiastic and has expressed her new ideas to improve sales and make our customer service more effective. She has been in her current position for about 5 years and comes from another branch.
We have been working out the details of how her position and role can be successfully integrated into what we do at the branch but there have been some challenges. I've been cooperating and working well with her for the most part and I know she comes from a very successful location and wants to help us get their as well.
This morning we had the usual morning meeting with everyone at the branch. We were discussing some strategies that might be successful and how we would like to see some of the staff implement this. She made a comment about how she felt a particular situation should be handled. After her suggestion, I clarified a more specific intention for people to use good judgment when implementing this idea.
She responded in front of everyone by saying that if I was unwilling to do it than everyone else should work directly with her instead. I was immediately stunned by the apparent contradiction of the information I had just heard in front of individuals that I felt needed to hear a unified message from us. I was not the only one who picked up on this moment as I immediately saw some awkward glances in the room. I remained silent until the meeting was over several minutes later but after both of us spoke, a co-worker in the same position emphasized what I had to say by repeating in other words what I had said. I later conferred with a manger present at that meeting who agreed that I had not made any unreasonable request.
This has bothered me a bit the entire day. I am trying hard not to involve ego in this matter and address the effect of what she said logically on the staff. At the same time I am running through possibilities of why she may have chosen to voice her opinion like this and the more cynical side of me believes it is to bypass certain arrangements we have established since her arrival.
For the remainder of the day we essentially acted as if this incident didn't happen. I don't work with her directly but we did talk at lunch about something not related and there was no awkwardness in that exchange. I want to work with her so that we can all succeed together but I am increasingly feeling that the non-confrontational approach is not getting the message across.
I don't feel that involving our branch manger (who was not present) is the step to take. I am considering taking a moment to approach her in private to discuss my feelings that I felt disrespected. I am planning to focus specifically on her actions and its impact. I would also like to propose that we eliminate any instance in the future where it might appear that we are not on the same page about implementation of a specific idea and to voice specific disagreements privately before deciding on a new course of action.
I wasn't sure who I could ask about this but I thought who better than people I trust for other advice. Is my view and proposal on the matter reasonable?
To clarify her role as it relates to mine. She is not my boss and technically reports to another manager who isn't located at our branch . Her position is very similar to mine but has a different clientele focus. She has approximately the same amount of experience I do however she has been in her position longer than I have in mine but in fewer branch positions than I have. We're both in our mid/late 20s.
