The Bitchiness Continues (Long) in Days of My Destiny

Despite my efforts, things are still pear-shaped with this organization.

Yesterday the executives had a meeting to discuss the Director's upcoming appraisal. Her probation is coming to an end soon. After the meeting, this is how I see it:

The Director got the job because on paper, her experience and skills sounded amazing. The fact is, they're not amazing. It takes a few goes for her to get most things done properly.

Then there's the Old Executives, who are frustrated and at the end of their tether with her the accumulation of many little things going wrong. I also think that there is personal conflict there. One Executive in particular outright does not like her, I can see that.

Basically the Director had a meeting with the Old Execs two months ago, where they went through her job description, item by item, and talked about how she was going with it. She was given an opportunity to comment on each item. She had no real comments to make, therefore she was given between then and sometime soon, to provide any further comments. She has not done this. This has greatly pissed off the Old Execs, because they will actually be involved with the end of her probation period. They are also pissed off because it seems typical of the Director, to not follow through with things.

Yesterday at our meeting there were two Old Execs and myself (nobody else could make it). We went through the Director's job description, item by item, and ticked or crossed off whether she has followed through with them (she wasn't there and wasn't meant to be).

It seemed to me that the Old Execs (particularly the one who doesn't like her) were really trying to set her up for failure. They only half-heartedly acknowledged the things she HAS done, and really found any excuse to mostly conclude that she HASN'T followed through with as many items as they could get away with.

The thing is that in the meantime, I have dropped into the office weekly to speak with the Director and just say hi and show support. Her and I have built some great rapport, and she has confided in me that the previous Execs never did that and never wanted to, and when they DID drop in, it was with an air of commando superiority. To the point where one Old Exec made some admin staff members cry!!!! This shocks me. I find it disgusting. However I didn't mention it at the meeting because there's nothing on PAPER to prove it. At the end of the day, it's just their word against hers.

So it's a bit of a tricky situation, because a) I'm getting to know all of them and therefore b) I need to give everybody the benefit of the doubt.

I say this because there have ALSO been numerous reports to me by now (via email) where the Director has been nasty herself. Apparently a lot of the staff don't even like her.

So what the hell do I do??

At yesterday's meeting, I made it very clear that I am not willing to fire the Director because I don't have the time or energy to do her job if she lives. (Basically last year the Old Execs were in that exact position - they had to do the job of Director for months before finding the one we have! It sounds chaotic and I do NOT want a part of that!) I told them that I would rather have a crappy Director for the rest of the year than NO Director at all. They totally get my point and are on the same boat .... so why are they setting her up for failure??

Grrr!!!

Anyway, AFTER that meeting, we actually had ANOTHER meeting to go to, in which the Director was involved. She sat there on her phone the whole time, not really paying attention. I did see this with my own two eyes. I didn't think too much of it because, well, she'd been at this meeting all day and I pretty much figured she was tired and well, whatever, she's her own person and is responsible for herself, right? I had to leave the meeting early. I got an email in the evening stating that at some point after I left, one of the Old Execs pretty much said to her that she should be paying attention or something, to which she nastily replied that it's her own business and besides she doesn't understand any of it (the meeting content). The email states that THAT particular meeting was a good chance for her to ask questions and actually gain skills that she is currently lacking, and she didn't take up that opportunity, and they are frustrated with that.

In a way, I can understand their position. The Director is currently undertaking a course that will give her skills to oversee the financials of the organization (as per her job description), and this meeting WOULD have been a great chance to ask questions specifically to do with the finances, since that's exactly what we were looking at! We paid just under 2 grand for this guy to travel up to us and give our organization a financial health check - THAT'S what the second meeting was about (because financially our organization is all over the shop...). I can see how it would be frustrating for the Old Execs to see that the Director isn't necessarily trying, either. But maybe just MAYBE it didn't occur to the Director to ask questions! After all, the guy was mainly talking to everyone but her anyway!

I still believe that we are HUMAN and that each one of us thinks differently and that we all make mistakes. In my eyes.... I don't think the Old Execs see it that way or CARE to see it that way.

Back to the Exec Meeting yesterday... they were frustratedly saying that she hasn't come through with such and such by the set deadline... and it's like.... well of course she's not going to, because that's a financial item and you yourself said that at the INTERVIEW, the Director said straight up that she did not understand financials!!!!!!! I mentioned this and one of them said pretty well that who cares, if you don't understand something you ASK. I said, yeah but if she doesn't HAVE these skills, who is she to ask help for? The Exec listed 3 different people at the top of her head.

Which in a way is fair enough... but on the other hand...... give the lady a break.

At one point I said to them that the Director IS trying, that when I drop in there every week, she goes BANG BANG BANG, This is done, That is done, This is done... I'm in progress with This, still working on That and strugging on This.

The reply given to me by the Exec (who doesn't like her) was, "It's all well and good to say ohhhh how lovely she's TRYING - well out in the REAL world, trying doesn't mean a thing. You either do your job or you don't, and if you don't, you're out."

I'm like...... fuck you. Just because YOUR full-time job is with a national corporate business who can afford to fuck people off at whim if that's what they feel like doing, doesn't mean you can bring that attitude to a small, NOT FOR PROFIT organization that is barely staying alive and will clearly struggle without a Director!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

........................... but I didn't say that. Because I'm spineless. I should've said it. Really, I should've.

But anyway.............. it's all messy.

I don't like that the Old Execs and the Director are mutually on edge. I don't like that they whip out their claws the minute I leave and then tattle tale to me afterwards.

I'm thinking it's time I call the Independent Union-like People and seek advice from them. And THAT I will do.

The other thing is that the Director might send something through via email, say a request for approval for A, B or C. But because she hasn't followed the proper procedure or written the report properly.... the Old Execs just don't reply!!!! Like seriously what the hell!!! And the one that doesn't like her at all simply replies to us all (except the Director of course) and BITCHES about her!!! I mean are you for real?!?!? You think YOU'RE professional???????????

I heard this particular Exec on the phone to someone to do with her full-time job anyway, and it was SHIT this and SHIT that and whinge whinge whinge and swearing, cussing, etc etc the WHOLE TIME.

So............................................................................................................

Sigh.