So here is my current dilemma, since I know you all want to hear about my every problem every week. I work with a supervisor (let's call him Ed) who was an equal to me when I was hired. About 2 years ago, he was demoted. 1/2 of his job was given to me and the other half was given to another supervisor who is also an equal with me. This has gone on this way for about 2 years now. Ed was very gracious and took his time to teach me how to do the part of his job that came to me.
Within the past 4 months, I have noticed that the problems Ed was having with his job (and why he was demoted) are happening to me as well. As for the other supervisor who is doing the other half of Ed's job, same issues there.
Here's the dilemma. How do I deal with the fact that Ed was demoted based on continued errors in his job, yet both the other supervisor and I have the same problems Ed had? At this point, I only have myself to worry about in this situation; however, I know that the general manager will be on me soon about the other supervisor not doing his part of the job adequately. In another year, this all becomes my problem. I have no idea how to fix it. This is my first problem.
The second part of the problem is dealing with the other employees who know and love Ed. They (including me) saw his demotion process happen. They know pieces of what really went on behind the scenes. They know a little from Ed's point of view (although, Ed is a stellar employee and took the demotion as any of us would, yet really did no harm to the company through it all). Now, I am being questioned by the other employees as to why Ed got demoted for these problems and nothing is happening to me or the other supervisor.
From an employee morale point of view, and a management point of view, do you all have any suggestions of how to deal with this appropriately?
It sounds like these errors are unavoidable, if every person put in the position makes the same mistakes. As far as a solution the problem described is very vague so I can't really suggest anything. Maybe an option would be bringing everything out in the open to employee and mgt. and hope that a solution can be found before you are demoted to. At least by recognizing the issue and bringing it to light you are being proactive and letting everyone know of the issue and that you are actively trying to fix it. At this point it seems like you and your equal will be blamed for what happened to Ed.
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