Wow
15 weeks
The conflict with the engineer - let's call him Mark- has finally culminated with Mark escalating his concerns about a new issue on our project to management. In the near future we will all meet to discuss openly.
Here is what I have been able to glean from Mark's complaints based on discussions and emails so far:
- he wants to be the Project Engineer in place of Pam, the junior engineer who he is supposed to be mentoring. In his words to me, Pam "doesn't know anything" about the engineering topic. Pam is inexperienced.
- he thinks I am bypassing him in favor of Pam's opinion and thoughts. Not only that, but apparently Pam, the project control engineers (both women), and I all make decisions without his input.
Pam believes that all of his complaints come down to one root cause: Mark is unable to be a good team player with women leading the show. This explanation is rooted in her observation that his comments last Friday (during a meeting with Pam and her supervisor) contained overtly sexist remarks and attitudes.
It's interesting and relieving that this is all coming out. I've spent the last two months worrying about what this man thinks, absorbing his resistance and rants, acting on his concerns, integrating his input, and constantly wondering if I could be doing something better to make him satisfied with the directon of our projects. I gave him the benefit of the doubt always, and even defended him when some folks suggested that he was just an asshole.
But now, the truth is coming out, and Pam and I finally have a real opportunity to call this man out on his bullshit. Thankfully, management believes us. I have so much evidence to the contrary of what he claims. He also has a history of being a shitty mentor and difficult team member; we are not the first women he has been difficult around. I am intentionally working on documenting issues, communicating openly, and sharing my thought processes with my supervisor. My supervisor has expressed his support, believing my actions to be in sound judgment. I think he will have my back on this issue.
Bring it the fuck on. I am the project manager.