New York Lawyer
May 4, 2006

Q:
I'm the executive assistant to a partner in my firm. He's a great guy and really values me and how I manage his work. I work closely with the office manager who directs the administrative staff as well as acts as case coordinator for the alternative dispute resolution group.

I've just received my master's degree in that area and would like to take on more responsibility with that practice group. Whenever I approach the coordinator she agrees to talk but the meeting never happens.

Now, she's beginning to find fault with my work. I'm feeling very frustrated and don't want to be seen as a complainer. What can I do?

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A:

This sounds like a little bit of a power struggle. You want to change your profile in the office, and the coordinator isn't comfortable with that proposed change, for whatever reason. People often encounter roadblocks in the workplace that have everything to do with politics and little to do with merit, efficiency or what's best for the firm.

Start with being careful that you have conducted yourself properly. Have you previewed this plan with the appropriate people? Are you sure that it is realistic and that in fact you can be of use to this group? From the political angle, maybe the coordinator somehow feels that you didn't approach her properly, or at the right time, and therefore has her nose out of joint. Be careful about being honest with yourself about your role in this.

Assuming that what you want to do makes sense, and is a good thing for the firm, if the coordinator continues to be resistant, you can explore other avenues. An obvious person to talk with, if you feel comfortable, is the partner you work for; he should be able to lend some authority to your request. If that isn't appropriate or doable, there may be other people you could consult with, perhaps in the dispute resolution group itself, to gain a little traction.

Yet another solution - and this is one that is on a firm-wide basis therefore not something you can implement yourself, but a good approach nonetheless - is an ombudsman. An ombudsman ("ombuds" these days) is a neutral arbiter, either an employee of a firm or an outsider, who can be approached with difficult internal issues, keeps the information confidential but tries to work out solutions.

One consultant who acts as an ombuds to organizations, Dina Beach Lynch of Work Well Together ([email protected]), comments: "As the legal landscape changes, savvy firms are developing professional development strategies. Ombuds can be invaluable as mentors to associates (and partners) as they learn to navigate firm life from a developmental standpoint." Lynch stresses, "Ombuds are not employee advocates or management moles. We don't give advice and can only act with the permission of the visitor. All information is confidential, including the actual visit. Ombuds are organizational irritants who inspire and support an organization while it strives to achieve its highest and best goals."

In this situation, Lynch advises, this person could turn to an internal ombuds to learn and practice coping skills and negotiation strategies that could keep her problem from escalating further. Also, the management committee would be more informed and make better decisions based on the information found in the trending reports that an Ombuds provide.

"Say this person felt that she was being harassed by the coordinator because she thought there was a hostile environment," Lynch says. "An HR professional has an obligation to report and investigate when harassment is charged. When an Ombuds is involved, then employees can visit the Ombuds to explore key issues. An Ombuds would help the visitor identify what happened (such as if harassment has actually taken place), they can examine current policy or procedure for handling such situations and help brainstorm the possible outcomes of bring such a charge. All of this is done in a confidential way that leaves room for creating solutions that work for the concerned employee and the firm."

Assuming your firm doesn't have an official ombuds, perhaps there is someone who acts unofficially (outside of HR) to solve personnel issues, and you could try approaching that person as well to get some pointers.

Sincerely,
Holly English
Principal Consultant, Values at Work