How to proceed with a conflictive team

[TheDev]

So move forward to the exit or get a thicker skin to handle the tulip of a contractor who appears to be trying to bully you out so he can be top dog.

I've had a few 'personality' clashes over the years and rather than turn down the invoicing potential I just let them get on with it and just concentrated on delivering what the client wanted, and laughed at the others getting sucked into permie style problems.

If you can sleep at night with the invoices rolling in then the rest is just noise. If not then move on. Life's too short if the stress is getting to you. Better to leave than end up decking the twunt, unless you like listening to Marillion.

Haha thanks for that. That's what I've been telling myself quite a few times, and you are right, he wants to be top dog.

But sometimes not even looking at the invoices help as you might know, maybe it's just me not used to contracting yet!

Thank you very much for the advice

[TheDev]

There are many ways of dealing with conflict. You can ignore, remove, reduce, move it and so on which many people don't realise. Have a read of this and see if any of these techniques will help. Sometimes nothing will work, particularly in a small company but worth a read of the future anyway.

Conflict Management Techniques

Yeah, more than anything I guess it's just personality clash - which is a shame because he is very talented.

Thanks for the link!

[jmo21]

To be honest, the "grow some" advice is bang on.

What's to say the next contract doesn't have people even worse? And you accept that contract for less money than the current one? And it turns out to be not as interesting as advertised?

You will get people that are tough to deal with in all walks of life.

One of the beauties of contracting for me I feel is that I can compartmentalize "the bulltulip", whether it is co-workers who are a pain, dull project, etc, and just say to myself "It's only for another X months, and I'm earning how much?!?"

Now sure, you are trying to decide over a possible extension, but still, it's only for a while.

[TheDev]

To be honest, the "grow some" advice is bang on.

What's to say the next contract doesn't have people even worse? And you accept that contract for less money than the current one? And it turns out to be not as interesting as advertised?

You will get people that are tough to deal with in all walks of life.

One of the beauties of contracting for me I feel is that I can compartmentalize "the bulltulip", whether it is co-workers who are a pain, dull project, etc, and just say to myself "It's only for another X months, and I'm earning how much?!?"

Now sure, you are trying to decide over a possible extension, but still, it's only for a while.

Yeah, I think all comments are valid and very positive really.

Looking back into my thought chain, all those questions are constantly in the back of my mind, which made me realise how I posted this asking for one kind of solution, when really, rather than dealing with the problem is avoiding it.

This is really helping, guys

[TheDev]

Actually, all this brings me to my next question which is, what's "acceptable" and what's not in a contracting environment regarding to how other contractors can treat you?

I've had to hear "just do it right" whilst raising voice or "I don't think you were trying your best" when trying to find a solution for a problem, with him being away.

[LondonManc]

Actually, all this brings me to my next question which is, what's "acceptable" and what's not in a contracting environment regarding to how other contractors can treat you?

I've had to hear "just do it right" whilst raising voice or "I don't think you were trying your best" when trying to find a solution for a problem, with him being away.

Who have you heard this from?

Whilst you're a contractor, you're still a human.

If he's paid more than you, then they'll expect him to know a lot more. If you're paid the same, you'll expect to have similar abilities.

[psychocandy]

I'd be leaving (i.e. not extending). Lifes too short to deal with bellends. Sure its no-one off this forum?

[LondonManc]

I'd be leaving (i.e. not extending). Lifes too short to deal with bellends. Sure its no-one off this forum?

No guarantees there isn't a numpty waiting at the next client. Better the devil you know.

[TheDev]

Who have you heard this from?

Whilst you're a contractor, you're still a human.

If he's paid more than you, then they'll expect him to know a lot more. If you're paid the same, you'll expect to have similar abilities.

Well, as you right highlighted before, there are more facts - I just didn't want to write a very very long text.

Funnily enough I'm more senior than he is, older and I'm supposed to be his manager (mentioned by the CEO himself in our presence) although because of the size of the business it really doesn't feel that way, even less when it comes down to design decisions - he just won't attend to reasons aimed at making my life easier as a team member. He doesn't respect my authority, bottom line - wether if that's my fault or a good part of it I guess it's a different topic, but it just feels too late to be addressed within the client. I was asked once if I wanted to fire him, I wanted to give him a chance to be more empathetic and emotionally intelligent but didn't realised that IMO I lost 'my' chance... can't go back now and say 'yeah, fire him'.

[northernladuk]

Well, as you right highlighted before, there are more facts - I just didn't want to write a very very long text.

Funnily enough I'm more senior than he is, older and I'm supposed to be his manager (mentioned by the CEO himself in our presence) although because of the size of the business it really doesn't feel that way, even less when it comes down to design decisions - he just won't attend to reasons aimed at making my life easier as a team member. He doesn't respect my authority, bottom line - wether if that's my fault or a good part of it I guess it's a different topic, but it just feels too late to be addressed within the client. I was asked once if I wanted to fire him, I wanted to give him a chance to be more empathetic and emotionally intelligent but didn't realised that IMO I lost 'my' chance... can't go back now and say 'yeah, fire him'.

You really need to start thinking like a contractor. Manage him, fire him? You just sound like a permie to me.

BTW when a client asks you if they should get rid of a contractor that is doing exactly the same as you there is only one right answer