I was recently appointed department lead. My manager is off site at a different location.

One of my co-workers is not accepting my transition to lead well. She tries to go around me and directly to our manager. We are friends and go to lunch together often. I have been very patient with her and let her work her feelings out on my new role. Recently she has been very short tempered with me when I ask for info to pass on to management.

I will be taking lead training shortly and hope to gain some knowledge on how to handle this situation. In the meantime, I'd like a little advise.

Hello P:

Tell her how it is, in no uncertain terms. Leave it to her to choose to be your friend and a compliant employee, or not. Maybe she just can't handle it.

excon

Had to be a boss to people you are friends with, they will either not respect you or try to take advantage of it, I would agree, take her to lunch, explain you are now the lead and that she will have to accept it and deal with it, if things were going to work properly.

I am happy to report my co-worker has apologized for her bad attitude.

We have a ways to go, but I believe we are on the right track.