Responsible versus responsibility

For the longest time now, at work, I have been responsible for the quality issues at the DC.  Not that the WH Lead would allow me to do my job to the best of my abilities, or that he would assist me in the endeavor (because there were many instances where he handicapped my efforts whenever possible - and several of the Material Handlers have said as much).

Timeline is this:
I was hired in January 2018 -
worked under the Quality Manager (trained by and directed to perform basic menial tasks...he wanted an admin, basically).  He was pleasantly surprised that I trained easily and accomplished tasks quickly, correctly, and efficiently.  Our WH Director assigned other duties and short-range tasks to keep me busy, and because I was more than capable (she knew I would do the work and keep it to myself).

He (QM) was wooed to another facility in June 2018 -
He attempted to take over the impossible task of managing a systemic collapse at his 'new' facility assignment, while also pseudo-watching the goings on and questions that arose at our location.

By July -
we were basically on our own, borrowing moments of his time and attention that his new bosses begrudgingly spared.  I was not prepared for the everyday issues that popped up (beyond my scope) because he refused to share information or impart training that could have helped mitigate problems at a low level.  However, I managed to chronicle and respond to Sales, CSRs, management and our suppliers, to keep communication moving and prevent material returns from building up and containment issues from becoming stagnant.  Again, this was all while trying to work against the wall of opposition from the WH Lead.

August arrived -
and I was tackling problems that were, at first, understandable and easy to keep track of.  Unless a PPAP or Material Cert request popped up, or some absolutely technical debacle cropped up (which I would steer towards our Engineering staff and former Quality Mgr), I was doing well - given the circumstances.  Our WH Director was supportive and proactive, and she sought to understand my role and functions (as she met with the Quality Manager and myself to better define my tasks and abilities in his absence).  She wanted to delegate more responsibility my way, which was fine.  All of that would require some training and direction (again, which I was ok with), but the training and hand-off of responsibility would never come.

September thru December -
came and went; no movement was made in finding a replacement for the QM role (mostly because he didn't want to replace himself).  We had our year-end inventory, which I was not included in, and then enjoyed a pleasant holiday break.

Also somehow, through this same time period, the WH Lead was allowing an alarming number of mis-pulled and mislabeled materials to leave the facility.  These growing issues greatly annoyed our customers and resulted in a lot of fees, returns, and 8D situations.  He was told to watch the one very responsible party in his shipping crew creating the bulk of trouble, but never did.  This would become a very unmanageable situation for him because he refused to take responsibility.  His 'fix' would become my new task - 95% of my new workload for the coming year.

January 2019 -
Upon the return to activities in the new year, our DC Director made the announcement she would be retiring - which, I guess, she did every year.  No one held their breath, but her attitude did seem lighter in some respects and more fretful in others.  Her most immediate goal was to work with our former QM (my now non-boss) to find his replacement at the DC.

Sometime late in January A-dude joined the team as a year-long temp Quality Manager.  If he proved himself, he would be hired the following year.  If not, well...

Things went from worse-than-bad to WTH?! at breakneck speed.  By the time A-dude showed up, I had already been 100% inspecting every effing labeling job leaving the WH.  Every label on EVERY package.  Add that monumental chore to the other tasks of my own that I could now not even get to, and you have a big problem growing.  Then there was the added strife of training A-dude (trying to train, that is).

He was a man dressed in Teflon and stale-smelling clothing, doused in too much old cologne.  Not only did he smell (literally), he stank at his job, too.  He wouldn't learn because his MO was to find others to do his work for him.  I figured it out early, and after a lot of wasted time trying to repeatedly show him how to use our AX system, I opted to remove myself from his workforce and use the 100% verifications as my salvation.  Besides that, he was not my responsibility.  He could learn to sink or swim another way.

Over time, he and the WH Lead tried to join forces in an effort to remove me from my position.  I had the support of those who knew my work and my capabilities, and would not let them park 'the bus' they were driving on me, but that didn't prevent the work situation from becoming a cluster "f."

December -
A-dude was a waste of money and time, and it only took the company ten months to figure that out.  In between, our lovely Director did retire (mid-year) and was replaced by another female figurehead.  My new Quality boss began shadowing - and cleverly questioning - A-dude to learn the scope (and status) of all the customer issues, and let me know I was not alone.  By...

January thru June 2020 -
I was once again working with, and I still am, our new Quality Manager - and what a difference. [happy sigh]

Now we're doing it during the Covid era, but we are working as a team, and it's been better.

Of course we have a long way to go but at least we are getting there together.  We have tackled a big learning curve and become a good team.  She has given me knowledge and responsibility, and I try to back her up where I can.  She knows she can count on me, and routinely throws things my way - and this has proven her trust in my ability, which I am grateful for.

There's still a lot to do, but it doesn't feel insurmountable any longer.

I am feeling fairly low right now

Do you know how easy it is to do nothing?

Do you know how hard it is on a person to do nothing?