[mrsilencedogood]

"Sr. Director and given an opportunity to prove yourself"

from OP: "new team is known to be under-performing"

Uhh it sounds to me like the senior staff that the guy displaced OP with was the go-to guy and that OP has been given a shit sandwich. If OP wasn't specifically briefed by the sr director and TOLD "You're one of my go-to guys. I know this is a shit sandwich. Please help me fix it.", then this is basically constructive dismissal and they want you to just disappear.

On top of that, IME, go-to guys don't get sent to go fix stuff unless it's a clean sweep of the old "bad" team. They wouldn't send you in with known-low-performers, it's setting you up to fail.

Edit: Reading over other comments, I'm just in disbelief at how universally people are saying this is an opportunity. No, they cut off OP's support system, pushed them out of their top-spot, and off over to some team that leadership views as the trash pile. There's a difference between "this team is struggling and I'm bringing in support" and "damn, where do i put this guy. i'll just put them over here, with the rest of the fire."

[compiler-guy]

> pushed them out of their top-spot,

err, "Promoted them out of their top-spot to one even higher."

If it were not for this detail I would agree with you. But if the boss is intending to constructively dismiss you, they don't give you a promotion as part of it.

[geodel]

Well even if you are right what is supposed to be done now? Other comments are telling to take it as opportunity and make most of this bad situation. Since OP does not want to leave what is your suggestion? Complain every day at work? Complain to HR? Do no accept new project and wait for next move from management?

Not every go-to guy is CEOs right hand who just goes in fires old team and put in new one in first month. Most of the time even go-to person has to make it work with existing teams.

[lostdog]

If it were constructive dismissal then they wouldn't have promoted him.

This is "I heard you were a high performer but I don't know you directly, so I have high uncertainty. I have a team that needs guidance, but I don't care enough about that team to put the person I trust most in charge. I think you're probably good, so here's an opportunity to turn around a struggling team and impress me."

It is definitely a shit sandwich though. The senior director didn't care enough about this team to really try to help them, and didn't care enough about you to pump you up about the opportunity.

[Viliam1234]

> Reading over other comments, I'm just in disbelief at how universally people are saying this is an opportunity.

I think it's called positive thinking. Or wishful thinking. Something like that.

In theory, everything is an opportunity. Even getting cancer is an opportunity to reflect on your priorities, call the people you love, make peace with your gods. It's just, some of us would prefer not to get this kind of opportunities.