When Your Direct is Doing Their Direct's Job Instead of Managing Them

Good morning,

I have a direct in charge of her directs. She submitted some work for my review, got feedback and was to have her direct adjust the work based on the feedback. Instead, she did the work and resubmitted it. The work was not done well and alerted me to ask "Did Paul write this?" Paul is her direct.

She then said no, that she did the work. When asked why, she said she was trying to help because it was faster for her to do it than brief Paul.

For background, she's had directs in our company for 24 months and every 6 weeks or so something like this occurs. The rest of the time she is fine to delegate, knows the process. All works smoothly, she's really good at that work. But randomly (and like clockwork, every 6 weeks or so) a project will come in that she has done instead of having the directs do it. The directs are experts in webdesign, writing, graphic design...skills that one can't just pick up.

She'll go design a logo or create a web page or write a blog entry...these three examples should have been assigned to the direct with the skill, but randomly she'll pick one of these to do. It throws a wrench into the quality, process and flow of the organization.

I have talked to her about it and she always comes back with the reason that she was trying to help or thought they (they directs) were swamped and she could just quickly do it. Which is crazy as she has a full plate of stuff that doesn't get done because she had spent time on this random direct's project. This situaltion came up again this week, it's frustrating me as I am unsure what I am missing to get the point across to eliminate this problem. She is in her mid 30s, this is not her first job nor is her first job managing people.  I'd appreciate any podcast that covers this, or any other advice. Thanks - Jen