My workplace consists of a series of remote teams that are loosely connected by a singular goal. Each team has additional goals that they may prioritize above or below that singular goal. I was placed in a bridge position where I work on one team but get paid by a different team. These two teams are hundreds of miles away and their purposes are distinctly different. Occasionally, the team that pays me will ask for help with one of their additional goals like building a demo for another client. I try to be sensitive to their needs and participate.
The team where I work is an R&D group consisting mostly of PhDs who are at least 30 years older than me. The team that pays me includes people who are a year or two younger than me that is responsible for running some basic analysis. They don't have any PhDs or a research role, just get the reports out to the field. This group has experienced 75% turnover last year. The group where I work has had 0% turnover since they started three years ago.
As a member of both teams, I'm a bridge. There's been a pattern where the middle managers of the team that pays me have tried to avoid me as much as possible. This culture appears to have spread to the newer employees.
This culture really stood out to me when I sent an email, "how was the demo?", and received no response. A couple days before, I had spent over an hour helping them put together their demo. I found that they had gotten a good start but didn't have the guidance or background to complete the demo. I tried very hard to frame myself as their peer by pointing out things I didn't understand and explaining why I was reaching any opinions about how the demo should be completed. Noticeably, their team lead chose not to participate in this meeting.
When I was at an event with the team that pays me earlier this year, their COO said in front of that team lead that I was "smarter than all of us". I felt awkward and didn't say anything.
It's been an ongoing pattern where the team that pays me tries to undercut the team where I work. It's not been an enjoyable dynamic. The majority of the time, I can simply focus on doing my job. It's times when I put effort into something and get ignored that it really bothers me.
Is this situation salvageable?