Learning new skills, then had it shut down by co-worker, response?

As basically the only person overseeing QC So far my clients have been really happy with our turnaround time, our lead programmer is satisfied and encouraging with my work, Sounds like everyone was aware of what's been going on? And Lead hired a person you recommended. And not Lv 2's rec. You tend to hire people based on what will best fit the team, not what will most piss off a member of the team. Unless you don't really intend to keep one of those team members around for much longer. So, to me, it sounds like Lv 2 is threatened because it sounds like he doesn't have much of a job to do there and knows he's potentially on the way out and part of that seems to be because you've turned out to be quite good for the team. "man we really need to get you Dreamweaver". Sounds like they want you to keep doing what you're doing. I think you should actually ask the person you're actually reporting to what they would like you to do.

This is Lead Programmer's problem, and he needs to step up and manage the team.

Also, am I correct in assuming you're a woman, potentially in a male-dominated company or industry? Because this sounds SO MUCH like the mindset that a million studies have pointed to as a huge factor in why women with equivalent education and experience tend to lag behind men in title and salary: So I'm not sure what best to do - if I should shrug my shoulders and accept this turn of events forever, pay some online certification to "prove" I know enough to continue in the future, or do something about it now i.e. if there is a polite and work-appropriate way to bring this up to the boss, Lead Programmer, someone. (Note: Since this is a small company we don't really have a hierarchy). No one is ever going to care more about your career than you do, or being willing to go to bat to develop that career more than you are willing to. Regardless of how others in your company ultimately come down on the question of whether it makes sense for you to continue doing the minor technical fixes you've been doing, I think there's SO MUCH value in you learning to be assertive and tell your boss and the Lv3/Lv4 plainly that you'd like to take on a bigger, more technical role. The fear of asking for what you want straight-out hinders so many women's careers, and oftentimes it's totally unnecessary. I mean, Lv2 isn't shrugging his shoulders about you taking on a role that he sees as his; you shouldn't just give up if you really want this. Reading between the lines of your question, it seems as though your company sees you as a reliable and valuable member of the team, potentially more so than Lv2, and even if they're not willing to give you this, I bet you $10 they'd be willing to start thinking about how to grow you into a satisfying technical position if you voice that desire to them. Don't undercut yourself by being timid or afraid to make waves or worrying about overstepping.

So you've been doing his stuff for him because you're bored and you like it? But now that his job is in jeopardy because he hasn't very much to do, he wants his tasks back? This is kind of a no-brainer and all the "some dude doesn't like me" stuff has nothing to do with it. You were doing his job, now he doesn't want you to. Deal with that. Also, enjoy maternity leave, and start looking for a new gig. Because if there's a new guy, and someone doesn't have any work to do because of it.....

Boss, I like doing x but Lv2 asked me to stop doing it, do you have a problem if I continue doing it?

My read on what Lead said to you is that Lv2 is on his way out, except that he's probably going to be covering for you on mat leave. I suspect they'll wait and see if you're going to come back and then there will be some sort of shakeup. I'd say you should discuss this with Lead and Boss.

I would be diplomatic in handling this, because it's never good to create outright enemies in the workplace, but honestly: Lv2 is not your supervisor and you shouldn't give up your goal of taking on a more substantive or technical role just because he's getting territorial. Of course, if this has all been happening informally and you've kind of grown into the position of handling small things, you have to go about this in a more careful way than just ignoring what LV2 is asking. If it were me, I'd go to the Lv3/Lv4 coworker (am I correct in guessing he leads the technical team?) and ask for some off-the-record career advice. And I'd lay out for him that I was interested in continuing to expand my skillset and take on these small fixes in the context of doing customer service, but that I wasn't sure how to continue on now that staffing was being shaken up and Lv2 coworker is telling me I'm stepping on his toes. I imagine the Lv3/Lv4 coworker would have good advice for you, both big-picture (is this what you should be focusing on in terms of growing your career) and very possibly also strategic advice about how to deal with Lv2. People LOVE to give advice and be in a mentoring role, and when it's someone who is also senior to you in a company asking them for advice also has the nice effect of getting them invested in advocating for you upward. If Lv3/Lv4 isn't your boss, you should ask for how he or she thinks you should broach this with them. Possibly they'll say that they want to broach it (especially if they're in a formal technical lead position), or they'll give you advice about how to have the conversation--and hopefully after you've had the conversation, they'll advocate for your position to whoever is making the decisions. Don't wait until after you're out and back from maternity leave. You can definitely bring up your maternity leave a factor that you realize is relevant when you're talking with your boss, but it seems to me that if you cede back this work you're finding so rewarding to Lv2, you are putting your boss in the position of potentially taking it away from him when you have the discussion of your career growth--versus getting management blessing to retain that work you're already doing.

One of the CURSES of a small/mid size company (like where I work) is there's an emerging hierarchy but seniors/owners dance around its existence. It makes me stabby every time someone says "he/she's 'sorta' the team lead" or the like, 'cause it leads to stuff just like this. Wearing multiple hats also leads to games like this one where the more desirable hats can get claimed by those who are just better at grabbing things (i.e. assholes) - in fairness both of you are grabbing after the same brass ring, but assuming you're on the level about asking your boss and the lead guy about whether you should do this work, I'd say that's been asked and answered. I would have a conversation, like, yesterday, with as high level people as you can manage, preferably your boss and the person who is acknowledged as team lead. If you can manage to get an owner or partner in the firm in on it, even better. Topic: what does my job look like when I come back from leave, and how do I help you before or perhaps even during leave? Best case: Lvl 2 guy is on his way out the door and they're just waiting for when you come back. Worst case: you come back and you've been pushed back down into a smaller role while Lvl 2 guy has gained ground in your absence. I think if you have that meeting, you'll get some pretty good clues as to which way it's going. Keep this in mind, esp. in light of the personal insults and his apparent under-employment - in a smaller company, we managers can't always let go of someone when we'd like, or at least that's what we think. Over and over I see situations where we spot a rising talent (or explicitly hire someone hoping we can promote them past an under performer) and this awkward interval ensues where it becomes painfully obvious to all concerned how this is shaping up. Personally I think it would be both more ethical and more efficient to give someone their pink slip as soon as you know it isn't working out, but most owners/senior managers have a hard time doing that, both due to lack of resources and a tendency to avoid conflict, even when it needs to get resolved.

Talk to Lead Guy and Boss and say everything you said to us about why it's a great idea for you to be doing this work - that you've been saving time, improving your skills, making clients oh-so-happy. And then tell them what Lv2 guy said to you, and say you are pretty confused. You'd like to keep doing this work, and take on more of it. You think this is a good thing for the customers and company. And then stop talking and see what they say. They need to go tell Lv2 guy that you are going to keep doing it - or tell you to stop. This isn't for you and Lv2 to work out, this is for the managers to sort out.