Sad story. Sounds like you really care a lot about the project and in this case perhaps a bit too much. That your management has been pretty unclear with you suggests that the communication channels are broken as well.<p>My suggestion for you in your next job (as I think the environment has gotten so twisted where you currently are that it makes little sense for you to continue there) is stay focused on your deliverables. Don&#x27;t give away developers that you lead. When others are not providing the support you need, bring it up with your manager that you have time to work on other stuff while you wait, or you can keep honing your project. Only do things you are asked to do (don&#x27;t volunteer) and when questioned about why you are working on something explain it was because some superior asked you too.<p>The politics you&#x27;re running into are wrapped up around ownership, competency, and leadership. By trying to help it sounds like you stepped on some toes (easy to do). The goal here is to have your manager doing the stepping on toes, not you. That keeps you clear of the politics and that is why you tell your manager you&#x27;ve got your stuff done as much as can be done and ask them what <i>they</i> want you to do next. Do that proactively, don&#x27;t sit around because you have nothing to do, and they will give you new things to work on. And people who have a problem with what you&#x27;re working on will have to blame your manager not you.<p>While it seems silly to have to do this, when you detect you&#x27;re working with people who can&#x27;t be adults about what needs to be done and who is, and is not, getting it done. You need to either leave or keep your head down. I recommend the former, life is too short to work with idiots, but if you really like your teammates or the project you&#x27;re working on do the latter. Force the directives to come from your manager and you are left as the person getting things done and they are the person putting you on these projects.