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--- Andrew Plato <intrepid_es -at- yahoo -dot- com> wrote:
>
> So, what do you think? How do you deal with a writer who just won't
> frickin' get on the program. Who fights over edits, ignores direct
> orders, writes documents that are not needed or wanted, uses tools
> that aren't appropriate.
You let them go, of course.
Everyone will not be a good fit for any organization, no matter how
talented, no matter what skill set they bring to the enterprise, no
matter the degrees they own or the awards they have received. Some say
that 25% of the people you meet won't like you no matter who you are or
what you do. (Some people, of course, seem to work hard to raise that
percentage higher than it needs to be, but that's another matter.) And
no matter how good an interviewer you think you are, sooner or later
you'll hire someone who turns out to be a mismatch with your
organization. When that happens, when you've exhausted all your
management skills, people skills, and leadership skills (it's all in
books), you have to accept the fact that it's not working and move on
to someone else.
I think it's important to recognize the difference between trying to
help someone change and changing someone. You can do the former, but
you can't do the latter. No one can change you, make you a more
cooperative or productive or agreeable person but yourself. But a good
manager can help someone who is willing to change find a way to do it
over time.
I often have a problem being patient with people who seem to delight in
trying that patience in various ways. So I have to work on being calm
and reasonable. "This is the way we want it done." "This is the style
guide we use, and we don't deviate without a reason *I* am willing to
accept." (Perhaps I'm not a very loving, tender boss when I'm stuck in
that sort of position.) But I do try to be patient and open to new
ideas while at the same time staying focused on what needs to get done.
When I need to, I try to show a person having difficulties fitting in
how and why we do things as we do, how and why we want them to do
things our way.
But sometimes it just doesn't work out. Then you recognize that fact
and pull the plug and go find someone you hope will work out better.
(As Lucy was wont to say, "That'll be five cents, please.")
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