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Subject:RE: In the Trenches, A Bit of Venting From:Charles E Vermette <cvermette -at- juno -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Thu, 14 Nov 2002 09:30:42 -0500
<<<I am starting my second month in a really wonderful contract position.
I love the work and working with developers who think technical writers
are valuable team members. My one rough spot is the other technical
writer (on-staff) who, well, doesn't seem to want to write...While I have
been a technical writer for a number of years, I haven't really been in
this position before--defending my decision to document instead of
wool-gathering. Have others been in this position? What advice can you
give me? >>>
I've been in this situation as well - a couple of times.
I once did what Andrew said - "Factor Mr. MFA out of the equation. Chunk
off work for him to do and then go off and do your own work. Remove all
dependencies between you and him. On deadline day, you hand the
boss/reviewers your completed work and then let Mr. MFA look like a
moron." Before someone accuses me of cruelty or duplicity - this person
lied about their skills and produced NOTHING in six months. They caused
their own downfall. All I did was show how the work should be done, do
the job I was hired to do, and not let Mr. MFA waste my time talking
about work instead of doing work...Turned out that everyone knew about
our Mr. MFA...My direct report told me later that "we had a serious
situation, you got us out of it, and everyone in the company is grateful
to you."
Having said that, my Mr. MFA was NOT a direct report, and I WAS given
specific deliverables. Your case may be different, which is why Lisa
Wright's advice holds - "consider the political landscape. Can you find
out where MFA stands in the organization? Can you rattle some chains
without everyone thinking that you're causing trouble? This is not to
suggest that you should go behind his back and whisper negative
things--no. But you have to have a full grasp of the situation before you
can exercise your options."
The good news: I'd bet - from your description of the rest of the
organization- that everyone knows Mr. MFA is dead wood (10 pages in 3
months? On the last day of my last gig, I did a 12 page doc from start to
finish, including review changes...)
One thing is absolute - You cannot tolerate someone bringing down your
job performance with incompetence or laziness. EVER. No matter how hard
the situation is to deal with.
Chuck
Charles E. Vermette
85 Washington Park Drive, Norwell MA 02061
781-659-1836
e-mail: cvermette -at- juno -dot- com
web: http://www.charlesvermette.com
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