TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: boss problem From:"Paul Strasser" <paul -dot- strasser -at- windsor-tech -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Thu, 5 Jun 2003 14:07:08 -0600
> So I think she's a bit puzzled about what her role is, and what value she
> brings to the table, now that she's no longer my gatekeeper, or the person
I
> go to with every question about the product. I'm a bit puzzled about it,
> too.
With all respect to some other folks who responded, I really don't know how
a subordinate can help define the job responsibilities of his/her boss. (Do
the interns help define your job?) The boss and subordinate can sit together
and decide how to best fulfull their mutual responsibilites to each other,
but this conversation would be done with the assumption that each of them
know their defined job tasks. It sounds like the boss in the above snippet
is floundering a bit. Considering that this was a job with "unusually
strict protocols" in place, she has reason to be concerned. She should be
asking the people above her - and ask why the protocols were changed. And
if she doesn't, maybe she's afraid her job was just "protocoled" out of
existence. I guess we need a little more information - what is her title,
what other people work under her?
Surely the only bullet point in her job description wasn't Human Email
Rounter. She must have other functions - and we are all just assuming what
they are (or were). In some respects, it sounds like the only change is
that the actual SME you want to talk to is now CC'd on the request for
information. So what exactly did your boss do before?
I set the sense that you are more concerned about her on a personal level.
That's understandable, especially if you have a good (but apparently useless
and performance-limiting) relationship with her. Let me ask another
question - if you really didn't like your boss, would you be asking the same
questions?
Paul Strasser
Windsor Technologies, Inc.
2569 Park Lane, Suite 200
Lafayette, Colorado 80026
Phone: 303-926-1982
FAX: 303-926-1510
E-mail: paul -dot- strasser -at- windsor-tech -dot- com
---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as:
archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.