Re: What to do about a recommendation?
Sarah's points are very good, and this particular view of what we call 'social skills' is very useful. Some people are truly clueless (and even vile), but we hire them and work with them because they contribute something that helps to forward our business mission. At the end of the day, if a person can and does get the work done, then whatever rude, crude, socially unattractive behaviors probably don't matter much unless you're a stuffed shirt with a chip on your shoulder. NOT! But if you start from that position, you can avoid having more of your personal resources dragged into it.
I don't know the exact attitude of your contractor, and it does sound as
if they may simply have been totally inept at working with others. But
it may have been a simple culture clash.
I used to work with a writer who spent the first hour or two of every day chatting. I resented having this person in my workplace, on my team. My strategy for meeting deadlines is to work, head-down, nose to the stone. After a year of this, we finally had a team-building exercise, and I learned that this person had been schooled at Montessori, where kids are encouraged to experience learning not just by doing, but also by going around to see what the other kids are doing. This person's work style was as ingrained and natural as my work ethic is to me, and at the end of the day we both made our deadlines, so I learned to loosen up, eventually joining the morning chat once in a while.
I don't mean that the OP should learn to ignore direction or send rude emails, but as there are two sides to the problem, it behooves us to suspend judgement. I agree with Gene that a review with the contractor of the work is a professional thing to do, for the good of the workplace if not for the profession. I would add that it should be done in a constructive way to allow for the possibility that the 'problem' can be recast as a learning experience for both of you.
Regards,
Ned Bedinger
Ed Wordsmith Technical Communications
doc -at- edwordsmith -dot- com
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- Re: What to do about a recommendation?, Kevin Amery
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RE: Re: What to do about a recommendation?: From: Sarah Bouchier
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