Who's in charge? (was RE: Page break as local formatting permitted?)

["Combs, Richard" <richard -dot- combs -at- Polycom -dot- com>]

Gene Kim-Eng wrote: 
 
> Sylvia has already identified the underlying problem
> here: she is acting like a coworker while the other
> writer is acting like a manager (and not a particularly
> good one).

And this story is a familiar one. Sylvia is having the same problem with
this new employee that she previously had with a contract tech writer.
Contractors aren't generally brought in to be in charge, but this one
seemed to be -- at least, he did what he wanted and Sylvia complained
helplessly over a period of months. 

Now the same thing seems to be happening again with this new hire. In
both cases, a number of us said something like what Leonard C. Porrello
posted today: 

<snip> This is a simple question of authority
> and obedience. If you've been hired as a manager, then you have
> authority--and you need to exercise that authority. This means that
> first you tactfully suggest, then you tactfully persuade, and if both
> tactful suggestion and persuasion fail, you tactfully dictate. If that
> fails, you bluntly dictate. If that fails, you coerce. If that fails,
> you dismiss.

I don't think Sylvia ever answered the question of who's in charge.
Maybe she really doesn't know -- IIRC, she was initially a lone TW at
this company. 

Now, if I were the lone TW and then got permission from my manager to
add someone (either contractor or hire), I'd assume that the new person
was expected to follow my direction, and I'd explicitly confirm that
assumption with my manager and clarify my role: "Am I now a manager with
one direct report? Or am I the lead writer, and we both report to you?
If the latter, what authority do I have regarding tech writing issues
like style, template, etc., and will you back me up if necessary?" 

>From what we know about Sylvia's previous and current conflicts with
co-workers, it seems that neither she nor her manager have addressed
this important issue. Or perhaps it was addressed, but Sylvia just
hasn't internalized it and isn't comfortable fulfilling her new role
(maybe she's the type who says, "I'm going to be more assertive now. Is
that OK?"). 

In any case, as Leonard said, this isn't a style guide issue. Just as
the problem with the previous co-worker wasn't a template issue or a
task priority issue. 

Who's in charge, Sylvia? Someone has to be in charge. Someone gets to
decide. You cannot resolve every little issue by gathering "evidence"
and opinions from the list, negotiating, and reaching consensus. You'll
never get anything done. 

If you're supposed to be in charge, but aren't comfortable with it, talk
to your manager. Maybe you need more support or some training. Maybe you
just aren't psychologically suited to directing others (I know I'm not),
and it would be best to hire a tech pubs manager or lead writer, and put
them in charge of you.

Or maybe this company is just organizationally dysfunctional and you
should get out.

Richard


Richard G. Combs
Senior Technical Writer
Polycom, Inc.
richardDOTcombs AT polycomDOTcom
303-223-5111
------
rgcombs AT gmailDOTcom
303-777-0436
------





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