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

[SB <sylvia -dot- braunstein -at- gmail -dot- com>]

I am afraid that you are all correct.

My former boss, who was an excellent manager (the best I have ever had),
quit about a year and a half ago. My current manager, while very nice, has
no experience in management. For a long time, he didn't (couldn't? wouldn't)
show interest in the technical writing department or the issues it was
facing. I have tried all avenues, including talking to other managers. .

Since my former boss left, I was facing many issues including talking an
unreasonable amount of work done with very little to no human
resources, dealing with many issues, part of which may definitely have been
my fault, for lack of management experience. However, I can't really say
that I praise the management above me - for lack for management experience
on their end, worse, for lack of care and interest despite the red flags
that I raised. Worse, I have never truly been able to get my boss to define
my responsibilities.

My CV is circulating and in the meantime, I am still here. To my boss's
credit, I can actually say that my he has obtained the funds to hire two
writers.

I believe that the new writer is a bit in shock because of the extremely
high rhythm and relative disorganization in comparison with the company
where he was working (of course, they had a whole team there and it was a
well-established company, while we were a start-up up until a year ago). So,
yes, improvement is required but not at the expense of getting the job done
and he has to remember that right now, we are only two of us. So adjustment
is required and thanks to the people on this forum, particularly Gene, I
spoke with him and he understood that we would set clear guidelines so that
there would not be power struggles (I think that this word was right on
target). However, contrary to the situation with the previous writer, this
guy is really very efficient and among some of our disagreements, he has
some terrific ideas. He is also not as energy consuming as the other writer
and he takes a lot of initiative. I tend to be more optimistic here. He got
the job done on time, which was quite amazing, considering that this was his
first week.

I have also repeatedly set an appointment with my boss regarding my job
description and responsibilities but he keeps postponing it. I will try
until I succeed (or I will knock at other doors. Fortunately, I have
excellent contacts in the management).

I did find out today that I am not the only one who feels that my boss does
not have the ability to manage (and he does not want to delegate the job to
any of the product managers but he doesn't do it himself either).

So, yes. Much like him, I do need management training (the blind leading the
blind) but I have really been struggling here to get things done and in
rather difficult circumstances.

It is not as much the problem of assertively as much as knowing what I am
expected and allowed to do.

Richard, I really like your email and I will use your arguments for when
this long awaited meeting happens (if ever).

Meanwhile, this forum is a tremendous help and has allowed me to keep my
sanity. Sorry for pumping your energy and thank you so much for your
feedback and support.

On 6/26/08, Combs, Richard <richard -dot- combs -at- polycom -dot- com> wrote:
>
> 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
> ------
>
>
>
>
>
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
> Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or
> printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007
> Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
> http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList<http://www.doctohelp.com/TechwrlList>
>
> True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
> Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
> documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com
>
> ---
> You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as sylvia -dot- braunstein -at- gmail -dot- com -dot- 
>
> To unsubscribe send a blank email to
> techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> or visit
> http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/sylvia.braunstein%40gmail.com
>
>
> To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
>
> Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
> http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.
>
>
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or 
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007 
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList

True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- 

To unsubscribe send a blank email to 
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40web.techwr-l.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.