Re: FWD: RE: Troublesome Writers

Subject: Re: FWD: RE: Troublesome Writers
From: Bill Burns <bburns -at- scriptorium -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Sat, 16 Dec 2000 09:55:11 -0700

Jane S. writes,

the relationship is
perhaps best severed for the good of both parties

I find that a little arrogant

I think this is more an assessment of how people can look at the result of a firing rather than a reason offered for firing someone. Sort of like, "Well, maybe it's all for the better." That's not arrogant. That's making lemonade out of lemons. I don't think employers who would use this as an official explanation for terminating an employee would be doing themselves any favors. It would leave them wide open for unemployment claims, if I understand how that system works. Anyone have any comments on that possibility?

Having been in two very bad work
situations that I would have loved to flip off, I would like to think I did
the mature thing by sticking around and trying to improve the situation. I
was thwarted all along the way, and then at the end when I've had it up to
here and I was putting the next job in place , I got the pink slip.

Here's an observation from my perspective based on my own experience. It MIGHT be the mature thing to do. It might also be the WRONG thing to do, depending on how you take on the task of "improving the situation." I've seen some legitimate reformers in the workplace, and that's fine. I respect their sincere desire for improvement. But I've also seen martyrs in the workplace, and that makes a bad situation worse. They claim to be doing their utmost to improve the quality of the product the company produces, but instead of bringing a thoughtful eye to the process with practical remedies, they simply trash whatever's there without providing a useful remedy. Then they "nobly" take on the task of slogging through the trial that has been thrust upon them (often making it sound as if they haven't got a choice). They're also often passive aggressive, sniping from the shadows instead of bringing the issues out forthrightly. Termination rarely benefits them, because they rarely recognize their own role in the problem.

The fact is, so do those workplaces, and yet it is so
common for everybody to gang up together like a little tribe of survivors
and assassinate the character of the departed.

If everyone gets together in the act, then maybe it's character assassination. Maybe it's just consensus.

Companies also have
strange cultures where bad behaviour is institutionalized for some parties
no matter how clearly wrong it is. You have to extricate yourself from those
companies as quickly as possible,

Yes, I agree completely here. I've seen it in action. And I agree that leaving is the best thing to do

At least if you quit you give
them the figurative black eye.

I can't say I've ever left an organization for anything other than self interest?that is, a desire for personal or professional growth, better compensation, or some other benefit to me and my family. Damaging an employer by leaving would never be on my list of reasons. I'd leave before the relationship became this rancorous. What's more, any damage imagined on my part would likely be completely overlooked by the employer.


Bill Burns, Senior Technical Consultant, Scriptorium Publishing
FrameMaker ACE, WebWorks Publisher Certified Trainer
bburns -at- scriptorium -dot- com - 208-484-4459
http://www.scriptorium.com


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