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Subject:FWD: Handling the anti-team situation From:anonfwd -at- raycomm -dot- com To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Tue, 12 Jun 2001 21:02:20 -0600 (MDT)
Forwarded anonymously on request. Please reply to the
list if you want the original poster to see your message. EJR
Hello all,
I am looking for collective wisdom about how to handle a work situation.
We are a small software company with three full-time writers. We hired a
fourth--a newbie to the field, but a person we felt had the potential to
be an excellent communicator.
Each writer in the department is assigned to a particular product. The
problem occurred when a new manager took over the company's newest, most
technologically advanced product. This manager is very firm about creating
a team environment within his product. To that end, he requested that the
new technical writer be removed from the technical communications
department and placed solely within his product group.
We made the arguments about the person's lack of experience as a writer
and unfamiliarity with the tools. There's also the argument that it's
counter to how the entire company is structured. I asked who would be
responsible for the quality of the writer's work, and I was told that peer
reviews, distribution formats, and ultimate document quality would be the
responsibility of the new manager.
In other words, my department has absolutely nothing to do with this
writer and that's the way the product manager wants it. The VP's neck is
riding on the success of the new product, so he will do nothing that
impedes their progress.
As expected, the new writer is having to constantly come to us to learn
what to do--what tools are needed, where archived information is, etc.
We've been friendly and helpful and done our best (from a distance) to
help her do her job.
Now the technical communications department is busy planning for the
future--new technologies, new roles--things that could really benefit this
new product. Should I continue to beat a dead horse and make a case for
returning the new writer to the department? Should I seek a middle ground
where the writer attends our planning sessions but still reports to the
other manager? Should I just let it go and do our own thing?
Thank you for your help.
Anon
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