RE: Survey of Tech Writing Personality Types

Subject: RE: Survey of Tech Writing Personality Types
From: Kevin Montgomery <robertm -at- qualcomm -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Mon, 21 Oct 2002 15:29:56 -0700


Your are not the only Kevin with that problem <grin>.

This discussion is timely for me. We were going over DISC assessments (similar to Myers Briggs) this morning in a management training that included folks from all over the company. Many engineers and the like present. The instructor used my results as an example of someone whose natural style matches their adapted (workplace) style very well. I'm a very strong "I" (Influence), described by terms like magnetic, enthusiastic, friendly, demonstrative, and political. (Admittedly, I've also been called things that don't show up in the assessment. Sometimes loudly.) When asked, I said I am a technical writer. There was a collective "HUH?" from around the room as the TW stereotype smacked up against a "people" person in TW clothing. I had to take a moment to explain that TW as I practice it involves an enormous amount of interpersonal contact, relationship building, influencing, and politicking with SMEs, managers, and others.

There was also a strong "I" accountant present. There was NO explaining that one <g>.

- Kevin (another one)

Very true. However, those external sources often have

a stereotype of Tech Writers as introverted, strange
artiste types. I had one engineer explain to me once
that I was very weird--I was the first tech writer she
had ever met who was friendly.

Of course, I'm genetically incapable of keeping my
mouth shut.

-Kevin


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