Re: YOU are responsible, even when YOU are not to blame

["Paul Strasser" <paul -dot- strasser -at- windsor-tech -dot- com>]

Took a while to respond - I actually had to work for a bit :-)

Eric wrote, in part:
>
> IF you attend project meetings, IF the project is completely planned out,
IF the
> plan is followed exactly as written, IF changes are correctly
communicated, IF,
> IF, IF.... The diverse experience on the list should serve to prove
situation
> where one or more of these or other points have failed. In the scenario
above,
> everyone on the list will probably applaude Paul's luck and the wonderful
> planning at his workplace. But Paul's work place is not our workplace, and
the
> largest supporter of responsibility is also the most vehement attacker of
the
> type of constrained planning environment that is making Paul's workplace
so
> great. Yet, the discussion runs on with different people arguing
vehemently from
> different points of view. Like the old example of blind men argunig over
the
> description of an elephant with each man at a different end.
>
LOL!  I guess I do work for WonderCorp!  But I've also worked for Crapola
Inc..

Check my last paragraph.  I said my happyhappy joyjoy company probably
doesn't fit all TWs.  If you don't want to accept responsibility for the
content of your docs, don't.  But if you don't have responsibility, who gets
the credit for super docs?  If the credit never filters down to you I can
see why taking responsibility wouldn't be a great concern.

Here is a serious question: if you're not resonsible for your documents, who
is?  This isn't a challenge or rhetorical question.  Who is responsible?

I've worked for companies where everyone shirked responsibility because
little credit for good work came from it, but blame when things go wrong was
part and parcel of responsibility.  Zero upside, big downside.  That's the
sort of deal you avoid.  The mantra was "Don't blame me."  If you work for
such a CompanyFromHell, my regrets.

How much of the "not my responsibility" argument is based on some sort of
fear?  Fear of bad marks on your annual review, fear of firing, fear of
others being able to blame stuff on you?

But if you work for an "in between" company - one whose doc department sort
of muddles along, tries its best, is somewhat ignored but somewhat respected
for what they do - Is there some big downside to saying, "I'm responsible
for the content of the documents"?  Maybe (and this is perhaps the biggest
fear of all) you'll just be ignored.

Like Eric (and Andrew - amazing!) have noted:
> 2- Even the author of the opening salvo has stated Responsibility does not
equal
> Fault/Blame.

So true.  For many, though, it seems that the latter is the natural outcome
of the former.

My final suggestion - if you work for a company with good communication, try
accepting responsibility for your docs - still stands.

Best,

Paul Strasser
Windsor Technologies, Inc.
2569 Park Lane, Suite 200
Lafayette, Colorado 80026
Phone:  303-926-1982
FAX:  303-926-1510
E-mail:  paul -dot- strasser -at- windsor-tech -dot- com



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