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Goob wrote:
> Yeah, but how realistic is it to be challenged on
> everything, all the time, no matter how small or
> large? I mean, that would imply that there are at
> least 20 managers working on every project and each
> one has a different objective and sphere of influence,
> sometimes over other managers. And, that would require
> executive orders to just be quiet and play along. But
> no, I don't think such situations exist.
Ah, but such situations do exist. Not necessarily that there's a big
conspiracy. But that you get picked apart at every opportunity, real or
perceived. I have experienced it at least twice, once as a TW and once in
'the time before.' Not always easy to leave a job, 'specially not these
days, but the question I learned to ask myself re: respect and ability to
control my work, my contribution, and the way I'm treated is this: Is the
person (mgr, whomever) invested in my success?
Sometimes yes. [That is, any healthy normal work situation].
Sometime no. [Any disfunctional situation where you walked in on office
politics or a messed up personality you cannot overcome.]
Sometimes 'could be.' [Any situation where the person doesn't know what
you do, has some bad but malleable prejudice against you and/or your
profession. (Maybe it's because the person in the position before you was
a jerk or an imbecile. Maybe it's because you look like the evil Aunt
Melba. Who knows.) This is, of course, where opportunity is. This is where
the whinin' won't win ya nuthin. And where you just gotta do what it takes
to convince the person that you are on their side, trying to make their
lives easier by producing something worthwhile in a positive, helpful
way.]
Hey, we all whine from time to time when we feel powerless. Sometimes
quitting the job's not realistic. (Close to retirement? Poor economy? Etc.
Etc. Etc.) But it does us no good to inflict the whining on those who are
in the position to improve things for us, unless we also come armed with
solutions.
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