Re: Control Issues

[Wanda Phillips <wanda -at- writelivelihood -dot- com>]

There are excellent points in the posts I've received. I knew all this 
once, and managed my workplace interactions along these lines. I think, 
in part, my year of illness and his own burgeoning portfolio changed my 
relationship with my manager so that I work in an atmosphere that lacks 
trust. I am, right now, not much more than a very well paid data entry 
clerk/transcriptionist.
One of the changes my local colleagues and I have noted is that the 
minimalist direction and management our manager had previously offered 
has vanished. We are far more exposed to the vagaries of a work-force 
under pressure.
Also, the tech pubs group as it is now structured is a collision of 
structures and job responsibilities that don't match. Our bi-coastal 
existence does not make it easy to bridge the differences and our 
manager is completely adrift, he had no idea how to integrate the two 
teams into one. So, he pretends that issues are not happening. And 
instead of managing, tells me to be more considerate of my coworkers. 
That cuts me. I had, finally, after a month of struggling to get 
co-operation on a particular project told my co-worker to go to our 
manager since I was not being heard, perhaps he could get through. I've 
realized since that my coworker doesn't know what her job IS! And, 
rather than telling her, my manager told me to be nicer to her, that was 
the phrasing he used. I wonder now what the big deal is, it is as much 
that I feel like the job is double-booked with unclear boundaries as it 
is that the tech admin on the other coast, in trying to help out, has 
invited sharks to feed. Since she doesn't seem to understand our 
document development process, she's invited reviewers known for their 
urge to change text to read content that is not only already approved, 
but translated, and now formatted for delivery. It is the exhaustion of 
having to try follow the process and having to defend myself and the 
process.
Having had a chance to *talk it out* and be reminded of the 
skills/techniques that were once second-nature to me, I am beginning to 
see the core of the issue.
One: I am on a sinking ship and the captain is directing the band to 
play on. There are no lifeboats. The happiest person in our group is the 
fellow who retires next month. He has a spring in his step and a tune on 
his lips.
I've never been on a sinking ship before, I am being consumed by the 
anxiety that is so pervasive, identifying it is like fish trying to 
identify water.
Two: I am not recovered yet from my year of illness. I have not 
recovered my emotional balance and I need to give me and my coworkers 
extra leeway while I get back up to full strength.
I will continue to work on reviving my skills, letting go of the job, 
and just getting done what I can get done where there is doing I can do.
Thank you,
Wanda


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

WEBWORKS FINALDRAFT - EDIT AND REVIEW, REDEFINED
Accelerate the document lifecycle with full online discussions and unique feedback-management capabilities. Unlimited, efficient reviews for Word
and FrameMaker authors. Live, online demo:
http://www.webworks.com/techwr-l

Doc-To-Help 7.5 Professional: New version with new features, improved performance and reliability, plus much more!  Download your free trial today at www.componentone.com/techwrlfeb.

---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as:
archiver -at- techwr-l -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Send administrative questions to lisa -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.