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My company is introducing a new Performance Management system, which calls
for each employee to produce an Individual Performance Plan. I have been
through exercises like this before at other companies and, for the most
part, felt they were of little value. Nevertheless, once again, I will do
this to the best of my ability. It occurs to me, however, that this exercise
may offer an opportunity to "sell" my technical communication skills, which
include writing, editing, and coordination.
My work involves a project-based effort to produce scopes of work for RFP
packages. I am the first writer with actual writing training this company
has used. Other writers have been technical people who write. I have a
journalism degree with extensive publications experience. For this project,
I worked with management to develop baseline templates, and then I put
together a team of contract "writers" and an organized publications
procedure to produce the documents. In the past, the engineers pretty much
did their own thing and then management went without sleep for a year and
half to scrutinize the documents for liability issues. I believe my work has
made a real difference in consistency, quality, and efficiency.
My problem is the projects operate like independent companies, using
personnel that are permanently employed only for the specific project,
which, of course, is temporary. As the RFP phase of this project segues into
the building phase, the team will relocate to an out-of-state project site
to oversee construction. So I, as a writer, will be left to find another
job, and I would like it to be on another project with this same company.
However, I will have to interview with people who are probably new to the
company and who, most certainly, will know nothing of me and my work. I was
given the title of Technical Documentation Manager because of my
contributions, but that will probably mean little to a new project director
with a tight budget.
It is incumbent upon me, therefore, to prepare a good sales pitch on the
benefits of using publications professionals. Most of the people on these
projects have no experience working with writers. At best, these people
haven't the faintest idea what writers do and, at worst, think writers are
glorified and unnecessary clerical help.
So at the risk of not being around long enough to implement an Individual
Performance Plan, I need good answers to the following questions:
1. What is my purpose?
2. What would not happen if my department/position did not exist?
3. Where and how does my position add value?
4. What are three to five goals that I need to accomplish this year?
I have some ideas, but any help anyone can offer will be greatly
appreciated.
