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Subject:Take this engineer and shove it From:Andrew Plato <intrepid_es -at- yahoo -dot- com> To:Techwrl-l <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Thu, 25 May 2000 07:49:32 -0700 (PDT)
> Eddy Skau, I agree with what you say "Remember that you must be respected as
> an individual first, and then let that spill over into your profession." You
> put it more clearly with "You want respect? EARN IT! nobody's gonna serve it
> to you on a platter." Ouch! Can you suggest how a lone technical writer can
go
> about earning the respect of 500 engineers in her first 5 months in a
company.
> A bit far-fetched, don't you say?
No this is not far fetched at all. Eddy is right. If you want respect you had
better earn it. Nobody will respect you if you just show up and sit there.
You want respect?
1. Work hard
2. Be technically literate.
3. Serve the project not egos.
4. Know the answers to questions before you ask them.
5. Stay solution-focused (don't blame people).
6. Shut your trap and listen.
7. Learn to adapt and be productive in a less than ideal environment.
8. Be assertive, not pushy or bitchy.
9. Keep you emotions out of it.
But most importantly
10. Get the job done.
If you can't get to 10 then go home.
> I got many inputs on the issue of respect but very few, doubtful inputs on
> processes. Most processes in my organization are at CMM Level 4 and I intend
> taking documentation processes to that level too. A formidable task, but I
> think I'll manage.
Just get the job done and worry about certification later. There are plenty of
"CMM 4" organizations that are so rife with incompetence they couldn't document
the innerworkings of a paperclip.
Competence is not the same as organization.
As for bringing chocolates and other stuff. Just get you job done. Engineers
are by and large practical people. If you dance around and try to be some
office fairy they'll see through your nonsense and ignore you even more. Nobody
likes a suck up.
Now back to your regularly scheduled discussions...
