Re: new kid on the block (long)

Subject: Re: new kid on the block (long)
From: Dick Margulis <margulisd -at- comcast -dot- net>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2005 09:56:13 -0500




J C wrote:



Do I put my foot down and say I'm the writer, my call
is the last call. Or do I roll with it for a few more months
till I gain some trust and respect?

IF you roll with it for a few more months you will never gain trust and respect. If you stamp your foot you won't gain trust or respect. I think what we need to find here is a Third Way. Would it be possible to be more assertive without being argumentative? Could you, for example, call a meeting (use Outlook and simply mark the attendees as "required"; you don't need special authority to do so) with you, your mentor, and one or more of the other QA guys? You run the meeting (you called it--it's your agenda); and explain that the current system is dysfunctional. Propose a different system, one in which you have final say over the document. Thank your mentor profusely for getting you up to speed and announce that you're taking over, in other words, but politely.


Any input or advice is appreciated.
Again, I realize I'm the new kid so I don't have a lot
of clout. But I am hoping that I'll get to run my
department of one (me!) at some point. I'd love to put
in some processes and improve the documentation as
well as the review process etc. Anytime I have
mentioned this I get "processes come from the TOP not
the BOTTOM!" and "Processes take up too much time."? Maybe this is just a different way to work than I am
used to.:)

Don't use the P word. Just talk about how the way you're doing things now isn't really as effective as it could be and maybe trying it a different way would work better.

But, in the end, if you keep getting you're-just-a-girl-what-do-you-know attitude, put a bunch of effort into looking elsewhere.


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References:
new kid on the block (long): From: J C

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