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I've only been on this list a few weeks, but already it's apparent that
there is a wealth of knowledge and experience in this group. Perhaps you
can help me. (This is longish, please bear with me.)
A writer was hired to write training materials for our software products. A
few months later it was decided that all of the writers should be working
together, and now this writer works for me. Although hired for a high-level
position, it turns out the writer's skills are very weak across the boards.
But the real problem is the writer's attitude - it's all someone else's
fault. Rather than owning up to simple mistakes (which nobody cares about
anyway) this person has gone so far as to say Word must've magically changed
the template and also inserted duplicate pages at a later point in the
document. So far, I haven't even been able to approach the real issues
because even the smallest things are met with such defensiveness. The
training department is fed up and I'm ending up having to re-write
everything. My boss is looking at termination, but wants me to make another
effort to salvage the situation.
Normally, I'm seen as diplomatic and easy to work with. I've had people say
they thought I was a terrific boss because I gave them freedom to do their
best work. But obviously there are management and communication skills that
I just don't have. Any suggestions, comments, or recommendations for books
or courses would be welcome. Thanks.
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