TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:RE: Senior Technical Writer From:Pat Anderson <panders -at- aw -dot- sgi -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Mon, 13 Aug 2001 13:56:12 -0400
At 1:18 PM -0400 13/08/01, Brierley, Sean wrote:
>Two things struck me as contradictory:
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Andrew Plato [SMTP:intrepid_es -at- yahoo -dot- com]
>> I don't think I need to tell you that skill and capability have NOTHING
>> whatsoever to do with title or pay. To think otherwise is truly nieve.
>>
>Absolutely, 100-percent accurate. Yes.
>
>> Authority flows from ability. If you can regularly demonstrate the ability
>> to get work done and keep people motivated, then you can honestly claim a
>> title of manager or senior.
>>
>Maybe at your company, Andrew, but in my experience authority flows from
>being a good sycophant.
I disagree. Being a good sycophant will get you about 3 months, tops, and then your probationary period will be up and you'll be out the door. No, you'd better have ability. Management ability -- not just writing ability. To be in management, you need to be able to look at the larger picture -- what is required with this product? What is "nice to have"? Determine what is the minimal acceptable set of deliverables... and, if you can justify it in a business plan, go beyond the minimum. Be prepared and able to fight for what you believe in; if you lose, do so gracefully, because you may need to fight this battle again. Learn from your losses, and become a better manager.
>Responsibility _without_ authority is the result of
>being able and motivated. Claim what? The managerial jobs go to those who
>suck . . . up and demonstrate the skill of saying "yes" to everything but
>otherwise being quite.
No, managerial jobs go to those who have proven that they can create a plan and execute on it. Repeatedly. At least, in my world they do.
>Indeed, isn't part of the path to success the ability
>to publicly blame and chastise somebody for not knowing what you did not
>tell them?
Absolutely not. Public praise; private admonishment (which should be accompanied with a plan for improvement).
>I don't know for certain, but it seems to be a trend to keep the able and
>motivated people underfoot so some actual work can get done, while you
>promote the rest. Of course, maybe I should play the game differently?
I hope you're just having a bad Monday, Sean...
>
>Cheers,
>
>Sean
>
And cheers & Monday morning espresso to you!
...pat.
Pat Anderson,
Documentation Manager, Design Products
Alias|Wavefront
tel: (416) 874-8375
email: panders -at- aw -dot- sgi -dot- com http://www.aliaswavefront.com
*** Deva(tm) Tools for Dreamweaver and Deva(tm) Search ***
Build Contents, Indexes, and Search for Web Sites and Help Systems
Available now at http://www.devahelp.com or info -at- devahelp -dot- com
A landmark hotel, one of America's most beautiful cities, and
three and a half days of immersion in the state of the art:
IPCC 01, Oct. 24-27 in Santa Fe. http://ieeepcs.org/2001/
---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as: archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.
