RE: What I want to say....

["John Posada" <JPosada -at- isogon -dot- com>]

I go to management and tell them something along the lines of "I can do
what you want. However, I have some alternatives that may be faster and
more cost effective. May I prepare a small sample side by side along
with an overview of the pluses/minuses of each?". 

Real life example, right now. My place uses Word and they should be
using Framemaker. When I cam here, instead of putting my foot down and
saying "We must use FM.", I proposed that I'll learn their documentation
and their applications. I'll get out the most pressing releases ASAP."
In 3-6 months, we'll schedule an evaluation on some smaller documents to
see if it is suitable for this situation. Right now, I have the
credibility to make my boss comfortable that I'll get my existing
documents out. In 3-6 months, I'll have gained the credibility to
advocate FM.

>Shouldn't management pay the technical writer 
>the same credibility and respect that they 
>themselves want?

They already proved themselves, at least in the eyes of THEIR
management.

>When I go to a new job, everybody has my 
>respect until proven otherwise; everyone.

...and that changes, for the good or bad, the first time each of them
opens their mouth in your presence. How much respect do they keep, in
your eyes, when they tell you on the first day "You're wrong and I'm
right because I say so."

John Posada
Senior Technical Writer
Isogon Corporation
http://www.isogon.com