Perceptions of TW (was RE: Documentation estimates)

Subject: Perceptions of TW (was RE: Documentation estimates)
From: "Dori Green" <dgreen -at- associatedbrands -dot- com>
To: <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Fri, 15 Dec 2006 09:19:04 -0500

Candis Condo wrote:

What makes you think that you are viewed as a typist?


***************

I did not say I _think_ that I am viewed as a typist.

I said there have been incidences where my productiveness has been equated
to typing output (not assumed, he said so), and there have been incidences
where typists have expressed resentment because I type just as they do but I
have more status.

In previous jobs (let me stress that it has not happened at my current
employer), I was directly challenged by the Quality Manager, who accused me
of "slacking off to draw out the contract" and not working as fast as I
could because he didn't hear my keyboard as much as he had been accustomed
to hearing it. I was able to explain that one process had been completed
(in which I was transcribing my notes and typing furiously), and this week I
was working on another process -- gathering information, drawing process
maps, editing photos, analyzing the process, etc. He was erroneously
equating production with typing action. There were lots of other reasons
also to leave that job and not return, and that's what I did. He was a very
bad, lousy, crummy manager -- incompetent in the quality field and as a
supervisor. Bad, bad. I mean it. He actually slugged a subordinate. I
got out of there as fast as I could. I never bad-mouth a previous employer,
but he was a bad, dangerous guy.

In other positions, hostility and subtle passive-aggressive sabotage has
sometimes developed from secretaries. Anybody who doesn't think this can be
deadly should try arriving at an out-of-town trip with no car and a hotel
reservation where there were three separate shootings last week. When
quietly and privately confronted about it (and interviewed rather
skillfully, I might add), in all three cases at different companies they
admitted to resentment that in their perception I don't do anything more
than they do but I'm getting paid more and getting more perks. Again, this
is not a perception or "thought" on my side, they said so. I was able to
get rid of the problem and gain allies in every instance when I agreed that
a clerical ghetto exists and shared a little bit about how I broke out of
the clerical ghetto (already had the two degrees when I entered it --
joining professional societies helped a lot), and offered to serve as a
mentor if she had a career interest in the tech writing or doc management or
quality direction.

I did _not_ complain to my boss, who traditionally would take it to the
secretary's boss. There lies a recipe for grand escalation at soap opera
proportions! I've had it happen that the secretary's behavior was noticed
independently by her observant supervisor and it was addressed with her,
without me being involved. It made the relationship sticky for a while but
we all survived.

This problem is not as common as it was 25 years ago. Male tech writers
don't seem to experience this problem at all, and female tech writers who
have not experienced it are as incredulous that it can occur. It did occur
at my present job, recently, with the HR secretary, and we're still working
on it.

It does not occur when I am properly introduced by an upper manager and have
frequent collegial (public and peer-level) interactions with upper
management. I have learned not to allow my manager to stick me in my
writing corner and ignore me. When necessary, I explain in detail why this
is important.

Dori Green


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References:
RE: Documentation estimates: From: Condo, Candis

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