RE: Lack of self-awareness in a writer...what to do

["James Barrow" <vrfour -at- verizon -dot- net>]

Tom has to go.

Sit him down, tell him why, wish him well, wave goodbye.  

If you want to be warm and fuzzy about it, then put him on a 30-day
probation and list the things that he will be measured against (process,
writing guidelines, style guide, etc.).  Keep a daily journal of the things
that he does that cost you and the company time to repair (if he releases
something prematurely and you have to do damage control).

IMHO, you're not flat out of ideas, you're flat out of ways to hold his hand
and still get him to be independently productive.

Put the burden on Tom, not you.

- Jim

-----Original Message-----
On Behalf Of TECHWR-L Administrator
Forwarded anonymously on request. 
[]
Tom was assigned to my department 8 months ago and is physically
in my building.
[]
He's not flourishing. Tom violates our process, our writing
guidelines, and our style guide. His writing is weak - passive
voice and not user-focused. He works 40 hours a week in a department
where we all work 45+ hours a week. He doesn't take ownership of his
projects and drive them the way we expect a most senior level writer
to do.
[]
I'm sorry this is so long. I'm looking for ideas because I'm flat
out. Tom is easy going and well liked in the company. But for some
reason, I can't get thru to him. I'm beginning to think this is a
failure of my management.

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