Re: Can someone learn to be detail-oriented?

[Jill Burgchardt <jburgcha -at- PESTILENCE -dot- ITC -dot- NRCS -dot- USDA -dot- GOV>]

It is impossible to write a short query to this list, because one cannot
ever
make a statement that is taken at face value.

I said this environment is detail-oriented, I heard a chorus of "I'm not and
I
do just fine." That's not the point. You're also not in this environment:
contract at government agency, the specific task involves writing and
editing
standards FOR standards. My attitude towards pickiness is irrelevant; the
client
has zero tolerance for errors.

I said another technical writer had left and that there'd been problems.
I've
had more than a few accusations leveled that I drove her out by
micromanaging.
Folks, I didn't supervise her or manage her work. Personally, I did not have
problems with her, the client did. I was asked to take an active role AFTER
her
departure.

I said that management hopes to prevent a recurrence. Again, I've heard
assumptions that "they" are going to somehow oppress this new person. (Is
any
form of active management oppression?) My take is that our new manager here
recognizes the past failure to manage as a contributing factor to problems.
Active management may allow the new person to succeed. Surprising as people
may
find it, my new manager and I really want to turn around the situation--not
just
for client relations, but so we can keep an employee who would otherwise be
laid
off. Together, we've been trying to identify what it takes to succeed in
this
environment--our client has expressed very strong comments on (need for/lack
of)
attention to detail.

How do I know the new person is not detail-oriented?  Client feedback and a
situation they want resolved. The new employee has limited experience as a
tech
writer in her current/transitional position with the company. She has said
herself that assessing, conceptualizing, and synthesizing a manual from
resource
materials (big picture stuff) is beyond her current skill level. The non-tw
job
she had done successfully lost its funding. I was told at the outset that I
would need to work with her and bring her up to an acceptable standard in
both
the detail work and the larger project work.

If two people have had problems and I haven't, the conclusion must be that
I'm
hard to work with, must have it my way, or I want a clone, right? Tech
writers
here have traditionally worked independently of each other on separate
projects.
My only history with the others is that we've done similar work in our own
little corners. I did say this is a newly created task lead position.
Sheesh.

Recently, an anonymous poster complained of poor reviews and no growth in
assignments after three years. The responses pretty resoundingly trashed the
manager for not mentoring/developing/managing the employee. Yet when I talk
about a training plan, checklists, and peer review, more than one person
implied
or directly said I was being an anal-retentive bitch who wouldn't back off
and
let her do her job. Fine, but she has to learn it first. Part of what she
needs
to learn is attention to detail. Did anybody catch the words peer review? To
me,
that means a two-way street, an opportunity for both of us to improve. I
really
don't see myself in the role of the nasty heavy dictating to the poor new
peon.
If I let this new person "find ways to use her creative talents," before she
masters the client's requirements, I'll be helping her find the unemployment
line. THAT would be nasty given that she has potential and a good attitude
toward work.

My question wasn't prompted by a desire to change the situation or find a
different writer. Rather, I have new responsibilities. I'm busy and those
responsibilities are going to take significant time. I'd really hoped for
feedback that might help me estimate and budget the time it's going take for
the
situation to succeed. I need a realistic picture of the effort and potential
in
this situation.

This brings me back to my simple questions.

1. Can someone who hasn't shown the aptitude learn to (take your pick of
descriptive phrases):
        be detail-oriented
        switch hit
        do the necessary editing
        be focused
        learn to check their work
        do the unnatural
        catch things so that they don't slip through

2. What methods worked to achieve this?

3. What results?

4. How long did it take for the person to work independently?

To the small handful--Nancy, Geoff, and a few others, who actually addressed
my
questions, you have my heartfelt thanks.

Jill Burgchardt
jburgchardt -at- pestilence -dot- itc -dot- nrcs -dot- usda -dot- gov

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