RE: Bite your tongue?

[Suzette Seveny <sseveny -at- petvalu -dot- com>]

Geoff Hart wrote:
> Debbie Packer bemoaned the fact that <<Many times, I will get
> copy from "someone above me" that they would like to use. I'm
> usually asked to read through it and correct any errors before I
> publish it... [Sometimes] The person had taken the text I had put
> on the page, updated it with some extra copy and added back in 4
> or 5 of the errors that I had corrected.>>
>
> Happens all the time, particularly with managers and (as in a
> current contract job we're doing for the feds) government
> bureaucrats. About the only strategy I've ever found that works (and
> not well) is to meet briefly with the person (or telephone or e-mail if
> they don't have an open-door policy or live in another city) and
> explain why I made the original changes. Sometimes, they give in
> and accept the change on the spot; sometimes I have to negotiate
> a different solution or coax the author into providing something
> better; and sometimes I just have to cave and let them have their
> way.

I would be as blunt as possible.  "So, are you telling me that even with the 
grammatical/spelling/whatever errors I pointed out to you, you would like this 
to be published as is, to reflect on the professionalism of this company, AND 
you want YOUR name on it?

Okay, fine!

If they still say yes, then they are either egomaniacs or idiots.  I would make 
it clear that MY name is not to appear ANYWHERE in connection with it.

Suzette Seveny
Markham, Ontario, Canada
sseveny -at- petvalu -dot- com or suzette -at- yesic -dot- com
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