http://tc.eserver.org/dir/Careers/Management A listing of the most recently indexed works about Careers and Management in the field of technical communication. en-us Copyright (c) 2005-08 by the EServer. All rights reserved. tclib-editorial@eserver.org (TC Library Editorial Board) webmaster@eserver.org (Geoffrey Sauer) http://tc.eserver.org/images/newlogo.gif http://tc.eserver.org/dir/Careers/Management http://tc.eserver.org/35630.html http://tc.eserver.org/35630.html Jane R. in Texas asks for some tips on interviewing tech writers, especially when using assessment tests. Her company is about to hire their first full-time writer and they have not done this before. I’ve worked on both sides on the fence in the past, (i.e. interviewed and been interviewed) and picked up a few tings in the process. Hopefully, these will be of some help. http://tc.eserver.org/35637.html http://tc.eserver.org/35637.html The last half century has seen enormous change impacting the way we work. The world is shrinking with advances in information technology playing a crucial role in facilitating the global expansion of organizations. International teams are now a common phenomenon with many large organizations structuring their workforce according to function rather than geography. Successful organizations do not hesitate to move their talents around the world to ensure that they have the right skills and knowledge in the right location when necessary. But what does it take to manage such a culturally diversified and geographically dispersed team? http://tc.eserver.org/35492.html http://tc.eserver.org/35492.html Is it really true that a freelancer shouldn’t bother with a business plan? There are thousands of freelancers, after all, who started taking on clients without even thinking about writing a business plan. Nobody seems to have suffered from that approach. However, there are a few steps along the way that are significantly easier when you have a business plan in hand. http://tc.eserver.org/35415.html http://tc.eserver.org/35415.html You are a high-tech/Bio-tech company and your first product is nearing release. The product requires documentation and you ask your self what are our options? Before deciding you should consider these factors. http://tc.eserver.org/35349.html http://tc.eserver.org/35349.html As demand rises for digital campaigns and branded apps, shops are scouring for creative technologists: a rare breed familiar with technology and conversant with new forms of media, but also able to translate that know-how into compelling digital-branding vehicles. http://tc.eserver.org/35250.html http://tc.eserver.org/35250.html The contemporary Library and Information Services (LIS) environment employs a multifaceted group of employees who are better educated and more expensive to recruit than in previous times. In order to maximize these talents and resources available, this modern setting requires managers — at all levels — who are versatile and fitted out with the right skills and knowledge to maintain group cohesion and to propel this dynamic environment to continuously move in unison with the society. This article identifies and discusses the required skills and knowledge of the contemporary manager. In doing so, the concepts of skill and knowledge are defined and their interrelationship is highlighted. http://tc.eserver.org/35023.html http://tc.eserver.org/35023.html Putting Pedersen’s advice to practice, step one is to make a place for everything in our lives. Figure out where it belongs. Just as you can’t organize a house if you have no where to put things, you can’t organize your life if you have no way space for the activities. If something doesn’t fit, it’s time for a trip to the figurative Salvation Army (we call them Deseret Industries here). In other words, simplify. http://tc.eserver.org/34697.html http://tc.eserver.org/34697.html A reluctance to learn new skills holds you back and complaining about potential employers raising the bar hurts us all. http://tc.eserver.org/34488.html http://tc.eserver.org/34488.html It's time for the 4-day work week--at least for the next year. Businesses save 20% on their payroll, keep their talent, and workers keep their jobs. What's not to like? http://tc.eserver.org/34386.html http://tc.eserver.org/34386.html When seeking freelance copywriters, many buyers specify that their only interest is in writers who speak English as a native language. Frequently buyers will request writers from a particular country such as the USA, the UK, Canada or Australia. This overlooks the fact that English is spoken as a first or second language in many countries. In fact, except for Mandarin Chinese, English is the most spoken language in the world. http://tc.eserver.org/34301.html http://tc.eserver.org/34301.html Most of management theory is inane, writes our correspondent, the founder of a consulting firm. If you want to succeed in business, don’t get an M.B.A. Study philosophy instead. http://tc.eserver.org/34217.html http://tc.eserver.org/34217.html Much of today's news is bad, so much of it can adversely affect your career, and so much of it is maddeningly beyond your control. But there are things you can control, starting with your own behavior. Now more than ever, it's essential to ensure that idiosyncrasies and personal peccadillos don't undermine your career. Here are five cautionary tales of real CIOs whose tragic flaws did them in. http://tc.eserver.org/33972.html http://tc.eserver.org/33972.html Also known as ’The Wizard of Oz Syndrome‘ - this management style is similar to Management by Avoidance, except the ‘thing’ being avoided is corrective or disciplinary actions - or any kind of confrontation with staff, basically. The main theme is: get someone else to deliver the (unpleasant) message, whether it be about cost reductions, getting a slipping schedule back on track, or a lay-off, or resolving a simmering conflict. Why? When the Boss has a strong need to be liked - or feared - (rather than respected), the risk of any direct confrontation is that people might get upset and react emotionally. Especially for hyper-rational “geek” bosses - originally (software) engineers or accounting types - the messy gray area of human interaction is a scary place. http://tc.eserver.org/33916.html http://tc.eserver.org/33916.html Members of Generation X are now at the midpoint of their careers and are increasingly being placed in management and supervisory positions. Xers are realizing that today's newly hired employees are no longer members of their generation but of a different and younger generation. This new generation of employees entering the workforce has been given such labels as Generation Next, Generation Y, Echo Boomers, and Digital Natives. Members of Generation X who not long ago were shaking their heads at the attitudes and viewpoints of the older employees are now finding their own perspectives being questioned by a new and younger generation, Generation Next. Nexters and Xers, like previous generations before them, are finding at times difficulty to work side by side because their experiences, goals, and expectations differ. http://tc.eserver.org/33889.html http://tc.eserver.org/33889.html Social networking once meant going to a social function such as a cocktail party, conference, or business luncheon. Today, much social networking is achieved through Web sites such as MySpace, FaceBook, or LinkedIn. Many individuals use these sites to meet new friends, make connections, and upload personal infor- mation. On social networking Web sites (SNWs) that focus more on business connections, such as LinkedIn, individuals upload job qualifi- cations and application information. These SNWs are now being used as reference checks by human resource (HR) personnel. For this reason, SNW users, particularly university students and other soon-to-be job applicants, should ask the following questions: Am I loading information that I want the world to see? Is this really a picture that shows me in the best light? What impression would another person have of me if he or she went through my site? Although SNWs are a great way to be connected with friends, family, and friends-to-be, they can present problems when potential employers begin to search through them for information concerning job applicants. Many potential employees would be mortified to learn that employers could potentially read the personal information posted on MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn, or other SNWs. Searches on SNWs allow employers to look into what is done 'after hours,' socially or privately, by the applicant. A résumé may be just a snapshot of a job applicant, while other personal information may be found online. Many job applicants have learned the hard way that what they post may come back to haunt them (Rodriquez, 2006). Human Resources and SNWs Many companies that recruit on college campuses look up applicants on MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn, and other SNWs. What they find on these sites presents a dilemma for the recruiters. Students post comments that they may think are private but can be read by many. These posts can be provocative comments on any subject from drinking to recreational drugs to sexual exploits. Although they may seem innocent enough to the students who have posted them, college recruiters or graduate admission officers may look at these postings as immature and unprofessional. Recruiters are warning universities' career resource centers that they are looking at SNWs and that it would be best to work with students about how they are presenting themselves on these sites. The lifestyle the students are presenting online may not be what corporate recruiters or graduate school admission officers want in potential applicants. http://tc.eserver.org/33848.html http://tc.eserver.org/33848.html After you have narrowed the pool of applicants down to those with the skills, experience, and knowledge to do the job, ask each candidate one question: What do you do in your spare time? http://tc.eserver.org/33701.html http://tc.eserver.org/33701.html A Reduction-In-Force (RIF) or layoff is the easiest, fastest way to cut costs as companies trade immediate, short-term gains for long-term growth and performance. The detriment of this approach is wide-spread and lasting, yet management continues in this mode with greater frequency. More and more companies believe this policy just makes good business sense. But year after year, hard data and analysis disprove this notion. So let’s begin by examining some common myths about layoffs. http://tc.eserver.org/33703.html http://tc.eserver.org/33703.html If I were bringing in new people to an already existing group, I would begin by studying everything I could find about the strength, weaknesses, personalities, and interests of all the people who would be working together. One thing I know from putting together teams of students is that managers (whether in the classroom or in business) need to base teaming on the strengths of the participants and not on the weaknesses. http://tc.eserver.org/33171.html http://tc.eserver.org/33171.html In a downturn, priorities in a business often change, and these changes can affect technical authors as much as others. At the London Connections event earlier this week, where I was promoting Cherryleaf's technical writing services, I was chatting to Mike Southon about business strategies in a downturn. Mike is Visiting Fellow in Innovation and Entrepreneurship at London South Bank University, amongst other things, so I value his judgement. He said, in a downturn, businesses should focus on its Return on Investment, minimising risk and watching its cashflow. So, does this mean you should favour contract technical authors over permanent staff, or vice versa? Should you outsource technical writing work instead? Actually, each option has its merits. http://tc.eserver.org/32781.html http://tc.eserver.org/32781.html My key point in this column is that we need to support, defend, and promote our artisans, or artists, and we need to eliminate the assholes from our organizations. In practice, I see a lot of managers who do not support their artisans—their greatest performers—but hold onto and even reward their assholes. In the end, an organization that rewards the wrong people can destroy its effectiveness and drive the most talented people out. http://tc.eserver.org/32663.html http://tc.eserver.org/32663.html In many of today’s corporate work environments, the days of managing a group of people who all share a common physical location and the same work hours are waning. More often, work teams may be composed of people who work in either a company office or from home, in different cities, states, time zones, and countries. They may also work different hours or even different days. Knowledge work, such as technical writing, is ideally suited to these types of work arrangements since, in many cases, the work can be done anytime, anywhere -- unlike certain professions such as nursing or construction. Modern computer and telecommunications technology has made the world, or at least those parts of it with high-speed Internet access, one big potential office. This article article analyzes various types of work arrangements, the tools that make them possible, the benefits and potential pitfalls of these arrangements, and how to make them work. http://tc.eserver.org/32646.html http://tc.eserver.org/32646.html Internet startups are generally as successful as a nerd in a singles bar. Ventures that get off the ground rarely get knee-high. Why? You don’t need a deckful of scatter charts to do this, but you do need the willingness to make some difficult decisions now—and stick to them later.The biggest problem I’ve seen isn’t lack of talent, enthusiasm or even funding. It lies in skipping a critical early stage of development I call the “alpha-alpha” stage, or “alphalpha” for short. http://tc.eserver.org/32493.html http://tc.eserver.org/32493.html Surprisingly, my first experience as an interviewer was as uneasy as my first job interview. I then realized that being on the other side of the table is not as easy as it is made out to be, especially if conducting an interview is unfamiliar territory. Later on, as I matured into this role, I created a style of my own and soon found it to be an interesting and inspiring proposition, though challenging. http://tc.eserver.org/32513.html http://tc.eserver.org/32513.html Poor performers can drag down your whole team. Business and leadership coach John McKee shares some strategies for determining the underlying issues and turning those underachievers around. http://tc.eserver.org/32203.html http://tc.eserver.org/32203.html Changes come fast for today’s manager. Whether it revolves around local issues such as staffing, attrition patterns, or larger structural concerns like corporate-wide modifications, change of any kind represents the single greatest challenge for leadership. On an individual level, change can be difficult to accept and harder to implement. Uncertainty can lead to irrational behavior and have a negative, cascading effect throughout an organization. For managers, adapting and facilitating change is a critical skill that requires agility, acceptance, and strategic planning in order to guide employees through a difficult transition, while still maintaining personal integrity and developing strong leadership qualities. http://tc.eserver.org/32209.html http://tc.eserver.org/32209.html What does it take to start your own technical-writing business? Chutzpa! Insanity! I began mine by getting a loan from my local bank for my first computer to set up a home office. It was a Micron desktop 386, the fastest computer in town! That was nine years ago. I now have a nice office, a sizeable staff, and all the work I can handle, most of the time. http://tc.eserver.org/32211.html http://tc.eserver.org/32211.html Conflict resolution is among the many tasks delegated to managers, yet it is often the most difficult to master. From individual performance appraisals to an all-out assault within a project team, managers are expected to not only have the wisdom of Solomon, but also the patience of a saint. Yet often, this skill is not cultivated, leaving many managers unable to adapt to instances that can bring even the best performing machine to a screeching halt. To help avoid this from happening, there are various tools and tactics that an organization can adopt to not only diffuse immediate threats to productivity, but also alleviate potential issues in the long run. http://tc.eserver.org/32213.html http://tc.eserver.org/32213.html So you've got approval to hire a contract technical writer. Maybe it's for overflow work or a special project. Nevertheless, it is your responsibility and you want to do it right. http://tc.eserver.org/32215.html http://tc.eserver.org/32215.html One of the challenges of managing new writers is helping them discover and develop their writing process. Whether the new writers have just come out of school, or have recently 'fallen into' the field without the benefit of much training, they often experience the same problems in planning and composing -- which have their roots in how they learned to write. http://tc.eserver.org/32224.html http://tc.eserver.org/32224.html The technical communications profession involves a unique mix of technical and communication skills, which is not easy to find. Most managers have had the experience of interviewing and subsequently hiring a candidate who later turns out not to be the right person for the job. This situation begs the question of how to identify which candidate is a good fit for a given position. The answer is that there are five key activities that make the difference between a successful hiring decision and a not-so-successful one. We have all been on both sides of the interview, and this article will attempt to make you, the interviewer, more successful. http://tc.eserver.org/32225.html http://tc.eserver.org/32225.html Whether you're a manager or not, consider the following check list the next time an interview is about to commence. As an interviewee, these actions might give you a competitive edge. As an interviewer, they might help set your standards on how you rate potential candidates. http://tc.eserver.org/32226.html http://tc.eserver.org/32226.html This article is a collage of ideas and experiences from some people who’ve made the leap from writer to manager. Although it’s not a step-by-step guideline, it provides some compelling insight as to what individuals might expect as they transition into the management ranks. Even if you are an experienced manager, you might find these ideas helpful. http://tc.eserver.org/32052.html http://tc.eserver.org/32052.html You still (should) have all your receipts, invoices, and other financial documentation at hand. Why not go through everything, to see if you have to make changes to your budget or financial setup? http://tc.eserver.org/31828.html http://tc.eserver.org/31828.html Skills in research, information architecture, interaction design, graphic design and writing define the recognized areas of User Experience design. However, there still remains much to discuss about what makes a UX team dreamy. Each UX Dreamteam has a finely tuned mix of skills and qualities, as varied as the environments in which they operate. Part two will address whether a person has the right ‘hard’ skills and ‘soft’ qualities like communication style, creativity and leadership ability to fit your particular organizational context. We’ll also touch on the quality of an individual’s personality that may or may not complement the others on your team. http://tc.eserver.org/31809.html http://tc.eserver.org/31809.html Diversity literature suggests training programs are short term whereas education and development involves a long term comprehensive approach. Proponents of diversity training programs contend that understanding the importance of a diverse workforce creates productive environments in which everyone feels valued, where their talents are used and organizational objectives are met. Critics contend that there is not enough evidence to adequately measure whether implementation of diversity training programs increase organizational financial success. http://tc.eserver.org/31708.html http://tc.eserver.org/31708.html Being asked to take the reins of a brand new documentation department is a challenge that many professional technical writers relish, even though the training and development activities they participated in may never have prepared them for such a rewarding challenge. This article looks at forming a new documentation department and determining what's needed, when it's needed and what resources are available to help the new department carry out its mission. http://tc.eserver.org/31709.html http://tc.eserver.org/31709.html Frequently, technical communicators who have been promoted into management find themselves facing the need to interview candidates for open positions. While successful interviewing is key to finding the right match for open positions in the department, all too often interviewing skills are not a part of any management training programs that the interviewer may have completed - if management training was ever part of the technical communicator's career development program at all. This article unveils the secrets to successful interviewing and hiring. http://tc.eserver.org/31710.html http://tc.eserver.org/31710.html Great leaders are not always born that way. Unfortunately, many management training programs don't sufficiently emphasize leadership development, but instead focus on fundamentals and the day-to-day tasks that confront managers within the organization. This article takes a look at how having vision and then communicating it is the foundation of leadership and contributes to the makeup of a truly great leader. http://tc.eserver.org/31713.html http://tc.eserver.org/31713.html The marketplace for technical writers has often been challenging. In difficult economic times when companies seek to slash their budgets, it is often difficult for corporations to understand the need for a technical writer, let alone to understand the need to increase staffing in the documentation department. This article looks at the benefits of hiring technical writers, since their often diverse skill sets can be used across various departments in the organization. http://tc.eserver.org/31714.html http://tc.eserver.org/31714.html When you first ventured into the tech writing ranks, marketing the department was likely the furthest thing from your mind. You already had work to do, so marketing was somebody else's job. http://tc.eserver.org/31717.html http://tc.eserver.org/31717.html This article is a collage of ideas and experiences from some people who've made the leap from writer to manager. Although it's not a step-by-step guideline, it provides some compelling insight as to what individuals might expect as they transition into the management ranks. Even if you are an experienced manager, you might find these ideas helpful. http://tc.eserver.org/31723.html http://tc.eserver.org/31723.html Technical communication managers are often required to prove the worth of their deliverables over and over again. To do this, managers must execute two tasks persistently. First, they must prove the value of documentation to those interested in the bottom line and, second, they must make that value true. The trick to increasing value with internal and external users is to identify areas where documentation can save time and money, to create agreement that the documentation can save time and money, and to ensure that the documentation does save time and money. Find out how. http://tc.eserver.org/31724.html http://tc.eserver.org/31724.html Whether the documentation department has a staff of one or a team of 12, visibility within the company is a frequent concern. The reasons for this concern range from personal to professional. You want to be remembered when promotions and bonuses are handed out. http://tc.eserver.org/31726.html http://tc.eserver.org/31726.html What does it take to start your own technical-writing business? Chutzpa! Insanity! I began mine by getting a loan from my local bank for my first computer to set up a home office. It was a Micron desktop 386, the fastest computer in town! That was nine years ago. I now have a nice office, a sizeable staff, and all the work I can handle, most of the time. http://tc.eserver.org/31732.html http://tc.eserver.org/31732.html Identifying management candidates and training technical communicators before they get promoted to management positions can make for a very smooth and successful transition for both the candidate and the organization. http://tc.eserver.org/31734.html http://tc.eserver.org/31734.html Trying to convince multiple individuals to head in the same direction requires figuring out the mindsets of those multiple people and what it takes to motivate them to follow your lead. The article discusses four "hats" managers may have to wear and which management “hat” works best for each situation. http://tc.eserver.org/31616.html http://tc.eserver.org/31616.html Remembering why you were hired—and identifying whether or not you belong—is just as important as getting the gig. To sustain career and mental health, you must work within your means and know how to navigate ambiguous workplace situations. Using client and project management techniques is one part of the solution. Using your talent is the other. http://tc.eserver.org/31603.html http://tc.eserver.org/31603.html Almost weekly, I talk with a UX designer or researcher who wants to become a manager of a UX team. For some people, this is a good choice. Both they and their teams thrive. But for many, it’s honestly not the right goal, and the end result is that neither they nor their teams are happy. The book Now, Discover Your Strengths [1] suggests that we tend to be good at the things we love doing, and we love activities at which we excel. I find that we do our best work when we’re in a playground. (I’ll explore this idea more in my next column.) Isn’t life too short to pursue a path we don’t enjoy? http://tc.eserver.org/31587.html http://tc.eserver.org/31587.html While surveys aren't the only research tool available to HR managers, they are the most useful one when 'hard' numbers are needed on how many people see things a certain way and when it's important to track differences among subgroups or improvement over time. http://tc.eserver.org/31590.html http://tc.eserver.org/31590.html The entire concept of human "capital" seems to have arisen during the last several years of booming economy and scarce availability of skilled employees. When any resource is scarce, it's valuable. Now with the highest rates of layoffs being announced in the U.S. since 1991, let's hope the mindset of management is not on the order of getting the most out of the human "liabilities" they're forced to retain. http://tc.eserver.org/31546.html http://tc.eserver.org/31546.html Some people seem to thrive on change. How do they do it? How do they manage change in a way that they not only survive, but also excel? They seem to make change work for them. Here are five essentials on how to take your team through times of transition. One of the most significant essentials for success during transition is teambuilding. Leaders who can challenge, motivate and empower their teams through change are successful. http://tc.eserver.org/31533.html http://tc.eserver.org/31533.html There are crucial behaviors important people, successful executives, and true leaders use to move processes and people forward. These behaviors are the key ingredients of leadership. The more of these ingredients leaders take to heart, teach, and expect of others, the more power they will have to achieve their objectives. http://tc.eserver.org/31434.html http://tc.eserver.org/31434.html Employee engagement is certainly one of the hottest of the hot communication topics right now. It can be easily misunderstood as a new communication fad, given the attention it’s being given these days. But the truth is that engagement—winning the hearts and minds of employees—has always been the ultimate goal of effective employee communicators. http://tc.eserver.org/31437.html http://tc.eserver.org/31437.html Engagement. Is it the latest corporate buzzword? Not for serious business leaders who understand the correlation between engaged employees and improved financial performance. They see engagement as a source of competitive advantage. All things equal, they believe, an organization that has engaged employees will outperform one that doesn’t. http://tc.eserver.org/31436.html http://tc.eserver.org/31436.html When considering the issue of employee engagement, communicators need to know what they are dealing with. Engagement is something that plays out on an organization-wide level, so communicators should understand what an organization is. http://tc.eserver.org/31435.html http://tc.eserver.org/31435.html I remember the day I turned on the car radio and found out that my company was merging with a competitor. Over the coming weeks, every employee made mental and emotional decisions on whether to stay engaged with their work and the company, or to just to show up and collect a paycheck. http://tc.eserver.org/31452.html http://tc.eserver.org/31452.html In boom times, companies can be pressured into spending lavishly to please their employees, providing a variety of perks in the belief that happy employees are productive employees. While this may be true, when leaner times come and businesses struggle to grow, the goal of employee satisfaction is put under greater scrutiny. Today, investments in employee-related plans and programmes must do more than satisfy employees. They must be able to provide a measurable return on investment. http://tc.eserver.org/31433.html http://tc.eserver.org/31433.html If you work for a large corporation, you don't have to worry about who handles the invoicing, pays the bills, or manages pesky clients. But if you're a small business owner, all this quickly becomes your concern. Anecdotal evidence suggests that entrepreneurs are increasingly linking up with colleagues to work on specific projects or to create virtual agencies. http://tc.eserver.org/31463.html http://tc.eserver.org/31463.html We’ve all heard stories about people who clicked “send” too soon. But here’s a story you may not have heard. One of our clients described an e-mail message he recently received from upper management at his company. The message had some information about how to request annual leave and plans to landscape the building. The message ended with these words: “By the way, you have a new boss. The product development team’s new director will be James Yang. Margie Esposito, the former director, left last Friday.” Obviously, the cardinal rule of using e-mail as a management tool is “know when to use e-mail.” Some messages, like a sudden change in upper management, should be delivered in person. http://tc.eserver.org/31390.html http://tc.eserver.org/31390.html The announcement ads are everywhere-in magazines, in newspapers and on television. Hundreds of companies, large and small, change their names every year. The Wall Street Journal reports that some 400 to 800 annually make a name change, and these numbers don't include the thousands more that only consider such a move. Why is it that so many corporations are reassessing their names? What spurs them to undertake a procedure that is often painfully emotional, and, in all cases, is time consuming? http://tc.eserver.org/31391.html http://tc.eserver.org/31391.html In the customer's mind, your brand is forever being weighed, measured, compared and tested. To ensure its continued vitality and effectiveness, refresh and reaffirm your brand on a routine basis. The question is: How can you breathe new life into your old brand without reinventing the wheel or busting your budget? Think tagline. http://tc.eserver.org/31303.html http://tc.eserver.org/31303.html As communicators, we are increasingly under the gun to demonstrate the return on investment for our work. But using ROI formulas that attempt to pin down hard financial gains may actually reduce our potential credibility and influence. There's a new language and strategy for communicators that can help us move from being messengers to managers of corporate assets. http://tc.eserver.org/31283.html http://tc.eserver.org/31283.html The communication audit has become a popular tool to measure audience satisfaction with the content and packaging of information. Typically, these audits are designed as surveys and/or focus groups that solicit reactions to important elements of the way that communication is managed, such as choice of media, relevance of topics, frequency and timing of publications and meetings, and the workplace climate. http://tc.eserver.org/31279.html http://tc.eserver.org/31279.html I never had trouble spotting a bad boss—until I would look in a mirror. My hair might have been combed, and my teeth nice and clean, but something was still wrong on the inside—and I didn't see it. In other areas of my professional development, I've been able to treat mistakes and bad decisions as "learning opportunities." The mistakes and bad decisions that I've made as a supervisor or manager haven't been as easy for me to forgive—because it really hurts to hurt people. http://tc.eserver.org/31285.html http://tc.eserver.org/31285.html What quality do employees most want from business leaders? A clear vision of the way ahead, perhaps? A charismatic leadership style? Political or business acumen? Of course, we demand all those qualities in leaders. But a recent piece of research points to a different quality as being the top priority for many employees. http://tc.eserver.org/31282.html http://tc.eserver.org/31282.html Traditionally, a communication audit serves as an assessment of past performance, where the report of results highlight the strengths and weaknesses of internal communication. Based on this analysis, the communication department must determine where to invest its time and resources in the future. http://tc.eserver.org/31280.html http://tc.eserver.org/31280.html While an internal communication audit is enormously valuable, many communicators don't know when one is needed, how it's done or what to do with the results. In fact, communicators who may in the end buy an audit are those who initially call for help wrestling with core communication issues. They want information and informal benchmarking, but they ask questions that foreshadow an audit. http://tc.eserver.org/31256.html http://tc.eserver.org/31256.html With corporate raiders, financial analysts and institutional investors all demanding "performance, performance, performance," CEOs are looking for creative communication executives who can help show that the direction they are taking the enterprise is guaranteed to increase shareholder value. http://tc.eserver.org/31162.html http://tc.eserver.org/31162.html Nowadays, outsourcing seems to be a de facto approach in the IT industry. As a part of the software development process, it seems reasonable to consider technical writing as a candidate for outsourcing. Through this article, I propose to explore the pros, cons, risks, and opportunities for outsourcing your technical documentation. http://tc.eserver.org/31076.html http://tc.eserver.org/31076.html A no-nonsense approach to finding a great tech writer, even when you don't know what to look for. http://tc.eserver.org/30612.html http://tc.eserver.org/30612.html The purpose of this workshop is to introduce attendees to Total Quality Management (TQM) techniques and practices. TQM offers common-sense guidance in the quest for quality. Using the example of an out-of-control technical review cycle, the workshop shows attendees how to better manage the technical review process, resulting in accurate, high-quality documents. http://tc.eserver.org/30615.html http://tc.eserver.org/30615.html Organizations can do many things to vitalize their people. The Information Development organization at the IBM Corporation in Cary, NC, uses a closed-loop process in which we evaluate employee satisfaction, identify problems, and attempt to correct the problems (then reevaluate and so on). Your organization too can use this process to improve your employees' participation, involvement in your quality program, and morale. http://tc.eserver.org/30556.html http://tc.eserver.org/30556.html Since most employees-turned-entrepreneurs have little formal training in finance, they may be less than confident about how to ensure that their finances are in order. Frick shares some of her experiences in learning how to manage her finances for her business. http://tc.eserver.org/30520.html http://tc.eserver.org/30520.html Technology has reduced the need for managers to act as communication conduits. Instead they must add more quality to the work of their employees by wandering among them. Effective wandering means forgetting the telephone, using bull sessions, becoming a fifteen-minute manager, giving employees a vision, and looking at their work. http://tc.eserver.org/30525.html http://tc.eserver.org/30525.html This paper presents some of the challenges and approaches to dealing with corporate downsizing, both from a management and personal viewpoint. It identifies some behavioral characteristics of people experiencing stress due to job instability. In addition, it gives some suggestions for managing your own stress and helping your employees through difficult times. http://tc.eserver.org/30460.html http://tc.eserver.org/30460.html It's important to be able to distinguish between workaholics and people who are simply wrapped up in their work--either because they enjoy it so much or because, temporarily, they have decided to make it a priority to win a promotion or attain the kind of lifestyle that they want. For a workaholic, work is the end, not the means. While it may bring wealth or power, what matters most is simply working. Just as alcoholics drink because they must--not always because they enjoy it--so a workaholic is addicted to working even when there is no rational reason for doing so. http://tc.eserver.org/30456.html http://tc.eserver.org/30456.html Thailand, India, Taiwan, China, and pretty much every other country in the vicinity with an economy worth talking about, is facing heavy capital inflows. In spite of the Rupee appreciation vis-a-vis the dollar, foreign capital inflows have been on the rise. http://tc.eserver.org/30373.html http://tc.eserver.org/30373.html Economic concerns require hiring writers (contract, freelance, and permanent) quickly and surely. Employers can make better use of the resume and interview processes to hire the right writer. In this workshop, managers will analyze resume and participate in a mock-interview process. Further, they will learn how to assess job candidates using four screening tools developed by the presenters in a three-step process designed to provide a means of consistently making the most appropriate selections for job openings. http://tc.eserver.org/30334.html http://tc.eserver.org/30334.html This two-part article looks at the comparative costs of employees versus independent contractors, helps you to classify workers as either independent contractors or employees, and (in the second part) will examine the consequences of misclassification as it affects clients, independent contractors, and third party payers (such as a consulting firm or a contract agency). http://tc.eserver.org/30336.html http://tc.eserver.org/30336.html This article examines some of the consequences of misclassifying workers as independent contractors when they should be treated as employees. http://tc.eserver.org/30204.html http://tc.eserver.org/30204.html Making your objectives specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-based not only focuses the attention of the organization on high priority activities, but it also creates metrics that can be measured and monitored in order to see how well the organization is performing. http://tc.eserver.org/30172.html http://tc.eserver.org/30172.html Strategic planning, the process of determining where you intend to be and how you're going to get there, is essential to the success of any organization. But our assessment of the information development community indicates that the majority of organizations do little or no strategic planning. One reason is that their leaders often don't know what strategic planning is, why it's important, or how to do it. http://tc.eserver.org/30182.html http://tc.eserver.org/30182.html Historically, the only career path communicators had was into management. Today, other options are available such as human factors specialists, usability specialists, instructional designers, and multi-media designers. Understanding the manager S role is key before focusing on that path. Unfortunately, too many communicators take the management path and decide it's not for them. When this happens, it may be too late to refocus on other career options in the ever-changing technological environment. http://tc.eserver.org/30147.html http://tc.eserver.org/30147.html Our roles as technical communicators are often dictated to us by other people. Clients come to us after their product has already been developed, saying, 'I need a manual,' or 'I've written the necessary procedures--just make them look nice. ' It's easy to fall into the trap of just doing what we're told when we're told to do it. http://tc.eserver.org/30152.html http://tc.eserver.org/30152.html To better predict your staffing and schedule needs on future projects, you should keep a record of what you've done in the past. This paper presents a template for one way to formalize such records to ensure consistent reporting and to provide statistics in a way that is meaningful for future estimates. The workshop will present case studies to help you understand how to use the data in this report to estimate and schedule your next project. http://tc.eserver.org/30076.html http://tc.eserver.org/30076.html Leveraging on the success of my business, DocuStar, this paper describes some of the strategies I have used to grow my one-person freelance gig into a business employing over 65 employees on our own premises and servicing over 200 hi-tech companies per year. While the profit margin may not match that of the up-and-coming dotcoms, the needs of the market foretell a solid and ever-growing future within the technical documentation niche. With a strong commitment to hard work, an adventurous excitement for conquest and a paramount and obsessive commitment to quality and integrity, technical writing can certainly be grown into a big business venture. http://tc.eserver.org/29914.html http://tc.eserver.org/29914.html It is possible to survive in a start-up. As new technologies emerge so do start-ups where, more often than not, process and procedures have yet to be implemented. This article takes a look at the three key elements needed for Tech Pubs to survive in a start-up. http://tc.eserver.org/29909.html http://tc.eserver.org/29909.html Many technical communicators and managers find themselves in organizations that have undergone significant reorganization, acquisitions, or mergers. Many of us also work in teams that are distributed worldwide. In such a dynamic, fast-paced environment, we found the SWOT analysis to be a simple, cost-effective tool for gaining insight into the workings of our organization. SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Whether you are a manager, an individual contributor, or someone who wants to improve how your company’s Tech Pubs organization works, you can use SWOT analysis for organizational planning. http://tc.eserver.org/29902.html http://tc.eserver.org/29902.html If the technology 'bubble' and the subsequent economic slowdown have demonstrated nothing else, we are more aware than ever of the need to change with the times, redefine ourselves, and ensure that we're demonstrating maximum value to our company and clients. In the context of the current economy, the more value you can demonstrate, the more likely you will be employed. This paper briefly describes a model for contribution within a technical communication career and provides specific and practical advice for moving toward the most valued, strategic contributions. http://tc.eserver.org/29767.html http://tc.eserver.org/29767.html Social psychology and organization development suggest that virtually all people, and all teams, must deal with conflicting impulses toward effective and ineffective behaviour. Research shows that it is a basic human trait to want to succeed, to be in control, and to avoid embarrassment. Group dynamics research also suggests that teams operate on two dimensions: the task or work dimension, and the social or relationship dimension. High-performing teams pay attention to both the task and social environments. They create an environment that minimizes the occurrence of face-saving and defensive behaviour. This environment is usually characterized by honesty and authenticity, by the use of relevant and verifiable information, and by a willingness to own up to mistakes. http://tc.eserver.org/29772.html http://tc.eserver.org/29772.html In today's environment we often find ourselves drowning in our work. We don't take the time to stop and assess what we are doing. Are there better ways to do what we do? Are we making the biggest and best contribution we can make? Can you manage innovation? This paper will discuss the importance of innovation and one method we used to drive innovation. http://tc.eserver.org/29775.html http://tc.eserver.org/29775.html Making the leap from independent consultant to employer is a complex process. When you become an employer you are no longer dealing with the same tasks that are familiar to you. When we decided to combine our efforts to start a training and documentation consulting company, we overcame difficulties, but made mistakes along the way. If you have been pondering the idea of starting a business, we hope that our experience can better prepare you for becoming a successful employer. http://tc.eserver.org/29783.html http://tc.eserver.org/29783.html Two members of the management team from LSI Logic Storage Systems' Technical Publications Department review how their team developed a vision statement and an information product development process based on that vision statement. The workshop provides participants opportunities to learn about the value of vision statements and production processes as well as to begin developing these materials for their own organizations. Participants will also share ideas on how to maintain process integrity through customer focus, team feedback on product and process quality, and strategic continuous improvement. Participants will receive materials that enable them to draft their own vision statements, information product development processes, and continuous improvement team operating practices. http://tc.eserver.org/29739.html http://tc.eserver.org/29739.html You've secured the budget to produce some badly needed, high visibility deliverables. Part of that budget includes funding for contractors. To help manage and guide the communications between your contractors, your staff, and your management, you want to use your company's best practices. The best practices of the contractor or provider firm you employ should closely match your own company's best practices. Beginning on the "same page" will eliminate headaches and expenses during the lifecycle of the project. A quick comparison of practices and procedures enables you to proceed with the project confident that you are using competent outside resources. http://tc.eserver.org/29640.html http://tc.eserver.org/29640.html Role play activities allow learners to test new skills and apply them to the real world. Effective role-plays must be carefully planned and conducted in order to be effective. This article offers advice on creating and conducting role-play activities, and transferring their learnings to the real world. http://tc.eserver.org/29653.html http://tc.eserver.org/29653.html Every technical communicator must develop a set of management skills appropriate to the task in order to excel as the leader of the communication team. This calls for multiple skills including being part diplomat, part technical expert, part salesman, and part turtle. http://tc.eserver.org/29863.html http://tc.eserver.org/29863.html Every technical communicator, whether controlling a single large project or a dozen small ones, must develop a set of management skills appropriate to the task in order to remain a qualified member of the communication team. This calls for being part diplomat, part technical expert, part salesman, and part rhinoceros. http://tc.eserver.org/29663.html http://tc.eserver.org/29663.html This paper presents a case study of a technical publications department that tested the practicality of JoAnn Hackos’ process maturity model for a small team that experienced both resource cuts and increased workload pressures. The process of initial evaluation in terms of the model helped to identify management goals and actions that increased process maturity. The positive outcomes included both high quality, innovative work and also better structures for worker creativity, productivity, and satisfaction. This success story demonstrates the potential of the model and recommends it for consideration, even by publications groups facing critical challenges. http://tc.eserver.org/29870.html http://tc.eserver.org/29870.html This paper presents strategies for technical communication managers who may be disenchanted with past outsourcing experiences or uncertain about how to make outsourcing relationships work. Research shows that if expectations are not set up front with the service provider or if the manager's in-house team feels threatened, the relationship is likely to fail. In this paper, I focus on reasons for outsourcing, which technical communication tasks to outsource, what to consider when choosing a service provider, and ways to prepare for and support an outsourcing relationship so that it results in a phenomenal--rather than a nightmarish--experience. http://tc.eserver.org/29594.html http://tc.eserver.org/29594.html With revenue flattening, David Galbenski needed a bold new plan. But was outsourcing everything to India really the right move? Darren Dahl speaks to some of the complexities in outsourcing legal work overseas. http://tc.eserver.org/29404.html http://tc.eserver.org/29404.html What follows is the abridged version of the list of mistakes I have assembled in this manner over the last thirteen years of watching Technical Leads get it wrong. It is my contention that if you can just avoid making these mistakes, you are well on your way to doing a good job as a Technical Lead. http://tc.eserver.org/29373.html http://tc.eserver.org/29373.html If you have ever been forced to deal with business types who have no technical know-how, then you know how these types can work against IT's progress. Here's how to improve your business/IT communication by concentrating on the strategic goals. http://tc.eserver.org/29371.html http://tc.eserver.org/29371.html Delivering project reports in radically different formats gave the client a bad impression of this consulting firm. Here's how the staff remedied the situation and learned from their mistake. http://tc.eserver.org/29366.html http://tc.eserver.org/29366.html Moving into management is tempting to many IT pros. But before jumping into a position you're not ready for, there are a few issues you need to examine. Review these five steps and decide if you're prepared to move successfully into management nirvana. http://tc.eserver.org/29363.html http://tc.eserver.org/29363.html It's tempting to fill your early days as an IT manager by focusing on problems in your comfort zone: the technical side. But to be effective, you'll have to learn to balance managing your team and attending to technical problems. http://tc.eserver.org/29369.html http://tc.eserver.org/29369.html Avoid looking too closely at the details when taking on a project. http://tc.eserver.org/29341.html http://tc.eserver.org/29341.html A CEO is enamored with technology but doesn't understand the issues involved in implementing his time- and money-hungry IT ideas. What would you do to solve this problem? http://tc.eserver.org/29346.html http://tc.eserver.org/29346.html Traditional approaches to management won't work with knowledge workers, who are brilliant yet notoriously resistant to being managed. http://tc.eserver.org/29348.html http://tc.eserver.org/29348.html You may not have the time to read or the money to burn on analysts' reports, but adopting a technical mentor can help you keep your skills fresh. Here are the pros and cons of making the move. http://tc.eserver.org/29332.html http://tc.eserver.org/29332.html This article offers tips for project and development managers hiring a technical writer to document a software development project. http://tc.eserver.org/29347.html http://tc.eserver.org/29347.html What do you do about those intelligent and talented employees who are simply unable to finish anything? These are the people who are seemingly paralyzed by ambiguity and are incapable of moving forward until every possible question has been answered. Paul Glen has some advice. http://tc.eserver.org/29108.html http://tc.eserver.org/29108.html Is there a difference in the dominant leadership style between technical and non-technical superiors? Which leadership style of superiors will give their subordinates more freedom on the job? By using House's Path-Goal Model [1] in a study involving a survey of subordinates of 100 technical and 100 non-technical companies in Singapore, I found that technical superiors tend to adopt a supportive leadership style, while non-technical superiors adopt a more achievement-oriented one. This manifests in significant differences between the two kinds of superiors in the extent of the leader's position power (formal authority), the degree of autonomy subordinates want, and the extent subordinates control their goal achievements. http://tc.eserver.org/28942.html http://tc.eserver.org/28942.html Every designer faces a choice at some point in their career -- to manage or not to manage. Erin Malone helps you walk through the questions you need to make that choice. http://tc.eserver.org/28591.html http://tc.eserver.org/28591.html When a company wants to make a certain segment of the organization better, usually they 'throw more money at it' and hire more employees. The problem with doing this for a UX team is that people with overlapping skills and ideas usually end up hindering user-centered design rather than helping. Conflicting design decisions will soon turn into a design by committee situation that won't help the consumer nor expose individual expertise (Brown 2004). User experience groups need to be flexible, agile, and scalable, and should only expand if the projects they work on are sufficiently large. The following is an overview of skills and disciplines needed for a successful user experience group. http://tc.eserver.org/28557.html http://tc.eserver.org/28557.html As technical publications groups are finding themselves thrust upon the main stage of the global economy, they face new demands such as reconstituting themselves internally and resituating themselves in their wider organizations. Read on for ideas about how to incorporate content management (CM) into the process. http://tc.eserver.org/28505.html http://tc.eserver.org/28505.html When you're using enterprise software to help run your organization, the software vendor becomes a key ally--and the right relationship may be as important as features or price. Steve Lancman and Steve Heye recommend methods for comparing the intangible aspects of vendor services. http://tc.eserver.org/28402.html http://tc.eserver.org/28402.html To use freelance talent effectively it's important to know your strenghts and weaknesses, to be aware of the risks and have contingencies to handle when things go wrong. http://tc.eserver.org/28401.html http://tc.eserver.org/28401.html A 10-step guide to setting up a web design or development business. I won't go into all the general stuff about running a business (although some of this info is relevant whatever you do). I'll keep it focused on how you can quickly start doing good work and earning real money. http://tc.eserver.org/28371.html http://tc.eserver.org/28371.html As much as you may try to avoid it, conflict among your employees is bound to rear its ugly head from time to time. While you may not be able to resolve all conflicts, with the right approach, you can manage many of them. http://tc.eserver.org/28224.html http://tc.eserver.org/28224.html If you think accountants are boring, you are so very wrong. Accountants can be comical, scary, amusingly threatening and sometimes also really smart. http://tc.eserver.org/28225.html http://tc.eserver.org/28225.html Setting up a company in Japan as a foreigner isn't as difficult as you might guess. Of course, it helped that I knew some things about Japan, and starting off--before I started off. http://tc.eserver.org/27978.html http://tc.eserver.org/27978.html Project management principles that can easily be applied to working as a documentation manager. http://tc.eserver.org/27977.html http://tc.eserver.org/27977.html It is quite challenging for a manager to integrate a diverse group of intelligent and creative professionals into a single, cohesive unit. As much as you may try to avoid it, conflict among your employees is bound to rear its ugly head from time to time. http://tc.eserver.org/27870.html http://tc.eserver.org/27870.html The author discusses how managers can best prepare for an interview to ensure that the perfect candidate for the job is selected. The article also includes charts that can be used to assess a candidateï¿ï¿ï¿s performance in key areas such as tool skill level, knowledge of online help, and analytical ability. http://tc.eserver.org/27873.html http://tc.eserver.org/27873.html Kaizen is a Japanese phrase that means 'continuous improvement' and has long been used by Japanese managers. Find out how to apply this style to your work as a technical communicator and how kaizen can also be used effectively when working in a team. http://tc.eserver.org/27871.html http://tc.eserver.org/27871.html Managing a team of employees who are located around the world can be challenging. Discover how to efficiently and effectively work to create the highest level of output. http://tc.eserver.org/27837.html http://tc.eserver.org/27837.html Conventional wisdom defines business success largely by company size; the steeper the growth curve, the better. But is this model appropriate for freelancers? Most freelancers in publishing work independently; the amount of work we can accept is limited by the number of hours we can work and how many pages we can edit, proofread, or index per hour. For this reason, if we cultivate too many clients, we’re forced to turn down projects we’d like to accept. On the other hand, few freelancers have arrangements for receiving regular, predictable assignments from clients. http://tc.eserver.org/27561.html http://tc.eserver.org/27561.html As an agile coach, I get the opportunity to facilitate many teams’ first iteration planning meeting. Now these meetings do start out like typical meetings, with everyone sitting around a table and one person talking. But as the meeting progresses and discussions begin around the work, it can begin to look like chaos to an outsider. What I didn’t realize however, until recently, was that it can also look like chaos to some of the insiders as well!