Vendors as Allies: How to Evaluate Viability, Service, and Commitment

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.

Heye, Steve and Steve Lancman. IdealWare (2007). Careers>Management

Vitalize Your People  

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.

Dean, Morris, Marva L. Richey, and Karl D. von Gunten. STC Proceedings (1993). Careers>Management>Collaboration

Wearer of Many Hats: One Management Style Does Not Fit All

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.

Young, Jeffrey R. Writing Assistance (2007). Careers>Management>Collaboration

What Does a Manager Do Anyway?  

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.

Coffee, Mary K., Jean M. Jahnke and Sarah C. Yeo. STC Proceedings (1995). Careers>Management>TC

What CEOs Want—and Need—from Their Communication Executives

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.

Shulman, Barry. Communication World Bulletin (2007). Careers>Management>Business Communication

What DOES a Manager Do Anyway?  

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.

Coffee, Mary K., Jean M. Jahnke and Sarah C. Yeo. STC Proceedings (1997). Careers>Management>TC

What DOES a Manager Do Anyway?  

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.

Coffee, Mary K., Jean M. Jahnke and Sarah C. Yeo. STC Proceedings (1996). Careers>Management>TC

What Does Reengineering Mean?  

In their book Reengineering the Corporation, Michael Hammer and James Champy describe reengineering as 'the radical redesign of a company’s processes, organization and culture.' This presentation describes the conceptual framework of reengineering, relates reengineering to the work of technical communicators and calls on technical communicators to take leading roles in reengineering their own organizations.

Janicko, Raymond P. STC Proceedings (1994). Careers>TC>Management

What's to Become of the Tech Pubs Department? Technical Communication and Content Management  

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.

Boiko, Bob. Intercom (2007). Careers>TC>Management>Content Management

When It's Time to Get Serious About Internal Communication, Lay the Foundation with an Audit

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.

Gordon, Greg. Communication World Bulletin (2007). Careers>Management>Communication

When You and Your Employee Clash: Clarifying Expectations

Will you have to fire this employee? Maybe. First make sure that she understands your expectations and the requirements of the position. Start fresh, and give her the opportunity to perform the duties you define to the level you require. Set specific, measurable goals for her to accomplish, and set a date to evaluate her progress. If she still doesn't meet your expectations, accept the fact that this was simply not a good match and give her — as an applicant once described his termination — 'the green light to pursue other opportunities.'

Cormier, Robin A. Editorial Eye, The (1998). Careers>Management

Which New Regulatory Changes Will Most Impact Outsourcing Contracts, and How?

In the last two years, more than 300 state bills were introduced directly targeting outsourcing. While the 12 bills that made it into law will impact government contracting most directly, certain pending legislation, if enacted, may force providers to have onshore operations for purposes of providing certain services or handling certain data.

Hirshman, Neil. Outsourcing Institute, The (2006). Careers>Management>Outsourcing>Contracts

Why Did You Hire Me?

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.

LaFerriere, Keith. List Apart, A (2008). Careers>Advice>Project Management

Word Power: Implications for Minority Managerial Candidates  

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.

Nealy, Chynette and Carolyn Ashe. Association for Business Communication (2008). Careers>Management

Write Stuff: Hiring Winners  

You can take the subjective guesswork out of hiring by carefully analyzing a job’s tasks and creating a structured interview. With a consistent interviewing style and the use of good evaluation tools, you will be able to find the best candidate for the job. This progression topic will provide you with some tools to use for job analysis, interview development, and candidate selection.

Jensen, Susan M. STC Proceedings (1995). Careers>Interviewing>Management

Your Next Job: Creating Your Next Company  

At a time when the economy is in recession, it may seem foolish to launch a new company. On the other hand, at such a time who better than you should be in control of your career and your financial fortunes? Starting a new company is one way to be certain you will always have a job. In fact it’s a great way to ensure that you’ll have two or three jobs, most of which technical communicators are well qualified to do.

McCarthy, Dennis M. STC Proceedings (2002). Careers>Freelance>Management

Effective Leadership Through Change

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.

Harris, Kerri. TechCom Manager (2006). Careers>Management

Starting a Technical Writing Business from Scratch

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.

Nickolich, Ruth. TechCom Manager (2006). Careers>Management>Writing>Technical Writing

Managing Conflict

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.

Harris, Kerri. TechCom Manager (2005). Careers>Management>Collaboration

Hiring Contract Technical Writers

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.

Hartmann, Scott. TechCom Manager (2005). Careers>Management>Writing>Technical Writing

Launching into a Writing Project -- Tips for New Writers

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.

Potsus, Whitney Beth. TechCom Manager (2005). Careers>Management>Writing

Five Secrets to Successful Interviewing and Hiring

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.

O'Keefe, Karen. TechCom Manager (2004). Careers>Management>Interviewing

Top 10 Interview Tips

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.

O'Keefe, Karen. TechCom Manager (2004). Careers>Management>Interviewing

Making the Transition from Technical Writer to Manager

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.

Capri, Steve. TechCom Manager (2004). Careers>Management>TC