argh. workplace aggravations.

[saffronhare]

I hate being middle management.



Most of you already know I work in a marketing agency. Right about the time I came in, we were transitioning from an independently owned, mostly working for nonprofit clients sort of operation. Very successful, but very much operating with a nonprofit mindset, if that makes any sense. People care a whole lot around here, and that's not necessarily a bad thing.

But we've been shifting more towards an agency model in recent years, and not everyone is functioning well with that paradigm.

Take one of my writers. Please.

She's a very talented writer. I don't dispute that. For one specific, large-scale client, she's exactly what they want. She doesn't complain about working late; she cares about the clients and their success. But she cannot prioritize and work with those priorities, she cannot seem to *produce* work under tight deadlines, and she doesn't seem to be able to shift gears to write for a wide variety of client "voices." She holds onto things, revising them to death, until the rest of the team (particularly design and production) are squeezed for time. And she hides work on her desk -- stuff that was due a while ago, but she sets aside because somebody is in her face, asking for something less important, or because she feels like she *should* be able to get it done herself.

Add to that the cycle of expansion and contraction in agency staffing when clients come and go, and you've got a very vulnerable employee. I can't afford to lose a writer, but if another Black Day of Layoffs comes, I can guarantee that her head will be on the block and there's not a darn thing I'll be able to do about it.

I keep mentioning my concerns (informally and in reviews) that her job is more than just writing -- it's about producing, and functioning as a member of the agency team that needs creative not to spend more time on something than we're going to bill, etc. I keep having her check in with me to set priorities in the morning and check in with her about it (and redirect her, usually) in the early afternoon. I do not enjoy being the kind of manager who constantly oversees somebody's work. It's a "gotcha" style that I don't think is healthy for my department or my relationship with her, and it steals time from my own productivity.

But if I don't micromanage, she slides into old habits and doesn't deliver. And delivery is what's visible. Delivery is what I'm accountable for. I can only go so far in evaluating her work in terms of talent or commitment or effort. I have to look at objective measurements. And right now, she's just not delivering on objectives. Gah.

Comments

So, you are the momma, after all ;-)

[teross50.livejournal.com]

Some days being the HBIC, can be a real pain the ass,no? It is sad, with her talent, that she also needs a mommy to keep her on track, to get her homework done in a timely fashion.
Hugs for the consternation she causes for you.
T

Re: So, you are the momma, after all ;-)

[saffronhare.livejournal.com]

It's possible that if she were younger then I could use some Mommy stuff on her -- though I don't really think that sort of dynamic is at all helpful in the workplace. But she's old enough (and older enough than me) that she's very set in her ways and resists any change...both consciously and unconsciously.

[celticwhistlin.livejournal.com]

What I have found (In my long *2* years as a manager that you helped me get) is that different people have different needs. As a manager, you have to adapt your style to those people until 1) you can get them to respond to your prefered management style even if the behaviour is still the same 2) you can get rid of them completly and get someone who fits more into your managment style 3) they change the behaviour so that you aren't haveing to poke them all the time.

I don't know if any of those are an option right now. I understand how frustrating it can be.

[saffronhare.livejournal.com]

That's an excellent reminder. Thank you!