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poptart


Coach

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Desperately need advice - long!
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I could really use some advice - TIA.


I'm an editor for a small company, and I work pretty independently. The one person I do work closely with is our marketing manager - she's a one-person department, just like me. She and I are "friends" - work friends who occasionally get together outside of work. I really like her as a person, but our work styles are *completely* different, and I'm not sure how to address two problems I'm currently facing with her, which are:


1. She and I both work on proposals that our firm sends out, which means we both coordinate with project managers and do the design/layout, but only I can edit them. So usually our project managers will come either to her or to me, and either that person will just do it, or we'll talk to the other and divide up the work. But before the proposals go out the door, I absolutely MUST see them (to edit them). She should see them, but it's not always as critical b/c sometimes it's just the same old thing. Anyway, usually our system is fine, but when we're busy, it sucks. (For what I think are obvious reasons - people don't know who's doing what, there's rework, etc.) But for me, the main reason it sucks is that I am a super-organized person, I like very very clear communication and clear division of labor. I'm very precise that way. When she is coordinating putting something together, it seems like it is really disorganized. Sometimes, she will take things on and then not have time to finish them, so I have to pick up where she left off and put things together and it's just a mess and not the way I would like to do it. So, I think that every project that comes in should either be mine, or hers - and whichever one of us "owns" it should do ALL of the work - coordinating with project managers, putting together the text and layout, etc. Then she can review if she wants, I can edit, and we can send them out.


2. She creates new work, and then forgets to give it to me for review, and then sends it out or gives it to other people in the office, and then they are like "Umm, there's a huge typo on page 1." And I look bad, b/c of course everyone assumes I have edited it!


So my question is: how can I approach this? Obviously, I need to tell her that I think we need to have a better system for the proposals and that she needs to make sure I review everything. But, she is a super-sensitive person, and I don't want to hurt her feelings. Maybe it would be better if I just talked with her boss and let him talk to her? I think we could find a way where she wouldn't know I had talked to him. What do you all think?



-- Edited by Lisa at 11:36, 2005-06-28

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scarlett


Marc Jacobs

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this does sound very aggravating.  i used to work as an editor/copywriter myself and have vivid memories of similar situations, as well as times when people changed copy after i'd seen it and of course wrote with major mis-spellings or grammatical errors, which resulted in me looking like the dumb ass.


but i digress!  my first piece of advice is to try to ignore your friendship with your co-worker as you handle this.  not to be mean, but to remember that you're there to work and whatever makes your work day more unpleasant must be dealt with.  if you speak with her about this yourself, try couching it in a positive light.  for example, "i've noticed these projects go so well when we divide them between us right off the bat," and give an example of one that worked well.  then suggest that you divide them between the two of you, just as you outlined in your post above, and reinforce that you think it will help things run more smoothly.


does your company place a lot of emphasis on "process"?  mine does, and whenever we change how we do things we have to have process meetings.  they're a big pain.  you may need to talk with your supervisors before changing anything -- if you do, try to have this all worked out between the two of you with agreement on how it will work before you speak to them.


another idea: can your project managers just be told to bring everything to you first?  is that how you'd like it to work? 



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esquiress


Marc Jacobs

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IF, and this is a big if, you can talk to her boss w/o her ever finding out you did so, that might be the best option.  I just fear that no matter how nice you try to say it, you're basically telling her she's disorganized and if she's supersensitive she may feel hurt and in turn get defensive on you and then the whole thing will snowball.


oh here's another big if, if her boss (or your boss too for that matter) won't think less of you (for "tattling" or whatever), then you should definitely talk to him.


However, if she might find out and if her boss will be annoyed that you talked to him, i'd just try to make sure you get everything first and hound her to make sure she give everything to you for editing--she'll probably think you're anal and micromanaging, but whatever, you do what you gotta do.



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Karina


Chanel

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I would approach her about it first before going over her head and going straight to your boss.  See if there is anyway you and her can "own" your work, and you have no final responsibility to a project of hers and vice versa. 

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poptart


Coach

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Thanks, girls. I think I am going to approach her first - it feels better to me, just b/c I'm pretty direct. I think going to her boss would make me feel sneaky, and I don't want that.

Thanks for listening and giving me your opinions--

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