Posted by TexasChic on January 14, 2007, at 14:45:04
I had a hellish week this past week. It was our really busy time (I worked 12-14 hours every day) and my emotions ranged from: anger to fear to pride to anxiety to hopelessness to relief. It would be way too much to write all that's happened, but lets just say I steamed with anger, cried in frustration, at one point thought I was about get fired, and the rest just consisted of my own fears and limitations and my inability to stand up and take charge.
Now, after much thought, and the knowledge that my boss wants to work with me and not fire me, I feel I'm going to have to sit down with her and explain some things. Its going to involve me having to stand up to her and convince her that what I need is basically for her to stay out of my job and trust me to do it. She freaks out because she thinks things aren't going to get done and steps in and makes things a complete mess for me! How do you explain that what they did made you screw up?
I realize a lot of this has to do with her previous incompetent employee. She doesn't know enough about the work of a graphic artist to realize I am nowhere near the same (or even how bad the girl before me was). She wants me to sit down and train with people that come to me with questions because they know I have more knowledge! It seems only others in my position can see and understand my competence.
I have run into this problem many times in my job. Unless you are in a really creative environment that has an Art Director who supervises all the artists, then you usually have a management type person who knows nothing about how your job is done. They never know how long it will take to do something, or what is easy and what is difficult. Its just the way it is.
So wish me luck! Hopefully I can find the right words that will make her understand and not insult her or have her think I'm making excuses. It won't be easy. Send me 'ability to be tactful' vibes!
-T
poster:TexasChic
thread:722233
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20070112/msgs/722233.html