The Buck Stops Where?
Had an interesting situation a while back with a client in which I was told that because I wasn’t around to answer questions, this person missed his deadline. The scenario briefly – an article I wrote and handed a week before this particular request came in. Since we’d pushed back on the deadline a few times, I had no idea when the copy deadline was. Given that this was a piece that the editor said was finished in his book, I went about my other business. I also went out of town for a few days. Imagine my surprise when I returned to an accusation – because of my absence, the publication missed deadline.
Does anyone else think that the blame for that doesn’t quite rest with me? It’s true I didn’t communicate my absence. However, it’s also true I was told the article was finished. Nowhere was the deadline even brought up. I did drop that client after a while because there seemed to be a pattern of mildly blaming behavior developing. Yet it does occur that those higher up the food chain can occasionally pass along blame for their own miscommunication or lack thereof.
I bring this up because a current client situation is strikingly similar. However in this case, I’m taking a less passive stance. Instead of expecting the communication to start flowing like honey from a hive, I’m initiating it. I see it as a need – I need to know deadlines. I need to know when this particular client is really signing off a piece. I’m making sure now that the communication is clear and that both of us understand the process. I don’t like doing the job of someone else, but lacking that person’s communicating what’s expected, I’m doing so. It’s for the good of future projects, and it may just help someone who could use a better system of dealing with writers do just that. Am I wrong to assert myself in this way? Frankly, I don’t see it as wrong, and I don’t care. It’s not about feelings and politics and pecking order. It’s about doing the job.
It’s not wrong at all. It’s good business.
I think your new approach is very smart. I tend to be a workaholic–so I check my email and voice mail even when I’m away. But your approach is solid, too. CYA, if you know what I mean.
I agree with writingforfood. In fact, CYA is the first thing I thought of. As a former Admin Asst., I have to say that as low woman on the totem pole, far too many times I got the “Blame” for others lack of communication. I don’t think this is a situation that just writers are prone to. The corporate world is notorious for the higher-ups passing the buck for the little people to take the fall. That’s one of my MAJOR reasons for getting out of that world. Before I left, I always did a CYA. I documented every email correspondance, and even emailed them to my home email. I got burned one too many times that I wised up. In this field, I am finding that our reputation as writers is all we have. We have to do everything to protect it.