Who Do You Think You Are?
Its one thing to do whatever you can to maintain a positive attitude if you tend towards the negative, especially if you’re struggling to be successful. It is an entirely different deal if you’re already successful yet you’ve accomplished it, or are maintaining it, at the hands of other people.
Let’s say you’ve hired some freelance writers. Folks who make their living ghostwriting for others, including you. I can’t imagine you’re so dense you don’t realize that some of these fine people aren’t only writing for you but are also writing for others and possibly themselves too.
They entered into this deal with the full knowledge of what comes with the territory so there is a level of responsibility they’ve accepted. You did the same on your end.
But, they’re not perfect and neither are you! Specifically, one of them doesn’t know each and every aspect of the inner workings of this Blogging platform Wordpress. She becomes a bit overwhelmed or perhaps becomes very tired and decides to do what it takes to take some time off i.e. she writes an entry and publishes it with a time stamp in the future. Unfortunately she lacks the knowledge that once the entry is added it’s pinged.
And you go off on her in a loud and obnoxious email about all that “super” important traffic you’ll be missing??? Good grief!!! Who do you think you are???
If you’re one of those folks who’ve been on the receiving end of a tirade like this, please, do yourself a huge favor. Visit a forum like Digital Point or Sitepoint or the Warrior Forum (or one of many others), and politely, within the rules, inform the large memberships there of the actions of jerks like these. People who make unreasonable demands or belittle or demean folks who work hard yet aren’t perfect, deserve to be called out on their crap. Dictatorships have no place in business just like they have no place in a free world, if you’re fortunate enough to live in a free world.
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9 opinions for Who Do You Think You Are?
raj
Jul 11, 2007 at 4:59 pm
Are you sure about that? I future-date my entries in WordPress on occasion and have a few writers do that, too, and have not had any problems.
Anyway, what you are suggesting is libel. Not very good advice, if they can’t prove it.
mark
Jul 11, 2007 at 5:33 pm
Oh fer Chrissakes - the libel police! Is there anything you misunderstood about “politely, within the rules,” raj or did that escape you? Anyway - libel is when someone “unjustly seeks to damage someone’s reputation.” Don’t spit just for the sake of spitting, you sound like Feldman.
BTW - here is the thread about future timestamps from the WordPress support forum, to answer your first question.
mark
Jul 11, 2007 at 5:57 pm
I Repeat:
“People who make unreasonable demands or belittle or demean folks who work hard yet aren’t perfect, deserve to be called out on their crap. Dictatorships have no place in business just like they have no place in a free world, if you’re fortunate enough to live in a free world.”
And I won’t back down… pc or not.
raj
Jul 11, 2007 at 7:57 pm
Wow, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed. I didn’t disagree with your concept, having had to put up with lots of really stupid bosses in my lifetime, who took things out on me. But I don’t agree with your suggestion. I’m allowed my opinion, just like you’re allowed to get angry about what you think I said.
Mark
Jul 12, 2007 at 5:54 am
Hey Raj,
You’re right - I was overboard and I’m sorry. I’m just sick and tired of all this giving in to these types of people because we’re scared of “lawsuits.” You’re opinion struck me the wrong way.
I just finished reading Bernard Goldberg’s “100 People Who Are Screwing Up America.” It is laced through and through with these types and is a great read. I probably shouldn’t have put it down right before I read your comment, sorry again.
raj
Jul 12, 2007 at 6:05 am
No problem. It takes a “big” person to apologize, but I wasn’t really offended. I recognized your passion, and I quit working in the “real” world because of jerk bosses.
I really do know how you feel. The thing that I learned the hard way, over many years, is that sometimes people are stuck into a “being a jerk” pattern without knowing it, for a variety of personal reasons. Sometimes they need forgiveness more than anything else. But it doesn’t help you if you’re on the receiving end of their behavior. So it’s tough to feel that forgiveness.
raj
Jul 13, 2007 at 12:36 pm
Here’s an interesting possible alternative: CoWorkers.com, written about at Mashable:
http://mashable.com/2007/07/12/coworkers/
Mark
Jul 13, 2007 at 5:31 pm
That looks real good raj, thanks for the motivation…
Live, Honest, Free Commenting Has Positive Results
Jul 13, 2007 at 6:21 pm
[…] as it may be, I believe this exchange between Raj and myself is indicative of the truth behind commenting live, honestly and for […]
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