Drunk with Editorial Power!!!
I spent yesterday (and most likely today) doing mundane graphical work. It's a series of paper forms that need to get condensed and rebuilt. It's a rush job for another manager here. The forms have to get done under a tight deadline so I am doing what he cannot, I have 15 years as a graphic designer.
My problem is not with the form but with the guy. He has Art Director Disease. It's pretty serious.
He calls me throughout the day, making changes to the multiple forms, moving lines about, changing the size of boxes, trying to get things to line up. Alot of the boxes are a certain size because they need room for the person filling them...say "Address" needs more room than "First Name"
He can not see the functionality and cant get past his desire for extreme symtry and order. He makes changes to already completed (and approved) forms...just to make changes.
I've worked for plenty of real Art Director that are just as bad. Because they arent doing the work, they feel they need to at least have it arbitraily altered, so that they can feel involved. They use words that mean nothing, to describe their vision (which is never really a vision, but a hopeful plea for success to shine on their backside)
Thats part of the game and I can deal with that. This guy walks in and stands over my shoulder watching me rearrange text. Thats so not cool. I r4eally despise that....
8 comments:
I confess: I can be one of those guys who meddles, maybe not at the degree of this person, but just the same...
I wonder if a liberal arts education would make these type of people better or worse. Would they be more dangerous with a little bit of knowledge gained from Art Appreciation or Drawing 101 than without it? My sense is their confidence and resolve in themselves would be stronger while their talent would be about the same.
Can you share your concerns with him?
It's more than meddling or wanting something to look as good as it can. It's screwing with something that is already working, when we still have tons to do to meet the deadline.
He keeps coming in and saying, 'this part is important, lets make it bold' so now nearly every bit of type on these forms is bold.
The other sin is that he saves his changes and requests for 5pm. I've killed a few people for doing that to me. Get your shit to me early, and I'll pull a rabbit out of a hat. Wait til 5, and I'll hurt you.
"I noticed yesterday you gave me changes at 5 pm. I also noticed that there are times you stand behind me and look over my shoulder while I'm making changes.
That upsets me - for a variety of reasons. And when that happens, I feel like you don't trust my judgement and experience and I feel disrespected - as if my time isn't valued.
In order for you to get the best from me, I need to know you trust my judgement and respect my time.
So can we discuss how, in the future, you can demonstrate that?"
Observation
Feeling
Needs
Request
It really does work. Give it a shot.
Although you probably weren't looking for advice here as much as empathy.
So to that I say:
Yeah, that Art Director Disease thing ... that totally sucks.
Jenna, sooo dead on.
I'm in a situation where we deal with a product exclusively 99.9% of the time, a product our 'Director' admittantly rarely even views. Yet he makes the final decision on issues that are critical to our product.
talk about frustration.
Jenne
thanks for your advice...i dont work with this guy very often, I said something similar to him when I first started working here a year ago. He's a big bully kind of guy and he threw a hissy fit with these big eyes and turned red when I told him what I thought...i think maybe thats why he hasnt asked me to help him in a year.
I really like your mentality with this whole thing and I'll try to apply to this situation if he tries to come back for more.
Well do THAT again ... if you only have to deal with him once a year or so that's not so bad!
Try this:
Buddy, I have two rules. Rule number one: Make It Perfect. Rule number two: Make It Done. In an ideal world you get both.
What world are we in right now?
geez I'd so get fired in that situation... every time he'd read over my shoulder I'd get up and move out of his way, "Gosh I don't take direction in my ear well, why don't you do what you need done while I go get a drink of water. Let me know when I can have my desk back. Thanks," and I'm sure that wouldn't go over well.
Or disgustingly sweet, "Gosh your changes are so good, I don't know why you ever asked me for any help... you're really much better at this than you give yourself credit for... yeah you've really got it handled much better than I ever could. Here ya go," and hand him the project back. yeah, I'd sooooo get fired.
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