Expert: LizaL - 11/3/2004

Question
Hi Lisa,

Thank you so much for your note.   I really appreciate everything you said.  It is very easy to
throw stones and that is not something I want to do.

I do have the benefit of having a history and have having done some really good work for these
guys before.   I do not want to resign because it seems like a really drama queen like thing to do.
However, I do want to point out to them that I do have some concerns around the way the
pictures are being scanned and how it might impact upon their final project without pointing
fingers.  Since they know that I have very high standards for my work, I don't have to point
fingers...they would know it is the other guy.

The one difficult factor in this is that this is a police organization.  The Film production company
is a mixture of policemembers and civilian members but the executive is largely police officers
and the partner I am working with happens to be a senior police detective.

I don't need to tell you that the boys in blue do tend to stick together pretty tightly.  I am not a
police member. I am a member of the public who they have accepted into their organization and
whom has earned their trust - something I can tell you is NOT easy to do.

This detective has already gone behind my back and made comments about how there were
problems with the scanner (he was referring to me scanning the pictures in incorrectly according
to him).  I am not sure how he actually phrased it when he talked to them.  He also made it very
clear in his next meeting with me that he had talked to one of the members of the executive
(also a police officer) and made it clear that he talks to them quite often.   

So  I feel this knife in my back and yet I dont' want to do the same because I want to maintain my
level of professionalism.   I think this guy is on some kind of a power trip.

One other thing - last year - this group of police officers (excluding this one fellow I am
partnered with now) gave me bundles of photos of private police officers family photos to use in
this annual video (nothing dirty - just baby photos, growing up, entering the police academy and
their time with the department). I was allowed to take these pictures to my home where I very
carefully kept them seperated, scanned them in and then returned them all.

This year, this detective told me that I would not be able to take a single photo out of the office
then gives me a lecture about how policemen don't trust anybody with their photos ! whatever.
They trusted me fine last year.  I was even given museum photos that were signed out on the
names of two police officers.  They were also returned fully intact and not a single photo
missing.

I guess I just feel very insulted and disrespected. I have tried to remain pleasant and polite to this
man but it gets more and more difficult and now I honestly just want to pull out of the project.
I volunteer for this production company because I a really enjoyed working for them.   After that
loser of a detective made me rescan in 8 hours worth of photos because he didn't like the file
size and even worse, had me scan them into Photoshop elements - a program I NEVER use, I felt
it was a complete waste of my time, not to mention an insult to me.

I just don't want my name associated with the shoddy work that is going to come about because
of this guys involvement.  I don't care how much of my time was involved.  I did make a
comittment to the project though and that is what keeps sticking in my mind.  

Jessica




-------------------------
Followup To
Question -
Hi there,

For the past two years, I have been doing some work for a local
film production company to help me gain some experience in
the business and build my portfolio.  I have been given some
excellent opportunities and have really enjoyed the work.  I have
worked on 4 projects for this company, including scanning in
dozens of stills and some museum archived photos for videos.  
The Executives of this production company have been extremely
pleased with my work and recently asked me to assist on
another project which I had been looking forward to for some
time.  It involved scanning in dozens of photos and then fixing
them in photoshop.

However, wheras in the past, I had always worked
independently, this time I would be working with a partner.  
From the very beginning, this guy has challenged almost
everything I have said.  He asked me for the specifications from
last years projects which I gladly gave him and then kept arguing
with me about them (i.e. scan all images at high res - nothing
less than 400 dpi, save as Tiffs, all images have to be 1000 x
1000 pixels minimum in size etc).   He continually scans them in
at 200 dpi, ignores the Tiff and says what difference does it
make ....complains that it makes the files too big etc etc. and on
and on and on.

He has taken control of all the photos (last year I was simply
given them all to take with me).  Now I am given them like dog
biscuits.    

Then he decided that he wanted me to rescan all the photos I
had done into Photoshop elements as both Tiffs and  Jpegs
because what I had scanned in was "too big" !  That's the way I
had done it last year and - after all, it is my Powerbook that I am
scanning them into so why should it matter ?

I have really enjoyed working with this film production company
and have worked very hard to build up a good working
relationship with them as well as put in dozens of hours of very
hard work for them.

I have another 6 hour session with this "partner" tomorrow and
to be honest, I feel it is a complete waste of time.  I am very
close to withdrawing from the project but wonder if it would be
in poor form for me to go to primary executive and explain what
is going on ?

What would you suggest ?

I do not want to damage my credibility with this film company
but I am getting extremely angry and stressed about the thought
of spending another 6 hours working with this guy...wasting my
time and the companys time.

Jessica
Answer -
Hi Jessica,

I sure do empathize with you. I know it sounds trite, but I've been there, and I know entirely what
you're dealing with, and it isn't fun.

So with that, I put myself into your situation and thought, "What would I do if that were
happening to me (again)?"

From my experience in the work force, I don't think it would do any good for you to confront
your partner. He sounds as if he'd react in a very hostile, defensive and self-serving manner. So
no, I don't think you would be in poor form to go to the primary executive and explain.

One thing I've learned from my 20 years as a designer, and having worked with some terribly
difficult people, is that if anything -- when you have a problem and you feel you have no other
recourse but to voice it -- go into the meeting not only with your problem but with a possible
solution.

Therefore, you could request a meeting with the primary executive and in a very reserved,
diplomatic manner, explain what is happening. But you might also suggest that some bona fide
standards be set forth -- something along the lines of a "specs sheet" that everyone should
adhere to when dealing with the photographs. This would function as sort of a procedures
manual.

Now, knowing that you might have to go back to your difficult partner after this meeting, it's
important that you don't come out and verbally slam the guy in the meeting. Be diplomatic, be
respectful of the guy (no matter how hard, LOL!), and you might even gloss over the parts about
the guy's nasty personality. You never know, this guy might be in someone elses' good graces
within the company, so you don't want to outright slam him and make someone else mad in the
process.

Something else I would advise against is coming into the meeting and saying words to the effect
of "I quit unless so-and-so straightens up" -- that kind of thing. Don't make it look like the
drama is YOUR issue, or coming from you. Be calm, be straightforward, don't point fingers and
outwardly criticize (especially if the partner won't be at the meeting), present the facts of the
problem, but also be ready with a solution.

What you want is for the tides to turn in a positive manner. You don't want the executive to chew
out your partner while you still have to work with him! So I think if you present things from a
standpoint of "we all should adhere to thus-and-so, and I'm proposing this..." it would be better
than simply saying, "Joe Jerk is making my life miserable!" I think you can make it clear that your
partner is muddling things up and micro-managing without being downright critical and catty
about it, and that's what you want to do.

Also, after the meeting, in private, start documenting your partner's behavior. When you get
home after a session of his tirades, write down what he said, how he said it, and the date -- and
anything else you can think of. If he continues to behave like this, go back to the executive you
had the initial meeting with and now you'll have some documented ammo you can speak with.
You can say at this second meeting that you really aren't sure if Joe Nasty is doing things in a
fully efficient manner, etc. But at the first meeting, I would be careful about throwing stones,
even though it's very tempting. And don't think the way you've handled this will go unnoticed by
the executive. He or she will know that you've carefully thought things out and not just flown off
at the handle.

I think if you behave in this manner, the executive will see you for who you are -- hardworking,
generous with her time, loyal, dedicated to learning, and enjoying what she does. You don't want
the executive to think, "Man, that Jessica sure is a diva, and I never even knew it!"

You have the home court advantage here. You've proven yourself with this company, and it
certainly sounds as if the managment likes you and your work. Don't let some Joe from another
planet ruin that for you.

Dealing with different personalities is a big stickler in the work place. Even as a freelancer I run
into difficult people. I've even run into difficult people from jobs I've gotten from my Web site --
that is, people I've never even met! I have to remind myself that very few bridges are worth
completely burning, and in the long run, I have my company and my name to protect.

You sound like a really intelligent, articulate woman. You also sound dedicated and honest, and
very hard working. What's more, you have your eye on a goal: learning more about your career,
further defining your goals, and building that all-important portfolio. Don't let someone else
intrude on these good qualities, and don't let someone else force you out of what you're doing
and enjoying. And especially don't take your partner's behavior personally. Some people are just
difficult, and that doesn't lessen your good qualities whatsoever. So don't let this prey on your
self-esteem.

Please let me know what happens! And keep your chin up. Unfortunately, there are a lot of jerks
out there, but you don't have to get drawn into their world.

Good luck! I'm sure you'll handle this really well. And please let me know the outcome.

Lisa

Answer
Hi again Jessica,

I'm glad I could at least sympathize with you, and I wish I had a great answer to your problem. But if it's any comfort, I know exactly what you're going through, and it's really frustrating. It's almost a situation wth no clear answer -- because according to the detective you're partnered with, you won't be doing the right thing anyway. GRRR! That makes me so mad, when people act like this, and especially people who think they can get over on you.

And it just adds to the frustration, that these guys you're working with are policemen. Yes, the boys in blue do stick together, and I'm sure it wasn't easy for you to be taken into their confidence.

But remember, you were, and you were there before the jerk came along.

If I were you, I would stick to my guns (no police puns intended), and I wouldn't quit. I'd see this project through, then sort of scale back my efforts. I wouldn't resign for two reasons:  a) there's no reason for you to, especially since you enjoy the work and have such a good history with the company   and   b) I wouldn't give the senior detective the satisfaction of making you leave.

I also agree, it would sort of lend a drama-queen air to the whole thing if you left, too. And throwing stones will only make YOU look bad.

Everything I've ever read suggests that some male police officers treat female officers in the way that you describe, and it's possible this guy is coming from that mindset. Never mind that that's WRONG, disrespectful and cutthroat, but it just seems to be some sort of unwritten policy among male police.

But try and remember that you don't have to prove anything to this guy. Just continue to do the good job you always do.

Hearing more about this makes me think you might consider taking this jerk aside and telling him -- diplomatically -- that you've been doing this job a while now, and you're very well aware of what you're doing, and how to do it. But be very nice about it. The nicer you are, and the more accommodating, the more his jerk-like qualities will show through.

If he flares up at you and gets upset, then maybe you should schedule that meeting with the executive.

Or you could take the route we discussed before, about seeing the executive ahead of time. I don't know, though -- this partner you're working with sounds like he has a lot of swagger, and it might be a good idea for you to talk to him first.

Regardless, I would make my feelings known -- to the appropriate parties.

You have every reason, from everything I've read that you've told me, to feel knifed in the back and disrespected. You don't sound out of line at all.

And this is volunteer work? I'm not surprised. I've been working in the design field for so many years, and the biggest misunderstandings I've endured have occurred with volunteer work. Strange, but true. In fact, I had a recent bad volunteer experience, and wound up quitting the organization I was volunteering for. It's sad but it almost seems like when you put a price tag on your work, suddenly the respect goes up and these things don't turn out nearly so badly.

Anyway, keep me posted on this! I'll be interested in the outcome.

Good luck,

Lisa