Work related...Need to vent....

[Hudson_Hawk]

Date: 11/26/2009 2:44:50 PM
Author: szh07

Date: 11/25/2009 6:48:12 PM

Author: Brown.Eyed.Girl

Date: 11/25/2009 11:50:11 AM


Author: Hudson_Hawk


wow. Just wow. I don''t care if English is your second or fifth language. How in the world did you end up in a position with a secretary with grammar and attitude issues such as yours? I''m shocked.

Ditto ditto ditto.



And thank you to VRBeauty for the edit.

C''mon. This is pretty rude. I agree that OP took Neatfreak''s thoughts badly, but its really quite rude for you to to question how the OP found a job with poor grammar. HH, have you been to college? Some of my most brilliant professors have been foreign; some have had strong accents and poor grammar. It doesn''t keep them from being brilliant, and doesn''t mean they shouldn''t be able to find a respectable ''position'' and aren''t respectable people. Language barriers are mutually frustrating for everybody...no need to belittle the OP.

I was not commenting on NF''s post, I was commenting on the situation presented in the OP''s initial post. Yes, I''ve been to college, and grad school for that matter. I''m also gainfully employed and successful in my career. My comment about the OP''s grammar had nothing to do with English not being her first language. I know many non-native English speakers who have better grammar than many highly educated Americans; however, I stand by my statement. I''m shocked that this poster is in a position where she is managing someone with communications skills like this and even more appalled that she has the gall to make such statements about her assistant''s writing skills considering her own. I''m not debating that she might be brilliant in her field, but in my opinion, when you get to the point in your career when you''re granted an assistant, concessions shouldn''t be made for poor grammar due to a language barrier. Clearly the OP doesn''t feel like there is a language barrier if she is confident enough in her skills to criticize someone else so strongly. Personally I think the OP is conceited and needs to do a little self reflection before she outwardly attacks a subordinate for something she''s guilty of herself.

 

[kama_s]

Date: 11/30/2009 10:01:46 AM
Author: Hudson_Hawk

Date: 11/26/2009 2:44:50 PM
Author: szh07
C''mon. This is pretty rude. I agree that OP took Neatfreak''s thoughts badly, but its really quite rude for you to to question how the OP found a job with poor grammar. HH, have you been to college? Some of my most brilliant professors have been foreign; some have had strong accents and poor grammar. It doesn''t keep them from being brilliant, and doesn''t mean they shouldn''t be able to find a respectable ''position'' and aren''t respectable people. Language barriers are mutually frustrating for everybody...no need to belittle the OP.

I was not commenting on NF''s post, I was commenting on the situation presented in the OP''s initial post. Yes, I''ve been to college, and grad school for that matter. I''m also gainfully employed and successful in my career. My comment about the OP''s grammar had nothing to do with English not being her first language. I know many non-native English speakers who have better grammar than many highly educated Americans; however, I stand by my statement. I''m shocked that this poster is in a position where she is managing someone with communications skills like this and even more appalled that she has the gall to make such statements about her assistant''s writing skills considering her own. I''m not debating that she might be brilliant in her field, but in my opinion, when you get to the point in your career when you''re granted an assistant, concessions shouldn''t be made for poor grammar due to a language barrier. Clearly the OP doesn''t feel like there is a language barrier if she is confident enough in her skills to criticize someone else so strongly. Personally I think the OP is conceited and needs to do a little self reflection before she outwardly attacks a subordinate for something she''s guilty of herself.

Well said, HH.

 

[LadyBlue]

Date: 11/30/2009 10:08:30 AM
Author: kama_s

Date: 11/30/2009 10:01:46 AM
Author: Hudson_Hawk

Date: 11/26/2009 2:44:50 PM
Author: szh07
C''mon. This is pretty rude. I agree that OP took Neatfreak''s thoughts badly, but its really quite rude for you to to question how the OP found a job with poor grammar. HH, have you been to college? Some of my most brilliant professors have been foreign; some have had strong accents and poor grammar. It doesn''t keep them from being brilliant, and doesn''t mean they shouldn''t be able to find a respectable ''position'' and aren''t respectable people. Language barriers are mutually frustrating for everybody...no need to belittle the OP.

I was not commenting on NF''s post, I was commenting on the situation presented in the OP''s initial post. Yes, I''ve been to college, and grad school for that matter. I''m also gainfully employed and successful in my career. My comment about the OP''s grammar had nothing to do with English not being her first language. I know many non-native English speakers who have better grammar than many highly educated Americans; however, I stand by my statement. I''m shocked that this poster is in a position where she is managing someone with communications skills like this and even more appalled that she has the gall to make such statements about her assistant''s writing skills considering her own. I''m not debating that she might be brilliant in her field, but in my opinion, when you get to the point in your career when you''re granted an assistant, concessions shouldn''t be made for poor grammar due to a language barrier. Clearly the OP doesn''t feel like there is a language barrier if she is confident enough in her skills to criticize someone else so strongly. Personally I think the OP is conceited and needs to do a little self reflection before she outwardly attacks a subordinate for something she''s guilty of herself.

Well said, HH.

I have grammar and speech problems as well since English is my second language. But, if I''m going to have an assistant, to talk with my clients, make business letters, and do more administrative tasks that require perfect grammar. I want an assistant that have perfect grammar and speech. It does not matter if I don''t have a good grammar and speech. If she/he can not do the job with out doing grammar mistakes all the time. I will have to let her go and hire someone that can do the job right. This is business and people hire what is best for the job, and seems that an assistant with bad grammar is not a good match for the job.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

Date: 11/30/2009 10:46:56 AM
Author: gaby06

Date: 11/30/2009 10:08:30 AM

Author: kama_s

Date: 11/30/2009 10:01:46 AM

Author: Hudson_Hawk

Date: 11/26/2009 2:44:50 PM

Author: szh07

C''mon. This is pretty rude. I agree that OP took Neatfreak''s thoughts badly, but its really quite rude for you to to question how the OP found a job with poor grammar. HH, have you been to college? Some of my most brilliant professors have been foreign; some have had strong accents and poor grammar. It doesn''t keep them from being brilliant, and doesn''t mean they shouldn''t be able to find a respectable ''position'' and aren''t respectable people. Language barriers are mutually frustrating for everybody...no need to belittle the OP.

I was not commenting on NF''s post, I was commenting on the situation presented in the OP''s initial post. Yes, I''ve been to college, and grad school for that matter. I''m also gainfully employed and successful in my career. My comment about the OP''s grammar had nothing to do with English not being her first language. I know many non-native English speakers who have better grammar than many highly educated Americans; however, I stand by my statement. I''m shocked that this poster is in a position where she is managing someone with communications skills like this and even more appalled that she has the gall to make such statements about her assistant''s writing skills considering her own. I''m not debating that she might be brilliant in her field, but in my opinion, when you get to the point in your career when you''re granted an assistant, concessions shouldn''t be made for poor grammar due to a language barrier. Clearly the OP doesn''t feel like there is a language barrier if she is confident enough in her skills to criticize someone else so strongly. Personally I think the OP is conceited and needs to do a little self reflection before she outwardly attacks a subordinate for something she''s guilty of herself.

Well said, HH.

I have grammar and speech problems as well since English is my second language. But, if I''m going to have an assistant, to talk with my clients, make business letters, and do more administrative tasks that require perfect grammar. I want an assistant that have perfect grammar and speech. It does not matter if I don''t have a good grammar and speech. If she/he can not do the job with out doing grammar mistakes all the time. I will have to let her go and hire someone that can do the job right. This is business and people hire what is best for the job, and seems that an assistant with bad grammar is not a good match for the job.

Exactly, this is business and quality matters; in all things, at all levels. I''m not arguing that she has a crap assistant. I do think someone in an administrative role should have good grammar and communications skills, but if you don''t have passable grammar yourself, how do you know that they''re making mistakes? You lack the credibility to effectively and constructively criticize the assistant. We were simply pointing out that her criticisms were going to be ineffective until she got an handle on her own grammatical problems. The OP also needs to learn to effectively communicate with her boss (the person with the power to do something about this assistant) so she can clearly explain the issues and work to find a resolution to the problem.

 

[zipzapgirl]

I agree with VRBeauty on this point:

Perhaps you need to approach your boss this way: "we both know that English is my second language. Because of this, it''s especially important that I have an assistant who is a detail-oriented and a good proof-reader. My current assistant does not meet these standards." And then show him or her examples of your assistant''s shoddy work.

I think this is a constructive way of getting yourself a better assistant (at least grammatically) and it''s the kind of argument your own boss can hardly argue against. Telling your boss that this assistant is just terrible makes it look like a personality conflict and wouldn''t help your case much, so just stick to the facts and make your argument about looking professional to your customers/clients.

By the way, I''d try to start things out on a better footing with the new assistant and not be too confrontational. You really benefit much more from a cooperative assistant who''s got your back but makes a few mistakes than you do with an assistant who wants to see you fall flat on your face.

 

[Indylady]

Date: 11/30/2009 10:01:46 AM
Author: Hudson_Hawk

Date: 11/26/2009 2:44:50 PM

Author: szh07

Date: 11/25/2009 6:48:12 PM


Author: Brown.Eyed.Girl

Date: 11/25/2009 11:50:11 AM



Author: Hudson_Hawk



wow. Just wow. I don''t care if English is your second or fifth language. How in the world did you end up in a position with a secretary with grammar and attitude issues such as yours? I''m shocked.

Ditto ditto ditto.




And thank you to VRBeauty for the edit.

C''mon. This is pretty rude. I agree that OP took Neatfreak''s thoughts badly, but its really quite rude for you to to question how the OP found a job with poor grammar. HH, have you been to college? Some of my most brilliant professors have been foreign; some have had strong accents and poor grammar. It doesn''t keep them from being brilliant, and doesn''t mean they shouldn''t be able to find a respectable ''position'' and aren''t respectable people. Language barriers are mutually frustrating for everybody...no need to belittle the OP.

I was not commenting on NF''s post, I was commenting on the situation presented in the OP''s initial post. Yes, I''ve been to college, and grad school for that matter. I''m also gainfully employed and successful in my career. My comment about the OP''s grammar had nothing to do with English not being her first language. I know many non-native English speakers who have better grammar than many highly educated Americans; however, I stand by my statement. I''m shocked that this poster is in a position where she is managing someone with communications skills like this and even more appalled that she has the gall to make such statements about her assistant''s writing skills considering her own. I''m not debating that she might be brilliant in her field, but in my opinion, when you get to the point in your career when you''re granted an assistant, concessions shouldn''t be made for poor grammar due to a language barrier. Clearly the OP doesn''t feel like there is a language barrier if she is confident enough in her skills to criticize someone else so strongly. Personally I think the OP is conceited and needs to do a little self reflection before she outwardly attacks a subordinate for something she''s guilty of herself.

I agree that her response to NF was pretty nasty, but if you read her post she says, "In fact, I casually told her to watch out for her misspelling a month ago and she has been giving me attitude ever since." I would hardly call that an outward attack. On that topic of language barriers and grammar, I think we''ll just have to agree to disagree, though I do appreciate your clarification.