Sunday, January 25, 2009

Out of the Loop

The first thing I do when editing each proposal section is to review the graphics for errors. These are the elements of the proposal created by our graphic artists that I can’t access (edit) through Word. I mark them up and hand them off to a proposal coordinator for assignment to one of the graphics staff.

All too often the proposal coordinator tells me that the graphics in question have already been replaced. I don’t know—or care—if the new versions have been proofed. Why don’t I care?

First, because, despite an explicit directive from the proposal center manager that every graphic should come to me for proofing before it is placed into a proposal, that rarely happens. And second, the proposal coordinators consistently fail to apprise me of the status of material that I’m responsible for editing.

I am plagued by dysfunctional management and supervision.