Rands,

My mother works in printing, and as with any field that is rushing to catch up with technology (not just IT, but advances in what you can do with printing presses and the likes), she encounters a whole lot of headaches rushing between impatient clients, demanding executives, and worst of all, the contractors stuck in the middle.

She recently took a promotion to be the assistant office manager (a promotion which brought about a lot of tension due to her being over 40, due to her gender, and due to the relatively short time she's been with the company). She's been in management before, but that was as a project lead. Now she's managing an entire office of project managers and sales staff. On top of that she's doing extensive testing for the most advanced billings/invoicing system in the world as far as printshops go. This has caused major headaches, as it was all developed internally and tested internally as well, by the staff who would be using it on a daily basis.

I bring this up because a few months ago I introduced her to your websight (with a small disclaimer "Not to visit jerkcity," she's pretty much Ziggy and Garfield only) with the message "Read his works on management. He works in IT, but what he has to say applies to what you will be doing."

She's been reading what you've written, slowly but surely, with occasionaly poking and proddings from me, and updates on when you have written a new article. She even forwarded it on to her boss.

I relay this because she has taken to heart some of what you have had to say. What you have to say is very universal, it has a very human element to it which managers, be they in IT or shop foremans, can take to heart. I myself read to have a better understanding of what managers may be thinking at any given moment, and I can say that your articles on the organics/mechanics and the types of workers have helped me to understand more of the innerworkings of my job.

"Don't be a prick" indeed. Despite the contention that so-called "professionals" might take with such advice, I can think of no better words for managers and employees alike to take to heart.

Thanks for all the insight. As always, your thoughts, whether random passing side posts on NADD or full-blown "How not to get yourself and your team fucked on the job" articles, make for a very enjoyable read.

Bryce