{"id":4455,"date":"2013-03-13T13:01:44","date_gmt":"2013-03-13T13:01:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.theweekinimaging.com\/?p=3664"},"modified":"2013-04-16T14:20:03","modified_gmt":"2013-04-16T18:20:03","slug":"between-the-lines-no-brag-just-fact","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/the-week-in-imaging-twii\/editors-blog\/2013\/03\/between-the-lines-no-brag-just-fact\/","title":{"rendered":"Between the Lines: No Brag, Just Fact"},"content":{"rendered":"

Have you been following this story about Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer\u2019s new policy eliminating telecommuting, an edict that affects some 200 or so Yahoo employees? After the first spate of articles complete with knee-jerk reactions, came a second round of articles that drill deeper down into the issue and place it more into perspective. Check out this article in the New York Times.<\/a><\/strong><\/i><\/p>\n

My first instinct to the initial press on the topic, and as someone who has been working from home for nearly 17 years was to get my knickers in a twist as well. Now that I\u2019ve read the Times <\/i>piece, the move in that situation, is more understandable. The reality, which hits close to home, pardon the pun, is that not everyone has the discipline to work from home, and some people will inevitably abuse the privilege.<\/p>\n

Not to brag, I think I\u2019m disciplined. Then again, I work in a deadline-oriented world even if I am my own boss. Whenever possible, I prefer completing assignments early whenever possible. I\u2019m already halfway done with the \u201cTop 40 Most Influential People in the Imaging Industry,\u201d which will run throughout the month of May in TWII and it\u2019s only March 15. For those in a panic about getting their nominations in, the folks I\u2019ve selected and am writing about are some of the more obvious selections, so there\u2019s still time. I have a lot of travel scheduled for May and the more I do now, the less pressure I\u2019ll have then. Again, not everyone has that discipline.<\/p>\n

As many of you know I write for a variety of other publications besides TWII<\/i>. One of those is a consumer computer magazine that comes out twice a year called PC Solutions<\/i>. I\u2019m the editor and each issue I work with about a half dozen or more outside writers. Again and again I see a lack of discipline with some of those writers. Even though they\u2019re assigned articles 6-10 weeks in advance, some have difficulty meeting the deadline\u2014even those who are currently unemployed or working part time and are independent contractors like myself who can\u2019t seem to get their act together. These are examples of why some people can\u2019t be left to their own devices, but need the structure of a traditional work environment. That Yahoo story hit home at just the right time even if a major reason for the policy change was to inspire more innovation within Yahoo. I see where Ms. Mayer is coming from and it\u2019s not always a pretty place.<\/p>\n

As for me, I\u2019m still plugging away to get things done as early as possible. No goofing off here. No brag, just fact. (10 points to anyone who can name the TV show where that line comes from. Youtube hint below.)<\/p>\n