Author Topic: Communication Quandry  (Read 4096 times)

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renal

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Communication Quandry
« on: Oct 14, 2016, 10:46 am »
I'm currently PA'ing for a show at a local theatre and having a bit of a challenge with communicating with the SM.

At the end of the day I clean up and then have to wait for her to write the report. Normally this wouldn't be a problem, while I haven't had an SM ask me to stay to check over their report before I certainly don't mind, but it takes her over an hour to write, during which time I am just sitting around with nothing to do. Also, while she is able to report the extra hours she is working, I am not, and the closer it gets to rush hour the longer I am forced to sit in traffic, which means I get home even later.

Part of me feels that I should suck it up and just deal with it, it is my job to help her with whatever she needs, but another part of me feels that this it is unreasonable to require me to stay up to an hour and a half after rehearsal ends just to spend five minutes glancing over a report that she should be able to write herself, especially since I'm not compensated for my time.

I guess my question is - how do I broach this topic? She generally seems pretty unaware (or does not care) that I am spending up to two hours of my time waiting for her to write the report, and when I tried to let her know (very gently) that I needed to get home a bit earlier if possible to take care of some errands she didn't respond. She's a very nice person in general, and I'm wary of burning any bridges or making her think that I'm not good at my job or that I want to get the heck out of dodge, because I am more than happy to stay and give her a hand if there is something that needs doing, it's just the waiting around that's driving me crazy. Any advice is appreciated!

Thanks!
« Last Edit: Oct 14, 2016, 01:44 pm by renal »

MatthewShiner

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Re: Communication Quandry
« Reply #1 on: Oct 15, 2016, 03:09 am »
i had this same exact issue in grad school.

finally just said, how about you send me the report, I will look it over when I get home, and then you can send out . . . worked like a charm
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Anything posted here as in my own personal opinion, and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of my employer - whomever they be at a given moment in time.

KMC

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Re: Communication Quandry
« Reply #2 on: Oct 15, 2016, 05:21 am »
i had this same exact issue in grad school.

finally just said, how about you send me the report, I will look it over when I get home, and then you can send out . . . worked like a charm

Yep - this.

More than likely the SM doesn't realize that she's inconveniencing you to such a degree.  In order to solve the communication challenge, you'll need to communicate with her and let her know it's a problem.  :)

Also, when presenting a problem - don't just present the problem.  Present a solution.  Matthew's suggested approach does just that. 
Get action. Do things; be sane; don’t fritter away your time; create, act, take a place wherever you are and be somebody; get action. -T. Roosevelt

loebtmc

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Re: Communication Quandry
« Reply #3 on: Oct 16, 2016, 08:41 pm »
and just to get it on record ... the time it takes for her report is not be considered extra hours - tho what takes 2 hrs makes me wonder what the heck she is writing.....

 

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