Posted by llrrrpp on August 27, 2006, at 11:57:19
In reply to Re: Goals for Friday: Kernel Panic » llrrrpp, posted by Jost on August 25, 2006, at 12:16:11
Jost,
your difficult non-commital coworker is avoiding duties. I bet she does this to everyone. I know I do!! I had professors breathing down my neck for a couple of years, until they gave up on my collaboration completely. Now, when I mention my progress on various long-lost projects, they seem so grateful and sweet. I guess I just like feeling needed and appreciated, rather than like a research assistant grunt. I'm NOT saying that this is how your collaborator is feeling, I'm just saying that this is one possible outcome of procrastination. I have one paper that is almost ready for publication (um, like for the last 18 months?) and another project that has been percolating for so long, neglected by me, that the data analysis technology has actually surpasses what we originally planned, and designed the study for. I don't think we've been scooped yet, but god knows what's in the pipeline. I have usually gotten around my procrastination issues by picking collaborators who are much more organized and publication-oriented than I.Jost, is this project necessary to finish immediately? Do you have a deadline? If no, can you just give your collaborator some space until she misses the project again, or are you convinced that she will drift away entirely? Would a week of giving her "space" jeopardize the entire project? My guess is that she likes the project, but is feeling guilty about her upcoming coursework, and to minimize her guilt, she'll just avoid opening your emails, or crafting an apporpriate response.
Well. hang in there. it's Sunday. go buy yourself a bagel. mmm!
-ll
poster:llrrrpp
thread:676622
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/esteem/20060827/msgs/680516.html