Poll: Do you generally accept projects from rude project managers? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you generally accept projects from rude project managers?".
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| | | | C. Mouton 
France
Local time: 04:28
Member (2007)
English to French
Nobody was ever rude to me, fortunately
| | | | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 04:28
Spanish to English
+ ...
I rarely work with agencies or PMs. The worst I could say about the ones I do work with would be along the lines of them not properly understanding translators' issues, or forgetting that I have other regular clients to attend to as well. I don't recall anyone being rude to me directly - if anything, it's me that's more likely to explode into a rant when crossed!
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Cross me once and you're in my bad books.
It's more than rudeness that irks me. It's arrogance, a holier than thou attitude, continuous attrition and efforts to lower rates and 'get a better deal' from this translator, ineptitude, incompetence, and inefficiency that can really turn me off.
Now, if the PM shows respect to me and respect of current contractual details and agreed on rates, is capable, and handles a project well and efficiently, then that person earns a 5*... See more Cross me once and you're in my bad books.
It's more than rudeness that irks me. It's arrogance, a holier than thou attitude, continuous attrition and efforts to lower rates and 'get a better deal' from this translator, ineptitude, incompetence, and inefficiency that can really turn me off.
Now, if the PM shows respect to me and respect of current contractual details and agreed on rates, is capable, and handles a project well and efficiently, then that person earns a 5***** rating from me. 
Let me give you an example of a new customer I made recently in Taiwan. Loren is lively, snappy and smart. She's also super efficient and gets things done in a flash. And, to top it all, is really charming and pretty and loves the city where I live. She also gave me a wonderful WWA comment - I'm still blushing  . ▲ Collapse
| | | | Mario Freitas
Brazil
Local time: 00:28
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
| Rude or unprofessional | Aug 29, 2015 |
Rudeness and unprofessionalism walk side-by-side. If the person is rude or even does not behave professionaly in the first contacts, you can be sure you will have other types of trouble with them. A person who is in a business industry and does not know how to be nice and polite to all parties they deal with (from de CEO to the driver) is a sure sign of someone who will criticize your work unduly, delay your payments with foolish excuses, and make you angry somehow. Just say a big "no, thanks" a... See more Rudeness and unprofessionalism walk side-by-side. If the person is rude or even does not behave professionaly in the first contacts, you can be sure you will have other types of trouble with them. A person who is in a business industry and does not know how to be nice and polite to all parties they deal with (from de CEO to the driver) is a sure sign of someone who will criticize your work unduly, delay your payments with foolish excuses, and make you angry somehow. Just say a big "no, thanks" and be happy. It's not worth it. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Thayenga
Germany
Local time: 04:28
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
Granted, none of us are "immune" to having a really bad day, but since the communication is usually via email, this is still no reason to be rude, a sysnonym for unprofessional. Politeness, just like mutual respect, is the key to operating any business (and to everything else in life), so when some/ a PM is rude, s/he doesn't have to worry about me getting back at him/her for the simple reason that I will never get back in touch with someone who seems to be in need of extra lessons when it comes... See more Granted, none of us are "immune" to having a really bad day, but since the communication is usually via email, this is still no reason to be rude, a sysnonym for unprofessional. Politeness, just like mutual respect, is the key to operating any business (and to everything else in life), so when some/ a PM is rude, s/he doesn't have to worry about me getting back at him/her for the simple reason that I will never get back in touch with someone who seems to be in need of extra lessons when it comes to proper business conduct. It comes down to a simple: treat others the way you want to be treated. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Rude or impolite and striaght to the point? | Aug 29, 2015 |
Fortunately I have never dealt with a really rude project manager or direct client, but there are quite a few who write emails the whole content of which may be:
"Hello Arnoldo, please translate the attached document."
I consider that impolite, but not actually rude, and if the job is worth while, and I have done a lot of work before for that company, I take it. I would not do anything for somebody who was really rude.
[Edited at 2015-08-29 16:31 GMT]
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| I turn a blid eye to rudeness | Aug 29, 2015 |
Mario Freitas wrote:
Rudeness and unprofessionalism walk side-by-side. If the person is rude or even does not behave professionaly in the first contacts, you can be sure you will have other types of trouble with them. A person who is in a business industry and does not know how to be nice and polite to all parties they deal with (from de CEO to the driver) is a sure sign of someone who will criticize your work unduly, delay your payments with foolish excuses, and make you angry somehow. Just say a big "no, thanks" and be happy. It's not worth it.
I give them the benefit of the doubt. Maybe they are not sufficiently fluent in whatever language we are using to communicate, so they sound blunt. I stay 100% professional. If they manage to be professional and stay rude at the same time, we'll do business!
Some are outright rude in obdurately trying to impose their T&C, under the assumption that I MUST accept them. I am so used to stick to my professionalism, that they give up quickly, so "accepting" is not my option anymore.
| | | | Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 22:28
English to Spanish
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| Eye of the beholder | Aug 30, 2015 |
Different cultures and languages have distinct ways of qualifying rude or impolite behavior. Let's not confuse rudeness with unprofessional behavior.
It's in my personality to give people the benefit of the doubt. If perchance I encounter a behavior that might seem rude, especially because I'm experiencing conflicting feelings or crossed signals, I would take the time to contact that person to clear the air.
Here in America, some people like to call rude those whose opi... See more Different cultures and languages have distinct ways of qualifying rude or impolite behavior. Let's not confuse rudeness with unprofessional behavior.
It's in my personality to give people the benefit of the doubt. If perchance I encounter a behavior that might seem rude, especially because I'm experiencing conflicting feelings or crossed signals, I would take the time to contact that person to clear the air.
Here in America, some people like to call rude those whose opinion they don't value or whose comments clash with some preconceived notion. For example, if I, of Latino descent, fail to get enthusiastic or angry about some event involving immigrants, someone might consider my behavior rude because my words or actions don't conform to what she expects from me.
Also, I have been called “rude” because I have said some politically incorrect thing. In the land of sunny opportunities that is the USA, you might be seen as rude if you don't conform to the ideal positive-thinking, always-smiling, always-agreeing-with-the-team kind of person. I don't hew to such stupid demands or expectations.
I would recast the question thusly: What do you consider rude behavior in a project manager? This is a smarter way of getting to the bottom of things. By comparison, the poll's question smacks of prejudice and hurt feelings. By the way, here in America you're considered rude if you hurt someone's feelings, even if you are unaware of it. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Balasubramaniam L.
India
Local time: 08:58
Member (2006)
English to Hindi
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER | Yet to encounter one | Aug 30, 2015 |
I am yet to meet a rude PM. I have had PMs with whom I have had differences of opinion, and those with whom I have had acrimonious arguments, but have had none who have called me names.
| | | | Muriel Vasconcellos (X)
United States
Local time: 19:28
Spanish to English
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| I don't take rudeness personally | Sep 3, 2015 |
Sure, why not?
José Henrique Lamensdorf wrote:
I give them the benefit of the doubt. Maybe they are not sufficiently fluent in whatever language we are using to communicate, so they sound blunt. I stay 100% professional. If they manage to be professional and stay rude at the same time, we'll do business!
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Jacques DP
Switzerland
Local time: 04:28
English to French
| Often tempted to lecture them :) | Sep 18, 2015 |
I have to say I value politeness a lot, I can be a bit "touchy" on the topic, and I am put off by a client who is impolite. I'm not talking about real rudeness, or effective demonstration of lack of respect -- I will simply not proceed with such people if that's how it starts (this happened), and if it happens mid-way I will tell them the matter very clearly, and if that doesn't solve it I will do what I have committed to do and stop working with them (this never happened).
No, I'm... See more I have to say I value politeness a lot, I can be a bit "touchy" on the topic, and I am put off by a client who is impolite. I'm not talking about real rudeness, or effective demonstration of lack of respect -- I will simply not proceed with such people if that's how it starts (this happened), and if it happens mid-way I will tell them the matter very clearly, and if that doesn't solve it I will do what I have committed to do and stop working with them (this never happened).
No, I'm talking about people who are professional, but for example avoid to send any "regards" at the end of their messages (while I am doing it every time), and just sign their message with their full name when they have said what they wanted to say. This may be OK when you know someone well and therefore there is strong mutual trust in one's intentions. But in my view it's not OK for new business relationships. In fact being a bit of the lecturer kind (just slightly!) I am often tempted to lecture them on the subject. It could go somewhat like this:
I'm a bit puzzled by your innovation of not sending "regards" to your correspondent, as we all do. The more logical would be for me to do the same and remember that you are the one person to whom I should never send regards, but I find this a bit complicated to manage and also I am not in favor of bringing the level of politeness down by imitating people who think it's a waste of time. So I will send you my best regards for now anyway, and just wonder what you may mean by avoiding doing same.
Regards means respect, consideration. So choosing to forgo this is a bit worrying. It conveys the message: "I'm different, I don't respect you, and I won't pretend I do either". Of course it may mean something else to you. But no-one will know what. Politeness is a shared system, like language. Innovation is not really an option.
Of course I don't: it's kind of unprofessional, it's too much of an investment, and it's likely to be a source of trouble. Generally speaking it's always very tricky to comment on someone's way of doing things, and one can get very emotional reactions (though you can also get grateful reactions, because since no-one takes the risk of saying such things, they never hear them and therefore don't learn them). Finally it would be awkward (for both of us) if the person in this situation then modifies their way of doing per my instructions. It would be slightly humiliating perhaps, and also the sincerity could be questioned. In short, it wouldn't work.
So I deal with it if they are really professional otherwise, but I don't like it and if I ran an agency I would make sure it doesn't happen.
I see people say there is no reason to take it personally and they focus on the business aspects. I don't really see it that way (and I hope they will put some limits anyway if behavior becomes abusive). I think even business relationships are "personal" in the sense that some interpersonal relationship is created. Mutual respect should be clearly expressed and demonstrated. It's the foundation of what you build with the person/entity. ▲ Collapse
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