What Next?

• Author: Elizabeth D. Mullin
• Pages: 59-65

59

CHAPTER 7:

What Next?

You have nished and sent in your comments on time. You have cleaned

o your desk. You have taken a little breather. Now what?

e ball is in their court. Now is the time for the recipients to

deal with your comments. Perhaps, they will t houghtfully and appropriately

address each and every one. Perhaps, they will address some and not others.

Perhaps, they will ignore them completely. It is up to them.

Or is it?

If you really want your comments addressed, you may want to or need

to do more. Exactly what you do depends on t he t ype of document you

are commenting on, your role in the commenting process, and whether you

have commented on an internal or external document. is chapter discusses

some options.

Comments on Internal Documents

ere are several ways to follow up on your comments on your own com-

pany’s or agency’s documents. e easiest way is to ask to meet with the

recipient to discuss specic issues, answer any questions about your com-

ments, and ask how any big changes m ight be handled. You can also ask to

see the next version before it goes out to make sure the revised document in

fact addresses your concerns. is may well take care of every thing.

For important changes, it may be necessary to do some internal lobbying.

Some changes may cost a lot of money, aect important dead lines, or relate

to legal risk. For example, a comment recommending additional studies may

lead to both expense and delay. If you encounter resistance to changes you

believe are essential, you may need to provide additional substantiation for

your views and nd allies for your position. If necessary, you may also need

to go up your organization’s chain of command on either or both the legal

side and the technical or business side.