I recently wrote an article for AUGIWorld (https://www.augi.com/augiworld/issue/december-2019), that I hadn’t
really put a lot of planning to but instead tried to speak from the heart, and
from what I’ve learned in the 59 years I’ve been here. The response has been overwhelming,
and I’m humbled by all the attention and feedback. I didn’t realize what a
nerve it would touch, and how many people from different aspects of the design
industry would even be intrigued enough to read it. It’s interesting how
different emotions drive what and how we do the things we do, and what spurs
imagination and thought.
As I returned to work on this follow up, I’m struck by how
quickly our perspectives can change. We are currently in the midst of a societal
upheaval, with uneasiness and fear striking out from a virus that we know
little about. Playing the “what if” game drives everyone crazy, and if you own
a business or manage one, you’re having to make a lot of tough decisions.
And in the midst of all of this, narrow eyes can’t see the
learning experience we are all waist deep in…how we work, where we work and the
benefits to so many things that can be had, if we simply look beyond these
fears. I can’t express enough how happy I am to be working for Gannett Fleming –
the response we’ve had from our IT services group, and the support from
everyone on the board of directors down to the core staff that makes our firm go,
has been amazing.
We’ve pulled off something I never thought would happen –
take thousands of workers, and shift them to a remote access, work from home business
model, where we can continue to do what we need to and serve our clients. I’ll
admit – I was nervous, and so were a lot of us that are responsible for making
this happen. But I also have strong faith, that guides us and provides the
direction and vision we need. It’s amazing what we were able to pull off – but it
was the team approach and commitment that made it work, with minimal issues.
Back to the original article - there were a couple of
responses that questioned the premise of the article, and a couple more that
pointed out phrases that struck home. All were great points, but one response
made me think about the one paragraph that no one said anything about – the
personal responsibility of your own growth. As we now sit in our homes, and learn
new ways to work, you’re gaining a little time – time not spent commuting,
traveling or getting to wherever you think you need to be. You’ve been given
this gift of time, so how do you best spend it?
The role of college education in a technical society
With our eyes forward, it’s time for a little prognostication.
As I sit here and review what our users need to learn in order to help us adapt
to this type of change, it’s time to start being honest with ourselves. Based
on my own personal experience (and yea, this is my own opinion – I expect
everyone’s experience to be different), I’ve gotten far more use of my
technical degree than the 5 years I spent wandering through the colleges. This
is not a criticism of the schools, but more of my own responsibility.
We need to be realistic that even with all of the critical
items an engineer, architect or scientist needs to know, not everyone needs to
be in that role. We’re all in a desperate search for that unicorn, as it’s so
often referred when searching for that BIM designer, or design technologists
that can effectively use today’s tools. We need that design-oriented individual
that can create custom structural shapes, form new types of wall assemblies, define
the target and source relationship between engineering systems and coordinate
the myriad of infrastructure that lies below the dirt. That can do it with a
minimal amount of supervision, but with the faith and trust needed to let
them get the job done. They’re the ones that can pull the miracle out on a
project and get it out the door on time, under budget and with a happy client. Face
it – our issues with getting more people into STEM fields are not so much
getting younger individuals into the four-year college programs but become the
technology experts that can still assemble the building, the structure and the
site.
So what does this have to do with the typical four year
school? It’s easy – incorporate what we’ve been doing as part of the two-year
associate type degree program as the core for the advanced career fields. We
get far too many architects and engineers that don’t have the technical
capabilities of today’s design platforms. While some colleges are adding BIM,
PIM and horizontal design to their curriculum, it’s not nearly enough. This has
led to a shortage of technically capable designers that can get 3D models,
systems and more assembled in the most efficient way possible.
We’ve also tuned our path for architects and engineers to
move almost exclusively towards higher management type positions, such as the
project manager, project principal and general business manager. Where is the
technical career path that leads this generation towards the deeper thought
process needed for simulation, creativity and expression through the tools we
continue to improve? Generative design ought to scare the he-double hockey sticks
out of every old school professional. The fact that design automation, which can
eliminate the redundant CAD and document tasks that continue to control our budgets
and schedule, can create its own concepts of how a wheel, chair or building to
be designed, should be enough for the design world to stop. We need to start evaluating
and altering both technical and professional college programs to move us to lead
concepts like generative design and AI – to shape it and make it so we can
create the changes to our world that we need.
Make your OWN path
With all of this being said, there’s only one person who can
make the choice about the direction for your life and career. In order to break
free of the traditional roles and constraints we place on ourselves in the STEM
fields as well as our professions, we need to be able to make an honest
assessment about our own career paths. But it’s a choice that we as individuals
must make. You must be able to challenge yourself…
One great pointy-eared science officer once asked…“Is this
all I am? Is there nothing more?”
This past year, as part of my new role, I’m taking the
responsibility of redefining our technical training curriculum and programs. The
logic I’m using is simple…where do you want to go? We are obligated to maintain
our skills in the roles we take. For example, the architect still has to be the
great aggregator, pulling all of the different pieces of the built environment
into a cohesive structure. We have the job requirements clearly defined…the
classes created…the expectations and goals needed to fulfill the job’s obligations
clearly enumerated.
The hard part is getting outside of the role and looking at
the right kind of “what if” scenario. Not a negative consequence, but a
personal growth, desire or ambition. Let’s say I give you the opportunity to
define the role in your own image. What would you do different? What do you
need in order to be able to make this kind of a change?
OWN can become a simple acronym…opportunity,
wants, needs.
How do you take advantage of the opportunity to
define your own path?
How do you clarify what you want to accomplish?
What will be needed to make it to this goal?
By taking some of the gift of time we’re being given to do a
little self-assessment, you’d be surprised what you may come up with. With the help
of our online training providers at Eagle Point, I’m setting up OWN
Learning paths, that each employee in the company can fill out. We’re going to
provide them access to all of the training materials we have in our system. No
limits. No restrictions. But a chance for them to challenge themselves;
document it; and pursue it. The system can hold them accountable for reaching
this goal – but it’s still up to them to take the steps. The employee has to be
willing to make the commitment to themselves and make an investment of their
own time.
The Rule and Conclusion of a Happy Business Life
Knowing the difference between the company’s obligation and
your own personal responsibility…that’s a tough one for us to take. If you listen
to today’s politicians, which in most cases can’t even be honest with
themselves and much less us, one side would have you believe that a “corporation”
is nothing but pure evil. But the other side knows that corporations are
people. And in some cases, allows them to take advantage of their staff,
driving them towards unrealistic conditions that make it impossible to have a
satisfying career.
So where does training and career development fit in? Where’s
that fine line, the tune that strikes the right note, the right pitch, and makes
everyone go…ahhh?
It’s a trade off. It always has been.
So here’s some comments that as an employee, you
should never make.
“I’m entitled to free training.”
“If I’m not getting paid for it, I’m not going to
training.”
“It’s not my responsibility to learn how to do that.”
“I don’t have time.”
“My clients don’t want it, so I’m not going to do it.”
And my personal favorite…”I’ve always done it this way,
and don’t see a need to change it.”
At the same time, the employer can’t carry these rationalizations
forward:
“There’s no money in the budget for training.”
“Learn on your own time.”
“I expect you to do this, and I don’t care how you figure
it out – just get it done.”
“You should already know how to do this.”
“My way or the highway.”
And of course, my personal favorite…”We’ve always done it
this way, and don’t see a need to change it.”
Here’s the big takeaway – in order for a business to have a
successful relationship with their employees, it has to be sold and delivered
as a partnership. Training, learning, education…should all be part of
the employment experience. Great managers know that their role has always been
one of service – so from the business standpoint, we have an obligation – and
the employee does NOT have a right – to train. I always loved the quote that it’s
better to train someone and have them leave, than not train them and have them
stay. The greatest way to cripple a business is to become a static point in
time, where they no longer see the need or benefit for improving and changing
what they do. Ask anyone who still has a boom box or eight track player if they’ve
reached the pinnacle of life…if you can still find them.
But at the same time, the employee needs to approach the
business as an owner. You have to take the responsibility of owning your
skill set.
Of not settling for the static point in time.
Of challenging yourself.
Of taking your own time to learn.
It’s tough to do. Life is busy. It takes. It also gives back
what you invest in it.
We blind ourselves to what others need because it’s easy. We
cripple ourselves, because we allow others to dictate to us what we’re capable of.
But this biggest shame is when we don’t try. When you get to a point in your
career when you think you learned all you can, you let yourself down.
But with your eyes forward, the objective is to get past previous
mistakes, missed opportunities and failures, where you can stop looking at what’s
holding you back, and get to where we all want to be.
I’ve been in it myself now for approaching four decades. And
with all that life is throwing at us, the last thing we need to be doing
is giving up on ourselves and our potential for what you – and we – can be. I’m
not quitting on being a learner…are you?
