This is one of the posts that probably shouldn’t be written – but that’s what I do. If I were half as smart as I pretend to be, I would probably take this moment and walk around the block or destroy the stress ball sitting on my desk. Instead of doing those things, I am going to go through the cathartic process of writing a post on the matter and we’ll see if I hit the publish button by the time I’m finished.
After conferring with my stress ball, I’ve decided that I am going to hit publish because I think a lot of people have probably had similar experiences.
In the course of doing my job, I find myself in the middle of a lot of conversations where I am trying to explain how something needs to get done. In most instances this is an easy process – I describe the objective and the person responsible for actually solving the problem goes on their merry way to start the creative process. Sometimes, the person I am talking to wants me to tell them every single thing that they need to do, step-by-step so that they can get to work. On the surface, this doesn’t really seem like a bad thing … but I’m here to tell you that this is the worst!
If I have to tell you everything, that would suggest that I have already solved the problem and your role in this process is to simply do … what? Execute? In most instances, I would have to solve the problem in order to describe exactly what needs to be done and at that point, that’s the same as me doing it – which means you are irrelevant in the process.
You don’t want to be seen as irrelevant, do you?
Designing a building requires precisely 1.34 billion decisions and I will be the first to admit that I can’t make them all – I don’t need to make them all. I would prefer to collaborate with talented individuals who like to plug themselves into the process and use their unique and specific skill set so that together we can do something amazing. My ego is not so large or fragile that I am unwilling to recognize that there are talented people out there with something to offer and I make it a point to try and listen to those people as much as possible. Which brings me back to the top of my soap box –
If I have to tell you everything …
Occasionally I will work with someone who thinks it is their job to simply show up and do what they’re told. For the record, I really don’t care for that sort of behavior … it smacks of apathy. That lack of interest, enthusiasm, and concern, especially when working in a creative field, is one of the things that makes me want to go home at the end of the day and lie facedown on the couch. While all of this might make me sound like a crank, I think it’s just the opposite. I have a huge threshold of tolerance for people who try their best but ultimately fall short of the mark. In those instances, I think it’s my responsibility to recognize the pattern and adjust my expectations accordingly. But this isn’t about someone’s ability, it’s about their desire, passion, and ownership in the creative process. What I particularly care about here is the effort (which is one of the daily lessons I stress to my now 12-year-old daughter). I want to surround myself and work with people who care enough to do their very best.
I don’t expect perfection but I do expect effort, anything less and you’re just wasting everyone’s time.
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This, and your thoughtful discussion of evaluating portfolios, gives me hope… I’m working someplace where we have been specifically asked to just do what we are told, and it makes me want to go and lay facedown on the couch after work. Squashing all my desire, passion, and ownership in the creative process…multiple times a day… augh.
And thanks for giving me a place to say so!
I also struggle with this. As an entry level designer I was told by my last boss that I and I quote ” An extension of his arm nothing more nothing less” meaning that my job was to translate exactly with no change or opinion what he handed me on his sketches… I believe a lot of architects think that they can be open and let their colleagues to alter or run with things but the truth of the matter is that most of them wont! I am yet to find that true collaborative enviornment in which I will re arrange something or do something and have them say ” Just do it the way I told you”
I understand what you are saying – I’ve seen it firsthand myself and it’s possible that there are times when I fit the description you are providing of your own boss. There will always be exceptions to the rule and you could possibly be that person. There are also those times when the people doing the creative work just aren’t as skilled as they believe.
In my last job, I worked really well with one of the design partners. Over time she grew to trust me and I was given all sorts of design opportunities. You know what happened during that “over time” part? I paid attention to how she liked seeing things done and I tried to design solutions the same way she would design them. Part of being a good designer is your ability to design things that don’t necessarily reflect your own core tendencies. I’m not suggesting that this is your situation either, just something for people to think about.
I think I’ll have my next new hire read this post, or maybe add a link to the end of the job description in the advertisement. Bravo
A good idea. Although the focus of Bob’s post was aimed at a contractor I think the comments below are very insightful for any member of an architectural firm.
it’s probably true for a lot of professions – particularly those with a creative bent to them.
Although the post is not employer/employee related, a lot of the comments seem to be, and I think in that scenario there is another perspective. How genuine are you in handing over the responsibility for some of those 1.34 billion decisions? Do you already have a sense of what the solution looks like, you present this as the objective, and then ask them to articulate your intuitive creative process? Or is the objective broad, and any judgement calls along the way are sincerely theirs to make?
For example, a junior comes back with an “organic” tile layout that’s not objectively wrong (wasteful etc). Does it get by? The entire blog is a testament to your attention to detail and sense of conviction, which are great qualities, but the ability to relinquish control of things doesn’t often accompany them. Maybe I’m completely wrong (and projecting my own wounding experiences on to your internet avatar), but I’m guessing no on the tiles…
P.S. I’m not actually advocating for “organic” tile layouts, it was just the first simple example that I could think of. Honestly.
I’d like to say I let go of things but I know that I struggle with letting something move forward that I know could be better. What I normally try and do in these situations is layout all the ground rules (the specific things I want resolved) before the work begins. If they meet my spelled out requirements and find some additional consideration, I welcome it enthusiastically.
A more articulated response would be the post I wrote titled “Architectural Interns: Just Follow the Recipe”
http://www.lifeofanarchitect.com/architectural-interns-just-follow-the-recipe/
A boss will dictate. A leader with guide.
I have the opposite situation, a boss that often will spell out what he wants to be done and how to do it. I’m not incompetent, dispassionate, or inexperienced when it comes to the practice of architecture; quite the opposite. I suppose this could be my bosses attempt at mentoring. Then again said boss could just be a control freak with an ego.
It could be they’re idea of mentoring. It could be their way of training you to think like they do so that eventually you will solve problems just like they do. I suppose the demeanor of your boss will tell you which version of boss you have.
Very true. The odd part is I don’t think I should be thinking / solving problems exactly like my boss. After completing a solution the way my boss dictated I’ll create my own alternate solution. More that 75% of the time its the alternate solution that is used.
well, that’s the trick. Do what your asked to do and then develop an alternative. Eventually you should receive some latitude to go straight to the solution you’ve developed on your own.
Selecting new contractor is always a challenge to find one that will bring more than the ability to follow instructions (CD’s). I review the documents with them and ask if they see anything missing form their viewpoint and if they have any questions. I also point out that they can look all they want, but they will not find any note on the drawings that say this will be easy. If they have a problem with that then “NEXT”.
that’s a good observation – the contractors that I like working with the most always seem to have an attitude where the are excited about challenges and the opportunity to demonstrate just how good they are.
Hi Bob! Mexican architect here. You wouldn’t believe how many people I know that do exactly what you just said, and they don’t even seem to care about changing their attitude. As a matter of fact, towards anything, not only on the workplace.
it would be frustrating to deal with what you are describing. I consider myself extremely fortunate that I typically work with exceptional people and contractors … it makes the poor ones stand out.
Many times, the inverse situation is also true. Tasks that leave no room for creative problem solving seem to be just as irrelevant. It’s easy to bolster an investigative spirit when an exercise is free from the shackles of predetermination. Thoughts on how to stay relevant even while performing irrelevant tasks?
Don’t most jobs – even when they don’t have a creative component to them – have certain measurables associated with them. In Japanese culture there is the idea of “Kaizen” which is essentially the attempt to achieve perfection in doing the same thing over and over again. There is another word for it that I failing to think of at the moment.
It doesn’t matter what you do, this is a measure of attitude while trying to constantly improve.
Excellent post! (as usual) 100% agree.
Too often we find ourselves having to work with those who just want to get by, with no gusto or desire in life. It drives me up the wall to see people in their chosen vocation with no passion or drive for self-development just puttering along without a care in the world.
I try not to judge the people who don’t have passion for what they do for a living – we can’t all be so fortunate. What I try and look for is the willingness to reach above the bar of minimally expected deliverables. I had a conversation with a woman years ago (who was far more intelligent than I am) and she said that here job did not define her, that it was simply a means to an end (the end being all the things life affords you when you have money to spend from that job). She went on to say that she didn’t care if she had the job she did or if she was a receptionist answering the phone, but if she was a receptionist, she would work to be the very best on she could be.
That is fundamentally the point here. Maybe this is more about pride in attempting to deliver a superior product or effort – whether or not you do is secondary to the intent. (Although, I tend to think that if you work to deliver a superior product, eventually you will)
Absolutely! I think that the overarching theme is the effort that is put in.
Thanks, Bob.
I am right there with you Bob. I learned a long time ago to think like your boss. If you do you will have way less questions to ask. I also follow that a person should never come to me with a problem or “what should I do here?” question. You come to me with a solution or a couple of ideas backed by why you think they are good. And if you do what I said in my first point then you will have your answer already. Step over Bob, I need to join you on the soap box. 🙂
There is an interesting subtopic forming here – one side the architects with experience who are responsible for grooming younger associates. A lot of people feel similarly to you in that you should try and anticipate the next course of action and show some maturity by developing a possible solution to suggest as a viable course of action. Then there is the other side – those associates who have commented that when they do try and show some initiative and develop a possible solution, they are chastised by leadership for wasting time when they could have simply asked a question and been told exactly what needed to happen.
I don’t think there is a solution here that would apply to all – it certainly seems to be based on the culture of the firm and the personality of the the specific people involved.
Preachin’ to the Choir, buddy. Amen.
I always chant “Where is the love” in song to condition my team each time I review and check the work with them when it is missing that little extra something. Anything worth doing is worth doing well.
sometimes I think you can lead by example, and sometimes it’s just a matter of expectations. The people who work with me come to realize that I expect a certain level of investment and eventually they buy in because they can see how the fruits of their labors has paid off.
Could have written the same post myself – MANY times. I definitely delivered it in the form of an oral lecture at different points, THAT’S for sure. And I agree completely. To me, there’s really no excuse for not making a best-quality maximum effort. It’s great that you’re stressing this with your daughter. My father was the same. He always made it clear to us that [A] the best way to get noticed on the job was to work hard, be thinking all the time and do the very best quality you were capable of doing and [B] you owe it to your employer to give them your best – they are PAYING you for it. In fact, one Easter [I should mention we were ALL in our 30s at the time] Dad brought home a video he’d seen at HIS job, Tom Peters’ “In Search of Excellence” and showed it to us after Easter breakfast! Dad was a nut for “best-quality.” Anyway, I hope writing this provided you with a little stress reduction – that’s important too.
Interesting post & quite relevant.
And the million dollar question, ‘You don’t want to be seen as irrelevant, do you?’
Such a scenario as you have described is relevant to all professions.
As a builder, I am mainly guided by a prospective’s attitude, towards solving problems. I guess this equates to the effort you have alluded to in your article. This primary yard stick applies to both fresh and seasoned prospective employees. Whether skilled or manual workers.
exactly right – this isn’t about what you do or don’t know, this is about the effort you put towards the process.
Bob,
We give out trophies just for showing up. Why should we expect more?
“I want to surround myself and work with people who care enough to do their very best.” Great goal!
It’s not a hard goal to set but it can be hard to achieve.
A goal without a plan is just a wish.
My boss from my first job used to tell me that I needed to learn more about our industry otherwise I would be nothing more than a glorified pencil. Unfortunately it was his responsibility to teach us new recruits about our industry but he never did. He just criticized and humiliated us in front of our coworkers until everyone quit.
Well, he wasn’t in the right position then. However, this article isn’t about teaching people, this is about the effort towards a process – something that can manifest in any myriad of ways. There are two people that I deal with in the scenario I gave, one falls short of the mark but always seems to try his best, and for that, I don’t take much issue with him. In that scenario, the responsibility falls to me to adjust my behavior accordingly. It’s the person that sits back and just expects to do their job and thinks that will always be good enough.
As soon as you can find a job that can’t be improved upon with effort, I’ll change my stance on the matter.
to David. the fact is you cannot learn anything from a boss. you need to learn from a leader. A leader takes the time, the investment of time, to instill knowledge.
Missing some entry levels voice and yet – It doesn’t seems I can say a lot here, since so many senior staffs are here. I hope you see that we are struggling along- we are not lazy, but still trying to position, following behind and taking time to understand what we are doing– if we are so confident, making all the decisions that you are making after 10 years of experience, that is a gift.
entry level is irrelevant in this article … being an architect is also irrelevant in this article. This is simply about the measure of effort people put towards their responsibilities. If you are trying your best and constantly seeking ways to improve yourself, than this article isn’t about you.
The blog post isn’t specifically about entry level people (it seems), although some entry level people exhibit the same traits. Some senior staff exhibit the same traits as well. It’s about an approach to learning that doesn’t involve learning.
I think all fields deal with this in some way, shape, or form.
We deal with this in engineering frequently with people fresh out of school. It takes a while to break people of the easy answer habit, and often need to communicate “If I just tell you an answer, you learn nothing”…
My mother runs a small academic research lab (almost retired, hang in there!), and has been complaining about grad students that want/need to be spoonfed directions for most parts of their assigned tasks. This has apparently been ramping up in recent years, enough that she’s been having a difficult time finding quality work study students for long-term placement. Part of the beauty of work study is that you don’t have to fire people, you just don’t ask them back for another semester.
Attitude is one of the two most important things I look for in people – regardless of their experience or skill level. The other is their ability to ask the right sort of questions. If I find someone with those two traits, I know that I’ve found someone worth hanging onto.
bulls-eye well said
Thanks Lee
This is the fundamental difference between those who succeed and those who merely get by. As architects we assume the mantle of passing on whatever wisdom we have accumulated to the next generation. Educating the staff in my firm is also a specific part of my position. When they come to me for quick answers, and NO interest in understanding them, it makes me want to choke them. When someone comes to me with a valiant attempt at anything, and a genuine desire to improve themselves, I make it my mission to give them whatever time and help they need. I’d take ten of them over one productive yet apathetic sort, even if it means a little extra work for me.
truer words have never ben spoken. This is similar to a advice I give students when I try and convince them they they need to make an effort to visit their teachers during their office hours. This simple act is frequently all it takes to get that particular teacher invested in your success. The people who come to you looking for improvement, how can you not reciprocate the effort? The answer of course is that you can’t – you will help them because now you are invested in their development.
It’s an easy concept to grasp but few seem to actually put it to the test.
Great post Bob, I’m glad you wrote what we all have to deal with from time to time.
400 years ago when I started this career journey, I had a design manager in the firm that was truly a sage. I went into his office and said Malden, I have a design problem. Malden said, “Do you have a possible solution?” No, I replied. He said come back when you have one. A day or so later I went back to his office and proudly announced that I had a possible solution to the design problem! Malden replied, “Then you no longer have a problem”.
clever comment and clearly a memorable teaching moment. I might have to add that to my quiver.
Bob, that was 36 years ago, and I have never forgotten it. Repeated it numerous times to my interns through the years as well.
Rather venting to the world speak to the person whose actions warranted this post , communication is the first requirement to solve a problem
They know – I don’t have any problems conveying my message to others. The reason I wrote this post was ultimately because I felt there was a lesson that others could internalize and seize a chance for self-improvement. I actually wrote this post 5 days ago and let it sit in my draft folder to make sure that I properly channeled my irritation into something constructive before hitting the publish button.
Luckily I am surrounded by some amazing people and the individual I am speaking about isn’t an employee. In this case it was a contractor I m working with and he literally told me “I just do what I’m told” … I just about dropped to the floor and convulsed.
In the situation you described, I actually had something like that happen to me in my past (you can read that post here: http://www.lifeofanarchitect.com/vegetables-or-dessert/ ) and I maintain that it was one of the best things that ever happened to me. The irony of it is that the person who game me such long-lasting and sage advice is someone I still consider as a friend and colleague. Sometimes hearing the hard message is exactly what some people need.
Bob, I deal with that everyday now with contractors. Sometimes it is because they are trying to lay responsibility onto the Architect for future problems. In large contractors, the individuals sometimes really do not know and they need direction. I once was on a project that the contractor’s foreman was still in college. He didn’t have a clue what to do. Then of course there are the poeple that had everything handed to them by their parents and they think that is your role… A generation lost in learning how to take charge and do things on their own.
Amen!!
YES YES and YES. Thank you!!!
You are most welcome!
Great post Bob! Now the question is how to share with staff without making it seem offensive…..
Luckily this isn’t about any of my employees … but they know how I feel on the matter. For ever one of these written blog posts, they have to sit and listen to 50 of them that I deliver preacher style in the office.
I’m not sure that they see the amazing wisdom and insight I bring daily into their lives as a positive thing.
I feel you brother. In the office and in the field it can be very difficult to extract the initiative needed from people to do their part and help the project move along without excessive intervention from a supervisor or manager. PS I thought your stress ball was a clown nose, possibly meant as a cruel, but brilliant, gift to the person(s) who inspired your post.
Clearly, I’m not as clever as you are (never was for that matter). I would imagine that you deal with this a lot – or at least you have the opportunity to witness it considering how much time you see it on the job site. I get this more from subcontractors than anywhere else.
There are many people out in the field who have an attitude such as “you’re not going to like the way I do it, so I’m just gonna sit here and let you tell me exactly the way you want it done so I don’t have to do it all over again!” That behavior always seems to come off as some kind of protest more than a genuine concern for the job.
I remember back in the design days there were times when I didn’t take much initiative in the office, partly because I was really insecure about my ideas and was afraid to take more risks and chances, so I often deferred to the leader on certain things because it just seemed like an easier and more efficient way to keep things going…that was a mistake that really only made things easier for ME, and harder for team leader, and I missed some real opportunities for growth.