AUGIWorld Magazine November/December 2007

The CAD Manager Ask Yourself the Big Questions I am a big believer in self evaluation so I constantly ask myself the tough questions. I often ask myself questions that I would rather avoid. I ask easy questions to remind myself that I have gained a little knowledge and experience over the years. I ask hard questions to remind me that I still have a lot to learn and get done. Living an unexamined life is like getting dressed in the dark. You may not realize that you have blue socks on with black slacks (been there, done that). I believe it was Socrates who said, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” (Or at least that is what I found via Google.) So when I am in the mood to ask myself some tough questions, what do I ask? Over the years I have collected some probing themes that have helped me review my accomplishments, energize my focus, renew my dedication to improve, and keep my work/life in balance. Here is my list of questions—I invite you to evaluate yourself. Is this the best you can do? No one said that the questions would be easy. You have to push yourself to do the best you can at all times. There are some areas where you can relax and realize that things are “good enough.” But “good enough” may not cut it for long. You need to press ahead. If you do not push yourself, then others will push you. And when others have to push, then you look like you are not keeping up or advancing fast enough. People may start wondering if you are worth keeping around. playing favorites. Maybe you need to stop using software as if it were AutoCAD R14. Maybe you need to step away from some committee work because you are overcommitted. Maybe you need to stop asking so many questions! Have you reviewed your job description lately? Is there something you need to be doing? What have you done for me lately? Well, what have you done lately? Not so much for you, but for others? Have you made any major upgrades in process, procedure, or standards? Think about what others may observe in your management style or accomplishments. Can you look back and see progress? There should be measurable progress in the advancement of the use of CAD in your environment. Have you moved to 3D yet? BIM? If you cannot see much progress, then what do you think others will see? Make sure you have been active and are making visible progress. This is a good one. Maybe you are doing a lot of things, but are they the right things? Are the things you are doing the most important? Bear in mind that the most important things are not always defined by you. The “right” things might be defined by those who are running your company. Are you familiar with your firm’s goals? The goals may not make direct references to CAD or BIM or 3D, but chances are that the goals carry initiatives that are empowered by these tools. Align your goals to the firm’s goals. Look for new initiatives that will make the company succeed. Looking at the foundations of my job function reminds me about what I was hired to do. You should do the same periodically. If you have wandered off from the baseline functions, you need to get back on track. I understand that many job descriptions are outdated and do not reflect what you actually are doing or need to be doing. These descriptions probably have not been updated since you hired on. It might be a good idea to review them and get them updated to reflect what your job entails at the present time. Make sure that your boss is involved so that your evaluations are based on the new job description and not the outdated one. She may also find out that you have been working way beyond your defined functions and doing a great job with it. Are you working toward the next level? What do you need to stop doing? The flip side of the previous question. Is there something that you need to step away from? Maybe you are too hard on your users (or maybe you aren’t hard enough). Maybe you need to stop complaining about something (and do something about it). Maybe you need to stop pushing so hard to climb the ladder. Maybe you need to stop We just spoke of working outside your job description. For some, this happens by mistake. Others do it on purpose. Expanding your job description by working toward the next level of your career is a worthy effort. By seeking out higher levels of responsibility and accountability you show that you are ready for that next promotion. I ask myself if I am finding out what the next level of my career is, what the requirements are, and how I get there. Am I talking to the right people? Am I seeking out the right assignments to help me move along? w w w. A U G I . c o m 4 http://www.AUGI.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of AUGIWorld Magazine November/December 2007

AUGIWorld Magazine November/December 2007 Table of Contents The CAD Manager Education & Training Finance Training Google Earth: Now Showing in AutoCAD Civil 3D Get Your Input Here A Good First Impression, Part 2 Share and Share Alike Who's Using Revit MEP? Ready… Get Set… Properties! On the Back Page: The Brazilian Model

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