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The Smartest Guy in the CAD Room – Trials of a New CAD Manager

This entry is part 4 of 7 in the series The Trials of a New CAD Manager [1]

Trial Four: The Smartest Guy in the CAD Room – Thinking you know it all

Sometimes a new CAD Manager will think that they know everything that there is to know about the tools they use.  This feeling comes from the fact that they are most likely the smartest guy in the CAD room and that is why they got the position.  But if they are overconfident, they may soon find out that they do not actual know it all.

Symptoms of this Trial:

Symptoms of this trail are discovered when you are honest with yourself.  Do not let your confidence overshadow reality.  You need to pay attention to your reactions.  Are you surprised when someone else comes up with a good idea?  Do you push back when others have a better way of doing things?  Do you cut off conversation or avoid certain people because they are bright?  Do you feel jealous or angry when users start asking other people questions?  You are struggling to stay ahead of every other person in your office on CAD know how

When this Trial comes your way:

Get real.  No one knows everything.  And if you think you do know it all, someone will upstage you at some point.  This is not a failure – it is a reality.  The more you take on management functions, the more you may distance yourself from the daily use of the tools you oversee.  The trick it to get to know those bright and creative users that find new ways of doing things.  Embrace and extend.  Take the good ideas and spread them throughout the company.  Give credit to the person who came up with the idea and spread them around.  Build a team of super users that share their skills.  Make sharing the best way of getting ahead.

Series Navigation<< Ambiguity of your Duties – Trials of a New CAD Manager [4]A CAD Meltdown – Trials of a New CAD Manager >> [5]

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1 Comment To "The Smartest Guy in the CAD Room – Trials of a New CAD Manager"

#1 Comment By Guillermo On June 12, 2012 @ 11:00 AM

I am negotiating myself into a new role as CAD Manager. Your 5 Trials are exactly what i am expecting over the next 6 months. Since i am moving into this position, and making it up as i take it on, I am sure i don”t know what i will be doing. but i know i want to. Thank you for your posts, i’ll be visiting very often.