4.  Perfectionist

Do you think that the only way to get something done right is to do it yourself?  Are you frustrated with the output of others, even when it is satisfactory?  Do you complain when others do not match your level of effort or work ethic?

Getting things exactly right is a honorable goal, but when you start comparing everything and everyone to your standard on just about every level can be frustrating.  The cycle of setting goals that are too lofty to reach and then failing to reach them can be very depressing. 

Solution:

Set challenging goals for yourself and expectations for others, but be forgiving when they are not met.  Striving for your best is what everyone should be doing, but constantly stretching for a goal that is out of reach is self defeating.  Set goals that are just a step or so ahead of what you have already achieved.  If you know that you have been able to meet deadlines on your deliverables (programming, standards development, or whatever) then move the dates up closer of take a little more onto your plate. 

Let's say that you have to create a LISP routine that fixes your files on some level.  You are fairly good at programming but finding the time to do it is hard.  A good goal would be to set aside 1 hour a day to work on the project.  If that fits easily into your schedule, stretch it to 2 hours.  If you are inconsistent in getting the time, then focus on your consistency until you can do it every day.  If you find that you cannot, then the goal may have been to much.   Keep stretching yourself slowly.  If you find yourself starting to slip dates or reduce scope, cut back a little.  Working this process will get easier as you proceed. 

For those that expect to much from others, lighten up.  You usually never know the complete story.  People miss deadlines for numerous reasons.  People fail from time to time also.  People do not always share one hard and fast plumb line for all work habits.  You should always encourage people to improve, but not demand it.  Demanding change usually does not work and frustration from the lack of progress in others usually does not improve much of anything.

5.  Follower

Are you driven by other peoples agendas and not your own?  Are there others in the firm who are choosing the software tools you use?  Are you forced to make software work that you had no hand in selecting?

Having others drive your daily workflow comes with the territory.  Being in a customer service industry (yes - CAD Managers are in customer service) makes us the kind that respond to other peoples timelines and needs.  This will not go away.  This does not however mean that the CAD Managers cannot have an agenda of their own.

Solution:

Setting the agenda, timeline and direction of the CAD migrations is your task.  Setting the pace of technology change is your task.  Mapping the path for the CAD future is your task.  Others will have input.  Others may suggest tools.  Others may drive a modification in the timeline.  Clients may force the use of a tool.  But you have the task of setting and following the technology plan for your firm. 

Creating a Technology Plan is not hard.  It is just your thoughts on paper with a cost and timeline.  Start jotting down your ideas of when and what will happen next.  If you are upgrading to 2008 products, when will it happen?  If you are going to create or modify your CAD Standard, what will be included, who will help and when will you be done.  Do not worry about priorities, just get every idea you can onto paper.  If you have not other place to start then take your job description and start planning out when you will do each of the tasks on there that are not "responding" to others.

Here is an example:

1)    Train all users in the Standards

       a)    Develop training program for all users
       b)    Use in house staff for training
       c)     Visit all offices and train all CAD staff
       d)    Train so they understand what, how and why

Budget: $3000
Due Date: October 2007

6.  Dreamer

Do you think about things that might be yet never move toward action?  Do you dream of tomorrow being better than today but never plan on how you can make it improve?

Spending time thinking about the future is a must for all CAD Managers.  If you don't want the future inventing itself, then you have to invent it.  If you don't want others defining what you should be doing then you need to do it.  Thinking about tomorrow is part of your function.

But thinking without then planning and driving toward the future is fruitless.  You need to move from being Rodin's "The Thinker" a stationary man cast in bronze to "the initiator". 

Solution:

After you have drafted your Technology Plan (mentioned above) you need to move into action.  Start slowly and pace yourself.  This is a long haul assignment.  Do not try to take on too much at one time.  Developing an Action Plan is the next step after the Technology Plan.  They may even overlap a little.  You Tech Plan does include brief outlines of the steps needed to make something happen, but the Action Plan will be more detailed.

Developing an Action Plan from your Technology Plan is the next step.  First prioritize your Tech Plan by getting input from others.  Ask others what they think are the main things you should focus on.  Take that input and sort the plan into the most important items first.  Don't worry about getting them exact.  Trying to define the first priority among three of four major important items can be tough.  Maybe they are all top priorities.  Most firms have multiple "first things".

Now break the high level breakdown of the Tech Plan onto smaller, actionable steps.  Break it down until you have small enough chunks to do in short amounts of time.  You may only get 30 minutes of uninterrupted time.  Make the steps do-able in 30 minutes.

Example:

1. Train all users in the Standards
   1. Develop training program for all users
      1. Write training outline
      2. Define who will need training
      3. Schedule training sessions
          
   2. Use in house staff for training
      1. Define who will do the training
      2. Prep them with outlines
          
   3. Visit all offices and train all CAD staff
      1. Schedule travel dates
      2. Book travel
      3. Coordinated printing of handouts in remote offices
          
   4. Train so they understand what, how and why
      1. Create cheat sheet for trainer
      2. Create reminders for specific topics
      3. Markup handouts with notes
      4. Ask questions during training to verify understanding
      5. Create follow up survey
      6. Send out survey after class is completed

You get the idea...

Now - stop dreaming and go do it!