Unity of Direction – Principles of CAD Management

Point us all in the right direction and we can get it done.

A concept that Fayol included right after the concept of a single boss or head, is the idea that all those who are dedicated to the same objective should  work under on same plan and report to the same person.  When the planning is all done and it is time for execution, Fayol thought that all those involved in the execution of that plan would work under one person.Think of this as the concept of a single leader executing a single plan with a single team.

Today you may belong to multiple teams working on differing plans.  The matrixed environment of todays firms means that you  may be reporting to more than one person.  This does not necessarily negate Fayol’s principle.  I see wisdom in the bottom line leadership of an effort being invested into one person who leads a team.  If there is a separation of duties to other teams or sets of workers, then the reporting should still go back to the main person overseeing the plan.

A CAD Manager or BIM Manager of today will be involved in multiple teams.  They may also bring an added value in that they will know what is going on across the firm as possibly no other can.  They see all the teams working. They see conflicts of interest in the objectives of teams that may not communicate to each other. They can also let management know that multiple teams and plans are pointing at the same target.  By informing others and avoiding duplicate work, the CAD Manager can streamline the firms work and unify the efforts of all.