CADDManager on January 23rd, 2014
This entry is part 4 of 8 in the series Critical Conversations

We discussed what to watch for and who to talk to.  Now we move on to how to talk when you have to have a critical conversation.

There are three levels that I usually try to frame my discussions with people when something comes up that I have to address.  I frame them under the lead off words I might use when starting the conversation.

  • I noticed that…
  • I am concerned about…
  • We have an issue…

Let’s cover the first one.  What you notice are the things that appear to be gathering into patterns.  They may appear random at first, but their appears to be a coalescing theme coming into the light.  You notice that several drawing are not plotting out right.  You notice that people have come to you asking for help finding where project blocks are located.  You hear someone having a conversation over the cubicle wall telling a coworker about replacing blocks in a file.  There is a pattern coming out of these random observations.  See the linkage…  bad blocks???

Now is the time to step in.  It may be nothing or it may be the start of something very bad.  Time for a critical conversation.  Here is how it might go…

Hey Steve, I notice that you had some problems getting a file to plot.  What project was that?  Hey Julie, I noticed that you asked about where the blocks were stored.  Did you need those for a project?  which one?  Tom, did I notice you say that there were some blocks that needed to be replaced on a file the other day?  what project was that?

All of these questions were not accusative nor divulging any specifics about possible concerns.  You are just gathering information.  You are looking a little deeper into a possible pattern.  You are trying to uncover what might be impacting the workflow.  It is a process that is a few steps back from the actual impact zone.  You are not looking to get in people faces.  That may cause them to stop providing information because they might think you are accusing or looking for someone to blame.

By taking a low key approach, you will gather little pieces of the overall puzzle.  Putting together that puzzle may take you to step two in your critical conversations.  Uncovering a Concern.

 

Series Navigation<< Critical Conversations about CAD – Who to Talk ToCritical Conversations about CAD – Uncovering a Concern >>

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