Communication has so many obstacles. Think about it. Even simple communication takes so many steps. You have to develop the message in your mind then define how you are going to communicate it (written, verbal, etc.) then deliver the message. The person receiving it has to hear, see or read it (or even feel it if it has physical characteristics). After that they have to interpret it, process it, understand it and then begin defining their reaction. So even a simple message or question like “What’s for dinner?” has to pass through three steps of delivery and four steps of reception before the other party even starting thinking of a response.
Now think about how easy it is to have someone state something incorrectly or to vaguely for others to grasp, or for the other party to misinterpreted the statement.
Let’s take the delivery side first. Is it a hop, skip or jump?
When things need rapid communication, you just blurt them out, like yelling “Fire” or “Look out”. Delaying the communication could cause or allow more damage than overstating the concern. Just get it out there. But other messages need more refinement. Let’s take a look at what problems I have seen in defining and delivering the message.
Defining the Message
Don’t start talking until you have most of it figured out: Try to think through the entire communication prior to starting. Do you have all the info needed? Do you know what questions might be asked from what you are stating? Not having it all wrapped up is okay if you state that up front. Bringing someone in to assist with defining the initiative is okay as long as they know you are not finished with the entire process.
Not enough detail: I have gotten so many messages from others that have been calls to action (asking me to do something) in which there is not enough detail to make it happen. It makes me think they have not fully thought out the idea or initiative. They leave out critical who, what, when, where and expect me to define the How. When asking someone for someone’s help – you need to include the reason for needing it and then provide them with the exact information you need and when you need it.
Too much detail: The flip side of not enough is too much. Some emails I get (and some that I write) have way too much info and people just don’t read them all the way through. When I find myself typing too much in an email I usually try to add a summary of critical items or highlight in bold some data the needs to be transferred. In conversation, look for body language that you are talking too long. Keep messages short and to the point.
Redundancy Works
I have commented before that managers should repeat themselves often. Not so much making the exact same statements, but sharing the same information in differing ways. Multiple times.
In a recent article in Harvard Business Review (Effective Managers say the same thing twice – or more, May 2011) Tsedal Neeley and Paul Leonardi actually did a study on redundant messages. It stated the managers who sent more redundant messages got tasks done faster and with fewer hiccups. The context was managers who had formal power over the team members and those that did not. 21% of the messages sent by managers who were working with people they did not have formal power over (like many CAD and BIM Managers) were defined as redundant. When someone had formal power, the messages that repeated reduced to 12%. It was observed that those with formal power assumed that workers and team members would just do what they were told and so repeating messages was unneeded.
What they found is that those without formal organizational reporting power over others tended to send messages the repeated what was discussed to reinforce what was discussed. This way they felt they were insuring that the message was understood. Those with formal power tended to become redundant when they noticed that the message was no received correctly. So reinforcing prior to misunderstandings provided better results than correcting misunderstanding after they happen.
They found that with the modern offices working in project teams and with people on multiple teams, there is a need to refresh and repeat messages to ensure that people get the communication in a way they understand and at a time they are ready to receive it.
This reinforces my perspective that managers should be repeating the messages they try to send to others in many differing ways. Redundancy can be a verbal message followed by a memo or email. Or it could be a meeting announcement followed by personal reminders to people.
So repeat yourself. Over and over. Say it again in another way. Send the message multiple times. (How is that for redundancy?)
Communication, like your golf score or penmanship, can always be improved. Letting people know what you have decided as a Manager is part of the job. Doing it effectively can be tough. When you have come to a conclusion either on your own or with your team, you need to let everyone know the outcome of the process. I have always encouraged managers to be expansive and redundant. Let’s talk about the first.
Expansive Communication
There are many formal and informal ways to get the message out. Formal communication such as memos and documentation are great for documenting the decisions and getting verification that everyone is on the same page. There is nothing like seeing it in writing to confirm that what was discussed is what is to be implemented. When people see it in writing – it carries more weight in the decision making process. Documentation is good for defining the exact content of the message. Others can read an confirm or reject the content of verbal messages that may be floating around the office. Informal communication runs the gamut of just talking to IM chats and more.
There is also Instant and Delayed methods of communication. As I mentioned face to face talking is instant as is chatting online. We can also include the telephone and cell phone communication and many collaboration tools that promise instant exchange of ideas. Delayed communication would include snail mail, interoffice pouches, faxing, email, voice mail or text messaging. These provide no guarantee of delivery at a specific time, but will get through at some point.
The point of bringing formal,informal, instant and delayed methods of communication is to get the point across that there are many and you need to be using all of them…
More to come.
Started the day off early with a presentation on CAD Momentum. I discussed getting the right stuff moving in the right direction at the right speed.
The AUGI Top DAUG winner was announced. The competition went down to the wire with several last day participants winning top slots. The overall winner was announced to a large gathering.
The show floor closed up and it is on to the evening events soon.
Here are a couple of videos from the show floor.
TechShop Tour – youtu.be/4Pb7K9yVawY
The Gallery at Autodesk University 2011 – http://youtu.be/oVS5ZeRHo64
Today I presented twice. The first presentation was on working with multiple generations in the workplace. The second was CAD Leadership and Leading Change. Each class was well attended and somewhat interactive.
I am writing this from the show floor and the crowd is not thinning out as the evening wears on. I visited the Bluebeam booth and was impressed with their product and their booth.
One interesting thing that I did see today was the offering to be taught how to knit or crochet. Right there in the middle of a high tech conference was an Autodesk employee offering to educate you on the fine art of handcrafted creations.
AUGI Top DAUG continued to be in full swing with many watching the tote board for updates to the top ten lists. Tonight was the Annual Beer Bust and the passing out of the AUGI Beer Mugs.
Yesterday was a long day of presentations and classes.
The General Session Keynote was done on a single massive display that must have been well over 100 feet wide and Autodesk CEO Carl Bass always entertains and informs. I am hearing stats like 8000 attendees from 80 countries and the crown is a wide mix and buzzing with energy.
Classes got underway and the hallways were jammed at the breaks. The day ended with the opening of the Exhibit Hall. AUGI was there in force with the Top DAUG competition.
There are 7 products in the testing now – not just AutoCAD.
Walking the Exhibit hall was tough as the crowd was fairly large. The hall is long and narrow with two main aisles and branches off both sides like little cul-de-sacs.
I did not have much time to wander but I did notice the cheerleading squad and also stopped by the HP booth to check out their modular chassis desktops that allow you to quickly snap in major components in the box in seconds. Swapping out a power supply is a breeze and airflow is maximized for cooling. They also demoed their large touch screen that outranks anything I have seen recently in that it allows multiple touch points in ways that others do not. There was a large wall mount and a desktop model. Very Nice.
The night ended with the hall closing and the crowd scattering to other events or to get some rest prepping for the next day.
Read a little more each day in AUGI’s HotNews Daily
After arriving yesterday, I jumped into full swing today with the Leadership Forum. Last night there was a reception where everyone had the opportunity to meet and greet. I interacted with Joseph Joseph (www.bim-managers.com) who helped organized the whole thing. He has done a great job.
Today was the full force attack with classes on leadership, BIM, Digital Design, Sustainability and Cloud Computing – all from those who have lead the charge in these areas. I presented on “Energizing a Multi-Generational Workforce. Some good conversations and many people connecting and sharing experiences and ideas. Quite a buzz.
During the breaks I checked on the AUGI booth that is being set up and checked emails. You can follow AUGI at AU on Twitter at https://twitter.com/AUGIatAU
Still meeting up with many that I have not seen in a while. If you get a chance and are here – stop me in the hall and let’s chat.
CADD Manager Journal had the opportunity recently to interact with Greg Bentley, CEO of Bentley Systems about the involvement of Bentley and himself with educational environment and STEM. I am always encouraged when firms embrace educational efforts for tomorrows leaders.
CADDManager Journal: For the unfamiliar, what exactly is STEM and why is it so vital?
Greg Bentley: The Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) movement is a collaborative activity by business, industry, government, and nonprofits to promote STEM-oriented curricula and outreach programs in today’s classrooms. A 21st century workforce requires the knowledge and skills associated with these more demanding areas of study to fill the growing demand for more technologists and engineers of all disciplines, including the many that comprise the infrastructure professions. This technically trained talent is the key to driving long-term economic growth by, for example, improving and sustaining the infrastructure needed to support the housing, transportation, water distribution, communications, and many other service requirements of modern societies.
STEM-based curricula also serve the individual career development requirements of our young people. It affords them better and more fulfilling occupations that provide a higher degree of job security, particularly during economic downturns.
CMJ: How has the STEM focus impacted our educational progress in these areas?
GB: Schools in the United States face a crucial challenge in improving STEM education, especially for K-12 students. There is growing awareness that STEM learning is important not just for our country’s ongoing economic strength, but also for global health and safety, as well as the ongoing sustainability of our environment. Improving the STEM focus, especially in the K-12 student, builds a stronger correlation to success in post-secondary engineering endeavors. In a statement issued by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan on the release early this year of the National Assessment of Education Progress report he warned that our nation’s students aren’t learning at a rate that will maintain America’s role as an international leader in the sciences. He said that, based on this “science report card,” the next generation will not be ready to be world-class inventors, doctors, and engineers.
Developing STEM literacy requires lasting commitment from government, educators, business leaders, and, ultimately, each of us. We are finding new ways for private, public and nonprofit agencies to better work together to develop programs and initiatives that engage, inspire, and educate young people in math and science. And with many initiatives under way, researchers are now able to study successful STEM-focused schools, as well as effective STEM education practices. Therefore, going forward we can promote best-practices and proven solutions to help create the most effective STEM education possible.
CMJ: What has Bentley done to assist in the STEM efforts?
GB: Bentley’s mission is to provide innovative software and services for the enterprises and professionals who design, build, and operate the world’s infrastructure—sustaining the global economy and environment for improved quality of life. Crucial to this mission is a commitment to helping develop, and, indeed, sustain the talented and multidisciplinary workforce of professionals charged with sustaining our world’s infrastructure. This can only be accomplished by attracting more students to the study of math and sciences, leading to greater interest in pursuing careers in engineering and technology. A number of our initiatives at Bentley are dedicated to this worthy endeavor.
The Bentley colleague STEM grant program enables each Bentley colleague to “earmark” grants – one per calendar year – to help support STEM programs in schools, nonprofit organizations, and nongovernmental organizations. Since the program’s inception in 2008, more than 1,500 STEM grants, each totaling $250 (or other country equivalent), have been directed by Bentley colleagues to enhance students’ involvement in STEM-related learning activities. These awards have gone to providing lab and science equipment, supporting robotics competitions, enabling students to attend science camp, and much more.
We also encourage students to explore the infrastructure professions through a Bentley Systems’-hosted program called Techies Day. Students from surrounding high schools visit our corporate headquarters in Exton, Pa., where they learn about potential areas of study and career opportunities. This year was our third annual Techies Day, and students were able to learn about 3D computing in engineering, what it takes to support a company’s IT needs, as well as what’s involved in designing, creating, and supporting software for infrastructure professionals.
In addition, Bentley is a long-time sponsor of the National Engineers Week Future City Competition, an annual engineering outreach program in which sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-graders from across the U.S. work in teams to design cities of the future. Each school team is supported by a teacher and an engineer-mentor. Through this problem-solving process students are able to experience firsthand what it is that engineers do: research, analysis, innovative thinking, and team collaboration.
The students create their vision of the city of tomorrow first on computers and then as large 3D models. They then write detailed narratives outlining the key features of their respective city, and a research essay on the real-world engineering challenge it addresses. By offering an opportunity to explore real issues, programs like this actively engage students, increasing their interest in science and math, and introducing them to the field of engineering. Helping young people discover what the field has to offer is a critical step in ensuring that the engineering professions continue to thrive in the years ahead.
CMJ: Please tell me a little history about National Engineers Week Future City Competition and how Bentley got involved.
GB: The Future City Competition is now in its 20th year, and Bentley has been involved since 1995, with the first Philadelphia regional competition. Since then, Bentley has continued and expanded its support of this great program, both at the regional and national levels, financially, and through the volunteer efforts of our colleagues who serve as mentors and judges for the competition. It also is our privilege to host the National Finals, and to sponsor the National Finals Grand Prize winners with a trip to the U.S. Space Camp in Huntsville, Ala.
CMJ: How can a student or family get more involved with STEM or the competition?
GB: Anyone can become involved with STEM by contacting his or her school for in-school programs and outreach activities. They can get involved with the Future City Competition by visiting the website at www.futurecity.org.
CMJ: What has your involvement taught you about future generations and their focus on technology?
Our participation in these wonderful programs has taught us that sharing real-life work experiences with students inspire them to take on and excel in the more challenging subjects that are crucially needed to sustain our society, environment, and economy. Once their curiosity is engaged, it continues to increase at an exponential rate, and the Future City Competition bears this out. I can say, most sincerely, that one of my favorite events of the year is the National Finals in Washington. Watching the presentations of these incredibly bright and enthusiastic young people is a remarkable experience that always leaves me encouraged about our nation’s future.
CM: What lessons have you learned from your personal involvement that has impacted you?
GB: Mentoring can make a huge difference in a child’s life. I know this is the case through my own involvement as a Big Brother with the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. Through this rewarding experience, I am convinced that mentoring is of key importance to inspiring our next generation of infrastructure professionals. To further promote mentoring at Bentley, we have started the Be Mentors initiative, which is designed to support mentorship in STEM areas by both individuals and corporations.
The Be Mentors program provides assistance and resources for STEM mentors, and is open to all interested persons and organizations. The initial phase of Be Mentors is aimed at supporting the Future City Competition mentors in 2011-2012. From here we will expand support for ACE Mentors, SMART Competition, MATHCOUNTS, the National Academy of Engineers Grand Challenge, and other STEM-related programs in growing capacities, focusing on the value of the mentor in the learning process.
As I mentioned earlier, many of our Bentley colleagues currently volunteer as mentors, both for the Future City Competition and other STEM-related programs such as robotics and solar car competitions. Through the Be Mentors program, these colleagues will, in turn, support others in learning to inspire and encourage students in science, technology, engineering, and math.
You can learn more about our Be Mentors program at www.bentley.com/bementors.
CMJ: What other areas or programs has Bentley embraced in education? Software donations? Training? Partnerships with educational institutions?
GB: Many of the programs and initiatives that we embrace are in the form of mentorships, donations, and financial support. Examples include software donations to: Engineers Without Borders; AASHTO’s high school outreach program, TRAC; ACE Mentor; and the soon-to-be-launched “SMART Competition.”
At the university level, Bentley just recently awarded a research grant to the Society of Fire Protection Engineers Scientific and Educational Foundation named in memory of FDNY Assistant Chief Donald Burns. Chief Burns died in the collapse of the World Trade Center Towers on September 11, 2001, while setting up his command post to direct the evacuation. Through our partnership with SFPE, Bentley is awarding $25,000 annually in grant funds over a period of five years. Each grant will fund one or more baccalaureate, masters, and doctorate student global research projects that apply information modeling to improving emergency responder safety when training for, responding to, and operating during building emergencies.
Bentley’s Be Careers Network is dedicated to helping students graduate with the technology skills needed to start careers as infrastructure professionals in the architecture, engineering, geospatial, and construction fields. It does this by providing programs for students, faculty, and schools, including comprehensive and cost-effective software (for school labs and each student’s home computer and textbooks covering the full range of infrastructure disciplines; blended learning encompassing OnDemand eLearning available 24 X 7, product videos, and eSeminars, as well as curricula for educators; the tracking of student progress; professional networking and development through the Be Communities professional networking website; and academic competitions, such as the Student Design Competition, offering awards and scholarships. Just recently, we deployed STUDENTserver, a web based application where students and faculty can download software, enroll in training, or gain access to our Be Communities server with one single login. Be Careers is geared to the needs of students in universities, colleges, high schools, and technical schools. In addition, a special Be Employable initiative launched early in 2009 makes software and training available at no charge to outplaced infrastructure professionals.
CMJ: Where can someone go to get more information or get involved?
GB: For additional information about the National Engineers Week Future City Competition, your readers can visit www.futurecity.org. For additional information about (or to join) our Be Mentors initiative, they can—and I would encourage them to—visit www.bentley.com/bementors. For additional information about our Be Careers Network, they can visit www.becareers.org.
My CAD Leadership class this year is on Change. How to manage it well. Change is going to happen and you need to be leading it.
Leading change will draw upon your skills in ways that you may not have fully developed and will continue to develop your entire career.
I have broken this topic down into two areas:
Leading
This part will draw upon your leadership skills and uses your people and political skills. People skills as you interact with others and Political skills where you interact with misgivings, misunderstandings, misinformation and outright positioning by others to help you succeed or attempt to make you fail.
Change
This draws upon your planning skills and uses your creative and organizational skills. Planning is used as you map out the future and you are going to get there. Creative and Organizational skill to originate ideas and align them with other initiatives in the organization.
What does a Leader need to do to create and energize change? Linda A. Hill in her book on “Being the Boss” helps us understand.
- They need to demonstrate their character—the intention to do the right thing.
- They need to demonstrate their competence—knowing how to do the right thing.
- They need to demonstrate their influence—the ability to deliver and execute the right thing.
I will unpack these and many more perspectives in the class.
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