I was reading on a musician’s forum about how bass players are like football linebackers. When they are doing their job nobody notices. But when they make a mistake, everyone notices!
One former football player commented that the linebackers had a saying for this: “All blame; no fame.”
I was thinking that maybe this applies also to specifiers!
Until something in the specs saves the architect’s hide!
When working for a previous employer we had an in-house forum where we had to come up with an analogy to describe what we do.
My analogy of a specifier was the staff sergent who trains the officers who then orders us to plunge headlong into a fracas with no clear picture of what we’re doing or where we’re going. After they get pinned down, they then end up depending on us to pull them out of the mud and take their bullet so they can get the medal. We catch the shrapnel, get blamed for letting them get into trouble, and then start the process all over again.
I’m still looking for small mushrooms (ceramics, candles, whatever) for each of us here to have at our desks. I’m going to resort to looking on the internet this weekend, 'cause I haven’t found anything in local stores.
Wait - I don’t understand the mushrooms.
I presume Lynn is referring to the concept of being kept in the dark and fed manure
Instead of all the “woe is me” talk that specifiers like to exchange with each other, why not exchange some success stories.
Stories like:
Instead of reinforcing each other in how we are not respected, how about telling each other the ways we have gained respect by our contributions to our firms both within our specialized expertise of specifications and in other ways where we have been able to improve our firm’s capabilities, service, and efficiency.
Specifiers can be leaders within their firms - they just have to step up and take leadership roles where they see that they can step in and make valuable contributions to their firms. People that continue to make valuable contributions will gain the respect of their firms and will be recognized.
Stories such as these can be an inspiration to others to see ways they can increase their value to a firm and gain more respect. Instead of reinforcing the idea that we will never be respected; try the other mode of telling each other how to gain that respect.
Thanks, Ken and Bob!
Point taken Bob. Well said.
In fact you are, of course, correct. If we ever want to entice new members into our part of the industry it will take honey, not vinegar, to do so.
Ken, you’re right about the mushrooms.
Bob, you are not only right, YOU are an inspiration. I’m sure we can all think of multiple times when we have been an asset - to others AND to our employers.
It’s a challenge; Bob has thrown down the gauntlet. Who will pick it up first?
Friday Quiz. Twice a month I generate a quiz related to construction documents issues; drawing or photograph, and ask the folks to identify the issue. Each quiz has to be something that our staff cannot Google, Bing, Dogpile, Yahoo search for the answer. So far, after 7 months, I’ve stumped 'em only one time.
And, there have been some funny answers - “Not sure what the problem is, but those are nice shoes the lady is wearing.”
What a great idea, anon. Would you care to share your quizzes with this group?
x2! I want to seem them
Bob, I’ll get back to you on that one…my brain is a little fuzzy from leaving the office this morning at 6:30 am after ensuring that the Project Manual was finished for the 90% client review submission…the bouncing around on 4 projects in a week tends to blur the lines of coherence!! (all this in an effort to be able to enjoy a cigar with Mr. Hercenberg in a week…well maybe not entirely all, but partly LOL)
adds a couple drops of honey to the vinegar above and smiles innocently
Although we all have our “sour grapes” challenges, I like to think that we are no different than any other person with a job…there is a certain amount of “manure” to shovel with EVERY job. I also like to think that everyone that participates in these discussions are above average in intelligence (after all we are spec writers, altho some people may question that lol) and we do get satisfaction from our jobs and accomplishments…otherwise we would not do what we do!
I personally think its good to talk about both successes and challenges, as long as the discussion is honest and balanced. I have learned many things in the time I have participated on this forum from both sides of the discussions (positive and negative). We may think we can attract people to the profession if we talk more about our successes, but how long will the “newbies” last if they don’t see some of the “manure” that fertilizes the flowers and rainbows?
Friday Quiz - stumped!
Here is a link to the drawing for the Veteran’s Day Friday Quiz. This is the one that stumped the entire staff (+/- 110 folks).
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mojoarchitect/6842035448/in/photostream
Two questions:
What is the problem with this layout?
What is missing?
Why is the trench drain inside the loading bay and coiling door, rather than outside? Seems to me that would be better than the 1/2 inch vertical step at the coiling door sill.
What is the horizontal offset dimension of the pipe bollards from the coiling door jambs?
It shows the steel channel jambs, but not the double steel angle door guides.
How about an enlarged plan detail of the actual OH coiling door jamb, showing the anchorage to building?
The coiling door hood shown dotted above?
Bollards on the INSIDE? (If there is probability that wall may be struck from the outside - hence the bollards - how is that probability reduced by the mere presence of the vehicle on the inside?)
Mandoor swings wrong way. Bollard’s missing a dimension from the garage door jamb to the bollard. (I assume all the jamb detail info is covered by detail referenced on door schedule)
Regarding the lack of respect for specifiers, I expect you all realize that there isn’t much respect for architects among the trades. After I went to work for the Woodwork Institute I figured out at least part of the problem.
When the A/E team does everything right the tradesmen don’t even notice that they are there. We bid the job, send off the shop drawings, produce the work and when we cash the check we pat ourselves on the back for doing such a good job. But when the design team screws up we gleefully tell each other that architects are the source of all the world’s troubles.
The problem for specifiers is that nobody notices what you’re doing until you make a mistake. When a building wins an award the managing partner doesn’t thank the specifier for doing such a great job; he breaks his arm patting himself on the back.