Promotion and Advancement: How to champion the Pull.

by Mike Davis, FAIA

Japanese gardeners use a small hand saw called a nokogiri. Cool thing about this tool? Instead of pushing on the blade, it cuts when you pull it.

Thanks to the Missing 32% Project: 2014 Equity in Architecture Survey findings, we know that very few women become principals or owners in US architectural firms. With this deficit front-of-mind, putting pressure on all architects to recognize and act on gender inequity is right. Creating pathways to leadership for women in architecture is critical. But that pressure – the equity push – may not in itself solve the problem in time to keep more women from giving up on the profession.

To make change happen urgently, we also need a complementary force. Call it … the pull.  

Defining the challenges with promotion and advancement in Architecture. 

When your breakout topic for the Equity by Design “Hackathon” at the 2015 AIA National Convention is “Promotion and Advancement”, it becomes a question of how. How do we create the pull for promotion and advancement? What would convince the people – mostly men – running US architecture firms that having more women in senior leadership positions is vitally important?

We can make the business case for equity. 1) Studies prove the correlation between inclusivity on a corporate board and organizational profitability. 2) We have market research showing how much global spending is now being controlled by women. 3) And how about that Harvard Business Review report that says teams with more women on them are just smarter? We can argue the intrinsic value of diversity. We can opine that social intelligence – the sine qua non of 21st century enterprise – is stronger in women. Plenty of compelling evidence.

But in order for gender equity to happen any time soon, the men in charge of our firms need to change their behavior. Men-in-charge are the leverage point in the system as it currently exists. So to “hack” the system, men must be made part of the solution.

Speaking as a male Principal in an architectural firm, I’ve been in the conference room when candidates for promotion and advancement are being considered. Qualifications, talent, dedication, leadership, professionalism? Sure. All those factors are considered. But the thing that ultimately makes a bunch of architects decide to promote someone else to Principal? Trust.

Trust ultimately creates the pull for promotion. Not rational argument, not compelling evidence, not market studies. It’s not an intellectual decision. It’s an emotional one.

We know that there are men out there who want to see women succeed in architecture. And we know trust is contagious. So the Equity by Design Promotion and Advancement “hack” is: the formation of strategic intra-firm partnerships.

A strategic partnership would begin like this: Women, find advocates among your firm’s current Principals or senior leadership. Asking someone for advice is powerfully motivating. Engage them in candid conversation about mutual goal-setting, professional objectives, career paths. Be sure you frame your aspirations in terms of how the firm can also benefit. This is the basis for interpersonal trust in a corporate setting.

And if you can’t find those advocates at your current firm, get your resume in circulation.

Team members including Jessie Turnbull, Mike Davis, Meg Brown and Frances Choun pitch The Pull for Promotion and Advancement. 

The next step: understanding that a firm’s corporate values and behaviors derive from the values and behaviors exhibited by its Principals, the advocating Principals need to demonstrate their trust in the candidates to the rest of the firm. This could take the form of delegating authority for certain corporate activities or functions and then visibly supporting the candidates’ decisions.

In systems-thinking terms, the advocating Principals would be creating a reinforcing feedback loop. As more firm leaders witnessed this support, more would be inclined to extend their trust as well. The pull would be present. Promotion and advancement would follow.

Rather than relying on the interpersonal ju-jitsu of office politics, something more like mentoring is what creates lasting and mutually-beneficial trust. Eventually, this kind of exchange would also create a support network and a culture of open dialogue about professional development in the organization. And then, not only would gender equity and ownership transition be served, but a firm’s capacity to respond and adapt to unforeseen future challenges would also be strengthened.   

Japanese gardeners use a small hand saw called a nokogiri. Cool thing about this tool? Instead of pushing on the blade, it cuts when you pull it.

Strategic partnerships can build trust. And trust can create the pull for promotion and advancement. Like the nokogiri, pull works. 

Team Members:

• Mike Davis, FAIA Bermeyer
• Frances Choun, VP of McCarthy Building Companies
• Meg Brown Principal, Perkins + Will
• Jessie Turnbull, RA Associate, Robert AM Stern
• Randy Seitz, Principal, AIA Blue Ridge Architects

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READ MORE ABOUT WE310 EQUITY BY DESIGN HACKATHON RECAPS

1. #BUILDYOUrtribe – Equity by Design Hackathon 2015 Winners
2. When Working Hard Hardly Works 
3. Promotion and Advancement: How to champion the Pull.
4. We need to Hack more!
5. I am not an Architect
6. How does going to a Hackathon make re-entry easier?
7. Interrupt workplace bias, be a "Change Agent"
8. Reflections from the EQxD Hackathon Jurors
9. Conscious Inclusion: #BUILDYOUrtribe

 

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What's next for EQxD?

Join us in San Francisco at AIASF on June 11th for our next EQxD "U" Workshop "What's Flex got to do with Success?" (Win Win Strategies for Work/Life Flexibility) Meet the panelists, and participate in small group break-outs to "hack" what works for flexibility in the modern workplace. This event is relevant to all AEC professionals! 6pm-8:30pm. 

When Working Hard Hardly Works

by Morgan Maiolie

I killed it in college. I worked hard and late and I loved every moment of my six-year master’s program. When I walked through the door to my first job I was energized. I thought I’d excel.

I was wrong.

It took time to see it, in part because I’d been warned about the life of an intern. I was ready to work humbly over many years to prove myself and transition without complaint from engaging academic work with a flexible schedule to less creative work that demanded inhabitation of a single chair for 8 contiguous hours, often many more. I willingly sacrificed personal goals and health for my job. During these first years, I didn’t let many things divide my focus, least among them a discussion of women in architecture. I was confident in my ability to overcome any lingering sexist barriers simply by being good at my job and working well with my peers. I would be awesome. People would like me.

Morgan studying daylight design in college, analyzing famous buildings, learning construction skills, and working late into the night.

The author studying daylight design in college, analyzing famous buildings, learning construction skills, and working late into the night.

I began to reassess my worldview when I noticed the few older women around me occasionally excluded and too often the victims of veiled disrespect. Closer in career development to me, I saw young mothers ceding their part-time schedules, fired, or exhausted by overwork. I began to realize that, to keep my career on track while raising a family, I would need exactly what these women were denied.

It looked like every office operated this way, so I started to float a few questions, “are there other firms with more flexible schedules? more female leadership? less overtime?”

Resoundingly, the answer was No.

There was a bit of shame in my asking as well; why would I think of my needs when I should focus on the design of sustainable, resilient buildings that improve my community? My answer is that, as I write this, young women like me are training very hard to become architects. We deserve a work culture that supports us in achieving our sustainable, resilient, community-minded goals, not the culture of today where only 17% of our female peers hold an architecture license. I don’t believe our profession can afford to lose us.

I was interested in the Equity by Design mission enough that I wrote a scholarship essay and spent another 8 contiguous hours in a single seat (this one in my car) to travel to Atlanta. There, I found what I was looking for. Gathered in conference room B304 were a group of men and women committed to a new model of work, supportive of female architects and unafraid to speak frankly about the specific issues they face. Our organizers employed a hackathon structure where participants created solutions in a fast-moving, stream-of-thought design process; an activity for which we were well-trained and enthusiastic. Our work product showed the structure’s success; each team’s hack added more to the understanding and rehabilitation of architectural culture than many years of single conversations in quiet offices could have.

Breaking the 9am-5pm cycle.

Our team, Phil Bernstein, Melissa Daniel, Ashley L. Dunn, Shawna Hammon and I, addressed the flexible work week. Our goal was to make it possible for any architect to work non-contiguous hours or part-time while remaining a valuable part of their team. We identified barriers and designed “hacks” that we organized into the pillars Culture, Infrastructure, and Process. We crafted our design pitch as a kit of parts. Our intent was that an architecture firm would combine specific hacks from our kit to customize a plan for their unique work style. The Kit of Parts is divided into three categories, each with specific hacks.

Phil Bernstein, Melissa Daniel, Ashley L. Dunn, Morgan Maiolie and Shawna Hammon present to the EQxD  Hackathon judges

Our team defined the current architecture system as one that prioritizes long days and the ability to work fluidly, communicating with team members the moment a need arises. To change it, we introduced hacks like core meeting hours, hourly pay to incentivize strategic project planning, and the use of technology to ensure that communication remains fluid when a team member is not physically in the office. We repurposed a technique prevalent in the technology design industry called Agile Development, which allows for independent work followed by quick, strategic critique sessions. Finally, we identified systems for employees to share project responsibilities; increasing communication, flexibility, and trust amongst project teams.

We did it from 1-5pm.

A key strength of the Equity by Design Hackathon was that we focused on these issues with people of equal passion -  our tribe. Working with the Equity by Design group for one day gave me the tools to talk about equity for a year. I don’t float questions anymore. I make statements. I hack.

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Read more of Morgan's captivating experiences  from excerpts of her EQxD Hackathon scholarship essay below. Her strong and articulate words encompass frustrations and ambitions many feel about the inequity in the architecture field today.  

“In both of my first design positions I experienced institutional practices that negatively and and disproportionally affected women. It was a hard thing for me to talk about in each case because I was just learning the ropes of each job, because I had a lot of respect for my superiors who seemed oblivious to or unconcerned with the negative impact of these practices, and, finally, because architects, myself included, hold a worldview that puts helping our communities above all else. It seemed selfish to talk about my own needs when everyone around me was working so hard for so important a goal.”

— Morgan Maiolie

“It’s hard for me to believe I could train so hard and end up in and antiquated system that’s as ready to push me out as it is to demand my health and future family in exchange for the ability to improve my community. The way we structure work hasn’t changed since men worked and women stayed home, but it should.”

— Morgan Maiolie

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READ MORE ABOUT WE310 EQUITY BY DESIGN HACKATHON RECAPS

1. #BUILDYOUrtribe – Equity by Design Hackathon 2015 Winners
2. When Working Hard Hardly Works 
3. Promotion and Advancement: How to champion the Pull.
4. We need to Hack more!
5. I am not an Architect
6. How does going to a Hackathon make re-entry easier?
7. Interrupt workplace bias, be a "Change Agent"
8. Reflections from the EQxD Hackathon Jurors
9. Conscious Inclusion: #BUILDYOUrtribe

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What's next for EQxD?

Join us in San Francisco at AIASF on June 11th for our next EQxD "U" Workshop "What's Flex got to do with Success?" (Win Win Strategies for Work/Life Flexibility) Meet the panelists, and participate in small group break-outs to "hack" what works for flexibility in the modern workplace. This event is relevant to all AEC professionals! 6pm-8:30pm. 

#BUILDYOUrtribe - EQXD Hackathon 2015 Winners

Meaning and Influence: Entrepreneurship

We were told to get ready to eat the whale, to grab our forks and come hungry for action.  We walked into 2015 AIA Convention WE310 - Equity by Design: Knowledge, Discussion, Action Hackathon energized and ready to “hack”.  But what that meant, we weren’t entirely sure at first.  

After the rundown and summary of the key findings from the 2014 Equity in Architecture Survey, wonderfully presented by our personal twitter heroes: Rosa Sheng (@RosaSheng), Lilian Asperin Clyman (@liaspcly), Emily Grandstaff-Rice (@egraia), Virginia Marquardt (@branngin) and Nicole Graycar (@ngraycar), we were told to gravitate towards a topic of interest.  There were 6 topics written up on boards and spread throughout the room.  Immediately our group surrounded the meaning and influence board with the topic of entrepreneurship.   

We were supposed to limit the groups to 5 or 6 people but 7 of us sat down instantly. When asked if any of us wanted to switch groups, we all leaned in--committed to our team and topic of interest.  To quote from The Missing 32% Project blog post Anatomy of the EQxD Hackathon,  

“I have always believed that those who are meant to meet, find each other in due time. Hackers find themselves gravitating towards other folks who share a passion…”  

The EQxD leaders thankfully let us stick together and break the rules.  We quickly discovered we were fortunate to have a variety of experience in our group that consisted of: a recent architecture graduate, a designer on her path to licensure, a newly licensed architect working in a large firm, an entrepreneur turned employee, an employee turned entrepreneur, a private practice employee turned public architect and a non-profit leader advocating for women in leadership.

Step 1: “Deliberate and Discard: Define the problem

Why don’t architects think more entrepreneurially? How do we break the mold and move away from the traditional career path, whether employed in a large firm or going out on our own?  Many issues came up from architects not knowing the business side of the industry to asking how do architects obtain and retain clients to asking, “am I a service provider or an artist?  Time and work-life balance also came up in our discussion, we talked about architecture schools teaching a culture of ‘all-nighters’, and clients not understanding how much time our work takes or the value added by the architectural team.  We asked why profitability is a dirty word in our industry?  As the EQxD leaders had warned us, time flew by and we had to distinctly define our problem; this is what we came up with:

In order to retain talent, increase job satisfaction, and avoid pinch points, we need to think more entrepreneurially – which is actually more true to our authentic selves as creative problem solvers.  By thinking like an entrepreneur, an architect will easily articulate their own value to their colleagues within a firm, or as a sole proprietor, and will likely then be more valued, remain in the profession and achieve more job satisfaction. So why aren’t architects articulating their value, to themselves and to their colleagues and peers? We answered that question as having a lack of knowledge, resources and confidence.

Step 2: “Develop and Clarify”: Diverge, Deliberate, Converge

What are the root challenges? Lack of Knowledge, Resources, and Confidence.  
What can we do to overcome our lack of or perceived lack of knowledge, resources and confidence?  We started navigating towards 6 ‘C’ words – creativity, collaboration, communication, confidence, community and connection.  We need to surround ourselves with other creatives, collaborate and communicate with confidence and engage and connect with our community - both the design community and non-design community.

We kept circling around the fact that we really don’t do it all on our own, we partner with others whether it be our client, the city and/or the community.  We utilize an interdisciplinary approach, peer mentors, and shared resources to get the job done.  How do we make this process of knowledge building, resource sharing and confidence boosting more accessible?  First, BUILD YOU.  We realized you have to know what you are good at.  What are your skills and passions?  This isn’t always easy to figure out.  We must however build ourselves first.  Second, BUILD YOUR TRIBE. We need to find others that have different skills and passions, who challenge us,who help us develop and further our design visions.  We called this building our tribe.  

Step 3: “The Pitch”: Get ready to “sell” it

As the clock ticked by at what seemed like a rapid pace, we realized we needed this to engage the public in order to make a larger impact.  So we came up with #Buildyourtribe, we liked it because it contained #Buildyou, the notion of finding your own skills and passions first and then building your tribe.  

Next, we decided we could go further than just a social media campaign and came up with the idea of an app which would be focused on connecting the AEC community locally, regionally and maybe even globally to participate in events like the hackathon, to meet up, connect and make lasting relationships;  a sort of industry-specific mash-up between LinkedIn and MeetUp.

#EQxDHack15 #BuildYourTribe team. Launch the tribe, and app! Interested in sponsoring a startup? Here’s your chance. pic.twitter.com/nuAzAZBsZ7

— Irving A Gonzales (@GonzalesArchts) May 13, 2015

It was interesting that by the end of this brainstorming session, our concept of building our tribe was coming to fruition through our own group’s camaraderie. We had come from different backgrounds not knowing what truly to expect but had found a common thread to work on and were putting our entrepreneurial self to the forefront.  As a new group of “hackers” we are looking forward to developing the app!

Help us build our tribe! #Buildyourtribe #BYT #meaningandinfluence #AIAcon15 #EQxDHack15 @Miss32percent pic.twitter.com/CzWkMX77kK

— BuildYourTribe (@BLDYOURTRIBE) May 14, 2015

Amanda Gann @amanda_gann
Jamie Molina @jamiemolina419
Neelanjana Sen @NeelanjanaSen
Marilyn Moedinger @mwmoedinger
Karen Bala @karencbala
Kelly Hayes McAlonie @KellyHayesM
Rebecca Johnson @rebeccainphilly

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READ MORE ABOUT WE310 EQUITY BY DESIGN HACKATHON RECAPS

1. #BUILDYOUrtribe – Equity by Design Hackathon 2015 Winners
2. When Working Hard Hardly Works 
3. Promotion and Advancement: How to champion the Pull.
4. We need to Hack more!
5. I am not an Architect
6. How does going to a Hackathon make re-entry easier?
7. Interrupt workplace bias, be a "Change Agent"
8. Reflections from the EQxD Hackathon Jurors
9. Conscious Inclusion: #BUILDYOUrtribe

---

What's next for EQxD?

Join us in San Francisco at AIASF on June 11th for our next EQxD "U" Workshop "What's Flex got to do with Success?" (Win Win Strategies for Work/Life Flexibility) Meet the panelists, and participate in small group break-outs to "hack" what works for flexibility in the modern workplace. This event is relevant to all AEC professionals! 6pm-8:30pm. 

What the Hack? - EQxD Hackathon and Happy Hour Recap

by Rosa Sheng

One of the most talked about events at the AIA convention in Atlanta was WE310 Equity by Design: Knowledge, Discussion, Action! Hackathon on Wednesday May 13, 2015. The final number of attendees (happened to be 32) varied in age, level of experience and multicultural mix; it was unplanned, but ultimately a model of the diverse and inclusive practice of the future.

Thank you to ARCHITECT Magazine @architectmag for the amazing coverage of the Equity by Design along the way, including the 2014 Survey Final Report and video coverage of the AIA EQxD Hackathon. Special thanks goes to our generous Equity by Design /AIA Convention Hackathon sponsors: Autodesk, McCarthy Building Companies and WRNS Studios for providing this opportunity for the future leaders of our profession. 

For the next 2 weeks, we will be sharing insights and results from the six Hackathon teams (including the winners @BLDYOURTRIBE), the scholarship winners and the jurors Obiekwe Okolo, Melinda Rosenberg and Curtis Rodgers. 

EQxD Hackathon Video by ARCHITECT Magazine

Equity by Design Hackathon at AIA Atlanta Convention May 13, 2015

STORIFY - LIVE TWEET RECAP 

We also captured live tweets from the Hackathon and Happy Hour hoping that it will provide you with a great overview of the day's energy. See if you can spot some familiar faces! At the Happy Hour, we had 70 attendees including our EQxD Hackathon speakers and participants, local volunteer Anne-Michael Sustman, members of AIA YAF, Architalks Blogerati, former AIA National President Katherine Schwensen, FAIA, AIA San Francisco Board Members, a few AIA National Candidates Steve Fiskum, FAIA, Jenn Workman and Haley Gipe, all our friends of Equity by Design from all over the US, as well as new architecture student friends from Georgia Tech .  We would also like to thank our Happy Hour venue hosts at Studio No. 7, Shannon and Earl for their beautiful artist's studio that provided the perfect setting for our event. If you are in Atlanta, please continue to support this local business.

READ MORE ABOUT WE310 EQUITY BY DESIGN HACKATHON RECAPS

1. #BUILDYOUrtribe – Equity by Design Hackathon 2015 Winners
2. When Working Hard Hardly Works 
3. Promotion and Advancement: How to champion the Pull.
4. We need to Hack more!
5. I am not an Architect
6. How does going to a Hackathon make re-entry easier?
7. Interrupt workplace bias, be a "Change Agent"
8. Reflections from the EQxD Hackathon Jurors
9. Conscious Inclusion: #BUILDYOUrtribe

Equity by Design: AtlAIAnta! Convention Recap

by Rosa Sheng

The AIA Convention in Atlanta was a refreshing and unexpected surprise for many with amazing keynote speakers, programs, networking events and opportunities to explore the city. The convention app this year was a great way to get a sense of what was happening elsewhere. The convention theme was IMPACT! and each day, the keynote speakers (featuring Former President Bill Clinton, Welby Atidor, and Julie Dixon) did not disappoint in bringing the message home. In order to advance, we must be seek to change the profession to be more innovative, more diverse in our collaboration, more equitable to represent the populations we serve and become better ambassadors for the value proposition for Architecture.

It was time for many firsts. The profound impact of social media allowed many of our events, such as the first ever Equity by Design Hackathon #EQxDHack15 (WE310) at an AIA Convention to be successful at conveying the message of the equity movement, but also having fun along the way, making new friends and creating connections beyond gender, age, and cultural backgrounds. Our audience in all 3 workshops (WE310, FR117, FR420) where the Equity in Architecture data was presented, consisted of diverse backgrounds and positive participation. There were men and women, new and seasoned, multicultural ethnicities, from all over the nation; the common thread was a desire to see our profession thrive with a commitment to action and the pursuit of equitable practice. All of this is a hopeful indication of the representation we would like to see for the profession in the near future.

Also notable was that many of the people that we had reached out to and met thru social media came together to meet for in person for the first time. It was an interesting conversation about re-inventing the traditional norms of networking (golf outings, fundraising dinners, etc) where many of those in the "social media" architecture and design community that had been conversing for years were meeting in person for the first time.

Yet another first, 2 galleries that recognized equity challenges and women in architecture. They were located near each other and facilitated the Equity discussion at convention. The Equity in Architecture early findings infographics were on display outside of B308 with healthy traffic and positive reception. The AIA Houston WIA Exhibit had a traveling gallery version that also had many visitors and discussion. 

The newly elected AIA National officers show promise not only for representing a diverse Board, but also carrying through with the change that the institute needs to remain relevant and impactful in the future. The officers are Thomas Vonier, President-elect for 2017, Stuart Coppedge, Treasurer. Jennifer Workman, L. Jane Frederick, and Anthony Schirripa will serve as Delegates at Large. Additionally, Don King, Thierry Paret, and Deepika Padaam will join them as elected Board members from the AIA Strategic Council. Robert Ivy mentioned Equity by Design: The Missing 32% Project research study as an inspiration for the AIA 2015 Diversity Survey. The early results of the AIA Diversity survey will be presented at the AIA Women's leadership summit in Seattle on September 18: Celebrating Women Leaders, Promoting Cultural Change. 

An overwhelming majority voted for Equity in Architecture Resolution 15-1 at AIA National Convention in Atlanta

Perhaps the most exciting outcome of the convention was the success of advocacy for Resolution 15-1 Equity in Architecture that was co-authored with Julia Donoho, Frank Pitts and myself; co-sponsored by AIASF, AIACC; and supported by the AIA National Board of Directors, Strategic Council, AIA Diversity Council and Big Sibs. The list of supporters goes beyond this base, to all the 4117 AIA delegates who voted in support of the resolution. We are deeply grateful of the solidarity for equitable practice and excited for the work ahead. 

The following Storify link captures the highlights of the 4 days.

Other Sources for AIA National Convention Coverage:

Archispeak Podcasts - 3 special AIA convention episodes. Episode 60 includes a recap of EQxD Happy Hour.

Architect Magazine - Equity by Design: The Missing 32% Project Releases Complete Findings on Women in Architecture

Architect Magazine Video- Promoting Equitable Practice in Architecture

 Architectural Record -  AIA Passes Equity Resolution: Now What?

Equity in Architecture Survey 2014: Final Report

May 14, 2015 San Francisco - The AIA San Francisco Equity by Design committee is pleased to announce the release the Equity in Architecture 2014 Survey Report. The report is available for viewing online immediately and a published version will be available later this year. We have deep gratitude for the generosity of sponsors and equity partners who have supported this important initiative.

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While this is a broad overview "road map" of the analysis, there is potential for interpretation and further analysis. Nevertheless, the Equity in Architecture Survey 2014 Report is an effective means to start a much needed conversation. There will inevitably be more questions than answers to understand the findings. Please share this information with your colleagues, firms, alumni networks, and AIA Chapters. 

The research portion of the Missing 32% Project was envisioned as an endeavor with multiple stages, starting locally with the Bay Area, then expanding to the national scale with the ultimate goal of informing the global conversation on the issue of Equity in Architecture. Phase 1 of the project, a 90+ question survey conducted via Survey Monkey in February thru March 2014, explores the workplace participation and career aspirations of 2,289 participants with architectural degrees and experience in architectural practice within the United States. 

The disparity between male and female representation within the profession and limited leadership opportunities have been well documented and are a growing concern. Recognizing a paucity of similar research and documentation of best practices within the United States, Equity by Design’s mission is to supplement this conversation with more targeted information about our local and national community of practitioners.

Equity by Design: The Missing 32% Project

Equity by Design is a call to action for both women and men to realize the goal of equitable practice, advance architecture, sustain the profession and communicate the value of design to society. Our mission is to understand the pinch points and promote the strategic execution of best practices in the recruitment, retention, and promotion of our profession's best talent at every level of architectural practice.

Equity by Design is a committee of AIA San Francisco. The group is made up of a diverse cross section of the industry: participants include both men and women; new graduates and seasoned industry professionals; architects, designers, industry consultants, and those working in allied fields; those without children, parents who have continued to work full time in traditional practice and those who have devised alternative situations to accommodate the demands of raising a family. The group has dual aims. First, we seek to forge strong personal and professional ties amongst like minded individuals. Second, we aim to leverage these connections to achieve progress towards more equitable and sustainable practice across the field.

EQxD Symposium Breakout Recap: What’s Flex Got to Do With It?

by Jenny Guan

Overcommit, others first, do too much.

After-work exhaustion means ramen in bed.

Will day be crazy? Never know!

These are a sampling of six words stories contributed by attendees of the October 2014 Equity by Design symposium breakout session on work life balance: What’s Flex Got to Do With It? Win Win Strategies for Work Life-Flexibility. As we gleaned from the Missing 32% 2014 survey results, this was a topic that affects all in our profession, regardless of gender, years of experience, and firm role. This subject is also one that lends itself to many personal anecdotes, and our session focused on exploring strategies for finding that healthy equilibrium between work and life through the power of the personal narrative.

EQxD Symposium Sketch by Jenny Guan

Prior to the symposium, attendees were asked to complete a quick activity: provide two (very short) stories, six words each; one for their relationship to the day to day experience, and one in the context of major life events such as family or medical emergencies, childbirth, or career sabbatical. The prompt also requested volunteers from those those that were interested in expanding on their six words by presenting their experience on stage during the breakout session, forming a springboard for productive dialog.

Our panelists, Carole Wedge (principal, Shepley Bulfinch) and Francis Pitts (principal, Architecture+), kicked off the session by sharing their own stories of how they achieve healthy live-work balance in their personal lives and in their practices. Carole emphasized the importance of an enriching life outside the office, while Francis shared how the death of a firm partner’s spouse led to a reevaluation of how the office approached flexible working schedules to accommodate the curve balls of life.

Symposium Attendees learning about Work/ Life Flex

photo by Daniel Wang

The audience storytelling portion followed, first with presentations of the various short stories submitted beforehand. Those mere six words revealed tales of frustration (little room at office for emotion), priorities (my daughters only have one childhood), challenging questions (sick kid: work or make soup?), tales with endings (had baby, had to leave architecture), successful strategies (after kids, office allowed flex, telecommute), and wise words (at least one hour should be happy).

Three volunteer storytellers, their names randomly picked from a bag, took the stage to share their experiences on their battle against the culture of busy. These three minute tales were amplified by dialog from Carole and Francis as they offered up personal perspectives and potential solutions.

The last narrative of the hour underlined the importance of bringing these stories into the public realm: the attendee related an experience where her once-enthusiastic clients questioned her abilities and commitment to their project once she informed them of her upcoming wedding. In three minutes, the relevant topics of gender perception, client misconceptions, and the challenges of “achieving it all” were identified and presented for further dialog. Are women subject to more scrutiny in their pursuit of work/life balance? What could be done to educate those we serve in this profession? How can we communicate our ability to stay on task in the office while we pursue our lives outside of it?

At the end of the session, many names were still left in the bag- untold stories that signified a desire to share and an eagerness to spark a conversation. Although many of these experiences were ones in search of solutions within ourselves, our practices, and our industry, some served up words through a much more panoramic lens:

No day has balance, only years.

Work can always wait. Life's important.

Work life balance is always perspective.

We will continue this conversation about work life balance in the architecture field at the 2nd of 4 EQxD "U" Workshops - What's Flex got to do with Success?  (Win-Win Strategies for Work/Life Flexibility) on June 11 at SF AIA.

We will explore the complexities of making work and life "work" together to fulfill your maximum potential while enjoying the journey along the way. Work life flexibility emerged as a major theme of last year's Equity in Architecture survey. Flexibility was one of the most important ways that our survey respondents defined success in their careers. The survey also shows that inflexible schedules and long hours are a real burden on our field - a significant portion of respondents had turned down opportunities or promotions due to issues of flexibility, people are leaving the field due to long hours and low pay, and taxing work schedules are a major obstacle to licensure.

EQxD "U" Workshop #2 - What's Flex got to do with Success? Meet the Panelists!

by Amber Evans

June 11th, 2015 @AIASF 130 Sutter Street, San Francisco 6pm-8:30pm

We are excited to bring you the 2nd of 4 EQxD "U" Workshops - What's Flex got to do with Success?  (Win-Win Strategies for Work/Life Flexibility)

We will explore the complexities of making work and life "work" together to fulfill your maximum potential while enjoying the journey along the way.

Work life flexibility emerged as a major theme of last year's Equity in Architecture survey. Flexibility was one of the most important ways that our survey respondents defined success in their careers. The survey also shows that inflexible schedules and long hours are a real burden on our field - a significant portion of respondents had turned down opportunities or promotions due to issues of flexibility, people are leaving the field due to long hours and low pay, and taxing work schedules are a major obstacle to licensure. 

Our panel will feature 4 design professionals from diverse backgrounds; different stages of life and professional practice. All 4 share their insights on the constant dance between practice, life and everything in between. Following a summary of key survey findings on work life flexibility and caregiving, we will engage the panelists in an interactive Q&A. The second half of the session will leverage break-out groups to dive deep and propose actionable solutions to the work life flexibility challenges discussed.

Workshop Agenda

• Networking & Refreshments 6:00-6:15 pm
• Introductions/ Welcome 6:15-6:25pm
• Panel Discussion 6:25-7:15pm
• Break/ Transition 7:15-7:20pm
• Break-Out Groups/ Storytelling 7:20-8:10pm
• Report Back on Break-out Groups/ Conclusions 8:10-8:30pm

MEET THE PANELISTS! (and the amazing firms they lead)

Jeffery Till, AIA, LEED AP

Design Principal, Perkins + Will

Jeffrey Till has is an architect and leader in sustainable development, with twenty five years of architectural and master planning experience in North America, Asia, and Europe. He leads design on a range of projects for clients with high level sustainability goals, with a focus on research driven, multidisciplinary process and performance strategies. He has taught sustainable architecture at Stanford University, advised on green planning strategies, and is served on the national AIA working group on energy modeling, helping architects bring advanced tools to everyday practice.

Perkins+Will is an interdisciplinary, research-based architecture and design firm established in 1935 and founded on the belief that design has the power to transform lives and enhance communities. Each of the firm’s 24 offices focuses on local, regional and global work in a variety of practice areas. With hundreds of award-winning projects annually, Perkins+Will is ranked as one of the top global design firms. Perkins+Will is recognized as one of the industry’s preeminent sustainable design firms due to its innovative research, design tools, and expertise. The firm's 1,700 professionals are thought leaders developing 21st century solutions to inspire the creation of spaces in which clients and their communities work, heal, live, and learn. Social responsibility is a fundamental aspect of Perkins+Will’s culture and every year the company donates 1% of its design services to pro bono initiatives. In 2015, Fast Company ranked Perkins+Will among “The World’s Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in Architecture.”  

Kirstin Weeks, LEED AP

Senior Energy and Building Ecology Specialist, Arup

Kirstin Weeks is a senior Energy and Building Ecology Specialist at Arup.  She champions the San Francisco office’s Net Positive Design initiative, and specializes in biophilic design and integration of ecological function in the built environment.  Kirstin works with interdisciplinary teams to create resilient built environments that work like ecosystems, eliminating waste as a concept and supporting wellness, biodiversity, regeneration and reliance on renewable resources.  Her project experience extends from sustainability leadership on large office, civic, academic and industrial projects to city-scale plan development, research and cost-benefit studies. Kirstin holds an A.B. in Environmental Studies from Dartmouth and an M.S. in Building Science from UC Berkeley. 

Founded in 1985 as the first office in the Americas, the San Francisco Arup office is one of the largest in the region, delivering smart holistic solutions for their clients, with a focus on diversity and maintaining strong connections with our local community. The staff are well versed in smart land use, optimizing transit solutions, sustainable design, healthy buildings, and material choices. Resilience is at the forefront of their design solutions, due to the seismic concerns posed by nearby major earthquake faults and the issues raised by climate change. The San Francisco office has a strong portfolio in the design of buildings and infrastructure. These are supported by our offerings in specialized consulting services including acoustics, transportation planning, and transaction advice. Key projects in these sectors include the LEED Platinum San Francisco Public Utilities Commission Headquarters, the Project, Concord, and the Transbay. They are also highly versed in healthcare, arts and culture, and campus design projects, including both educational and corporate campus projects. Recent work includes the UCSF Medical Center at Mission Bay, San Francisco General Hospital, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Annette Jannotta, Architect, IIDA, LEED AP ID&C

Interior Architect, Flad Architects

Annette Jannotta is an interior architect with Flad Architects San Francisco.  Since childhood, she has been fascinated by creating stories and characters that inspire her to make spaces (hello Barbie’s Condo!).  She found her way to studying architecture at the University of Florida and realized that through design she could share her passion with others. Originally from South Florida, Annette left the warm Atlantic waters to design interiors for award-winning firms in Los Angeles, Singapore and San Francisco.  Many of her current and former clients are leaders in their industries and are always passionate about what they do.  They include Warner Bros., Stanford University, Rhino Records, Genentech, Singapore Changi Airport, and even the beloved late Bay Area Feng Shui master, Liu Ming. Always in pursuit of creative expression, Annette strives to balance and integrate her passion for design, photography, art installation, writing and travel, with enjoying time with her husband, extended family and two very spoiled cats.

Flad Architects is an award-winning design firm delivering high performance environments that enable our clients to elevate their potential and advance their mission. Recognized as a leader in academic, life sciences, technology and workplace design, the firm has been honored with over 90 design awards (74 AIA, 12 IIDA and 8 Lab of the Year).  By leveraging specialized expertise across eight locations including San Francisco, Seattle and New York, Flad delivers transformational design solutions as a single organism. We have earned a reputation for outstanding client service, fiscal responsibility, and design excellence over our 85-year history. Flad’s commitment to sustainable design has driven the completion of more than 50 LEED certified buildings—including the first Platinum process science facility.

Douglas Speckhard, AIA, LEED AP

Associate, Bohlin Cywinski Jackson

Douglas Speckhard joined Bohlin Cywinski Jackson in 1998, working in the Pittsburgh office and contributing to a variety of projects, including the Rensselaer Biotechnology Center, Yale University's Chemistry Research Building, and the Natural Sciences Building at the University of California, San Diego. Since relocating to the San Francisco office in 2003, Doug has participated in a number of projects, including the Macromedia Headquarters (now Adobe), and has worked on both corporate and academic facilities in the master planning and design phases. Doug’s most recent experience has been on a creative campus project for a large entertainment company in the Los Angeles area. Doug served as Project Architect during the master planning and conceptual design of the Core Shell phases, which developed naturally into a role as Project Manager for the Interior Fit out, working closely with the client, users and an interdisciplinary team to develop a cutting edge, collaborative workplace for a demanding internet, gaming and mobile device business unit of a large entertainment company.

Bohlin Cywinski Jackson is noted for elegant and humane design, ranging from modest houses to large academic, civic, cultural, commercial and corporate buildings. The principals and staff are deeply committed to active collaboration with our clients, emphasizing thorough research and analysis of each situation's particular human, technical and economic circumstances. The result is exceptional architecture that resonates within its place. Since 1965, Bohlin Cywinski Jackson has received more than 625 regional, national and international design awards, including three AIA Committee on the Environment (COTE) Top Ten Green Projects. Bohlin Cywinski Jackson are the recipients of the American Institute of Architects Architecture Firm Award, the most prestigious honor bestowed upon an architectural practice by the Institute. The founding principal, Peter Bohlin, was awarded the Gold Medal by the American Institute of Architects, the highest honor an individual American architect can receive.

Work Life Flexibility in the News: (must reads before the event!)

Harvard Business Review: 

Millennials Say They’ll Relocate for Work-Life Flexibility

Why some men pretend to work 80 hours a week

New York Times: 

The Unspoken Stigma of Workplace Flexibility

How Some Men Fake an 80-Hour Workweek, and Why It Matters

Huffington Post: 

Forget Balance: 5 Things You Can Do to Lead the Life You Want

 

 

EQxD Event Sponsorship

We are seeking sponsors for our ambitious 2015 Equity by Design Initiatives. If you are interested in supporting our goals for achieving equitable practice in architecture, please contact us to learn more about the multiple benefits for your support. Among other benefits, Sponsors get designated tickets for each of the workshops in 2015 based on your level of support. So make the most of your sponsorship by contacting us early! 

EQxD Get Real: The Long and Winding Road

by Tara Imani | AIA, NCIDQ, CSI

17 women, out of 84 students, graduated from the School of Architecture at The Ohio State University in 1987. I was one of them. I had commuted from the far east side of Columbus, where I lived at home with my working mom. I had accrued over $250 in parking fines, hulking large art projects and models on the elongated, wobbly, fast-moving campus buses.  What I savored most, though, were the long, quiet walks from the design studio to my car at 3:00 am in the morning, resolving parti diagrams and concepts in my mind while wishfully thinking I could make the 30 minute drive home, sleep, shower and dress and be back by 8:00 am.

IDP Internships- "Let the Games Begin”

You don't jump from academia to working in a reputable firm without some real world experience under your belt.  This was a contentious topic among some of us in senior studios. I recall becoming discouraged by one girl who said people get hired based on their good looks. I was like, what?!! You mean all this hard work is for naught?

Fortunately, I found work. I didn't care what kind of work they did, I simply wanted to secure a position with a firm ASAP. We did high school renovations and roof replacements on parks and recs buildings.

After working for two good firms in Columbus, Ohio, my husband (a Chemist at the time) and I decided to move to Orange County, California. I snagged a job while vacationing out there and visiting our close friends who'd moved there a year prior.  That job ended up not being a good fit for me culturally so I began looking for work during my lunch break.  I finally found a position as a project manager for a firm in Santa Ana that specialized in designing custom theme restaurants.  Unfortunately, that business hit a rough spot and I was without a job. I was very scared.  There we were, out in Orange County living in a newly purchased home in Rancho Santa Margarita.  We were attending Rick Warren's church at Saddleback and his positive sermons encouraged me.  I prayed and asked God to bless my efforts to find a job that week.  So, on Monday, I opened the Yellow Pages and I began systematically calling all firms starting at the beginning of the alphabet.  I landed an interview with a firm in Laguna Beach, IB Christian Abel Architects, and was offered a job as a draftsperson the following Thursday.  I was elated.

While there, I began to study for the A.R.E. exam. In June of 1992, after studying for only 4 sections, I sat for the entire 9 exams in San Diego.  I passed the 4 exams that I'd studied for.  On the 12-hour hand-drawn Design Exam, I left 4 hours into it, at noon, after reading what seemed like an endless program of spaces and design criteria. I had only managed to draw two exterior walls.  I had no strategy and was lost and exhausted.  I walked out feeling down but not defeated.

A Bold Move to Houston in October 1992

My husband's relative is an RN and she pitched a deal that drew us to Houston to start a home health and infusion therapy company.  The plan was that I would help them out for a few months with the start-up and then get back into architecture.  I even went on an interview with a local home-building company but didn't get the job.  Everyone was using AutoCAD and I had no experience with it.  So, I chose to work at Infinity Care, Inc in several capacities, on many executive levels, serving on the Board of Directors, and forming the foundation for the billing department and setting up and running the Human Resources department. As a co-founder and part-owner, I was willing to do anything and everything to keep the business going.  I really enjoyed it.  Thus, I was "an intern-architect doing other things."

However, I felt badly about about having left the field of architecture. But one day, while reading to my husband's nieces, I read about Thomas Jefferson and all that he had done. I realized that it's O.K. to have more than one major interest in life. So, in February, 1995, with the blessing of the CEO/President and Board of Directors, I took a leave of absence from the home health care company and embarked on an ambitious study plan with the goal of knocking out the 5 remaining exams.  I passed all but one, the monstrous 12-hour Design exam (even though I participated in the TAMU - Texas A&M University -  architecture ARE workshop where they did a full 12-hour mock exam, simulating the true experience. it seemed I still needed more experience to pass that portion of the exam).

Finding My Compass Again & Starting a Family

After selling the Medicare portion of the company in October1997, I was floundering. I stayed on with the new ownership to assist with the transition, but I was not happy. In February 1998, I resigned my position to stay at home.  It was delightful respite to be at home in a quiet suburban setting and just do nothing except to sit in the sun on the back patio and read a book or lay on the couch and listen to music. I cooked some Persian foods for dinner and I explored some independent study courses in the local community college.  But I was growing antsy.  I wanted to go back into architecture, but wasn't sure what type of firm I wanted to work for. 

I was offered two jobs and had a choice to make: 1) To work for a sole proprietor in the Rice University area where I'd be expected on the residential job site at 6:00 a.m. but would get the opportunity to help build the infrastructure of his fledgling firm (writing policies and procedures, etc.) or 2) to work for a medium size firm that primarily did food stores.  I would be handling their new gas station projects.  After discussing with my husband, he recommended I go with the bigger firm for stability.  So, I started there in May 1998 as a project coordinator and then went into the fixture-planning (space plan design) division so I could learn AutoCAD.  Frankly, working with AutoCAD was a very alienating experience for me.  I felt like a complete fish out of water.  In June, 1999, I grew very disenchanted with my role in the firm.  I didn't know in what direction I was headed and I felt completely dissatisfied.  I was 36 and wanted to start a family, so I put in my two-week notice.  In August, 1999, God blessed us and I became pregnant with our first and only child, Aryana.  It was a miracle!  I was overjoyed.

Hard Transitions: From Career Girl to Archimom

After I gave birth to Aryana in April, 2000,  I had no notions to return to work anytime soon. There was a lot of tension among family members who thought I should get back to work. I, on the other hand, really wanted to linger in my “Blue Lagoon” lifestyle, playing with building blocks and painting pottery with my daughter. The other part of me wanted very much to run my own firm or to establish a small studio from home.  I was torn.

When my daughter was about 8 months old, I was growing antsy again and held a pow-wow with my husband, laying out my ten-point plan to reach certain goals.

At the top of my list was finishing the one remaining licensing exam (by this time, the 12-hour exam had become two 4-hour computer-graphic exams). With this new change, I felt there was light at the end of the tunnel as, I reasoned, time management would be much less of an issue.

 Self-Discipline At Home

Playtime was over for me! It was time to buckle down and get serious. We had hired a nanny to care for our daughter so I could get some stuff done around the house and prepare for the two exams (Building Design and Building Technology).  This is where life balance becomes front and center stage in your life.  You must decide what do you want to accomplish? Do you want it badly enough?

I would spend one hour meditating, getting my mind in a positive mental state prior to studying.  This was the key to my success.  Without this positive mental preparation, there would have been no way I could pass those exams.  And I would often study at a nearby library for more focused attention.

And so it was. On October, 2001, I successfully passed my remaining exams and became a Registered Architect.

Working From My Home Office

Once licensed, I had business cards made and let family and friends know that I was looking for work.  I was nudged by one of our close friends, a Mechanical Engineer in the Oil & Gas Industry, to start working on small projects.  He asked me to design his wife’s Skin Care Clinic and from there, more small projects began rolling in and I was able to handle them on the boards, using my trusty hand-drafting techniques.  No AutoCAD necessary.  I did small residential renovations and space planning and design for lease space build-outs.  I was very satisfied with the low project pace that enabled me to fully participate in my daughter's school and extracurricular activities.

In 2008, I returned to work at the same firm where I'd managed the fueling station projects.  It was a great opportunity and I learned a lot about "modern day" computing which had changed considerably since 1999.  It was, once again, a different world.  But this time, I did not feel like a fish out of water.  I felt right at home, although I would have liked to have known AutoCAD (such a thorn in my side, it would seem!).

Then, suddenly, the Great Recession hit and the firm laid off up to 40% of their staff, including me. I did not transition well to becoming unemployed.  Part of me was hurt and upset, the other part of me knew that I was poised for something even better.  Finding out what that was became my focus.

The Onslaught of Social Media

I found the AIA KnowledgeNet site and was thrilled to see other architects sharing their ideas on how to improve the profession and other pertinent discussions.  This led to joining Twitter to participate in a #TweetChat led by @aiaNational.  I have used LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and now my own blog to get the word out about our profession and what we can do to improve it.

Sharpening Skills, Not Adding Acronyms

In 2011 or so, I received a letter from TBAE letting me know I was eligible to sit for the Interior Design Exam.  Some of my peers thought it was superfluous to do so, that being an Architect superseded becoming an Interior Designer.  Yet, I decided that I wanted to earn the well-respected and coveted NCIDQ certificate and taking the exam was the only way to do so.  Yes, it was an involved process, but I’m glad I did it.  I sat for the first exam in March 2012 and became licensed in December 2013. It was a good “refresher course.”  Next up: attaining CDT from CSI and possibly LEED AP… we’ll see.

Future Goals

My daughter is now a Freshman in High School and this requires a new kind of parental focus.  And with the economy improving, I have had two of my busiest years in 2013-2014. My firm designed and managed the concept, layout, and interior design for a Barbershop and Salon lease space build-out for a prominent sports figure and value-engineered an interiors project for the common areas of a new student housing project currently under construction in San Marcos, TX. I look forward to breaking into the healthcare arena, specifically doing the interiors for a series of assisted living centers.

About Tara Imani @Parthenon1

After earning a B.S. in Architecture from The Ohio State University, Tara worked for various firms in Columbus, Ohio, Laguna Beach, and Houston, gaining project and design experience in the public and private sectors. She also co-founded a successful home health care company.

EQxD Get Real - To read more about challenges and resilience from diverse viewpoints, go here.

In a similar spirit of spontaneity of the Archimom's Everyday Moments of Truth blog series, we are excited to bring you EQxD Get Real: True stories of Challenges and Resilience from diverse perspectives of architects and designers. Each day we will feature the stories of each person's challenges in the profession and what they learned from those experiences to inspire action for equitable practice in architecture.

EQxD Get Real: Is the world ready for real talk?

by Karen E. Williams

Is the world ready for real talk? The better question is, am I ready for real talk?

No.  No I am not.  I am not ready to let the general practitioner know that I am vulnerable, when they have not earned my trust. I am conflicted to let past, present and future bosses know that I am affected by their perception of me, by their opinions.  Sharing my obstacles in professional practice will not dissolve once posted on the internet. I fear that they will be public and follow me in my career.  Yet I am drawn to share my experiences and perspective.  My journey is my journey. And I hope that by sharing a piece of mine that I will inspire the people who really know me to be a courageous and resilient professional. We are a sum of all of our actions and I am continuing to learn from all of mine. The moments that I am sharing are past experiences that have helped me to grow in my journey of enlightenment.

Recognizing the obvious is not the focus.

Without my doing, I have intrinsic obstacles. External factors of race and gender that I can not change. Some other preconceived opinions of me vary based on the person’s perspective.  Some of these include: Too young looking, over confident and too young to know what I am talking about.  My parents are a combined 84 years older than me (one being 72 and the other 82). I grew up learning from their past experiences and learning from my siblings before I was anywhere near to having to make the same decisions. Growing up in Jamaican culture, children are seen and not heard.  I heard everything and absorbed it all. Their journeys affected my decision making. Their obstacles made me mindful and somewhat conservative in my approach to some life decisions.  Later, this knowledge I owned beyond my age.  My current Principals would have parents who are the same age as mine.  Obviously it's different based on when they grew up.  The age of our parents does not put us on the same level of experience but sometimes overcoming the age bias is not impossible. I owned it and embraced it.

Though they are a part of my identity, my race and gender are not the sum of my value.  I am more than #233 on the University of Cincinnati Directory of African American Architects.  I am a teacher, follower, leader, mentor and professional.  I seek to only be regarded for my knowledge capital applied to making great architecture.  Intentionally I prefer to believe that people do not sum me up for my race; so that will not be a focus for me.  I would much rather believe that we are progressing past the obvious identity traits.

Exhibit a proof of value. Having a voice is a means to opportunity.  

When I came out of architecture school I was very timid. Scared. Small in speech and stature.  Innocent. I was intimidated by all professionals, which was the direct opposite of who I was in school.  In the professional arena I had to learn to be intentional in my speech.  I had to illustrate through descriptive speech that I actually know and understand what I am talking about.  People didn't just take what I had to contribute at face value.  Their reaction concluded that I could not possibly know what I was talking about. My intentional speech led to me being considered a “know it all”.  There was feedback surmising that I needed to ask more questions of other senior staff.  Basically,  I need to ask questions in order to prove to them that I wanted to learn and that I was learning.  Looking things up to get my own understanding was not enough.  Which then turned into not asking questions to which you already know the response.  Frustrating. When did we get to the point where we are not allowed to be mentally independant? I am scared of many events that can take place in a career path. The one that scares me the most is not having the ability to speak. To vocalize is an opportunity to connect, collaborate and reach resolution.  Communication is the key to all of our project interactions.  My decision to stand up for what I believe in inspired me to use my voice as a commitment to supporting change.  After all change is the only true constant. I will continue to grow through experiences, feedback and knowledge.

On my first project, my Project Manager openly listened. I was quiet, reserved and unsure about my place to speak. But his willingness to listen and the willingness of my team members (who were all 10 years in experience to me), to treat me as an equal at the table,  made all the difference.  My project manager nurtured my voice and my confidence. I will be forever grateful.

That dirty Ego.

Our profession is intrinsically egotistical. We exhibit control over each other. Create our own levels of hierarchy and determine each other's roadmap for professional growth through designed hierarchy.  We rank ourselves by likability.  We identify favorite characteristics and insert opinions to validate the system. This has a domino affect on how we treat one another professionally. Instead of showing support and uplifting each other’s qualities, we fight against one another to matter, to be seen, to be validated.  When a person is not considered for their value, there is a ripple effect in their interactions with others.

On one of my past projects a team leader inflicted control and demand on me, when they were not recognized for their value.  There was a breakdown in communication between the leader and manager.  The leader had their own work plan in mind. The project manager had other goals and interests which he had assigned for me to complete. My ego got wrapped up in the drama too. I didn't help because I had my own issues.  From this experience I learned to be more aware of my teammate’s obstacles.  To connect on a human scale.  In doing so, I came to understand my team member was being affected by outside circumstances: Family responsibilities and pressures.  I needed to not be a part of the problem.  Since then, we have reached a place of compassion for one another.

Our profession often makes us put the profession before our own needs and value.  I want us all to get to a place of individual confidence and understanding of our value where we don't have to dismiss others in order to uplift our own light.  The light within will shine just by each of us contributing to the team.  

In the practice of yoga… we end each class with NAMASTE… loosely defined as…”I bow my head to you.  May the light within me honor the light within you.”

My obstacles do not define me.  They are a part of my journey.  I am a part of the present 18%. We are growing in numbers, by trying, failing, admitting and growing.  

About Karen Williams @karenewilliams3

Karen E. Williams is consistently working to educate people about the inner benefits of the architecture community. She is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Oregon where she teaches Revit and Professional Practice. As a means to be professional example, Karen is on the AIA-SWO board and supports STAnDD a local student group. She joined PIVOT Architecture in 2014 as a Project Architect after practicing on the east coast for 9 years.

EQxD Get Real - To read more about challenges and resilience from diverse viewpoints, go here.

In a similar spirit of spontaneity of the Archimom's Everyday Moments of Truth blog series, we are excited to bring you EQxD Get Real: True stories of Challenges and Resilience from diverse perspectives of architects and designers. Each day we will feature the stories of each person's challenges in the profession and what they learned from those experiences to inspire action for equitable practice in architecture.