Are We Afraid?

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Author Message Ralph Liebing, RA, CSI, CDT Senior Member Username: rliebing Post Number: 1111 Registered: 02-2003 Posted on Wednesday, December 16, 2009 - 08:57 am:    091216 ARE WE AFRAID OF SOMETHING? by Ralph Liebing, RA, CSI, CDT Cincinnati, OH OK, I’ll be brash enough to ask the question-- are we afraid of something? And is so, what is it we fear? Over and over we still moan about the lack of up and coming specifiers—yet we do little to attract them. They, for the most part do not know about the CDT, and besides, I am not all that sure that is the point at which neophytes should be entering the field. That is not to demean the CDT or any CSI programs, but it is to show that we have sat back with good programs that we market to a very small audience-- and for the most part that audience has come to us by reference, direction or suggestion of another member. What do we fear outside of that scenario? Why are we not moving to close the gap by moving out of our professional “shell” and standing up with our information, and expertise? What do we fear that is flatly holding us back? Are we afraid that specs are going away? Are we frightened by the reality that nobody really cares? Then woe be the future! We have problems with specs now-- try thinking of a “no-specs” project! We are losing revenue and members. Why? There is one place we might be able to rescue ourselves by retaining them through finding out what has caused them to retreat. Why are some student chapters vibrant and viable while others merely “exist”? And it is the same with chapters and regions. We have a strong Strategic Plan, but it is needful of detail, sub-programs, direction, funding, and flat out interest and initiative. What do we fear that places this so quietly over in some corner? Our very “shyness” or “reclusiveness” is killing us. Are we so pompous that we cannot conceive bending down and helping others, outside our little 14,000 person group? Aren’t we sitting on laurels won long ago, and merely updating them and jumping on the easy new stuff like CAD and BIM, and the great beyond, but never, for a moment looking to what we have left behind; undone, unaddressed; untapped; and perhaps summarily dismissed! BIM is not necessarily going to create new specifiers and members. BIM is not going to be more than some certification exam questions, beyond what it performs in each office-- BIM may never see some offices! Will specifications follow the same line? We think not! Experts say specs and BIM are maybe 15 years apart, but in the meantime, what do we fear, that we're not looking for and training new prospective specifiers? We, each of us, have taken convoluted routes to our positions today—quite varied; some direct, some remote; some professional, some from the trades; some by mentor, some by being thrown into the need to get it done! Collectively we have not followed a singular route of “schooling” to augment what prior education we had. We came to specs for many varied reasons, but now we sit in apparent fear of what or who comes next. Some younger folks have moved, but usually not on their own; most by some impetus from others. But we have a product to sell and it is backed by superior expertise and insight, and good training. So why do we fear to take the first step in outreach to draw more people, and do very fundamental things to increase our exposure, our influence and our presence? Why the shyness, the reluctance, the blind assessment that we are as good as we can get-- and all the while bemoaning what the future apparently will NOT bring us? We don’t even make much of an effort to engage allied disciplines, colleagues and ancillary groups to try to increase our influence. Have we simply given up! We just sit on expertise developed years ago, with a sign [very small one] out that says “Come and get it!” Doing nothing and expecting results-- hmmm, quite a new idea! Of course, there is a lot going on that is very good. But we always have things that really need doing, and often we fear doing them. Still-- Are we afraid of losing money? Are we afraid of failing? Are we in the mode that FDR saw in his quote, “The only thing we have to fear, is, fear itself!” Old stuff but fear can bring paralysis, inaction and the fulfillment of that feared. What do we fear? Or is the question better as, “What ALL do we fear?”