Working with remote offices

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Author Message David Axt, AIA, CCS, CSI Senior Member Username: david_axt Post Number: 1293 Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Friday, April 06, 2012 - 02:40 pm:    My firm recently acquired two new offices in different cities. These two offices are used to doing things there way and it has been difficult to adopt our office's way of doing things. Do you have any tips on how to work with remote offices? Nathan Woods, CSI, CCCA, LEED AP Senior Member Username: nwoods Post Number: 442 Registered: 08-2005 Posted on Friday, April 06, 2012 - 03:01 pm:    I have the same issues with the person on the other side of my cubical wall....no not really, but my point is remote or local makes no difference (generally, aside from bandwidth issues over the WAN). What this is, is a people issue, not a location issue. There are thousands of books written the subject, but it boils down to two methodologies to achieve the results it sounds like you want: 1. Inspire them to do it your way 2. Command them to do it your way I suggest sitting down with them, in person, LISTENING to how they do what they do, and why. Then creating a training program that either embraces what they do because its clever and better than what you thought of, or, you can demonstrate to them why your way is better, and how it benefits THEM do it your way. Or you could take a page from my old boss, and simply tell them that compliance a requirement for receiving a paycheck. Comply, get paid. No exceptions. He was a Marine. Lynn Javoroski FCSI CCS LEED® AP SCIP Affiliate Senior Member Username: lynn_javoroski Post Number: 1431 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Friday, April 06, 2012 - 03:11 pm:    (1) The imperative to work collaboratively and with uniformity has to be top down. (2) Make communication as easy as possible; don't require phone codes - dialing someone should be the same as if they are on the next floor. (3) Develop standard written communications, like a project data base, where information can be shared by all team members. (4) Recognize that some practices are regional and for good reasons; learn from each other. (5) If there's a time zone difference, honor it - don't call during each other's lunch times unless you clear it first. (6) Figure out how to share photos; having a face makes communication better. Try to connect somewhat on a personal level, too. (7) Video conferences can be useful for project meetings, at least for a kick-off. (8) Share things like "lessons learned". I'm still working on it, though; it's not always easy. And this is my second firm with multiple offices. Ellis C. Whitby, PE, CSI, AIA, LEED® AP Senior Member Username: ecwhitby Post Number: 141 Registered: 03-2003 Posted on Friday, April 06, 2012 - 03:56 pm:    Lynn; What do you do after trying all eight items, and still not reaching consensus? Drink heavily does not work (a “lessons learned”: the uncooperative are just as uncooperative the next day). Some people will “work with the team” even if they are a continent away. Unfortunately, in all too many cases, unless you can look someone in the eye on a regular basis they find it easy to disagree or ignore the project recommendations/requirements. I dislike the “my way or the highway” mentality (often “my way” is wrong, at best), but I can see where it can be very tempting. I have always wanted to try the use of a cattle prod as an educational tool. For some reason none of my various bosses over the years, nor HR has ever authorized its use. Go figure. Lynn Javoroski FCSI CCS LEED® AP SCIP Affiliate Senior Member Username: lynn_javoroski Post Number: 1432 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Friday, April 06, 2012 - 04:15 pm:    I resorted to simply not completing the specs on time and correctly. "I was not provided the correct information and therefore cannot complete the specifications". That served to get their attention quite well. Apologies were offered, along with the requested information, and the work was done as quickly as possible. It only happened once. Of course, you have to carefully choose the situation. DD level review specs work well for this; no one else is inconvenienced and the project is not held up. Teaching someone that their actions (or lack of same) have consequences is not easy; ask any parent. But at some point, that might have to happen. If however, it's a matter of doing things "differently", like exterior wall construction because of a different climate or code, everyone has to grant latitude and discuss the implications. I work with our California office; there we deal with stricter environmental issues, seismic issues, sustainable issues, and just plain California issues. I'm always learning something new there. In the Florida office, it's likely to be impact/hurricane as well as coastal environment, too. And, like I said, different regions have different practices. Ellis, drinking heavily won't work - ever. It just produces an even bigger headache. It's easier if the "head honcho" lays down the law; "this is the way our firm will work". Then it's not on you. But you'll always get someone who won't cooperate, no matter how far away - or how close - they are. Like Nathan wrote, it might be the guy in the next cubicle. David, what specific "way of doing things" are they balking at? Mark Gilligan SE, Senior Member Username: mark_gilligan Post Number: 464 Registered: 10-2007 Posted on Friday, April 06, 2012 - 04:49 pm:    Consensus is over rated and in many instances not achievable. You need to listen to the other party's concerns and try to be responsive to them. Then you make a decision how to proceed. Management needs to manage the process and motivate individuals to go along with the solution. If it isn't working then it is likely that management is not supporting the effort. Lynn Javoroski FCSI CCS LEED® AP SCIP Affiliate Senior Member Username: lynn_javoroski Post Number: 1433 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Friday, April 06, 2012 - 04:52 pm:    Yup, agreed, Mark. That was my #1. William C. Pegues, FCSI, CCS Senior Member Username: wpegues Post Number: 859 Registered: 10-2002 Posted on Friday, April 06, 2012 - 05:03 pm:    Absolutely without management senior management support, its not going to be pleasant. We have a remote office (Dallas TX). And I write all the project manuals for both the DC and the Dallas office). I went down and introduced our system to them years ago. We came up with a couple special modifications to coordination efforts due to their being remote as opposed to just their being used to a different process. Management said, this is how it will be done, and so it was. End of story. On the other hand, they were happy to be part of the system as opposed to floundering about. Also, they have since had the experience of working with someone local where for whatever reason the Owner required the specifications writer be 'local'. That did not go so well since they had become spoiled to total integration of key words and keynotes. And just as over time anyone in both offices can have good suggestions for improving coordination, suggestions have been implemented when they really work. Perhaps it would help if you have a map/graphic of the process including milestones and timelines and who does what, when, and for whom such as I recently presented at ArchiSpec. When you see the process laid out graphically, suddenly everyone is a lot more interested as well as appreciative. William William C. Pegues, FCSI, CCS, SCIP Affiliate WDG Architecture, Washington, DC | Dallas, TX Steven Bruneel, AIA, CSI-CDT, LEED-AP Senior Member Username: redseca2 Post Number: 329 Registered: 12-2006 Posted on Friday, April 06, 2012 - 07:32 pm:    My firm up to 2010 had offices in San Francisco, Columbus, Seattle, Boston and London. Leaving out London, which was a world onto itself, we did a good job of sharing work, coordinating efforts, meeting budgets and maintaining quality. The new challenge is that we have since merged with a much larger A/E firm with literally several hundred offices in North America. You need all 5 of the digits in your employee number - soon like masterSpec we will need a sixth. Although only about 25% of those offices are involved in building architecture and engineering, it is a whole new world. For a recent project in San Diego I received cutsheets from Mexico in spanish and cutsheets from Canada in french that I then tried to find regional sources for because the project is aiming for LEED certification. J. Peter Jordan (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted on Friday, April 06, 2012 - 07:17 pm:    Sometimes you offer the workhorse an apple; sometimes the 2x4 work better with the mule. It does help to have thought out why you do stuff the way you do and be able to articulate that clearly. Sometimes, however, you have to get ugly. Pick your battles then get a good No. 1 SYP 2x4. Lynn Javoroski FCSI CCS LEED® AP SCIP Affiliate Senior Member Username: lynn_javoroski Post Number: 1434 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Tuesday, April 10, 2012 - 10:30 am:    And ask for translations. Neither my French nor my Spanish is good enough for construction/technical documents. Although I can ask where the nearest beer is (I think). Anne Whitacre, FCSI CCS Senior Member Username: awhitacre Post Number: 1257 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Tuesday, April 10, 2012 - 04:59 pm:    First of all, as a specifier, you may make policy about what sealants to use, but you don't make policy about how the office gets their jobs done. That being said, I think you treat remote offices as though you are a consultant and they are the client. You work to their process -- unless their process is so counter to your experience that you take the issue up the chain of command. When I had "issues" with remote offices, I would go to the partner I reported to in my office -- and have them work it out with their counterpart in the other office. I copied my partner on EVERY email about process so that they could (quietly) monitor what was going on -- but it also put my "clients" on notice that there were other people watching the transition. However, my motto has always been "we'll do it your way unless I know you're going to get into trouble, or unless you ask me for specific help.". I make my deadlines (for them and myself) very clear. (ie, "I'll have it to you by 5 pm your time, Friday"). And typically I like to show up at the office for a 2 day meet-and-greet at some critical deadline -- say, right before 50% CDs, so that I can work at their office to meet the deadline. Anne Whitacre, FCSI CCS Senior Member Username: awhitacre Post Number: 1258 Registered: 07-2002 Posted on Tuesday, April 10, 2012 - 05:04 pm:    First of all, as a specifier, you may make policy about what sealants to use, but you don't make policy about how the office gets their jobs done. That being said, I think you treat remote offices as though you are a consultant and they are the client. You work to their process -- unless their process is so counter to your experience that you take the issue up the chain of command. When I had "issues" with remote offices, I would go to the partner I reported to in my office -- and have them work it out with their counterpart in the other office. I copied my partner on EVERY email about process so that they could (quietly) monitor what was going on -- but it also put my "clients" on notice that there were other people watching the transition. However, my motto has always been "we'll do it your way unless I know you're going to get into trouble, or unless you ask me for specific help.". I make my deadlines (for them and myself) very clear. (ie, "I'll have it to you by 5 pm your time, Friday"). And typically I like to show up at the office for a 2 day meet-and-greet at some critical deadline -- say, right before 50% CDs, so that I can work at their office to meet the deadline. John Bunzick, CCS, CCCA, LEED AP Senior Member Username: bunzick Post Number: 1373 Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Tuesday, April 10, 2012 - 05:37 pm:    I think that Anne has it right. In larger organizations, various offices are often going to do things a different way. One has to question whether it is really a concrete benefit to the company to have everyone doing everything the same way. Maybe it doesn't matter that much, keeping in mind that changing processes is expensive for a company. If there is a good reason for things to be done the same, then you have to consider how long is a realistic time frame for getting the processes merged (may be part of one office and part of another). And yes, it does need to be something that senior management feels is important to the firm.