CSU CBE Seminar CSU CBE Seminar
Professional Work Professional Work “Across the Pond”“Across the Pond”
Dr. Doug Aldrich Dr. Doug Aldrich CFM, IFMA FellowCFM, IFMA Fellow
Two DimensionsTwo Dimensions
People: their culture, customs and People: their culture, customs and your relationships to themyour relationships to them
Projects: mutual goals, well-done Projects: mutual goals, well-done tasks and tasks and bona-fidebona-fide results results through professional skills and through professional skills and respect respect
The ChallengeThe Challenge
LanguageLanguage
English for business/technologyEnglish for business/technology
Local words (100) + calculator Local words (100) + calculator
Legal papers and negotiationsLegal papers and negotiations
Pace, jargon and slangPace, jargon and slang
BehaviorsBehaviors
Read history, culture and customs Read history, culture and customs
Know and rely Know and rely kindlykindly on your host on your host
Understand and practice do’s-dont’s Understand and practice do’s-dont’s
Use ears and mouth in that Use ears and mouth in that proportionproportion
Getting Along - 1 Getting Along - 1
Business PracticesBusiness Practices– Language courtesiesLanguage courtesies– Metric measuresMetric measures– Introductions and small talkIntroductions and small talk– Questions first, then answersQuestions first, then answers– Body languageBody language
Getting Along - 2Getting Along - 2
ImpressionsImpressions– Dress, men and womenDress, men and women– Business cards and titlesBusiness cards and titles– Foods and drinkFoods and drink– Courtesies and giftsCourtesies and gifts– Awake and alertAwake and alert
CommunicationsCommunications
WritingWriting– Better for understandingBetter for understanding– Documentation Documentation – Emails Emails
Speaking Speaking (slow and loud)(slow and loud)
Telephone Telephone (hours)(hours)
Meetings - 1Meetings - 1
Confirm goalsConfirm goals– Technology, costs and timingTechnology, costs and timing– Roles and responsibilitiesRoles and responsibilities
PlanningPlanning– Options and benefitsOptions and benefits– DecisionsDecisions
Meetings - 2Meetings - 2
Actions and expectationsActions and expectations– Technical and pilotingTechnical and piloting– Regulations and acceptanceRegulations and acceptance
Approvals Approvals (who and when)(who and when)
Plant tours Plant tours (QC and safety)(QC and safety)
Meetings - 3Meetings - 3
Tools Tools – Agendas and minutesAgendas and minutes– Charts and diagramsCharts and diagrams
Techniques Techniques – DiscussionsDiscussions– Conflict resolutionConflict resolution– DecisionsDecisions
Project #1: BelgiumProject #1: Belgium
Preceded by strategic planning and Preceded by strategic planning and lab consolidations lab consolidations
Followed by A/E selection, concepts, Followed by A/E selection, concepts, and design/engineering with costsand design/engineering with costs
Supervised construction, safety, Supervised construction, safety, start-up and move-in. start-up and move-in.
Linking........challengesLinking........challenges
Languages (bi- or tri-lingual)Languages (bi- or tri-lingual) Communicating Communicating valuevalue Common beliefsCommon beliefs Complex plans/budgetsComplex plans/budgets BoredroomBoredroom
Challenges: BelgiumChallenges: Belgium
Significant changes (offices and Significant changes (offices and locations, HVAC and sharing labs) locations, HVAC and sharing labs)
Influences of “two countries”Influences of “two countries”
Quality of services, materials and Quality of services, materials and construction workconstruction work
Resolutions: BelgiumResolutions: Belgium
Piloting of offices people could tryPiloting of offices people could try
Value of sharing equipment and Value of sharing equipment and spaces seen by managementspaces seen by management
AC in labs, tempering in offices; AC in labs, tempering in offices; non-operable windows but non-operable windows but smoking roomsmoking room
Warning!Warning!
““Even if you’re on the Even if you’re on the right right track, you can track, you can still get run still get run
over by the train.”over by the train.”
Results: BelgiumResults: Belgium
High degree of satisfaction by all High degree of satisfaction by all users in post-occupancy auditsusers in post-occupancy audits
Excellent customer perceptions as Excellent customer perceptions as development and training facilitydevelopment and training facility
Significantly improved productivitySignificantly improved productivity
Project #2: ChinaProject #2: China
Preceded by assessment, needs Preceded by assessment, needs analysis and site plananalysis and site plan
Managed selections, documents, Managed selections, documents, estimating and approvalsestimating and approvals
Oversaw bidding, construction, Oversaw bidding, construction, safety, start-up and move-insafety, start-up and move-in
CodaCoda
““The true way of thinking about The true way of thinking about and dealing with the future is and dealing with the future is to plant trees.....under whose to plant trees.....under whose shade you do not expect to shade you do not expect to sit.”sit.”
Challenges: ChinaChallenges: China
RelationshipsRelationships
Supply of goods and servicesSupply of goods and services
American business methodsAmerican business methods
Construction quality and safetyConstruction quality and safety
Resolutions: ChinaResolutions: China
Appreciation but insistence on Appreciation but insistence on rules and expectationsrules and expectations
Vendor and contractor selection Vendor and contractor selection and documentation and documentation
Correction of unsatisfactory and Correction of unsatisfactory and unsafe work and practicesunsafe work and practices
CodaCoda
““The true way of thinking about The true way of thinking about and dealing with the future is and dealing with the future is to plant trees.....under whose to plant trees.....under whose shade you do not expect to shade you do not expect to sit.”sit.”
Results: ChinaResults: China
Admired for DC’s first lab in PRCAdmired for DC’s first lab in PRC
First-time quality approvalFirst-time quality approval
Respect for knowledge and ethics Respect for knowledge and ethics
Appreciation for USA approachesAppreciation for USA approaches
LessonsLessons
Consensus takes time and workConsensus takes time and work
History and cultural do influenceHistory and cultural do influence
Results Results andand the journey count the journey count
Respect is earnedRespect is earned
It’s a Small World It’s a Small World