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