I prefer the same way like you and I like constructive critics and good
ideas, but unfortunately most of the time it sounds like "you have made a
fault, you stupid engineer" and "who will pay for that". We have this in
more and more projects. Maybe it is more common in Germany than in the US.
Here, it won`t cause such a discussion, because for any engineer it`s
business as usual to hear these words.
Best Regards
AL
-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: Christopher Wright [mailto:chrisw@skypoint.com]
Gesendet: Montag, 5. November 2007 02:46
An: seaint@seaint.org
Betreff: Re: AW: footings look too big
On Nov 4, 2007, at 11:27 AM, alfred mueller wrote:
> I haven't heard yet, that something is too small.
I have. I've also heard that it's too large, too expensive, too
fancy, too theoretical, not theoretical enough, too complicated, too
simple-minded, too many bolts, not enough bolts, over-welded, under-
welded, too heavy, not heavy enough, and not the way we do things.
> We are also doing site management and there are always workers, who
> think, they know better, how or when to do something (I give an ear
> to their opinion and if they have a good idea, I care about it),
> but most of the time, I have to realize, that they only have a lack
> of information or of theoretical background.
That's because they're human. Unless you've only been in the
engineering business a very short time, your clients or your
supervision has probably said the same thing about you. It's
certainly been that way with me. And if someone's reasoning or his
viewpoint is faulty I try to explain so he won't make the same
mistake again.
> And it`s getting boring, when you have to explain your work every
> day to somebody, who don't understand even the basics of what you
> are doing.
I have always felt very strongly that anyone who can't explain simply
and clearly what he's doing may very well not know what he's doing.
It doesn't mean you have to go into theoretical mechanics every time
someone tells you the footings look big--all you need is a simple
physical explanation. If the guy doesn't understand the answer, at
least you tried.
>
> Nobody wants to tell an emergency doctor, how to do his work, and
> nobody asks, why he is doing something the way, he does it (maybe
> in case, that somebody died during his work). Only in our Job,
> people think, they know better.
Big difference between asking questions or making comments and
telling someone how to do his work. I always ask questions of
doctors, but I don't tell them how to operate or what to prescribe. I
may flatter myself, but I think they're glad I'm taking an interest.
Same way in my job--if a guy thinks I've specified too much weld and
asks me about it, I tell him what I know. If he thinks he knows
better, I get him to tell me what he knows and I make my judgment on
that basis, but I don't let it turn into a pissing match.
Christopher Wright P.E. |"They couldn't hit an elephant at
chrisw@skypoint.com | this distance" (last words of Gen.
.......................................| John Sedgwick, Spotsylvania
1864)
http://www.skypoint.com/~chrisw/
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