There is of course a time and a place for formal training and education. What I love to see in the office though is when one of us shares what we know with another. I’ve noticed that this tends to happen when the office culture is “right”. You may ask me what I mean by “right”. Well I don’t really know, but I do recognize it when I see it. I also see when the culture is not right ; when people who know stuff hold onto it because they are trying to compete or trying to be better than the next one. I also notice in some workplaces where those who have entered more recently are made to feel very junior and become hesitant to share what they know.
It is true that in an Architects office, the older members hold a lot of wisdom and learning from years of being hit over the head by the ravages of the economy in general and the construction industry in particular. But it is also true that younger team members often bring a contribution that comes our of a fresh perspective or out of a better understanding of and familiarity with the fast changing technologies that Architects employ in their attempt to assist their clients to get buildings and spaces to emerge from the world of dreams into the physical realm.
The point though, is that if you are running an Architectural practice, or perhaps any small business, your job includes thousands of things – but one of these things is to build a culture where each of the team members has the courage to teach and the humility to learn. (regardless of their of any position within the hierarchy)
If you forget that this too is your job, then you are setting yourself up for inevitable failure.
Just letting you know!!!
noh ARCHITECTS 