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I pay my respects and acknowledge all Traditional Custodians of Country and on whose land I live and work. I recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. I pay my respects to their Elders past and present.
Always was, always will be.

Welcome to this week's useletter

focussing on your future not my past, it's a newsletter that's useful.

Over a couple of years after graduation, I usefully bummed around. I was assistant manager of a wine shop, studied small business, had part time architectural work with a sole practitioner, made competition models for a large architecture practice and began making things resembling art (or design). It was back in the days when artists had affordable spaces and I was lucky to share an artists’ studio in the Jones Bay Wharf in Pyrmont.

Embarrassing to admit but like many graduates I thought I was pretty smart and knew a thing or two. Apparently I “knew” there was a “right way” and “wrong way” to think and do. And the “right way” to make things was with care, craftsmanship and well finished. Aargh! Makes me cringe!

The studio was filled with remarkable artists making extraordinary art. One of whom’s work I was especially taken by. His sculptures were clever and fantastical. But roughly made. And I told him as such, suggesting it would be so much better if they were made neatly and with more care.

(Ooof! I’m blushing again)

He looked at me blankly. He genuinely didn’t understand what I meant. His construction was exactly as he’d conceived. As far as he was concerned it was made with care. Consistent with his vision and anything else hadn’t occurred to him.

The thing was, his way hadn’t occurred to me either. It was not the way I’d been taught to think. And I’d never questioned how our thinking might be habituated or blinkered by our education.

It was a fantastic lesson.

So how do we continue to help give ourselves those lessons, new perspectives and ways to challenge our thinking?

I have thoughts.

I got you

Michael

New ways of thinking

A call to action!

I’m concerned architectural culture is hamstrung by group think. Stuck in dogma. Architects need to burst out of their bubble. The profession would be well served by finding new perspectives and ways of thinking.

“We learn more from people who challenge our thought process than those who affirm our conclusions. Strong leaders engage their critics and make themselves stronger. Weak leaders silence their critics and make themselves weaker. This reaction isn’t limited to people in power. Although we might be on board with the principle, in practice we often miss out on the value of a challenge network.”
Adam M. Grant, Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You Don't Know

Adam Grant’s book is a great place to start challenging your thinking and burst your bubble. It helped crystallise many ideas for me.

It’s also useful to regularly put yourself in a space with people that think differently - just as I inadvertently did as a graduate. These might seems obvious but I’m concerned we don’t do this enough. Here's some ways to challenge your every day thinking.

Work in a co-working space, with people outside of architecture. I realise your workplace may not be within your control, but I recommend it.
Take in media from people with different ideas, political views, philosophies or different fields of interest. Newspapers, books, documentaries, movies, etc.
Attend talks and events unrelated to architecture. So so many options.
Establish ways and means to connect with people with unrelated jobs or interests. Nobel winning scientist Richard Feynman regularly sat at the table in the dining hall with students in other disciplines to his.
Seek feedback. “What do I need to rethink?” Build a challenge network. And ask clients, consultants, or anyone you encounter who might have a different perspective challenging your habitual thinking.

It helps to approach this with intention but serendipity also happens when you go out of your way to let it in. There’s more than one way to skin a cat.

Experiment with it.

And please tell me, “What do I need to rethink?”

You got this.

Let's chat

At unmeasured I help architects improve the quality of their work, productivity and agility. Developing their leadership skills and structures.

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