We’ve outlined 6 core values in this multi-part post:1. Impact – the desire to create something great.
2. Courage - standing up for what you believe.
3. Tenacity – Never stop trying.
4. Unity - Progressing, as one mind, toward a common endpoint.
5. Sustainability – the capacity to endure.
6. Curiosity – a commitment to life long learning.
If someone held these core values and demonstrated them consistently throughout their career would they be a valuable member of your team? Can these values be learned? Are some of these values more important than others and are some more difficult to master?
I am not sure I have the answers to all of these questions (and I would like to hear what you think) but two thoughts come to mind:
First, I am not sure I can quantify the specific measurable effects of someone who has these values, but I can say seeing these values demonstrated in the people I have worked with made them more successful architects. On the flip side, I have seen architects who were significantly lacking in one or more of these areas and they struggled in influencing the direction of the solutions they were involved with. Unfortunately, I have also seen architects who *believe* they are demonstrating one of these values while they are really abusing it. E.g. mistaking stubbornness for tenacity or defensiveness for courage.
Second, these values do not define the entire person / architect. A successful architect must also be grounded and pragmatic. They must have a good functional understanding of the business they support, be internally motivated and need to possess a good bit of knowledge and experience in the technology they use. They also need to be an advocate for the systems they build, which was pointed out in a comment at the beginning of this series.
A final reflection on these values makes Tenacity and Sustainability stand out to me.
- Tenacity - is the most challenging to carry with you consistently throughout your career. There are many ups and downs in any career but consistently pushing for a balanced solution in the face of budget and time constraints can be difficult, especially in the economic times we currently face.
- Sustainability – is the linchpin value because it must be present in an architect. If an architect constantly builds “short” of expectations, I am not sure they will be architecting long, regardless if they are building software, or buildings or bridges.
These values are important regardless of your profession. For architects, they are essential. They can’t be bought and there are no classes to teach them. By nature or nurture, they need to be part of you.
If you perceive a certain value needs improvement, try modeling yourself after someone who exhibits this value. You may find you’re stronger in this area than you think. If not, focus on your strong values and fill any gaps in the areas you are weak with extra effort or a little help from someone who is strong in this area.
We’d like to hear your comments on any of the architect values posts.
Impact, curiosity, and courage. . .
Now ther's a trio if I ever saw one.
For me,these seem to be three values that can really set an architect apart from the herd.
Familiarity decreases a product's impact over time. As people see more and more similar designs in the market, the original design, which may have been innovative at the time, starts to pale. For this reason it seems that curiosity is a necessary compliment.
The only way to consistently create impact, is to continue to increase your knowledge at the edge. As your curiosity leads you farther and farther down new avenues, you acquire the toold needed to stay impactful, that is if you have the courage to apply the knowledge you've garnered.
Courage is the catalyst needed to facilitate the change of curiosity into impact. Without it, all that knowledge gets benched, and never turns up in the final product.
I like this article, because it affirms that there are some who still believe in quality and innovation. I know that we do as well.
Mark Coxon
Orange ProAV
www.orangeproav.com