Navigating Office Culture

01/18/20 • 19 min

Mile Long Trace Interior Architecture & Interior Design

In this episode we will look at:

o How feedback loops play a role in office culture

o Importance of warming up with a new team

o Forming a relationship with your team to balance task and process during deadlines

o How emotional intelligence plays a role in group dynamics

You will come away with thought provoking questions to prompt you to consider office dynamics and how you show up within design teams. At the end we will share simple yet effective exercises you can implement to support you as you work with teams.

“To be a design professional requires us to rise up out of our self. To diplomatically work within a collaborative environment. To ethically advocate for the best project and make recommendations that sometimes do not want to be heard but you do it in a way that is receivable because you are emotionally aware of how your tone and body language can come off.” - Elizabeth
To read the full show notes and reference the exercises check out http://www.milelongtrace.com/episodes/03-navigating-office-culture
Wrap up:

o Take a personality quiz

o Get to know how you show up in groups

o Go slow to go fast by balancing task and process especially during deadlines

o Form working relationships with your coworkers to understand how they like to operate and how your personality can complement them

o Go on the balcony to listen more than speak.

o Consider the other side of the fence because it takes two to tango

Head on over to our Instagram feed to engage! Can’t wait to hear from you. https://www.milelongtrace.com/contact
To receive the latest episodes and stay informed join our email list (we promise to be respectful of your time and personal information). https://www.milelongtrace.com/
Lastly don't forget to hit subscribe in your favorite podcast feed and leave a review. In order for Mile Long Trace to deliver you credible content that meets your practice we need to grow this platform.
Keep Designing Ya'll!

In this episode we will look at:

o How feedback loops play a role in office culture

o Importance of warming up with a new team

o Forming a relationship with your team to balance task and process during deadlines

o How emotional intelligence plays a role in group dynamics

o Take a personality quiz

o Get to know how you show up in groups

o Go slow to go fast by balancing task and process especially during deadlines

o Form working relationships with your coworkers to understand how they like to operate and how your personality can complement them

o Go on the balcony to listen more than speak.

o Consider the other side of the fence because it takes two to tango

Previous Episode

DNA of a Project

We quickly take a deep dive into the world of writing a design concept statement. The goal is to help you translate what you might have focused on in school and are now leaving to the wayside while you focus on design development, billable hours and project budgets. We will relish in the schematic design phase to emphasize the importance of having a design concept. Along the way we will share tips and tricks to help you strengthen your concept writing skills though the what, why and how process. Ever wonder how to develop a concept statement with a team? Check out the show!
To read the full show notes with an explanation of the exercise and resources visit https://www.milelongtrace.com/episodes/02-dna-of-a-project
In closing:

· Write concept statements and write them well

· Write them in collaboration

· Advocate for rooting the concept statement into the design process

The references from this week’s episode can be found in the show notes. If you have any thoughts, insights, what has worked and not worked as part of your conceptual design process. We would love to hear from you by visiting https://www.milelongtrace.com/contact. We look forwarding to hearing from you and helping to elevate your commercial interior design practice.
To receive the latest episodes and stay informed join our email list (we promise to be respectful of your time and personal information). https://www.milelongtrace.com/
Follow us on social at https://www.instagram.com/milelongtrace_podcast/
Lastly don't forget to hit subscribe in your favorite podcast feed and leave a review. In order for Mile Long Trace to deliver you credible content that meets your practice we need to grow this platform.

Keep on designing y’all.

Next Episode

Q&A Emerged with Ellen Cusick

Ellen Cusick is joining us today. She is the principle of EMC Interior Design LLC

Designs and project manages hospitality, retail & residential interior projects from programming through construction observation.
She is most notably known for being the kick ass woman that can effectively navigate the permit and building code department.
She has her NCIDQ certificate, she has served on the ASID board, written exam questions for CIDQ, and advocated for interior design legislation.
Ellen has been practicing interior design for 20 years.

In this episode we will look at:

The attraction to becoming an interior designer
The ups and downs from graduation through 20 years of practice
One's dream market sector
Lessons learned from years of practice
What activities you can do to shape your career

You will come away with insight into one designers path she took. Along the way you will hear about the jankety and scrappy side of her interior design practice.
If you were to describe your design process as a cocktail, which one would it be and why?

“It's an old fashioned. It's kind of an architectural cocktail because you've got to have just the right amount of whiskey, just the right amount of sugar and just the right amount of bitters. Take these really simple, strong flavors and then mix them together to create this really complex flavor. Umm, it's a flavor bomb. A good interior is like a bomb of experience.” - Ellen Cusick
To read the full show notes and see some of Ellen's work
https://www.milelongtrace.com/episodes/04-qa-emerged-ellen-cusick
Head on over to our Instagram feed to engage! Can’t wait to hear from you.
https://www.instagram.com/milelongtrace_podcast/
To receive the latest episodes and stay informed join our email list (we promise to be respectful of your time and personal information). https://www.milelongtrace.com/contact
Lastly don't forget to hit subscribe in your favorite podcast feed and leave a review. In order for Mile Long Trace to deliver you credible content that meets your practice we need to grow this platform.
Keep Designing Ya'll!