CSI Mentoring

I spent some time on Sunday reconnecting with a former classmate and colleague who left Jackson, MS and moved to the west coast about the same time my family left Jackson for the east coast. The recession was not kind to him and after a layoff, some contract work and some other temporary jobs, he landed a position as a manufacturer's rep. He loves the job and has tremendous growth opportunities in that position. 

After talking about common friends, family and other stuff, our discussion turned to CSI. He is familiar with CSI but never saw the need to join because he "wasn't involved in specifications writing." In his current sales position, he sees the need for networking and was interested in learning about CSI and I promised to connect him with the leaders I know in his area. 

I took the conversation a step further. His company is a major player in industrial applications of their materials but are a new player on the side of architectural uses of their materials. I began to sense that while my friend can see a clear growth path ahead for his company, he may need data, metrics and other items to convince his boss of the very necessary expenditures ahead. That sounds to me like a mentoring opportunity for someone in the CSI chapter he should join. 

As an architect, one of the great benefits that I've gained from my involvement in CSI is an understanding and appreciation of what the manufacturer's rep goes through; their every day trials and tribulations. Some of the negative parts of the job are self-inflicted, but others are inflicted by their management or corporate structures. The biggest light bulb lit for me about six years ago when our chapter had a panel discussion on product substitutions. The prodcut reps on that panel all said they hate substitutions because it means they didn't do their job to get in the spec in the first place. That was one of the first times that I realized we are all in this together and should work to help each other rather than be adversarial or simply use each other. 

In the days since my friend and I parted, I've been thinking a lot about that notion of mentoring within the CSI chapter. I am also in the process of resetting my firm's mentoring program for the program year. I gave a presentation at CONSTRUCT in St Louis on mentoring which featured a case study of our firm's program. I touched on some notions of starting a mentoring program in a CSI chapter but, candidly, didn't offer much assistance on that notion. 

What if we used the great manufacturer's reps each chapter has to mentor the next generation of manufacturer's reps? How great could our industry be if each and every rep that entered an architect's or engineer's office or stepped onto a job site held the CCPR certification or at least CDT? How great would CSI be with that sort of involvement? 

Across the last several months, I've been thinking about CSI's position in leadership development and have mentioned to our region leadership the notion of using leadership in CSI to further your careers. That's what I did. I was recently promoted to principal in our firm. I'm not sure I would have earned that promotion if I had not agreed to serve as committee chair, then director, then president of my CSI chapter over 10 years ago. How great could our industry be if all members of the construction team cut their teeth in leadership positions in CSI? 

The challenge that I plan to make to our region leaders and one that I make now to ALL CSI leaders at the chapter and region level is sell two notions about CSI: we will make you better at your current job and we will provide you safe opportunities to hone your leadership skills for your future job. What else can you ask for of a professional organization?