"I will bash you until you become an expert."
- Boss
Had a tough week in terms of getting to know what my Boss wants, mixed in with carelessness on my side ><
Story: there were some CAD drawings to be done, and as I'm taking over the job from my colleague, I consulted Boss and then did what he asked me to do.. no less, but also, no more.. And this led to my Boss getting very disappointed because the architect he hired seemed to just be a CAD monkey without helping to think about the design.. huhu.. Part of the dilemma of being a new employee is that I don't know how much more I can add / input before intstead of being praised for initiative I'd be reprimanded for toeing the line or acting smart without actually knowing anything. However, think I gotta get that 'I'm a new employee I'm just here to listen and obey' mindset.. Much as it seems to be a 'humble' and 'safe' approach, it makes me too lazy to think!
Boss: "You are an intelligent girl, so learned, but you are not putting in enough thinking.. So, can I have these by end of next week? Don't be so slow"
me: "But Boss.. Previously I finished in two days, just like you wanted.."
Boss: "Finished means no more changes needed."
me: "Ok..."
That aside, Boss actually asked me whether I think he is a difficult person.. huhuhu.. I didn't know how to answer that, but when he told me that he wants to 'bash me till I become an expert', and when he said I have improved from previous times, I feel spurred on to hang on for dear life and just enjoy the ride. Gotta admit that now I catch myself checking my work a lot to eliminate careless mistakes, and actually think more before doing any design drawing!
If I do manage to stay on for two years, I think my 2013 self will look at my 2011 self with a mix of smugness and pride and said, "Damn you survived, and look where you are now."
But before that, Tough Love!
" Newly installed landscape is like a 16 yrs old girl.. Overtime, it becomes like a 50 yrs old woman.. so difficult to maintain the shape! If you can keep it looking nice, now that's a successful landscape."
- Boss
"Don't burn as you learn!"
- Boss
Must keep this in mind.. Truthfully, I admire my boss for being 76 yrs old and still so inquisitive and feisty *can't think of a better word >< *
Some more quotable quotes from Boss:
"Always argue with yourself."
" In my office there are four words that I don't like people to use : I think, I thought, I assume, I presume."
* I agree with the spirit behind it, that is, never assume something, clarify things, but it is proving mighty difficult to remove these words from daily language use >< Being forbidden to use these words though, really opened my eyes as to how many things I assume especially in taking over other projects midway from my colleague! *
"Put a lot of effort into your thinking! See this thing *we were discussing hook placement for a vertical green system, and a bit of shifting makes a lot of difference to the drainage and irrigation*, see how much care and thinking power that goes into it!"
" Young people! I am teaching you not just landscape, I am teaching you how to do business!"
"As landscape architects we must always value-add the client's property or asset, if not we are hopeless. Whatever shit the architects give us, we must be able to make it smell nicer."
- Boss
"I want you to put this planting plan on the actual plan.. the corridor here.. the classrooms here.. you know these people*^, they need something to orientate themselves"
- Boss
* 'these people' refer to anyone who are not Landscape Architects
^ When used by architects, 'these people' refer to anyone who are not Architects
That aside, I gotta learn to make my landscape plans more easily read by drawing the plants more accurate in scale, and putting it in context. Also, got a bit of scolding since I orientated Boss wrongly on the plan. Think before you speak, Shiela.
