IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 50
Perspective sat down with IIDA Student
member Kim Dorman, a real live millennial,
to get her thoughts on office politics and
entering the workplace.
Does firm size play a role in how office politics influence work culture?
KIM DORMAN, STUDENT IIDA
Design student at ASU, Intern Architect at RSP
Kim Dorman is a recent graduate from Arizona
State University and works at RSP Architects in
Phoenix, Arizona. She served as the Director of
Membership and Mentorship at the ASU IIDA
Campus Center, an organization in which she has
held a variety of positions over the past three
years. Kim has participated in a number of events,
including couture and connect4. Her team placed
second in the IIDA Southwest Chapter Student
Design Charette, and she was a committee
member for the event.
Dorman: Based off the experiences of some of my friends who work at really small
firms, smaller firms seem a little more personal. And when it comes to talking about
harder topics or negotiating things, conversations can become more personal and
political than they would at a larger, more established firm that has people who can
step in and help mediate concerns. I don't know if one is better than the other. I like
having the larger firm feeling and the formality of having to go through certain
steps to get things done.
One of the hot button issues in design at the moment is ethical and social
responsibility. Is there more the industry or firms should be doing to push
those ideas?
Dorman: Social and ethical issues are very important to me, especially when looking
for a job. It's important to know that a firm values the same things I do, and that their
work is not just about the bottom line and a paycheck, but also about people and who
you're affecting through your work. Sustainable practices, sustainable products,
knowing where your products are coming from-all of that is important. If a firm
doesn't have transparency around those practices, then I would hope they would at
least be willing to listen to someone who has just come out of college and has ideas
about it. Having the willingness to listen and absorb and take into consideration
some of those ideas would be a really appreciated first step.
Speaking of politics, we're in an election year, and water cooler talk about
candidates and debates seems unavoidable. Does political chatter have a place
at the office?
Dorman: I've heard a little bit of chatter about the election-I feel mixed about it.
I don't think it shouldn't be banned from the break room, people should be allowed
to have conversations about it. The key is mutual respect, and knowing where and
when it's appropriate to talk about it. Because it's very heated right now!
What should someone just starting out in their career know about workplace
culture and navigating office politics?
Dorman: The best piece of advice I've been given so far is to show initiative. Starting
out in a career, you have a million questions, self-doubt, and there are lots of things
that you don't know, but people don't want you to cause problems, they want you to
solve them. So ask questions and show that initiative.
And I think it's good for people coming out of school to be reminded that they're not
always going to be right, and that that's okay. People in the field make mistakes too
and it's not the end of the world. There's so much pressure that revolves around
getting your first job, it would be nice to hear that kind of reassurance more often.
50
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016
Iida Perspective - Spring/summer 2016
Contents
From IIDA
Behind the Issue
Contributors
IIDA Industry Roundtable
Designer Dialogue: The B Corp Wave
Can Design Rock the Vote?
The Politics of Sport
Roundtable: Office Politics
Inspiration
Colophon
Viewpoints
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - Iida Perspective - Spring/summer 2016
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - Contents
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 1
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 2
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 3
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 4
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - From IIDA
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - Behind the Issue
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 7
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - Contributors
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 9
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - IIDA Industry Roundtable
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 11
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 12
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 13
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 14
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 15
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 16
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 17
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 18
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 19
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - Designer Dialogue: The B Corp Wave
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 21
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 22
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 23
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 24
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 25
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - Can Design Rock the Vote?
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 27
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 28
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 29
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 30
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 31
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 32
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 33
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - The Politics of Sport
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 35
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 36
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 37
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 38
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 39
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 40
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 41
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 42
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 43
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - Roundtable: Office Politics
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 45
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 46
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 47
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 48
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 49
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 50
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 51
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - Inspiration
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 53
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - 54
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - Colophon
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - Viewpoints
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - Cover3
IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2016 - Cover4
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