Teaching Technology

Tech 101: Teaching Technology— No better time to train and mentor - by Doris Cahil, President of DMC Accounting + Technology, Ltd, Published in the ZweigLetter.

Find out why it’s important for A/E firms to invest in technology training.

Many of us, despite best practices, are not able to weigh what types of technology investments help our firm the most. Often, only through networking with those we trust, are we able to make choices about our technologies.

Like you, I ask the same following questions, “Would someone help me focus and choose what’s the best technology investment? We want to service our clients and each time one turns the corner we’re faced with a technology change and decisions that are not in our skill sets. If someone would just take the time to explain and show me how to do my job better, does that not make investing in technology easier?” Yes it does. Teaching and showing how to perform our jobs is smart. Routinely teaching or mentoring staff is a great tech investment that provides a high return as well. Both employee and client retention improve. In turn, retention of clients and employees generally improves the financial health of the company.

If profit means money, and money helps meet goals then, money is needed to successfully grow the company. Technology training and mentoring will help your firm meet its growth goals and money is needed to fund those initiatives.

What is mentoring? It’s someone who is truly interested in “you” and is willing to develop your skill sets for the betterment of you and, thus, the firm. If you don’t show that you care by investing in technology, then your employees or clients won’t care either. First, we mentor, then we are able to train and teach. Teaching only works when you learn and change.

Training in technology is a result of good mentoring. You take the time to figure out what people are skilled at, where there weaknesses are, and, yes, what they would like to do to improve their job or learn. Then you set up training. After you train, you then must return back to the mentoring step. What did you learn? Was it effective and can you apply this to the company, your clients, and yourself. Then repeat.

Why? Because each of us wants to feel valued, part of the team, and cared for. When you’re mentored, the firm does better and frankly its way more fun even in tough times. What’s hard about mentoring, it’s a big job, a really big job but it pays off and here’s why:

People stay 20 years at a job because…

• ownership opportunities are available on their day-to-day job.
• there’s a good relationship with the owner.
• there is a respect for co-workers.
• there is consistency and routine.
• there is a feeling of value and belonging.
• they love their work.

People leave a job because…

• there is no value.
• there is no empowerment.
• there is little understanding firms vision or decision process and there is constant change.
• there is no communication.

There are many types of training. But, when it comes to technology you must involve your IT department. IT is great at suggesting new hardware, software upgrading, and new strategies, but not as well suited on how to maximize and use what we already have in terms of technology. A good starting point is mentoring IT staff on why we train, why we need to better understand our software, and how to get us in touch with the technology resources to make us better. So, while technology training costs money, it’s money well spent. Employees, especially the IT department, will recognize that the firm cares which, in turn, will only help the company’s bottom line.

Doris Cahill is president and CEO of DMC Accounting + Technology (Boston, MA), an accounting consultancy practice that provides assistance with implementation and training for the AEC industry. Contact her at (617) 779-8806.

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