What’s in store for 2010

I didn’t do resolutions this year like I did last year, but I do have a few professional goals I would like to accomplish this year.

Earn my GISP – I am only 3 points shy of being able to submit my application.  I need to expand upon my professional contributions section.  I am currently slated to lead a workshop on “Using GIS in Microstation” in June.  That will help, and, by then another 6 months of my ASPRS and my CaGIS memberships will have passed by giving me a few more points.  So hopefully, come the end of July, I’ll be able to submit my application!

Implement a solid GIS training program within FDOT – So, this goal might be overly ambitious for just 2010, but I have a vision where FDOT provides their own GIS training internally, instead of forking over $1000–1500/person for ESRI Certified training.  Nothing against ESRI, I think they do a fantastic job, but when we aren’t allowed to travel, and have little budget for training even without travel, our options are limited.  I’m currently working on an “Introduction to GIS” CBT module now.  Hopefully, this will be completed by April 30th.  Now, not all GIS training can (or should) be done via CBT, but at least this will put us a step in the right direction.  It would be great if we could get some staff in each district trained to provide technical GIS training.  The use is growing within the department, and its essential that people understand it, and know what they can do with it.

Get promoted –  don’t most people have this on their radar?  In reality though, I’ve been told time & time again, that in order to succeed in FDOT is to get supervisory experience.  Easier said than done.  There is however, a supervisory position open in our office.  I’ve been working very hard towards preparing for the application and interview process for this position.  I have been sitting down with the Director of Design to gain insight on how to interview at “the next level” as well as learning the difference between general office communication, and executive office communication.  She has also helped me learn to market myself and communicate with confidence.  In fact, I can’t wait to interview for this position.  Most people get nervous at job interviews.  Not me.  Ok, well maybe I get a little bit nervous, after all, my professional future could be on the line, but generally, I am pretty comfortable when it comes to communicating with others.  Interviewers are just people, and they’re there to get to know you.  Most of the time its about who you are more than what you know anyway.  The reason people interview you is not to find out your skills, they can determine that from your resume, but to find out who you are.

That said, I think 2010 is going to be an exciting year for me professionally.  I feel like I’m finally going somewhere in my career.  And I think the timing is great.

What I Learned in 2009

What a year.  I am still in denial that Christmas is almost here, and in denial of the fact that my mother, her husband, and my grandmother will be staying with us over the holidays.  So, what better way to avoid the inevitable than to write a post reflecting on what happened over the course of 2009?

January – probably my most important semester of grad school started.  While it was my last, I think what I learned in the two classes I took (Advanced Remote Sensing and Advanced GIS) have had the most direct impact on my current job.  I learned a ton about digital image processing which gave me a greater appreciation for our image services and aerial services section here at work.  I also learned about GIS Planning and Management.  I learned about the “business” behind GIS.  Let’s face it; you can’t be a GIS Manager without solid knowledge of typical business processes.  I started feeling nostalgic for undergrad business school.  I loved it.

April – I learned how GIS was used “in case of emergency.”  I was requested to provide GIS support for the State Emergency Operations Center here in Tallahassee during the Suwannee River floods.  It’s been awhile since I’ve experienced a 12-hour day fly by so quickly.  Not to mention, a 12-hr day on a Saturday.  I loved the hustle and bustle of the SEOC during activation, and I’d help out again in a heartbeat.  I also found out what a true “quick and dirty” GIS map looks like.  Completely breaks every cartographic standard known to mankind, but, when you need a road closure map, and you needed it yesterday, you’ll learn to live with imperfection so long as the data is correct and your message gets across.

May – I graduated with a Master of Science in Geographic Information Science.  It’s still weird to think I went above and beyond what typical higher education offers, but it was a fun journey.  I had so much extra time since graduation I didn’t know what to do with myself, so I started to actually focus on my career versus having a job (and, I started this blog).  I anxiously awaited the potential to take over my boss’s position, who was retiring in July.

June – I applied for my boss’s soon-to-be-vacant position.  I also got myself a professional mentor, something that has been vital to where I am in my career now, versus where I was at this time last year.  If you don’t have one, get one.  Now. I mean it.  In fact, get more than one.  Seriously.

I also learned that you can be a positional leader, without being in a leadership position.

July – I started working on developing in-house GIS training for FDOT Surveying & Mapping Offices.  This is something I am completely new at, but, I have been deemed the “GIS Expert” in our office.  Therefore, I was a logical choice to work on this.  Developing a training course is not as easy as you think.  It can be very difficult to translate all this technical and industrial knowledge you have stored in your brain into plain language in order to convey it to people who have little to no idea as to what GIS is or what it can do.

I also learned that talking to people on the phone can be more worth my while than sending an email.  I hate talking on the phone, but, I have since learned the value of it.  Face to face communication is the best, but, many times the telephone trumps email.

August – I interview for my boss’s position.  I get rejected for my boss’s position.  My mentor gets my boss’s position.  I am offered the opportunity to be mentored by my boss’s boss’s boss.  You do the math.  I am still in a good position here.

I also learned that sometimes you can fall flat on your face while running in a straight line on a flat surface.  This is more literal than metaphorical, as I sprained my ankle horribly and ended up getting an MRI. However, I fully expect to experience what it’s like to fall flat on my face at work – as, it seems to be unavoidable in most cases.   Hopefully, when (if?) that time comes, I can handle it with grace and humility, learn from it, and move on.

I also began to learn to have more confidence in myself – in a professional manner.  I don’t suffer from low self-esteem at all, and I never have, but sometimes I can be unsure of myself.   Fact of the matter is I don’t like to sound like an idiot. However, usually I am the only one who thinks I might sound like an idiot.  Besides, who hasn’t sounded like an idiot at least once in their lifetime (sober)?  I need to realize that, yes, I do know what I’m talking about, and yes I do have the authority to pass on the information I have.  I’m not an 8^th grader waiting to be called on.  In fact, I’ve had 4 people in positions above me – all the way up to director level management – tell me this.  Guess what will be on my New Year Resolutions list?

October – I am provided the opportunity to put some of my business management skills to work.  I led the office managers and supervisors in a SWOT Analysis.  I learned that there really are some great things going on in my office, and it gave me a great understanding on how all of the pieces of the puzzle that is DOT Surveying & Mapping fit together.

November – I learned that I too (yes, me), can get burnt out and stressed out, just like everyone else.  I am not immune like I like to think I am.  I do have limits.

December – I learned that I can learn a lot in one year.  What did you learn?

I concur, generally.

Here is a blog post on what it takes to work in the GIS industry:

The Essential Skills to Succeed in a GIS Career

Although, I think you can mix & match.  You don’t need ALL of these (for instance, my programming skills are minimal and I still consider myself successful), but they certainly don’t hurt.

Recyling posts already…

Since I’ve been slacking on posting as often as I’d like, I decided to recycle a post from my old blog (which, lacked any sort of focus whatsoever).  It is not entirely GIS related, but it is work/business related.  And, I think those of you out there who are like me (more management minded than tech minded) will appreciate this post.  And, for all (probably 3) of you who have already read it, I apologize for not being more interesting.  Maybe you will get something out of it you didn’t get the first time.  And, as a quick update, since writing this post, the person I refer to in this post has since become my mentor, and my boss.  In that order.

Originally posted July 6, 2009

Things I think already knew but needed to hear

Last week, I had lunch with one of the managers where I work. I’ve been somewhat intrigued by this person since I started my current job. I’ll admit though, that not all of my past opinions of this individual have been positive. I was subjected to a myriad of negative gossip upon the start of my current position, and much of it invloved this person. However, over the past year or so, I’ve started watching this person (ok, sounds slightly stalker-ish, but not what I mean). I wanted to see if I could figure out how he “finagled” his way into his current position. Interestingly enough, he is not the manipulative sycophant many people describe him as (or wish he was). He really is just a charming, yet humble, individual who seems to have a great knack for comprehending and establishing working interpersonal relationships with great business-sense. I believe this skill (which I’m really hoping I can learn from him) really helped drive how he got to where he is today. So, I asked him if we could do lunch. I wanted to pick his brain and get some advice. I learned four tidbits of wisdom that will help me get ahead in my career:

1. Surround yourself with good people. And, surround yourself with the right people. There is nothing wrong with a little bit of shoulder rubbing if it will help you get to where you need to be. You must market yourself and been seen if you want to get ahead. But don’t just rub shoulders with anyone. Don’t waste time with negative people, even if they are bigwigs. Their negativity could rub off on you, making you less likeable to those who can have an impact on your career.

2. Look for opportunities (projects) that will have a big impact. This can directly relate to #1. If people don’t know you, they most likely won’t think of you when they need something done. However, if you see a need, then jump on the opportunity to be involved. Don’t wait for someone to ask you to do it.

3. Be good at what you do. This falls right in line with the first two. If you aren’t good at what you do, your projects won’t be successful. People will remember the lack of results, not that you “did your best”. Spend the time to learn how to be the best at what you do now.

4. Get supervisory experience. This will come with time. No one gets to be a manager right away. But, the sooner, the better (I’m guessing). This is one thing I currently lack in my career. I haven’t had any opportunities to supervise. I have however, had plenty of project management experieince, in which, I did have to directly work with others and manage their work. Not quite like being a supervisor, but, still holding myself accountable for others’ results.

So after all this, he suggested we meet again in a month. I had yet had any time to absorb anything he said. I wasn’t even sure I had paid enough attention to what was being said since I felt nervous and out of my comfort zone the entire time. So much so I don’t remember eating anything – but I’m pretty sure I downed three big glasses of water. But, apparently it sank in as I wrote this entire post on it. I agreed to a second lunch, but I think I sounded somewhat hesitant about it. Like I said, I hadn’t really figured out if I got anything out of it until later. So, I will reconfim this week, and go ahead and schedule it now so I can make it a priority.

I may just have a mentor here….something that has been absent from my professional career since leaving NCS. I’m looking forward to learning more, and I have a ton of stuff that I want to ask now. Next time, I won’t be so nervous – hopefully, and, I might actually eat something.

My opinion on the new Google Maps

 If you’re a GIS professional like I am, you probably have mixed feelings about Google claiming they have their “own” data. Now, I don’t blame Google for ditching TeleAtlas. At least in my area of interest, mainly the State of Florida, their linework was mediocre at best. But, Google has yet to disclose where exactly they are getting their new data from. Are they building this data themselves, or are they getting it from local municipalities?

Believe me when I say that I know from experience that building a cartographic dataset is no easy feat. Even with access to free data.

So, if they do use data from public sources, does that mean they will give their data back to the public also for free? I’m not talking about our free use of their maps; I’m talking about the actual GIS data they intend to create. Hopefully this doesn’t turn into another case of a money-grubbing company attempting to resell free data. It seems some municipalities have already cooperated with Google by handing over their data.

Economically, it makes sense to maintain your own data. If you can. I’d like to know how Google intends to control the quality of “their” data. Will it actually be better than TeleAtlas? Or will it be another hodgepodge of data where in the end the private companies ultimately rely on public data to build their linework?

Until we get more information, it seems only time will tell.  So, what do you think?

Never Stop Thinking “What’s Next?”

I met with the Director of Design this week.  She asked me a question that I was unprepared for: “Where do you see yourself in 20 years?” 

If you had asked me this question 20 years ago, I would have told you I wanted to be a veterinarian.

While I know I do not intend to stay at my current level in my career, I never really thought about might occur if/when I move beyond middle management.  Needless to say, I’ve been challenged about the direction I want my career to go. 

So then I started to wonder if I didn’t have an answer because I was unsure of what I wanted to do, or if it was because I’ve never really grasped what I could do.  Not that I don’t have every bit of confidence in my abilities (I know I’m good at what I do), I just don’t have the confidence to sell that to others.  I’m too modest.  I am unable to self-market. 

Then, I thought about it some more.  I thought about what type of jobs would be available someone with years of  GIS experience, a business degree, and a master’s in geography.  And, I’m not talking about production level work. I’m talking about management and director level work.  I’m good at organizing things.  I’m good at communication (except for when people ask me what I want to do in 20 years).  I’m good with data.  So where does that put me?

There are two people in the local GIS industry that I admire greatly.  People that direct and run GIS programs throughout entire organizations.  Their job is more about coordinating people and communicating processes and making sure things that need to get done get done (and get done right) than it is about pushing out maps and data analysis. The question I then ask myself is, “Could I do that job? Could I be that person?” 

Absolutely I could.

So, I have my answer.  Now, I just need to take the steps to get there.

Are you ready for some football?

Twice this week I’ve come across maps having to do with football.  This just goes to show GIS has no limits. 

I love discovering “hidden uses” for GIS.  I mean, who DOESN’T want to know the spatial distribution of fantasy football players across the country? Luckily for you, ESRI’s Catherine Spisszak has the answser.  You can check out her post to the ESRI Business Analyst Blog here.

And, I’m sure any football lover who can’t afford to fork over the ridiculous fee of $500 plus your first born child to get the NFL Package on DirectTV will be glad to know that the NFL TV Distribution Maps are yet again being updated this year.  How awesome is it that I can watch my team, at home, in my pajamas, two weeks in a row?  Let’s hope T.O. gets the chance to do something great this week.  Go Bills!

Why Having Good Leaders Makes a Difference

Leadership can make or break an organization.  If an office has great leadership, they have happy employees that produce great work.  If an office lacks leadership, then all you are left with are disgruntled employees that spend more time on the job hunt in the office than they do actually doing their job.  Here are 4 ways that having great leaders can impact the work environment:

1. They are excited about their job, and therefore make you excited about doing your job:  Everyone always says “Find a job you love and it won’t feel like work.”  Well, how often do you actually come across someone who really loves their job?  There are more of them out there than you think.  And, they’re not all like my uncle, who is a professional ski instructor and gets to live and work in Jackson Hole, WY (one of the most beautiful places on the Earth).  My uncle even owns a beer koozie that says “My job is better than your vacation.”  But there are people out there that truly enjoy their jobs, many of which require sitting behind a desk and in front of a computer.  Generally, it’s not the work itself that excites them, but the outcome of what they do.  For instance, when I worked for New Century Software, the president seemed constantly excited about what we were doing.  NCS was a company that provided GIS software and services for clients in the oil and gas pipeline industry.  And while the oil industry comes across as the bad guys in many instances, the mission of NCS was always safety.  In fact, I remember our old mission statement: “Safer Pipelines through GIS.”  I mainly remember it because it was plastered in our production area where I sat for 8+ hours a day.  It has since been updated, but, the premise is the same nonetheless.  The president, Ron Brush, was always really really excited to be doing what he was doing and about what our company was doing.  Having a leader like that really made me want to give 100%.  I wish I could remember some witty/inspirational remark that he said, but, it wasn’t so much what he said, but his attitude towards everything.  I remember seeing him at the ESRI-UC a year after I had moved to Florida and he hugged me.  That was something I never expected.  He also seemed genuinely happy that I had continued in the career of GIS.  And that is the attitude that brings me to my next point.

 2. They thrive on helping their employees excel:  A great leader will always push for someone to supersede them.   And, not just to mold their replacement, but someone that will go even further in their careers.  A good leader won’t be afraid to have someone smarter than they are under them.  That person won’t be viewed as a threat, but as an opportunity to drive the business to a level beyond their current position.  Investing your time in someone who can be great for the company will prove to be a greater pay off than you anticipate.  If mentoring wasn’t important, then top companies like GE, Nokia, IBM, and Proctor and Gamble wouldn’t waste time with developing their employee mentoring programs.  If it works for them, it will work for you too.  For those of you who aren’t in the position to create a formal mentoring program, you’re not out of luck.  Just do what I did.  Take it upon yourself to find a mentor.  Look for someone who inspires you and shares your career goals; don’t pick someone just because they have the corner office and make a lot of money. 

3. They get things done:   A great leader will never leave you hanging.  They will do what they say they will do.  If they set a goal, they will attain it.  The age old saying “actions speak louder than words” holds true in regards to leadership.  People are more likely to follow a leader’s actions than their words.  By following through on their word, they build trust and integrity.  And by showing this in their actions, they are more likely to have employees who also have integrity and are trustworthy.  People want to work for people they like and people they respect.  If their leader is constantly falling short on promises and babbling out good ideas but never doing anything about them, then they aren’t leading, they’re breeding cynicism. 

4. They work smart:  Leaders are not one-man bands.   They know how to utilize people around them to get things done; whether it’s delegating tasks to their employees so they can complete a project or consulting experts for technical advice and direction.  They aren’t afraid to surround themselves with smart people.  For example:  We’re building our GIS database utilizing ArcServer from the ground up.  When I came to work for the DOT Surveying & Mapping office, there was no formal GIS in place.  Part of the reason I was hired was to initiate and convert all of our General Highway County Maps into a GIS format.  Currently we’re trying to implement ArcServer and come up with a multi-user/multi-editor geodatabase workflow.  Well, we’ve never done anything like this before.  So, I go to the FDOT GIS Coordinator (who also happens to be my mentor) and tell him we need help.  The first thing he does is call up a consultant the DOT is partnering with and ask them if we can set up a teleconference with their geodatabase workflow expert.  He didn’t try to solve my problem himself, he didn’t throw textbooks at me and told me to “read up and see what you can figure out,” he went straight to the people he knew would give us information fast. And not just any information, expert information.  My dad always says “Work smarter, not harder” and I believe good leaders have mastered that ability.

Having a great leader can really improve attitudes within a business.  If employees are inspired and have respect for their leaders, they will have more motivation to do a job well done and be willing to work towards achieving a common vision.

Gotta love Google

Here are some amusing yet cheesy videos.  Google Moon is the weakest of the three by far.  I don’t know if these are actual failed marketing videos or people playing around but they are creative nonetheless, and I’m a fan of Google.

Google Maps:

Google Moon:

Google My Maps:

Google SMS (which, I’ve used by the way – and, this is my favorite of the 5):

Google Mobile:

Seven Hills Regional User’s Group: 1st Biannual SHRUGinar

On Tuesday I attended and presented at the local GIS User’s group seminar.  I didn’t present anything too fancy.  Just some info about FDOT’s County General Highway Maps and a little bit about the Unified Basemap Repository (which, is more commonly known around town as “the Navteq data”).  It was my first conference presentation.  And I’d say, it went pretty well, and I felt like I earned some respect among my local professional peer group.  People in my industry now know me by name and face, and it’s awesome.

I’ve often read that the fear public speaking outranks the fear death.  Now I have my own personal religious reasons as to why I don’t fear death, but, I don’t fear public speaking either.  I really don’t think I’ve ever had this problem.  Maybe it’s because my public speaking education started in middle school.  I had to take speech in middle school.  The only assignment I remember was that we had to give a “How To” speech, and I picked “How to Make a Grilled Cheese” – I figured, it was simple enough, it was probably my favorite meal at the time, and I could use lots of adjectives to make people crave grilled cheeses.  Since then, I don’t think I’ve taken a class where I haven’t had to do some sort of presentation throughout my academic career.  The longest presentation I ever had to give was a 60 minute presentation on an e-commerce industry my senior year at CSU.  Luckily, it was a group project, and, our industry was e-education.  This was right when online collegiate programs were just taking off, so it was a hot topic.  Now, every school seems to have some sort of online education program. 

But, the more you think about it, you participate in public speaking, at least in an informal manner, during every meeting you attend at work.  That is, if you actually participate in the meeting and aren’t too busy text messaging your significant other or checking football scores on your cell phone.  So, speaking to a group of professionals who spoke my language was easy.  It also helped that I had given this same presentation twice internally before, so I knew the content well.  Something else I never worry about is how other people perceive me.  For instance, not once did I worry about whether or not people would think I was full of bullshit.  If they think I’m full of bullshit, they’ll call me out on it.  If they call me out on it, so be it.  I don’t know everything.  But, it is important to know your audience, and have respect for them.  After all, they’re spending their valuable time listening to you speak.  They could be at home with their kids, or at happy hour with their friends.  I also think you can make an impression on your audience before you even speak, and that impression will dictate whether or not they decide you’re full of bullshit or they decide that you really do know what you’re doing.  Or, maybe they’ll realize you don’t know everything, and then they’ll offer up constructive criticism and advice.  Receiving advice, even if its bad advice, is never a bad thing.  People that give you advice are people who respect you enough to help you succeed. 

In a nutshell, the less you worry about public speaking, the easier it will be.  I’m not saying that you should ignore all the rules, show up in cutoff shorts and talk to people like they’re your bowling partner.  You should care enough to be presentable and be prepared.  Anticipate questions that might arise.  Know what kind of technology you’ll be working with ahead of time.  But when the time comes, just relax.  No one will be paying attention if you trip over your words (everyone does this).  No one will care how many “ums” you say (unless you’re Kate Gosselin).  No one will notice if you wore brown socks with black shoes.  And if they do, then, they don’t really care about what you have to say and therefore you should just ignore those particular people.

Public speaking is vital to any good career.  I’m not saying you’re going to be the next Charlie Crist and should learn how to address the general public on national TV, but it’s a skill that everyone should have if they want to move off the production line and into the corner office.