Secrets to the Successful Drafter

Back when I started this Blog, the idea was and still is to help drafters evolve and prosper. I think about it often and have some quick points to follow for success. Here they are in no particular order.


Know your software
Goes without saying, but I said it.


go that way.. fast
You have a job to do, do it as fast and accurately as you can, even if you will have nothing to do afterwards. Just go top speed all the time. You will draft yourself out of a drafting job and into a designing job quickly, because that is the work you'll get when you have no drafting to do.


Listen
Understand first. When work comes your way, really listen and understand what needs to be done, then ask questions or paraphrase back what has been asked of you. People really like it when they know you know.


Observe
Look around. Things are going on all around you. If you are aware of your surrounding, you'll make better decisions. Understand the politics and personalities in your office, then rise above of that.


Dress better
Your parents are right. Dress like you care about yourself and people will care about you. My wife says when she dresses nice, she gets better service at stores, and she is always right.


Communicate
Over communicate. No one is going to read your mind, and in the absence of your communication, people are left to jump to conclusions. Balance this with the Listen point, but you need to be able to talk to people in small and large groups comfortably. Yeah, you need to be able to give speeches. You know your stuff, and you need to be able to talk about it to groups.


Care more than anyone else
People asking you to draft have high standards, yours should be higher. 


Care about the right things (break down the mission, what is the one thing)
Don't sacrifice your companies profits by going down the rabbit hole on things that don't matter.


Invest in your self - learn more
You can go to school, you can just watch YouTube. There are a million ways to learn more about what you do and more about management and people skills. Everybody has the internet, its just that not everyone uses it.


Innovate
Make something better. Innovate processes, think different, step outside of problems and be creative.


Have a positive attitude
it is easy to jump on the this is bad thing, but it helps nothing. Go straight to the root problem and know you can solve it.


Make friends
Everything else is meaningless if people don't like you. make everything a win-win with those around you.


Have an end in mind then be mission driven
Know where you want to go.... it helps a lot if you are ever going to get there. It's OK to change destinations as your life evolves.


Be one person all the time
People pleasing people, slightly adjust things they say and do by what people around them are doing and saying. Stand on your principals and friends and stand up for what is right when it is not the popular thing. People will respect you more than ever when they know who you are for real.