L&D Manager Spotlight - Ana Thiemer

Ana Thiemer, 

Associate Director, Office of Campus Planning

1. Describe your role for UT.  

With 15 years of experience in facilities management and more than 10 years in direct management of teams within facilities management on the maintenance and project management side, today I oversee The University of Texas at Austin’s Campus Planning Resources division. My team supports the campus mission through capital investments, data and strategies, document management, and tools such as GIS to determine which projects and programs should be executed across the university’s main campus and multiple off-site facilities across Texas. Our focus is to plan for our future built environment, address deferred capital renewal, minimize risk and maintain operations while aligning with the mission of the University.

2. What was the most important lesson you learned as a new manager?

Talk less and listen more. Through experience, I found that it is important to listen to others’ contributions, perceptions or ideas when making decisions. As leaders, it is important for us to take the time to seek input, gather diverse ideas, observe a situation from a different perspective, and gain insights from places you may not have thought to look. Leaders are very competent and can come to the best solution on our own, yet it is critical to understand the implications, both good and bad, for the people we are managing. This requires active listening.

3. What advice do you have for managers to help develop their team?

Communication and collaboration are the cornerstones to developing a team. Communication early and often creates clarity about what’s happening today and where the team is going. Collaboration helps to gain understanding across the team, focus the team and work toward a common goal. It is also important to collaborate with other departments or external partners. With a focus on both communication and collaboration by a leader, there is a synergistic response where communication across team members, innovation, efficient processes, and success increases.

4. Why is learning in the workplace important?

I find that a leader’s role is not finished when they step into a leadership position. Learning new skills, learning from others, and learning from your mistakes shows team members you are making a conscious effort to improve, ultimately for the betterment of the team.  Not only will the team benefit from your learning, employees may notice this effort and feel empowered to take the initiative and invest in themselves and their skills. This in turns creates a growth mindset and a culture always striving to do their best.

5. What have you recently learned, what are you currently learning about, or how are you developing yourself as a professional?

As a facilitator of many leadership trainings, I am constantly learning new things from the sessions I facilitate. I am re-reading one of my favorites, Good to Great and am finding good reminders. I also look for the latest trends by listening to podcasts and reaching out to my peers at other universities. This helps me to be proactive and ensure I am making the most informed decisions for the University. Finally, the University has many trainings and tools to assist us; I am always referring back to resources that Learning & Development and other University groups provide. Such great resources right here in our very own backyard!