Achieve leadership and ownership succession
SWOT Your Way to Your Future
Growing a business in not natural for most
Read MoreThe Halo Effect: What is it and can I use it to power sales?
What Is It We Do That Has the Largest Impact on Business? Your employer’s reputation is based on what? Its website? A 2017 survey revealed that only 12.2% of AEC firms feel that its website has the most impact on business. As far as I am concerned, a website has very little impact on a…
Read MoreSuperStar Project Managers Are the Envy: Set Yourself Up On Day One
What if I told you that you could become a superstar project manager and it wouldn’t be that difficult. I’ll show you how to set yourself up to be the envy of your peers and you don’t need to be Michael Phelps. Learn ways to reduce on-the-job stress, enhance your reputation, become a top profit…
Read MoreThe one thing you need to know about decision making certainty
It can be lonely at the top. As a CEO or firm executive, your shoulders are burdened by huge responsibilities. This impacts your personal life, your sleep, and your feeling of accomplishment. There is risk everywhere. Your employees have each other for collaboration, brainstorming and feedback. Do you have an honest, tell-you-what-you-need-to-know resource? Have you…
Read MoreWho Says Only Senior Managers Can Generate Sales?
Who brings in the business in your firm? Usually it is the senior managers. Think about how strong business would be if everyone– CEO, CFO, Project Manager, and junior Engineer/Architect/Scientist– also contributed. What do each of you have in common? Each of your livelihoods are impacted by your contribution to generating revenue. You are either billable…
Read MoreWhy you should discuss business innovation before best practices
I think we can all agree that AEC leaders and their firms like to do their best. It’s the nature of those in the industry, right? So, the question is, “what is best?” Is it best in services, or best in business? Which comes first? No two firms are alike and they are guided by…
Read MoreIt takes a village– how to develop your own personal community of advisors
It can be lonely at the top but it doesn’t have to be. Just as your employees rely on each other for collaboration, brainstorming, feedback, etc., you too, as the leader, need this support. But it doesn’t always come naturally when you’re the CEO. For example, since employees won’t necessarily feel comfortable providing you honest feedback,…
Read MoreLessons on CEO burnout, how to spot it, how to resolve it
Part of being an effective leader is to constantly evaluate yourself. It can be difficult to objectively determine how you’re doing– to see yourself as others see you. The problem of leadership burnout is that no one is going to tell you. No one is going to come into your office and tell you that you’re…
Read MoreThe life or death of an exit strategy
Over my 35 year career, I learned there is one challenge firm owners face that is most prevalent, that negatively impacts their wealth and the stability of the firm. The challenge is created by being too caught up in the day to day business. Thus, there is little thought given to exit strategies– until it…
Read MoreFor best results don’t just learn, learn right
As a staff engineer on the cusp of securing my professional license, my employer gave me opportunities to support new business pursuits. While I happened to be successful on the first few, I don’t give myself the credit. I give the credit to the owners and senior managers of the firm who gave me the…
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