ELP 2011 Firm Leadership (Group Discussion)- July 17, 2011

Risk and Reward were the main topics of discussion in our latest leadership class with Pete following the firm leadership panel.  Defining success both within your organization and for yourself personally are key to determining which actions bring the biggest payoff as you climb (or catapult) the corporate ladder, regardless of whether or not one formally exists within your company.

Two paths to firm leadership were discussed: position & power vs. responsibility & authority.

Those who follow the position & power model do their jobs diligently and masterfully, sticking to the set path for professional growth and expecting increasingly powerful job titles along the way.   Someone with this mindset quickly identifies who holds the power within an organization and works to build relationships with those influential individuals in order to learn and progress on an accelerated path. 

Those who follow the responsibility & authority model progress professionally in a much more organic way.  Always willing to step outside the realm of their prescribed responsibilities,  someone with this mindset is eager to embark on any new learning opportunity that arises, regardless of the risk of negative repercussions that may result.  More often, their risks earn them authority and respect amongst their peers and supervisors which may or may not be formally recognized on the traditional corporate ladder.

Our individual paths to leadership are heavily influenced by the work environments and fellow leaders we’re surrounded by but also by our personal comfort levels with risk and reward.  As emerging leaders, we all possess positive and negative traits from both mindsets which each of us can now acknowledge and adapt to our own individual definitions of success.

Laurel Stone
5G Studio

ELP 2011 Firm Leadership (Panelist Discussion)- July 17, 2011

Firm Leadership.

Alas the time has come! A conversation that challenges the very existence of what it means to “emerge as a leader.” What types of qualities does it take to run a large architectural firm? What skill sets will my employees and clients demand of me? How does one establish a solid foundation to run a small independent practice? 

These were just a few of the many questions floating around the newly completed PageSoutherlandPage Conference Room last Friday as our class got an amazing opportunity to converse with four talented architects in the DFW area: David Botello of Gensler, Robert Doane of PageSoutherlandPage, Todd Howard of t. howard & associates architects, and Stephen Galbreath of RTKL.  

 

There seemed to be a common theme in articulating what some would call a “Successful Practitioner.” Even though running a business as an architect requires a business savvy component, one of the keys to maintaining a solid ground is to have fun! Really? Have fun? Is it that simple? Well, not quite. But if you don’t want to end up pulling your hair out after dealing with a challenging client who scrapped the design that you spent all night working on or a consultant that failed to coordinate a major change or even a contractor that finds the Contract Documents more as a suggestion than a rule, then you have to learn how to mix business with pleasure and enjoy what you do.  Have fun!

So what about marketing? How can my firm and I stand out to potential clients and remain competitive in the design and construction industry? The simple answer would be to befriend rich people. Don’t know many? Well you could just establish a broader network of people in a variety of other professional careers and industries and be a “people’s person.”  Mr. Galbreath suggested, “People don’t hire you just because you are a good architect. People hire you because they like you.” If you don’t have the marketing gift, consider finding someone who does, and get them to work for you. 

Once you start to establish these connections, work can start to find its way into your office. Mr. Galbreath and Mr. Botello refer to this system as “The Web” or “The Tree”. Once the framework is set, things start to build upon themselves but it takes effort and you can’t just sit and wait for the phone to ring.  As a firm leader you also need to identify the gaps in your workforce, fill them with the appropriate personnel and you are in the beginning stages of running an architectural firm.

Whether your individual goal is to move up into firm leadership at your current workplace or to start your own practice, this guide to success applies to all situations: Have a strong passion for the things you enjoy and become great at what you are good at.

Stay thirsty (for knowledge) my friends....

Ray Fambro

Raymond Harris & Associates