Paternal leave

Maternity and paternity leave policies were analyzed using results from Zweig Group’s 2019 Policies, Procedures & Benefits Survey of AEC Firms. From 2017 to 2019, the permission of paternal leave decreased consistently and considerably. In that same time frame, firms providing paid maternity leave have dwindled from 35 percent to 29 percent. Starting a family has become more difficult in AEC firms – has your firm assessed its paternal leave policy lately?

Participate in a survey and save $320 on any Zweig Group research publication. Visit bit.ly/TZLsp to learn more.

T R E N D L I N E S

F I R M I N D E X

W W W . T H E Z W E I G L E T T E R . C O M

T H E V O I C E O F R E A S O N F O R A E C F I R M S & M A N A G E M E N T C O N S U L T A N T S

Foresite Group, Inc. ..............................12

JDavis ....................................................8

P.W. Grosser Consulting, Inc. ................12

RLG Consulting Engineers ......................6

SEPI Engineering & Construction ............2

Shive-Hattery Architecture-Engineering .12

STV ......................................................10

SWBR ..................................................12

TLC ........................................................4

Page 6

A p r i l 8 , 2 0 1 9 , I s s u e 1 2 9 1

Trusted stakeholder: Stuart A. Markussen

See MARK ZWEIG, page 2

“It’s a debate that’s been ongoing for years in our

industry, thanks in no small part to the

popularity of Good to Great,

an academic study of huge, publicly-traded

corporations and other

organizations.”

When it comes to leadership of an AEC firm, which is better – charismatic

leadership (we’ll call that personality-dependent), or institutional (we’ll call that not personality-dependent)? It’s a debate that’s been ongoing for years in our industry, thanks in no small part to the popularity of Good to Great, an academic study of huge, publicly-traded corporations and other organizations published in the ‘90s.

I think this book – and the many of those who read it and then applied its principles to their AEC firm with what I would call almost a “religious ferocity” – may have done a lot of harm to their companies, particularly when it comes to leadership selection, style, and training. Anyone who has ever read The Zweig Letter or heard me speak at an event or seminar knows that I have been and remain critical of the book. The organizations the research was based on (some are now out of business/gone!) are not at all similar to most AEC firms (much larger with many more resources!). And the lessons learned about what the author calls “Level 5” leadership don’t apply.

Yes – I do understand how having a leader with Level 5 leadership style (not charismatic, logic-based, institutional, non-ego-driven) can create a situation that makes leadership transition very simple. Since the leader isn’t charismatic it is easy to find another leader who isn’t charismatic. So that’s nice. But does that mean it is an effective style to have in a professional

Charismatic versus institutional leadership

MORE COLUMNSxz JEN NEWMAN: Elevate your doer-sellers Page 3

xz WILL SWEARINGEN: Honestly, be honest Page 9

xz GREG KANZ: You must be present to win Page 11

Mark Zweig

© Copyright 2019. Zweig Group.

All rights reserved. THE ZWEIG LETTER April 8, 2019, ISSUE 1291

2

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services firm that has to consistently sell and deliver projects to clients in a super-competitive market and recruit highly sought-after talent every day in spite of a huge industry-wide labor shortage? I don’t think so. And that is the situation we’re in.

Like it or not, leaders in THIS business have to be able to sell. Not only do they have to sell services to clients, they have to sell people on joining (and staying) with the firm. That takes charisma. Is charisma in shorter supply than technical/academic/institutional knowledge? Yes. And will successors (assuming we want organizational continuity) have the same type of charisma and do things the same way as their predecessors? Probably not. Does that create transition challenges for the firm? Yes. Is there an easy way around it? No.

Either way, the solution to the leadership challenges in our firms probably doesn’t lie in learning how “Great” organizations like Circuit City and Fannie Mae did things in the ‘90s. More likely, it lies in getting the people we have, and those we will have, into the right roles as quickly as possible, providing them with training, support, and mentoring, and keeping an eye on the situation so we can make changes when mis-assignments become evident.

MARK ZWEIG is Zweig Group’s chairman and founder. Contact him at mzweig@zweiggroup.com.

MARK ZWEIG, from page 1

ON THE MOVESEPI ENGINEERING & CONSTRUCTION GROWS TEAM WITH SENIOR NEW HIRE AND PROMOTION SEPI Engineering & Construction, a fully-integrated engineering and design firm, announced the newest addition to its senior leadership team as well as a notable promotion. SEPI Engineering & Construction welcomes Steve Moore as a senior vice president, director of corporate growth and development, and the firm promoted Barry Moose to expand his role as senior vice president to encompass the responsibilities of director of infrastructure.Moore, who specializes in transportation and land development, led a successful career in solving production efficiency issues across multiple disciplines. Prior to joining SEPI Engineering & Construction, Moore spent 15 years in various positions with the Florida Department of Transportation combined with more than 18 years of leadership roles in the engineering consulting industry.In this role Moore will work collaboratively with the leadership team to identify and target new markets for the firm in addition to overseeing corporate growth initiatives to ensure the staff has the resources and skills to support future growth.Moose has more than 35 years of experience and has led several of the firm’s largest transportation projects. Since joining SEPI Engineering & Construction in 2012, he has become an integral part of the senior leadership team and will continue to be instrumental in the advancement of the firm.In his expanded role as director of infrastructure, Moose will apply his vision and expertise across all of SEPI Engineering & Construction’s lines of services, focusing on process

improvement, quality assurance and control, business development strategy and client retention.

“We are proud to have incredible talent coming to SEPI and to have a team that is constantly strengthening from within,” said Sepi Saidi, president and CEO of SEPI Engineering & Construction. “It is imperative that we keep up with the always-changing landscape in our industry so we can continue to provide the best service and highest quality work for our clients. Both Steve and Barry are extremely dedicated and talented, and we look forward to the advancement SEPI will see with them on our team.”

This announcement comes on the heels of an outstanding year of growth for SEPI Engineering & Construction. In 2018, SEPI Engineering & Construction reached $40 million in revenue, grew to 360 employees in North Carolina, and expanded with significant project wins for the City of Raleigh and the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

SEPI Engineering & Construction is a fully integrated engineering and design firm focused on innovation, sustainability, and excellence.

SEPI Engineering & Construction provides a wide range of engineering, planning, environmental, and construction management services in many functional areas. With the firm’s combined years of hands-on experience, an ever-expanding knowledge base and an established reputation, SEPI Engineering & Construction’s services are utilized on projects of various size and complexity.

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3

THE ZWEIG LETTER April 8, 2019, ISSUE 1291

According to the Society for Marketing Professional Services Foundation research, over the next 10 years more than 50 percent of AEC firms are expected to increase

their use of doer-sellers. If you employ a doer-seller model of business development, where some or all of your technical staff also function as business developers, empowering your team is critical to their success and, ultimately, your bottom line.

If your firm uses a doer-seller business development model, empowering your team is necessary for their success and your bottom line.

O P I N I O N

Here are some tips to elevate the doer-seller model in your firm.

1) Culture. It starts at the top. Doer-sellers are mo-tivated by leadership and how business develop-ment is integrated and ingrained in firm culture. A strong business-development culture should adopt a “business development is everyone’s business” mentality – everyone in your firm is a resource, and a knowledge source to clients, prospects and team-ing partners.

2) Process. Technical professionals thrive in environ-ments with well-established structure and process. It’s no different with business-development activi-ties. Clearly defining your BD process provides doer-sellers a road map and increases efficiency and rein-forces skills through process repetition. Developing a client-experience journey map visually conveys the

client-relationship process and details how clients interact with and experience your brand. By creating a journey map with your doer-sellers, your team in-vests in and better understands client motivations, needs, and pain points as well as an action plan for meaningful client touchpoints.

3) Communication. One of the biggest pitfalls in firms – and business – is lack of communication. Set

Elevate your doer-sellers

See JEN NEWMAN, page 4

Jen Newman “When doer-sellers feel valued, their

productivity increases and they are motivated to repeat behavior. Praise and recognition are essential to building confidence.”

© Copyright 2019. Zweig Group.

All rights reserved. THE ZWEIG LETTER April 8, 2019, ISSUE 1291

4

a standing meeting with your doer-seller team to review, among other things, market and cli-ent intelligence, current pursuit and prospect initiatives, and debriefs of wins and losses. By providing a forum for open dialogue focused on business development, your doer-sellers will not only feel supported, but also understand they have accountability for their actions. And, be sure and celebrate the successes!

4) Teamwork. Teamwork creates energy, encour-ages cross selling, and promotes learning. Busi-ness development does not occur in a vacuum; it’s always a team effort. Encourage and reward teamwork and watch your doer-sellers flourish.

5) Goals and expectations. Work together to set clearly-defined goals and expectations for your doer-sellers that focus their efforts on the best and most efficient strategies to win new work. Creating individual business development plans are a powerful tool and help your doer-sellers take ownership of clients and pursuits and better manage their resources, time, and energy.

6) Metrics. Put key metrics in place, make them visible, measure them, refine, and repeat. De-velop both quantitative and qualitative metrics. Not everything can be directly attributed to revenue so measure return on objectives along with return on investment. This is particularly important to remember when it comes to rela-tionship building.

7) Training. In order to become a successful doer-

seller, technical professionals must develop a variety of skills to strategize, build, and deepen relationships – the key to successfully winning work. And, just like our architects, engineers and contractors received an education to mas-ter their technical skills, they also need training to master business development skills. Invest in a consistent, interactive training program for your doer-sellers that is focused on real clients and real projects, and has an accountability plan built in.

8) Fun! Make business development fun. Get creative. Create healthy competition. Develop incentives that recognize success. And, then, watch your doer-sellers soar.

9) Celebrate. Don’t forget to celebrate! Celebra-tion honors the hard work it takes to bring work in the door. And it shows gratitude to your team while reinforcing and motivating your doer-sellers for their next pursuit. Cel-ebrate success immediately in a meaningful way with your entire organization. Share what was accomplished, how it made a contribution, and why it’s important. And, be sure to rein-force the action – the action plan that led to the win and consistent good habits and qualities of your doer-seller team – in addition to celebrat-ing the financial rewards of the win.

10) Reward. When doer-sellers feel valued, their productivity increases and they are motivated to repeat behavior. Praise and recognition are essential to building confidence. People need to be respected and valued by others for their contribution so reinforce positive action with rewards. Create a culture of collaboration and cross selling by rewarding teams. Send hand-written notes when you catch someone doing something right. It’s the little things that are meaningful.

As Managing Director at Zweig Group, JEN NEWMAN, CPSM utilizes her more than 20 years of AEC specific experience to help firms grow their people and profits while elevating the industry. She can be reached at jnewman@zweiggroup.com.

JEN NEWMAN, from page 3

ELEVATE YOUR DOER SELLERS! Zweig Group is proud to offer two opportunities for helping you elevate your doer-sellers: 1. Elevating Doer-

Sellers. Two-day seminar designed specifically for technical professionals in AEC firms. Participants will walk away with business development strategies and techniques that will empower them to grow their careers as they help their firms grow. This seminar is available in Salt Lake City, Chicago, and Houston. Visit bit.ly/1291ELEVATE to learn more or register.

2. In-House Doer-Seller Business Development Training Program. A multi-month training program where Zweig Group experts work with your technical professionals to train them in BD skills. Most technical people didn’t go to school for BD, so they they need training in order to be successful doer-sellers. Zweig Group will put your people through hands-on exercises, putting best practices into action, so the biggest benefit at the end of the program is that your people have either brought in a new client or brought in work from an existing client. Contact Jen Newman at jnewman@zweiggroup.com to learn more about this opportunity.

“Make business development fun. Get creative. Create healthy competition. Develop incentives that recognize success. And, then, watch your doer-sellers soar.”

ELEVATE / DIVERSIFYTLC EARNS RENEWEL OF JUST LABEL TLC, which initially earned their JUST label in 2016 as one of the first MEP firms globally to do so, has earned renewal of their JUST label. TLC is one of two organizations in Florida to have earned this distinction and one of only 85 profit and non-profit organizations worldwide to hold JUST labels. JUST is a voluntary disclosure and transparency platform created by the International Living Future Institute to measure social justice and equity in the workplace. JUST requires that organizations seeking the label disclose a range of firm and employee related metrics. By renewing, TLC continues its commitment to social justice. JUST indicators include Diversity, Worker Benefit, Equity, Local Benefit, Safety and Stewardship, and the label is valid for two years, requiring those

going through the JUST process to regularly revisit and disclose information.“TLC has long been a transparent organization for our employees, sharing financial information regularly and providing access to key performance indicators,” stated Michael P. Sheerin, TLC CEO. “We are committed to the communities in which we live and work, regularly supporting socially responsible projects and volunteer efforts. The JUST process helps us identify areas where we could create or adjust policies and practices, increasing value in our employee’s lives, as well as enriching our communities.”TLC is an award-winning engineering firm serving healthcare, education, transportation, government, and commercial markets across the United States and around the world.

THE ZWEIG LETTER April 8, 2019, ISSUE 1291

5

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Zweig Group exists to advance the AEC profession. Our Mission is to Elevate the Industry. We believe in a world that celebrates the built environment and recognizes its impact on individuals, communities, and commerce. Empowering organizations with the resources they need – to perform better, grow and add jobs, pay better wages and to expand their impact on the community – is always at the forefront of our action.

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JOIN ZWEIG GROUP FOR THE ELEVATE AEC CONFERENCEThe Elevate AEC Conference is the AEC industry’s premiere experience to connect global leaders, solve industry issues, present next practices, and celebrate the most successful firms in the built environment.

Zweig Group’s annual conference is the largest gathering of award-winning AEC firms, making it the industry’s most comprehensive business conference for leaders and aspiring leaders of AEC firms in the US. EXPANDED EDUCATIONAL OFFERINGS This year, the Elevate AEC Conference marks another leap in the evolution of Zweig Group’s annual event with expanded educational offerings focused on firm management, senior marketers and HR professionals covering the latest strategies and emerging trends critical to grow your business.

M&A Next is a full-day symposium (pre-Elevate AEC Conference event) designed to provide M&A education. The conference-within-a-conference will provide practical application through interactive roundtable discussions, expert panel conversations, and focused networking to connect leaders from across the country.

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THE ZWEIG LETTER April 8, 2019, ISSUE 1291

6

P R O F I L E

Trusted stakeholder: Stuart A. MarkussenPresident and CEO of RLG Consulting Engineers (Best Firm Structural #13 for 2018), a Dallas-based firm in business for 65 years.

“As a young staff grows within the company, it is essen-tial that they are given the ability to make decisions,”

Markussen says. “There is risk associated with doing this, but with proper supervision and leadership, we have de-veloped quality assurance methods to reduce issues, issues that can be identified and rectified, resulting in a learning opportunity to prevent future problems.”

A CONVERSATION WITH STUART A. MARKUSSEN.

The Zweig Letter: You have a management degree in ad-dition to your engineering degree. How did this benefit your career?

Stuart Markussen: After I received my bachelor’s degree in engineering, I realized that working in a consulting firm is just as much about the business as it is about the engineer-ing. The business aspect was not taught when I was work-ing on my bachelor’s degree. There are very few engineers who have both the technical skills and the business acumen to fully understand how the business works. My education has helped me distinguish myself among my peers and has

opened my eyes to other important aspects of the business outside of the technical side of engineering.

TZL: You have a ton of experience in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Tell us about competing in such a dynamic, competitive market.

SM: RLG has been in business for more than 65 years in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. We’ve been able to do that by de-veloping relationships and being a part of the community. RLG’s experience, our firm’s relationships, reputation, cou-pled with our ability to provide the services that best fit our

By RICHARD MASSEYEditor

“RLG has been in business for more than 65 years in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. We’ve been able to do that by developing relationships and being a part of the community.”

© Copyright 2019. Zweig Group.

All rights reserved. THE ZWEIG LETTER April 8, 2019, ISSUE 1291

7client’s expectations, and at the same time providing ser-vices that improve the Dallas-Fort Worth area, has kept us ahead of the competition. We are very fortunate that North Texas has a lot of opportunities that other areas do not have. Many people are moving to the area, creating a high-er demand for housing, office space, and much more. It’s a great market for engineering and construction.

TZL: It looks like your firm has had a lot of success work-ing with educational and healthcare institutions. How did you find, develop, and maintain that niche?

SM: The educational and healthcare institutions we work with are a result of developing relationships. We have done work with many of them over the course of decades. We look at those projects as though we are a stakeholder in the project, and by being a part of the team, and part of the campus, and a part of the institution’s goals and desires, we help them get to where they want to go. We are able to pro-vide forward thinking, as well as protect their assets on ex-isting facilities.

TZL: Have you ever closed an under-performing office? If so, tell us about it.

SM: No, we haven’t closed any offices. We are headquar-tered in Dallas, but we have satellite offices in Fort Worth and Peoria, Illinois. We make a concerted effort to monitor the performances of our satellite offices to ensure they are performing well. There may be times that the satellite of-fices are not meeting goals and expectations, but we made a commitment to our staff and marketplace when we chose to open the office. We will do everything we can to honor our commitment to our satellite offices, by aiming to improve performance through corporate support.

TZL: How many years of experience – or large enough book of business – is enough to become a principal in your firm? Are you naming principals in their 20s or 30s?

SM: We look at our project managers and those that are able to develop a practice within the firm by developing clients, developing project teams, and overseeing employees, and we bring them on as an associate. As their business grows and as their skills in business management grow, they can transition into a corporate leadership role.

TZL: When did you have the most fun running your firm, and what were the hallmarks of that time in your profes-sional life?

SM: The most fun would be now as the CEO and president of the firm. We began the leadership transition planning a few years ago to ensure we were prepared for the firm’s

future course of leadership. It was during the leadership transition planning that we realized there needed to be a shift in our culture to address the changing workforce. Leading the charge to readjust our corporate culture and providing the energy that is needed for today’s workforce has been exciting.

TZL: How do you promote young and new leaders as the firm grows?

SM: It starts with developing project engineers into project manager positions. From there we assist our project man-agers by helping them develop a practice within the firm. You’ve got to outline your expectations. You’ve got to pro-vide them with the ability to be able to do the work and to make mistakes. By the safeguards and quality assurance protocols we have in place we can catch potential mistakes early and use them as an opportunity for our younger staff members to learn and improve upon.

TZL: In one word or phrase, what do you describe as your number one job responsibility as CEO?

SM: My number one job responsibility as CEO is to main-tain our history and the culture that the firm has developed over the past 65 years, while promoting the changes needed for today’s workforce and economic climate.

TZL: What happens to the firm if you leave tomorrow?

SM: Over the last three years we’ve gone through the plans for our leadership transition. We are now in our third gener-ation of leadership, and we’ve developed a plan to set up our future leaders. Those people are currently in the manage-ment roles to grow within the company and take my place.

TZL: There is no substitute for experience, but there is pressure to give responsibility to younger staff. What are you doing to address the risk while pursuing the oppor-tunity to develop your team?

SM: As a young staff grows within the company, it is essen-tial that they are given the ability to make decisions. There is risk associated with doing this, but with proper supervi-sion and leadership, we have developed quality assurance methods to reduce issues, issues that can be identified and rectified, resulting in a learning opportunity to prevent fu-ture problems. We want to provide our staff with the oppor-tunity to make decisions, but the responsibility for those decisions is still held by upper management.

See TRUSTED STAKEHOLDER, page 8

“We began the leadership transition planning a few years ago to ensure we were prepared for the firm’s future course of leadership. It was during the leadership transition planning that we realized there needed to be a shift in our culture to address the changing workforce.”

“Employee retention is extremely important to our firm. Replacing employees is very expensive and is time-intensive. We are committed to creating enriching careers for our employees. We want our employees to be passionate about the work they do ... We take pride in being named as a Best Firm To Work for by Zweig Group.”

© Copyright 2019. Zweig Group.

All rights reserved. THE ZWEIG LETTER April 8, 2019, ISSUE 1291

8

TZL: Engineers love being engineers, but what are you doing to instill a business culture in your firm?

SM: As a part of our project manager training program, we are training our project managers to take responsibility for everything from business development, client manage-ment, proposal writing, overall project schedules, invoic-es, and project collections, in addition to the technical re-sponsibility associated with the project. Overall the project managers have a responsibility to the firm to make sure that their projects are successful.

TZL: The seller-doer model is very successful, but with growth you need to adapt to new models. What is your program?

SM: In the last two years we’ve created a new marketing and business development department that goes beyond the seller doer model. We have committed to a rebranding campaign to highlight our 65 years of experience and the work that we currently do. We have seen a lot of success from the seller-doer model, but we want to make sure that

we are creating awareness for our company through other avenues like social media to increase our exposure in the marketplace.

TZL: A firm’s longevity is valuable. What are you doing to encourage your staff to stick around?

SM: Employee retention is extremely important to our firm. Replacing employees is very expensive and is time-inten-sive. We are committed to creating enriching careers for our employees. We want our employees to be passionate about the work they do. We have made a concerted effort to create a social environment for our staff. We started as a family-owned business and we want to carry over that foundation with our staff today. We take pride in being named as a Best Firm To Work For by Zweig Group.

TZL: Tell us about the last time you named a new princi-pal from outside the firm.

SM: Several years ago, we met someone that we knew would make a huge contribution to our team. Because of his exper-tise and set of complementary skills, we felt he was a key player in our profession. We made him an offer and brought him on to our team with the commitment of making him a shareholder. He currently plays a major role in the com-pany’s leadership and has become a member of the firm’s board of directors.

TZL: Are you currently pursuing the R&D tax credit?

SM: We became aware of the R&D tax credits at Zweig’s Hot Firm Conference. We are currently reviewing possibilities of how the R&D tax credit could affect our tax position in fu-ture years as well as our historical taxes. We are currently pursuing it, investigating our options and hoping to imple-ment changes later this year.

TRUSTED STAKEHOLDER, from page 7

“There are very few engineers who have both the technical skills and the business acumen to fully understand how the business works. My education has helped me distinguish myself among my peers and has opened my eyes to other important aspects of the business outside of the technical side of engineering.”

ON THE MOVEJDAVIS ANNOUNCES LEADERSHIP CHANGE JDavis, is a 75-person multi-disciplinary design firm providing architecture, planning, landscape architecture, and interior design services, headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, with a Northeast office in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has named Larry Zucchino, FASLA as chairman of the board and Neil Gray, AIA, president and chief executive officer. Zucchino is moving from his role as CEO by handing over the management reins to Gray. Zucchino will become the chairman of the board for the firm in support of the company’s long-term strategic plan.“We have transformed our business over the past five years through the expansion into new market sectors and geographical diversity throughout the eastern seaboard,” says Zucchino. “A strategic shift in our senior leadership will place our firm in a position for continued growth with a focus on design service and a strong corporate culture.”Neil Gray, AIA, joined JDavis as a principal in 2001 when the firm began. As president

and CEO, Gray’s primary responsibility will be in business development and client management. Gray brings 24 years of experience to his role and has served as president for the last three years. Gray provides leadership on many office, multifamily, and commercial development projects. He is chair of the board of directors for the Downtown Raleigh Alliance, and is a member of Urban Land Institute and the National Association of Office and Industrial Properties.Gray states, “We intend to build upon the foundation established by Jeff Davis and Larry Zucchino by fostering a culture focused on client-centered service, design leadership, exceptional project delivery, and collaboration. Our leadership team has been planning for this succession for several years, so we are able to move forward with the goal to build value and pass it on, the core tenant of our strategic plan.”The leadership team includes partners: Larry Zucchino, FASLA; Neil Gray, AIA; Bill Egan, AIA; Bob Nussear, AIA; Matt Ansley, AIA;

Noah Morris, AIA; Laurent de Comarmond, AIA; Beret Dickson, AIA and Y.E. Smith, AIA.JDavis, a full-service architecture, planning, landscape architecture, and interior design firm, connects communities through design by creating places that bring people, neighborhoods, cities, and regions together. The firm’s mission is to build value and pass it on. JDavis believes in building value for its clients and communities; and that it has a responsibility to pass on knowledge and experience to those who come after. JDavis’s multi-disciplinary practice brings together professionals in architecture, landscape architecture, planning, interior design, and procurement management serving the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast regions. The firm’s areas of expertise include multifamily housing, urban design and planning, affordable housing, student housing, senior living, commercial office, mixed-use, retail, clubs and resorts, coastal, parks and master planning. JDavis has offices in Raleigh, North Carolina and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

9

THE ZWEIG LETTER April 8, 2019, ISSUE 1291

Upper management has to walk a fine line between communicating effectively, guarding sensitive information, and telling the truth. And as we all know, the

truth these days is an elusive thing in our society, as we have been inundated with alternative facts, fake news, mistruths, and retracted statements. It’s really hard to tell what’s even real anymore. But we cannot let the confusion of the outside world infiltrate our AEC firms.

If you develop a reputation for being less than forthcoming, you could derail a critical ownership transition – and even destroy your firm.

O P I N I O N

As managers and owners existing in our own ecosystems, we can control how we are perceived and how information is received in our organizations. And in the event of an ownership transition, this cannot be overstated. Times are difficult enough when you are asking someone to purchase the mountain of value you (and they) have created over years of running a successful business. So, when you are dealing with the ever-complex environment of transition, being trustworthy and open from the beginning can truly improve your chances of executing the plan.

We often see internal transitions “fail” when owners wait until it’s too late, or don’t prepare the next generation for leadership. We also see them fail when communication has been botched from the beginning. The owners could be making the right choices at the right time, preparing the next

generation of staff, and allocating funds properly, and still handcuff themselves by misstatements. Making promises or extending “soft” offers years before you actually take any dedicated action can also backfire in a big way.

Address transition planning with great care and be intentional about your communication. Planning should begin a decade before you actually see

Honestly, be honest

See WILL SWEARINGEN, page 10

“When you are dealing with the ever-complex environment of transition, being trustworthy and open from the beginning can truly improve your chances of executing the plan.”

Will Swearingen

© Copyright 2019. Zweig Group.

All rights reserved. THE ZWEIG LETTER April 8, 2019, ISSUE 1291

10

yourself sailing off into the sunset. Even if you are thinking that far out, it does not mean you should promise a portion of the company to a key hire, or subject staff to half-baked ideas about how it “might happen” when it finally does happen.

Make sure you yourself are viewed as a trustworthy person. When an owner (or anyone for that matter) develops a history of questionable statements, distrust can be an issue lurking beneath the surface and can be problematic when it comes time to bring others to the table. The difficult thing for owners is that they have a great responsibility to take care of their people, while at the same time maximizing, or at least optimizing, their returns.

Being fair in compensation across your firm is primary in keeping staff happy. So, in that endeavor, owners must balance their own returns – which may be used to pay back the obligation of ownership – with investment in their staff. To that end, while managing the firm – incentive comp, business development, strategic initiatives, and personnel matters, among many others – owners disseminate, and withhold, sensitive information. This is reasonable. Maintaining a motivated workforce depends on a leader’s ability to do this effectively.

But when normal discussions and simple conversations devolve into questions about one’s integrity, it can be damaging – not only for an ownership transition but for morale across the organization. Continually evaluate your people, and yourself, on the barometer of truth and make sure the organization’s moral compass is correct.

From internal and external project communication to who spilled the mustard in the fridge and didn’t clean it up, look for truth and accountability. Simple situations handled improperly can hamper real negotiations years down the road.

The process of transition is highly refined and meticulously maintained in some organizations. In others, it’s an afterthought. In either scenario, it’s still up to management to figure out how to effectively communicate what’s going on inside the firm. Communication, or lack thereof, is among the most important and most cited issues facing AEC firms today. Staff continually gripe that that they don’t know what’s going on and don’t understand leadership’s direction. If you believe in Reaganomics or fluid mechanics you are familiar with the concept that “you know what” flows downhill and that aggregate wealth, water, or even information, does the same thing. Effective communication in an organization starts at the top, and those at the top owe it to themselves to be truthful about every aspect of their business, and to everyone on their team.

WILL SWEARINGEN is Zweig Group’s director of ownership transition. He can be reached at wswearingen@zweiggroup.com.

WILL SWEARINGEN, from page 9

“Effective communication in an organization starts at the top, and those at the top owe it to themselves to be truthful about every aspect of their business, and to everyone on their team.”

ON THE MOVESTV BRINGS ABOARD NEW NATIONAL BRIDGE PRACTICE LEADER John Brestin, P.E., S.E., a veteran engineer and practice leader who has spearheaded the design of significant bridge initiatives throughout the United States, has joined STV as vice president and head of the firm’s bridge practice. He will be based in STV’s Seattle office.Brestin brings 25 years of innovative bridge design expertise to the firm. Prior to joining STV, he was a vice president and North American bridge practice leader at a major international design firm that specializes in long-span and complex bridges.John Brestin, P.E., S.E., a veteran engineer and practice leader who has spearheaded the design of significant bridge initiatives throughout the United States, has joined STV as vice president and head of the firm’s bridge practice. He will be based in STV’s Seattle office.“John is a proven leader with a long-standing history of the successful execution of many challenging projects,” said Martin Boyle, executive vice president of STV’s

transportation and infrastructure division. “He will augment STV’s longstanding reputation in bridge design and allow us to continue to expand our reach in terms of geography and clients served.”Brestin has been responsible for a number of notable assignments throughout the country. He served as the design manager and engineer of record for the Abraham Lincoln cable-stayed bridge in Louisville, Kentucky, which was a new Ohio River Bridge Downtown Crossing; and the Basket Handle Network Tied Arch in Wellsburg, West Virginia, an 830-foot bridge that spans the navigation channel of the Ohio River. Brestin was also the project manager and lead structural engineer for the erection of the Huey P. Long Bridge in New Orleans, Louisiana, a widening project that involved the addition of eight truss panels to the four-span, cantilevered truss unit over the Mississippi River.He received his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, in addition to a bachelor’s degree in Spanish from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln and went on to earn his master’s

degree in civil engineering from Purdue University.A registered structural engineer in Arizona, Illinois and Nebraska, Brestin is a registered professional engineer in 16 states including Florida, Maryland, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Washington, and New York.Brestin is a standing member of the International Association of Bridge and Structural Engineers and the Design-Build Institute of America. He is also a volunteer for Bridges to Prosperity, a nonprofit that works with local governments to make rural areas more accessible via the design and construction of pedestrian bridges.Founded more than 100 years ago, STV is a leader in providing engineering, architectural, planning, environmental, and construction management services for transportation systems, infrastructure, buildings, energy, and other facilities. STV is ranked No. 37 in Engineering News-Record’s Top 500 Design Firms survey and is rankded No. 12 in its bridges category. STV is 100 percent employee owned.

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THE ZWEIG LETTER April 8, 2019, ISSUE 1291

In between gigs, jazz trumpeter Byron Stripling made his way through a Las Vegas casino. It was cacophonous with the sounds of conversation and clinking glasses. As

he entered the game floor he saw a sign with a large message: “You must be present to win.”

The most successful business developers spend time with their clients, so show up and give them your full attention.

O P I N I O N

Stripling knew the practical meaning: Bettors need to be present to collect their winnings. As Stripling told this story to my jazz band, he said the sign had a profound effect on him. It encapsulated the key to his success: persevering presence.

More than 20 years later, I remember Stripling’s masterclass message – both behind the drums for occasional gigs and as marketing director at Shive-Hattery. Presence means showing up and being fully engaged in the moment.

The most successful client developers spend time with clients. Like good parents, good marketers are simply around more often. They win more work because they are with clients (in person), listening, and being helpful in many ways. Their mere presence builds familiarity, trust, and real relationships.

All the moments that lead to your proposal and presentation make a difference. Consider all your potential touchpoints with the client during your pursuit. You might be surprised at the creative ways to be present along the way.

You may not experience immediate gratification or recognition with your initial efforts, but your collective actions over time will pay dividends. Doug Bottorff, a civil engineer and business developer with Shive-Hattery, completes one business development activity each day before noon. He seeks creative ways to be present with his connections, including:

z Interactions on social media

z Attendance at local community events

You must be present to win

See GREG KANZ, page 12

Greg Kanz

© Copyright 2019. Zweig Group.

All rights reserved. THE ZWEIG LETTER April 8, 2019, ISSUE 1291

12

z Attendance at industry events

z Being alert for “chance” encounters

z Calling or visiting

z Meeting for lunch, dinner, or coffee

z Gathering client feedback

z Inviting clients to the office

z Sharing a relevant article or book

z Biking, running, or golfing

z Attending collegiate athletic events or other entertainment

“Look for ways to blend your professional and personal life,” Bottorff says. “I always try to be genuine with BD activities and attempt to follow a ‘give first’ mentality. Be a friend first, be honest about who I am, provide solutions, and then move into a professional services provider for them if it’s a right fit for both of us.”

Set a low threshold for face time with clients. When you’re together, give your full attention to the client. Let the conversation flow naturally and keep the energy focused on them. Being present means active listening and having a high-level of self-awareness.

Great musicians do this well. Here’s what I’ve learned from them to be more present:

z Give first. As you meet people, look for ways to give. The bus-iest musicians and client developers I know always take time to help others. When they offer assistance, they don’t expect anything in return.

z Listen more. The best musicians listen empathetically and are aware of their surroundings. Use Harry Connick Jr.’s rule to ask five questions before talking about yourself.

z Be concise. The late great Ron DeWitte had amazing guitar chops. His guitar solos were articulate, concise, and meaning-ful without showing off technical abilities. With clients, use less jargon and be brief.

z Commit. Stripling, the trumpeter, commits to bringing joy to people through music. What drives you? Decide what markets and clients you’ll passionately pursue. Persist to build mean-ingful client relationships.

z Stay connected. Keep track of your connections. Use Linke-dIn, your steel-trap memory … whatever works for you. Al-ways keep track of people with whom you could form a busi-ness relationship.

z Practice, practice, practice. Practice networking, persuasive writing, public speaking, conversation, listening, etc. Make faithful progress every day of your journey. As drummer Buddy Rich said, “You only get better by playing.”

GREG KANZ is marketing director for Shive-Hattery Architecture-Engineering. Contact him at gregkanz@shive-hattery.com.

GREG KANZ, from page 11 “Set a low threshold for face time with clients. When you’re together, give your full attention to the client. Let the conversation flow naturally and keep the energy focused on them. Being present means active listening and having a high-level of self-awareness.”

ELEVATE / EDUCATEP.W. GROSSER CONSULTING, INC. ARRANGES DEMONSTRATION OF “REAL-LIFE” DRILLING PROCESS FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS P.W. Grosser Consulting, Inc.’s CEO, Paul W. Grosser, Ph.D., P.E., PG, has been a member of Stony Brook University’s Civil Engineering External Advisory Board for the past four years. Along with his colleagues, he helps to set direction and provide real-world advice to the Civil Engineering Department’s curriculum.As such, for the past three years, the firm has arranged for a local driller to demonstrate, for the Soil Mechanics class in the Civil Engineering Department, what a “real-life” drilling process looks like. The demonstration includes a discussion of proper safety procedures when working around construction equipment including appropriate clothing and footwear – all students are provided with a P.W. Grosser Consulting hard hat for them to keep – and professional protocol to follow when working with drillers. After the drilling is completed and soil samples are extracted, the handling of environmental and structural soil samples is discussed, and the students classify the soils that are obtained

with the drill rig. Approximately 50 students attend the events. The latest event was held in February. FORESITE GROUP, INC. DEVELOPS PROGRAM TO TRAIN COMMUNITY TO OPERATE NEW FIBER OPTIC NETWORK Foresite Group, Inc. is a multi-disciplinary engineering firm that offers network design services. When the firm’s Network Design practice area was chosen to assist New Orleans in designing its fiber optic network, Foresite wanted to do more than just provide a service for the city. It wanted to engage with the community and train their future workforce that will encounter this network.The firm developed the Foresite Group Fiber Academy as a program to develop candidates to qualify for a job in network design. Foresite recently adapted this training into a four-month curriculum/mentorship program for use at Delgado Community College in New Orleans that centers on ETA certification and simulating what it’s like to work in the AEC industry. The firm’s hope is that participants may go on to work on the very network being created in their city. If anything, participants

will gain an understanding not only of fiber optics and how it functions within a given architecture, but also the impact that fiber networks have on communities around the world. SWBR DESIGN NEW STEM CENTER FOR ROCHESTER, NY COLLEGE PREP SCHOOL New York-based SWBR developed a visionary design for the new STEM center at McQuaid Jesuit, Rochester’s college prep school for young men. The new Wegman Family Science and Technology Center houses 10 classrooms and computer labs, a student life area complete with outdoor commons, campus ministry rooms, and an atrium that serves as a collaboration space for students. The $12.4 million project consisted of a 39,000-square-foot two-story addition that connects to the current school by covered skyways. The metal panels and glass clad addition uses color and scale to blend into the campus while simultaneously displaying a sleek, angular, and thoroughly modern design befitting the progressive program it contains.