TZL 1553 (web)

September 16, 2024, Issue 1553 WWW.ZWEIGGROUP.COM

TRENDLINES

Referral bonuses

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

The rise of nearshoring can reduce costs, address talent shortages, and enhance growth opportunities for AEC firms. The rise of outsourcing

Yes

FIRM INDEX AECOM...............................................................8 Balfour Beatty............................................... 4 FXCollaborative ........................................ 10 Jensen Design & Survey, Inc. .............6 Sanbell................................................................6 Suffolk .............................................................. 10 MORE ARTICLES n TAYLOR DOLAN & NATHAN GREYARD: Compliance with federal regulations Page 3 n MARK ZWEIG: Where are the sparkplugs? Page 5 n JANKI DEPALMA: The power of 1 percent Page 7 n AMY PATEL: Building a foundation of trust Page 9 According to Zweig Group’s 2024 Recruitment & Retention Report , 85 percent of firms now offer a new hire referral bonus program, making it the most common form of incentive compensation, surpassing performance bonuses. This highlights the growing importance of employee referrals in recruitment strategies. Participate in a survey and save 50 percent on the final or pre- publication price of any Zweig Group research publication.

M ore and more often, the Zweig Group strategic planning team is being asked about outsourcing within the architecture and engineering industry. Are other firms doing it? How successful has it been? What are the risks involved? We’ll dig deeper into some of these questions later in this article, but there is one thing we know for sure: some of the largest firms in our industry (AECOM for example) are leveraging outsourced labor. On the opposite end, a significant majority of Zweig Group’s small to midsized clients haven’t been nearly as proactive in leveraging nearshoring opportunities as their much larger counterparts. This leaves smaller firms with lower margins, and therefore less profit to reinvest in future growth. From Zweig Group’s perspective, the rise of nearshoring presents a seismic shift in the way our industry will produce work. In this article, we’ll talk about why AEC firms are finally becoming more open to nearshoring labor, why some of the previous risks involved in nearshoring have diminished over time, and what everyone wants to know – what you can expect to pay for an overseas employee. TO KEEP YOUR ATTENTION, LET’S START WITH THE NUMBERS. Take a look at the table on the next page. These positions provide an idea of what to expect regarding nearshoring cost. Domestic base salary averages come from Zweig Group’s 2024 Salary Report . These numbers don’t include everything a firm pays on top of base salary, so we’ve applied a 1.4x multiplier to estimate the total cost of each United States-based employee. The South American employment data comes from UpStart13, a provider of outsourcing services for the architecture and engineering industry. These estimates include total staffing cost – outsourcing partner fee, employee base salary, benefits such as PTO and healthcare, as well as hardware and tech support expenses. These numbers come from talent based out of Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, and Mexico. Based on these three titles, architecture and engineering firms can expect close to a 50 percent decrease in cost related to outsourced (South American nearshore) labor. All of these numbers will vary based on years of experience and specialty of the individual. NEXT, LET’S TALK ABOUT WHY OUTSOURCING IS A GROWING TREND WITHIN THE ARCHITECTURE AND ENGINEERING INDUSTRY. It goes without saying, but most engineering and architecture firms notoriously

Travis White

See TRAVIS WHITE, page 2

THE VOICE OF REASON FOR THE AEC INDUSTRY

Chad Clinehens | Publisher cclinehens@zweiggroup.com Sara Parkman | Senior Editor sparkman@zweiggroup.com Tel: 800-466-6275 Email: info@zweiggroup.com Online: zweiggroup.com/blogs/ news

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Median Base Salary U.S. + Tax, Benefits, Admin

Outsourced Cost (All-In)

Savings

Project Manager (Struct.) Project Engineer (Mech.)

$150K ($107K + $43K) $127K ($90K + $36K) $84K ($60K + $24K)

$74K $67K $41K

50.7% 47.2% 51.2%

Drafter, Engineering

~8 weeks (some positions >5 months)

Time to Hire

~3 weeks

>5 weeks per hire

Two-year TCO Savings (project team: 1 PM, 2 Engineers, 2 drafters) Time Savings (project team: 1 PM, 2 Engineers, 2 drafters)

$560K

>25 weeks

local codes and regulations. These are still areas to keep an eye on, but if you’re working with a quality outsourcing partner, you have flexibility similar to at-will employment. If work quality or communication isn’t up to par, you can release these individuals through your partner with very little friction; they deal with the rest. There are a few things to consider when looking for an outsourcing partner. First, expect high degrees of experience from the talent provided. Second, ensure they allow you to put their candidates through the same interview process as your domestic hires. Third, confirm the outsourcing partner has a solid understanding of the market. Lastly, check their attrition rates; low attrition typically suggests that they value competitive pay and employee retention over high mark-ups. This approach ensures you continue to work with top-notch talent who are well compensated. A win-win for both sides SOME CLOSING THOUGHTS. No doubt there are elements of nearshoring that will require learning and iteration, but this is an opportunity architecture and engineering firms should take seriously. If you’re a small to midsized engineering or architecture firm that has already started this process, you’re ahead of the curve. You can confidently consider yourself an early adopter at this stage. For those who haven’t, Zweig Group would recommend starting with a pilot project to ensure the process works as expected. As they say, you don’t know what you don’t know. All of this isn’t to imply we should outsource all functions of our business. There are many aspects of our industry that can’t be done overseas. Nearshoring is meant to supplement our work, make our jobs easier, minimize staffing shortages, increase margins, increase reinvestment, and ultimately grow our organization to reward everyone involved. If this is an area of interest for your firm but you don’t know where to start, Zweig Group’s strategic planning team is here to help. Travis White is a strategy and operations consultant at Zweig Group. Contact him at twhite@zweiggroup.com.

TRAVIS WHITE, from page 1

weren’t open to remote work up until the pandemic in 2020 – even less so, outsourcing work. This event forced most architecture and engineering firms to reconsider remote work as a viable option. As a result, many firms have been rethinking their opinion on staff augmentation. Since then, the number of Zweig Group clients who ask about outsourcing resources has become more and more common. Outside of added remote working capability, a combination of factors have caused this shift. To start, the talent shortage within our industry is pervasive. Average backlog remains at an all-time high. Based on Zweig Group data, the average AEC firm has 9.9 months of work waiting to be started. Almost all Zweig Group clients report having more work than their staff can handle – particularly around the project engineer to project manager level. Nearshoring presents an almost immediate option to address gaps in staffing with highly experienced talent that can be very difficult to attract in the U.S. For additional perspective, according to Zweig Group’s 2023 Recruitment & Retention Report , 62 percent of the “most difficult positions” to hire for in the AEC industry take more than five months to fill. Next, prior to implementing a strategic plan, the percentage of architecture and engineering firms that possess a true competitive advantage over their counterparts is few and far between. This leaves most firms competing on price, which leads to complaints of “commodity-like pricing.” Nearshoring work helps firms in this position increase margins and therefore accelerate growth, which leads to expanded business opportunity. Finally, with the rise of nearshoring in Latin America, all of your staff remain in the same or similar time zone. This means that interactions and communication with offshore staff should be no different than any other remote employee. NOW, LET’S TALK ABOUT HOW TO DIMINISH THE RISKS INVOLVED. Historically, most firms were concerned about quality of work, level of communication, and knowledge of

THE ZWEIG LETTER SEPTEMBER 16, 2024, ISSUE 1553

OPINION

How the Supreme Court’s overturning of the Chevron deference will impact design firms. Compliance with federal regulations

F or 40 years, federal agencies have interpreted the intent and meaning of the congressional laws they administer and enforce, and courts were required to defer to agency interpretation of ambiguous or silent statutory laws when presiding over legal challenges. In turn, design firms have confidently relied on various federal agencies’ guidelines and interpretations of laws as a routine step of regulatory compliance efforts. A recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling limits agency authority and hands power back to courts, changing the country’s regulatory landscape.

Taylor Dolan

While some view the depowering of federal agencies as a win, others recognize the uncertainty that inevitably results from individual courts, not federal agencies, interpreting ambiguous statutes and the breadth of agency statutory authority. This historic, fundamental shift in our country’s regulatory framework begs the metaphorical question: did the Supreme Court just muddy the waters that some federal agencies are trying to clean up, or did it simply restore the constitutional principle of separation of powers? SEPARATION OF POWERS. The U.S. Constitution establishes three separate, but equal, branches of

government: legislative (makes the law), executive (enforces the law), and judicial (interprets the law). Federal agencies, as part of the executive branch, are responsible for implementing and enforcing laws passed by Congress, i.e. the legislative branch. For decades, under Chevron, federal agencies possessed the power to interpret the laws they administer, and courts, i.e. the judicial branch, were required to defer to agency interpretation of ambiguous laws. Judicial deference to executive interpretation of legislation became known as the Chevron doctrine.

Nathan Greyard

See TAYLOR DOLAN & NATHAN GREYARD, page 4

THE ZWEIG LETTER SEPTEMBER 16, 2024, ISSUE 1553

ON THE MOVE BALFOUR BEATTY US HIRES VICE PRESIDENT, LEGAL OF CIVILS OPERATIONS IN THE WEST Balfour Beatty announces the hiring of Ryan Ouyang as the company’s vice president, legal for U.S. Civils West operations. This executive role is responsible for legal affairs of the company’s Civils operations

in California, Oregon, and Washington, working in coordination with the U.S. Civils’ General Counsel. “We’re excited to welcome Ryan to the team,” said Christine McAnney, Balfour Beatty vice president, general counsel of U.S. Civils operations. “With his extensive experience in industry-specific

legal counsel, ethics and compliance and construction, contract and labor law, Ryan will be a major asset to Balfour Beatty’s Civils operations in the West. I look forward to his leadership in supporting our project teammates and future contributions to our legal leadership team.”

guidance or interpretation, or even legal precedence. For example, environmental engineering firms should proceed with caution when relying on guidance published by the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA’s interpretation of a statute no longer binds the courts, and in the post-deference era, judges now have discretion to disagree with the EPA’s analysis and/or resulting guidance. In addition to uncertainty, the overturning of Chevron creates risk for design firms being exposed to inconsistent interpretation and application of federal law. The federal judicial system is composed of 94 district courts organized into 12 circuits, with each circuit having a Court of Appeal. Independent judicial discretion over disputes related to ambiguous or silent statutory law means a federal agency rule could be upheld in one court and overturned in another. While Congress may amend laws subject to various interpretations and different judiciary holdings, amendments are not drafted and/or approved overnight. In the interim, inconsistent rulings throughout the country could create compliance headaches for design firms with multi-jurisdictional practices, as compliance teams must now monitor state-by-state legal decisions relating to federal regulations. In the post-Chevron wake, legal challenges to longstanding regulations are expected to ensue, and Congress is likely to consider statutory amendments aimed at clarifying ambiguous statutes in order to avoid judicial scrutiny. While the Supreme Court’s decision in Loper Bright Enterprises is expected to have the greatest impact on the healthcare industry, AEC firms must also be prepared for fallout. CONCLUSION. While the ripple effects remain to be seen, the recent landmark decision marks the end of this 40-year- old court required deference, as federal courts are no longer required to defer to an agency interpretation of federal statutes when the statute is ambiguous. As a result, federal judges now have ample discretion to decide Congress’ intent when passing legislation and critique how a federal agency implements laws through administrative regulations and policies. Design firms should monitor developing cases challenging federal regulations applicable to their services, implement compliance procedures to reconcile conflicting court decisions around the country, and work with an attorney to contractually limit risk associated with the reversal of Chevron. Taylor Dolan and Nathan Greyard are attorneys at Lee/ Shoemaker PLLC, a law firm devoted to the representation of design professionals. Contact them at ttd@leeshoemaker. com or nbg@leeshoemaker.com. The content of this article was prepared to educate related to potential risks but is not intended to be a substitute for professional legal advice.

TAYLOR DOLAN & NATHAN GREYARD, from page 3

CHEVRON DOCTRINE OVERTURNED: LOPER BRIGHT ENTERPRISES V. RAIMONDO. In prior legal precedent, Chevron U.S.A. Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., the Supreme Court established a two-step approach to evaluate whether a governing statute permitted federal agency action: if intent is clear in a relevant federal statute, then the legislative intent controls the court’s review of the federal agency’s regulation at issue; if, instead, the federal statute is ambiguous as to intent, then the court defers to the agency’s “permissible construction of the statute.” The courts’ deference to agency interpretation of ambiguous regulatory laws enacted by Congress has since been an established legal doctrine referred to as the Chevron deference (aka Chevron doctrine). “Ambiguous statutes and questions related to an agency’s statutory authority to implement and enforce regulations will now be subject to the interpretation of a judge or judges, creating risk for a design firm.” In Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, a group of herring fishing companies challenged a National Marine Fisheries Service rule requiring fisherman to pay the fees for “observers” that collect data on fishery conservation and management. Federal law is clear that NMFS can require these monitors and lists three categories of vessels that must pay, none of which were Atlantic herring fishing vessels. The Court of Appeals of the D.C. Circuit, applying the Chevron doctrine, held that the federal law was ambiguous and that NMFS’s rule to require the fishing industry to pay for the monitors was reasonable. In a 6-3 vote, Supreme Cout justices overruled the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and overturned the Chevron doctrine, holding that courts are better suited to resolve ambiguities in federal law than agencies. In this new regulatory era, judges presiding over cases challenging agency interpretations, decisions, and mandates must do so independently, no longer deferring to agency interpretations. POTENTIAL IMPACTS ON DESIGN FIRMS. What does the overturning of the Chevon doctrine mean for design professionals? First and foremost, it means uncertainty. Ambiguous statutes and questions related to an agency’s statutory authority to implement and enforce regulations will now be subject to the interpretation of a judge or judges, creating risk for a design firm which relies on any agency

THE ZWEIG LETTER SEPTEMBER 16, 2024, ISSUE 1553

FROM THE FOUNDER

Where are the sparkplugs?

W e all need them in our businesses – the people I call “sparkplugs.” Sparkplugs ignite fuel. They make combustion. They make things happen. They are essential if you want to grow beyond what you, and the business owner him- or herself (if not you), can ignite. Sparkplugs are the people in your business who make things happen – and they are essential if you want to grow beyond what you alone can ignite.

But where are they? When you get one, is it just luck? Or are there things you can do that will actually increase your probability of getting a sparkplug on your team? I know it’s hard but it’s not impossible. There are definite signs that someone is going to be a sparkplug versus just another warm body in a chair. But do we all pay attention to those signs when we are hiring? I think not. And do we set the stage for someone who is a sparkplug to want to work with us? Many times, unfortunately, the answer is “no” there as well. Here are some things I look for in people to find a sparkplug: 1. Self-employment history. Those who have had their own businesses and made a living from them better understand what it takes to make a business successful than those who have never

done it. It’s just that simple. In lieu of this self- employment experience, I would look for selling experience where the person had to kill (make sales) in order to eat. That is second best. 2. Crazy passion for the work itself. It’s hard to motivate someone when they don’t have to literally pull themselves away from the work because they love it so much. I want people who love the work and the product or service that the business provides. Anything less than that isn’t going to get me a sparkplug. 3. Other passions outside of work. When people are passionate about the work, they are often passionate about other things. They have passion! They throw themselves into whatever it is they do full-force. And yes, sometimes those

Mark Zweig

See MARK ZWEIG, page 6

THE ZWEIG LETTER SEPTEMBER 16, 2024, ISSUE 1553

TRANSACTIONS SANBELL MERGES WITH JENSEN DESIGN & SURVEY, INC. Sanbell has merged with 40-person Jensen Design & Survey, Inc. of Ventura, California. Sanbell, formed by the recent mergers of Sanderson Stewart, Bellecci, Summit Engineering, and Coleman Engineering, is one of the fastest growing engineering, planning and design firms in the western United States. Sanbell has offices in Billings, Bozeman and Helena, Montana; Fort Collins, Colorado; Concord, Pleasanton, and Roseville, California; Elko and Reno, Nevada. Jensen Design & Survey adds one of Ventura County’s most established firms to the Sanbell family of companies. Jensen provides additional strength in land planning and development, water resources, floodplain mapping and land surveying to Sanbell’s already comprehensive multi-

disciplined services, which include civil infrastructure, water and wastewater utilities, multi-modal transportation and geotechnical engineering, community planning, construction management, surveying and mapping, landscape architecture, and communications and visualization services for public and private clients and communities across the West. Jensen will continue to operate under its current brand name but will function as a Sanbell company under the leadership of Sanbell’s CEO Michael Sanderson. Local leadership will continue under Susanne Cooper, managing principal, and the rest of Jensen’s current local principals. “We are excited to welcome Jensen to the Sanbell family of companies,” said Michael Sanderson, CEO. “This merger with Jensen enhances our service offerings, providing additional expertise

and tremendous new leaders for our organization, and it allows us to better serve our clients with additional locations throughout the West. We’re thrilled to be in Ventura.” Donald Jensen, founder of Jensen, echoes this enthusiasm, stating “This merger provides an exciting growth opportunity for the Jensen team within the Sanbell organization. We anticipate significant benefits to our team members and for our valued clients as this team grows and prospers together.” Sanbell is a dynamic and growing engineering, community planning, and design firm comprised of more than 200 professionals in locations across the West. Sanbell is committed to creating responsible, enduring communities and is devoted to integrity and honest hard work, treating others well, and a spirit of entrepreneurship and service.

2. Personal attention and support from leader/manager. High achievers who make stuff happen know they will be pushing limits and making waves, and are going to make some of the existing people upset at some point. They will need to know they have support from management when that happens. 3. Lack of rigid job titles and pay ranges. No sparkplug wants to work in a rigid kind of structure. If they did, they would work either for the government or a mega-corp. 4. Chance to become an owner in the business. Promises of ownership are not the same thing as possibilities. Possibility is all that is required from you as an employer. If the company has no plans or intent of ever selling ownership to employees, they really are sending out a message that opportunities for sparkplugs are limited. Sorry if you don’t want to hear this, business owners – but it’s the truth. 5. Intolerance for low performers. This is a biggie. Many architecture and engineering firms have a very bad record here. We try to keep everyone and find a place for them even if they repeatedly prove they aren’t going to do what is needed. Sparkplugs don’t like working around those who reduce their spark. It’s draining. So yes. Getting sparkplugs to work in your business isn’t just defined by luck or chance. There are definitely signs you can look for in job candidates that they may be one, and to attract and keep one, you are probably going to have to do some things differently than you have in the past. You know this makes sense! Mark Zweig is Zweig Group’s chairman and founder. Contact him at mzweig@zweiggroup.com.

MARK ZWEIG, from page 5

other activities actually help the sparkplug’s employer because they meet other people through them and keep the sparkplug centered and balanced. Evidence of commitment and enthusiasm for anything is far better than none of that in any potential employee’s history if you want to hire a sparkplug. 4. Currently employed. Let’s face it. The best people are NOT unemployed. They have lots of options. Don’t restrict your candidate pool to those who are unemployed or you are automatically giving yourself a lower quality group to choose from. Not to say that good people cannot be unemployed – they can. But all other factors being equal, someone who is still working is likely to be a lower risk choice. 5. Willingness to do some radical things. Sparkplugs do things like take time off to help people in developing nations. They quit school in their junior year to build a cabin in the woods. They travel across the country on a motorcycle. They change their major in the last semester of college. They are willing to do some big things to change their lives in a big way. Look for this kind of radical action to find a sparkplug for your business. When it comes to an environment that will attract and keep a sparkplug, here are my thoughts on what’s needed: 1. Growth vision and plan. The best people want growth. The best way for them to get that is to be part of a growing enterprise that emphasizes growth over profitability. Profitability is great and no doubt essential for any privately-held company, but it doesn’t inspire people. And a growing business makes opportunities for people to get into roles that they would never have if not for being a part of it.

THE ZWEIG LETTER SEPTEMBER 16, 2024, ISSUE 1553

OPINION

The power of 1 percent

Small, consistent habits and incremental improvements create sustainable long-term success and personal growth.

I absolutely love the start of a year – be it in January or the start of a new school year in September. I spend a lot of time and money finding the right planners, systems, and routines that will help me reach these goals, because once I have the right tools and checklists I cannot fail. And yet after a week or so, when that 5 a.m. alarm rings, I find myself hitting snooze on that workout and looking at more than 600 unread emails in my inbox. Is there a path from the person I am now to the person I want to be? Enter habits.

Janki DePalma, LEED AP, CPSM

Habits are in high fashion now, but they are nothing new. Habits are simply a standardized action that occurs after a cue. For example, I log on to my computer (cue) and check my email (habit). Or I enter the door (cue) and put my keys on the hook (habit). It’s almost automatic, but at one point I decided to do this. Atomic Habits by James Clear and other books have been talking about the power of habits to create incremental changes. After rereading Clear’s book, I truly understood why the word “atomic” in the title of that book refers to small (versus explosive) change. His mantra throughout the book is “we don’t rise to the level of goals, we fall to the level of our systems.” Can meaningful things happen with a 1 percent change? Short answer: yes.

Here are the takeaways from his book that have affected me the most: ■ First you establish a habit, then you optimize it. As a recovering perfectionist, I struggle with doing anything incorrectly. Turns out that a habit “counts” no matter how small or imperfect it is. For example, I want to establish the habit of writing thank you notes as a follow up for meetings. The perfectionist in me requires that each week I send out carefully crafted, multi- paragraphed notes to everyone I meet. That is a lofty goal with lots of room for failure since the task itself requires a series of steps (thinking, then

See JANKI DEPALMA, page 8

THE ZWEIG LETTER SEPTEMBER 16, 2024, ISSUE 1553

BUSINESS NEWS AECOM-LED JOINT VENTURE SELECTED TO PROVIDE FACILITY SUPPORT SERVICES FOR THE U.S. NAVY’S PACIFIC REGION AECOM, the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, announced that an AECOM-led joint venture with Akima Support Operations has been selected by the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Pacific to deliver facility support services under the Global Contingency Services Multiple Award Contract. This is AECOM’s third consecutive GCSMAC award, spanning 13 years of engineering and operations support for NAVFAC facilities throughout the world under this contract. “We’re proud to build on years of collaboration with the Navy by deploying

our extensive federal disaster recovery capabilities to address critical facility needs in the Pacific and worldwide,” said Lara Poloni, AECOM’s president. “Our industry-leading experts, many of whom joined AECOM as veterans, remain dedicated to the Navy’s mission and bring specialized expertise from our previous GCSMAC projects.” Under this contract, the joint venture will provide various services in response to natural disasters, humanitarian efforts, Navy operations and projects worldwide. The scope of work also encompasses supporting the Navy’s facility maintenance and modernization operations, as well as providing incidental environmental and engineering services.

“Our team brings together highly skilled program managers and technical specialists with proven success on complex large-scale federal programs,” said Karl Jensen, executive vice president of AECOM’s National Governments business. “As we continue to advance our Think and Act Globally strategy, our dedicated professionals will leverage our global contingency expertise, which includes rapid deployment of resources as well as facility and infrastructure support.” AECOM entities have supported the Navy for more than 90 years, and have delivered approximately $1.5 billion in services worldwide in the past decade.

improvement is steeped in kindness and grace. I don’t shame myself. There is nothing inherently undisciplined or flawed with me. A habit can be missed, and I work toward getting back on track. The action doesn’t need to be perfect or punishing. Instead, each decision I make is a tiny vote for the person I want to be. For example, instead of saying “I need to lose five pounds,” I see myself as “someone who eats healthy.” That means I am constantly making the small choices that back up my identity as a healthy person. A cluster of “better” decisions adds up. Ultimately small actions make up the sustainable parts of a long-term journey versus a goal. Losing five pounds either happens or it doesn’t. But working out daily, drinking water, and getting my steps in will be a continued pathway. Writing 50 notecards is a goal; the journey is finding ways to deepen relationships. Naturally I thought, “Why stop at 1 percent? Let’s shoot for 20!” The problem is that 20 percent isn’t sustainable – as we see by the graveyard of planners and notecards I have in my desk. Or what the gym looks like by February 15. Studies show our brains adapt better to smaller changes and are less likely to see missteps as a failure when we keep it small. I’m playing a long-game here. Though 1 percent seems negligible, the algorithm of growth over time usually yields a 37 percent increase. Adding 1 percent to my daily 30-minute workout could generate nearly 19 hours of exercise! If you think all you need is to create that intricate, perfect system (hint: it doesn’t exist) and your life will fall into place, I highly suggest you look at small habits instead. You don’t even need to wait until the start of a new year. You can still buy the workout gear and pens, because let’s be honest, they are fun, but give yourself the gift of a few habits that move you on your journey versus fixating on a goal. The 1 percent improvement could just be the things we all need. Janki DePalma, LEED AP, CPSM is director of business development at W.E. O’Neil. Contact her at jdepalma@weoneil.com.

JANKI DEPALMA, from page 7

writing, addressing the envelope, finding a stamp, and putting it in the mail). Clear challenges us to start small then improve. A reading practice starts with one page only. A workout routine starts with a five-minute workout. Start, then perfect. My habits can be bare minimum and imperfect, but they will have an impact. ■ Make the cues easy. All habits are based on the idea that stimuli cause us to act, almost automatically. If you can make the stimulus easy, the habit is more likely to happen, and the reverse is true. I am a very visual person. If I want to write notecards, I need a stack right by my desk, along with those stamps. If I want to exercise, the clothes are laid out the night before. If I want to limit social media, I silence notifications and toss the phone in another room. ■ Don’t break the chain twice. The comic Jerry Seinfeld has a practice of writing jokes daily. Seinfeld says that occasionally life happens and he misses a day – but he never misses two! You don’t want to create the habit of not writing by missing it twice in a row. And since doing the habit doesn’t have to be perfect, he always finds a way to fix the streak the next day. Remember his habit isn’t to write amazing jokes – just to write jokes daily. ■ I need bribes, I mean motivation. In the beginning stages, you can’t see the results of the habit and you may need some motivation to keep going. There are a few tricks that can help, including a habit tracker, stacking, and bundling. I mark my calendar every time I work out, noting the progress of consecutive marks even when the scale isn’t moving yet. Stacking is taking advantage of a habit I already have and adding to it. I brush my teeth and, since I’m by the sink, I wash my face too. Bundling is a bit like eating your broccoli and then you get dessert. I answer yesterday’s flagged emails and then I get to check social media.

■ Be kind to yourself. My biggest takeaway is that 1 percent

THE ZWEIG LETTER SEPTEMBER 16, 2024, ISSUE 1553

OPINION

Building a foundation of trust

Building trust through clear communication, effective management, and personal attention is crucial for successful large-scale project teams.

I n my experience leading large-scale projects, I have found that the success of complex, multidisciplinary project teams is built on a solid foundation of trust. While it is the responsibility of leadership to continually manage the interrelated “pillars” of a project – the client’s needs, the schedule, and the overall project goals – a positive dynamic among the larger team is key to this process and delivery. To foster this environment, leadership must prioritize transparent and robust communications through the team’s structure, management tools, and collaboration.

Amy Patel, AIA, LEEP AP, WELL AP

COMMUNICATION IS KEY. To create confidence among team members from the outset of a project, it is important to establish a clear communication structure and define roles and responsibilities. Complex projects bring together many professionals with a wide range of experience levels and skills, all focused on different, interrelated tasks throughout a project’s life cycle. Managing such a team can be one of the greatest challenges for leaders, particularly in today’s industry climate where staff can be spread across various locations and time zones. Additionally, these projects have long lifespans and as a result routinely experience staff

turnover. Regular meetings keep communication channels open and motivate team members by allowing each to have a voice, ownership, and a stake in the responsibility of the project delivery. Providing sub-teams with broad access to information and resources allows them to perform effectively and to feel prepared when unexpected situations arise. Furthermore, leveraging technology and developing processes and protocols to keep information organized across multiple channels eliminates bottlenecks and stopgaps in the process.

See AMY PATEL, page 10

THE ZWEIG LETTER SEPTEMBER 16, 2024, ISSUE 1553

to welcome feedback and to stay open to continuous adjustments. THE CULTURE OF TRUST. A team culture rooted in trust can serve as an anchor when a large project’s schedule, client needs, and project goals inevitably become fluid. To be successful, this culture must be modeled by leadership and demonstrated by example, focusing on open communication, robust management techniques, and personal attention and collaboration. These practices lead to an atmosphere where team members feel free to voice their opinions, take risks, and appreciate diverse perspectives. Amy Patel, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP is a principal at FXCollaborative. Connect with her on LinkedIn . “A team culture rooted in trust can serve as an anchor when a large project’s schedule, client needs, and project goals inevitably become fluid. To be successful, this culture must be modeled by leadership and demonstrated by example.”

AMY PATEL, from page 9

MANAGEMENT TECHNIQUES. As the project develops and the client needs, schedule, and project goals evolve in relation to one another, effective management tactics can not only ensure that a project remains on track, but also promote a sense of stability and confidence within the team. Large-scale projects often take years to design, develop, and complete. Creating detailed work plans that outline goals and the pathways to achieve success are crucial to streamlining the workload, helping team members to instill trust in one another and in the process. Projects of this scale frequently involve multiple clients, each with specific and sometimes conflicting needs. It is important to balance and prioritize these needs while maintaining a holistic view, keeping the team, including the clients, united around the overall project goals. Leadership must also facilitate timely decision-making: pushing clients sufficiently to keep the project moving while providing enough space to consider options. A PERSONAL TOUCH. Encouraging interpersonal relationships is also an important part of a solid team environment. Cross-functional collaboration and knowledge sharing empower team members to deepen their expertise while strengthening bonds with others. Team-building activities (both in and out of the office) promote camaraderie. Celebrating successes, milestones, and contributions helps all team members to feel appreciated throughout the phases of a long-term project. It is also crucial for leadership

THE ZWEIG LETTER SEPTEMBER 16, 2024, ISSUE 1553

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