TZL 1600 (web)

BUSINESS NEWS AECOM AWARDED $80 MILLION ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION CONTRACT FOR VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE IN CALIFORNIA AECOM, the trusted global infrastructure leader, announced it has been awarded an Optimized Remediation Contract by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District to provide environmental remediation services at Vandenberg Space Force Base on California’s Central

Coast. The 10-year, $81.3-million single award is one of the largest optimized remediation contracts awarded by the USACE Los Angeles District, reinforcing AECOM’s position as a trusted partner in delivering mission-critical solutions. “We are honored to expand our long-standing relationship with the Department of Defense and lead this critical work at Vandenberg Space Force

Base,” said Frank Sweet, chief executive of AECOM’s global Environment business. “Through innovative, sustainable remediation solutions, we’re helping to restore natural systems and deliver impactful environmental outcomes that align with our clients’ long-term goals.” The contract includes a range of remediation and management activities at 60 sites throughout the base.

The same thing happens at work. If you’re only motivated by external validation, you’ll stick to what you know you can do well. You’ll avoid risks. You’ll only apply for awards you’re sure you’ll win. And if you don’t get recognition? You start to question your worth. But if you’re driven by growth, you’re more willing to try, fail, and learn. You’re not chasing applause, you’re chasing improvement. I see this in my own work, too. Business development is all about building relationships over time. The growth mindset reminds me that the small, consistent actions I take today – whether it’s a thoughtful follow-up, a new idea, or simply showing up – will compound in the long run, even if I don’t see immediate results. It also reminds me not to compare myself to others (something so difficult to do). My intrinsic motivation comes from wanting to grow this company and having the autonomy to shape how we get there. That sense of ownership fuels my persistence, especially when progress feels slow or invisible. This mindset shift isn’t easy. The fixed mindset is often ingrained in us from childhood. As an academic kid, I heard a lot of praise about how quickly I picked things up or how I compared them to others. Embracing a growth mindset meant unlearning that. I only truly adopted it when I was studying Japanese. It didn’t matter how I compared to my classmates – what mattered was improving over time. One of my proudest moments wasn’t recorded in a grade book: after a phone conversation, the other speaker assumed I was a native speaker. I’m not saying we should get rid of bonuses or recognition. Those things matter – and again, I love them. But they’re not the whole story. If we want people to grow, we need to recognize effort, not just results. Are they learning? Improving? Taking smart risks? And as employees, we need to remember that not everything we do will be met with applause. Sometimes the most meaningful work happens quietly. Sometimes the tree falls, no one hears it, but it still makes a sound. Your efforts matter – even when no one notices, even when no one says anything. You know those sound waves rippled. And ultimately, that’s what really matters most. 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

1. Autonomy: having control over how we work 2. Mastery: the desire to improve at something meaningful 3. Purpose: the belief that our work matters Looking back, my son had all three. He had autonomy in how he studied, whether through YouTube videos, practice problems, or our sessions together. He saw his own progress, which gave him a sense of mastery. And he started to believe he could be “a math kid,” not just someone trying to pass. This isn’t just a parenting story, it’s a workplace story, too. In many organizations, we lean heavily on extrinsic motivators: bonuses, promotions, public recognition. And those things are important (and yes, I love them), but they’re not enough. If someone feels micromanaged, stuck in their role, or disconnected from the company’s mission, no amount of “great job!” is going to keep them engaged. I’ve seen it firsthand. You can offer someone a big bonus for hitting a target, but if they don’t feel respected or trusted, it won’t matter. That’s where Pink’s framework hits home. People want to feel like they have a say in how they work. They want to get better at what they do. And they want to know that their work means something. When those things are in place, people don’t just perform – they grow. This also ties into Carol Dweck’s work on fixed vs. growth mindset. In her book Mindset , she explains that a fixed mindset assumes talent is innate and finite. People with this mindset often avoid challenges because they fear failure or hitting their “talent ceiling.” They crave praise based on comparison, it’s all about being better than someone else. A growth mindset, on the other hand, believes that talent grows with effort. It’s OK to be “wobbly” at something new – that’s how you improve. The focus is on progress, not perfection. And you’re not comparing yourself to others; you’re measuring your own growth over time. If we’d fallen into a fixed mindset, we might have moved my son to a lower-level math class just to get an easy A. But he chose to stay in the advanced class. Not every test was perfect, but he didn’t take that as a sign he didn’t belong. He didn’t fixate on his friends’ grades; it was about his own improvement.

THE ZWEIG LETTER SEPTEMBER 8, 2025, ISSUE 1600

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