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O P I N I O N
I ’ve been thinking a lot lately about the place of “trust” and “respect” in the work we do. What is it, how do we get it, give it and sustain it? Why do some people and teams we work with thrive on it, taking all the stress out of the work we do, and others seem to foster conflict, antagonism, and tension? Engendering trust and respect Those of us in the A/E/P industry have a choice to make. Should we be adversaries or colleagues? Colleagues is the right answer.
Ed Friedrichs
I’ve been aware of the degradation of trust and respect in our society for some time. I often refer to it as a loss of civility. But that’s only the symptom. I’m currently in a work setting where the respect level among the entire team is quite high, causing me to examine closely why this is the case. In this circumstance the team includes an architect, engineers, contractor, client/developer, city staff, and elected officials. In other words, it comprises nearly everyone needed to bring a program from an idea to a design, to permits, to construction, and to reality. This program is in Reno, Nevada. What difference does that make? Different locales and companies have personalities, just like sports teams, police departments, and all manner of entities. By and large, Reno is a more respectful town than many
of the places where I’ve lived and worked. I’m much more likely to observe civility here – not always, just more often. I expect you’ve noticed this in your own work. One community treats you as an adversary, while another accepts you as a partner trying to make the city a better place. A contractor bombards you and the client with requests for information, delay claims, and change orders, while another sits down with you and works through their question or concern as a partner. Each setting contains something I’ll call a “respect coefficient.” I define that as an attitude among all involved of mutual trust and respect toward each other, as people and as firms. It also means a respect for See ED FRIEDRICHS, page 12
THE ZWEIG LETTER April 4, 2016, ISSUE 1146
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