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ED FRIEDRICHS, from page 5

which TLC’s acquisition came about was somewhat infor- mal. “They were never a specific target,” Sheerin said. “At some point, we had a lunch that just became a longer conversa- tion about their future, our future and how those things may be better together. The actual deal was quick, maybe six months or so.” As acquisitions are a two-way street, Allan and Conrad had to be willing partners. Sheerin said the discussions were wide-ranging, but in the end, at least part of the deal was brokered on the fact that Allan and Conrad, a 10-person firm, had to consider its future. “Sometimes they’re hemmed in because they’re not big,” Sheerin says. “It was hard for them to position themselves for bigger work. One of the biggest things is that all of their staff had a good place to be. It ended up being a great set of conversations.” Being aware of and working through your inter- generational communication skills is worth the effort. EDWARD FRIEDRICHS, FAIA, FIIDA, is a consultant with Zweig Group and the former CEO and president of Gensler . Contact him at efriedrichs@zweiggroup.com. My German colleague said, “That’s nothing. I have a more severe problem. These young kids don’t know how to solve a problem as a team. I was frustrated last week when people sitting right next to each other sent text messages back and forth. In frustration, I called them all into a conference room, sat them down and said we’re not leaving until we solve this together. Within five minutes they were all screaming at one another and charged out of the room to continue with their way of solving a problem – by texting.” They clearly never learned the fine art of face-to- face negotiation. “Learn to interact with your colleagues, young and old, by inquiry as opposed to command. Find out together what the right answer is. Learn to negotiate.” So, for you as a young professional, on your way into a leadership role, here are some thoughts: ❚ ❚ Learn to interact with your colleagues, young and old, by inquiry as opposed to command. Find out together what the right answer is. Learn to negotiate. ❚ ❚ Take advantage of your more seasoned colleagues. They can make you look good. ❚ ❚ Learn from their hard-earned people skills (those who actu- ally took the time to gain them). A major part of your career path as you develop is your ability to boost morale, and make a decision about whether a conversation should take place face-to-face rather than via email or text. ❚ ❚ Learn how and when to say “congratulations” on a job well done. Each of your colleagues reacts differently. Some appreci- ate recognition in front of others; some are more comfortable if it is delivered in private.

we might do them better. Once again, I was privileged to learn from seasoned professionals, who, because my inquiry was genuine, always took the time to guide me. I’ve tried to model my experiences and what I learned as I’ve gotten older. Here are a few thoughts about how senior members of your firm can convey the wisdom they’ve gained over the years with younger staff: ❚ ❚ Share willingly what you’ve learned. Don’t just tell a person what to do, tell them why to do it that way. Don’t lecture them; share what you know in a positive and collaborative way. ❚ ❚ Listen well; ask a lot of questions. Don’t just jump in and give them an answer. ❚ ❚ Don’t be patronizing or condescending in any way. Show the younger person respect. It will encourage them to continue to seek your advice and to show respect for others. So, what should this younger generation be aware of about themselves as they begin to develop in their careers? Once I was talking with a technology executive from Germany during a TED conference break about how dramatically both our professions had changed with the rapid advancements in technology. I expressed a concern about the difficulty of critiquing the work of my younger colleagues. Rather than a floor plan on a large sheet of paper, allowing me to look at the entire project in context, I was dealing with a colleague who had only a small window into the project on the computer screen. That made it impossible for me to comment with any sense of context. I was amazed by young employees and their ability to “see” the entirety of what they were working on while only being able to see a fraction of the drawing. Perhaps this came from hours of playing complex, multi-layered computer games, a direct simile for what was going on. “Share willingly what you’ve learned. Don’t just tell a person what to do, tell them why to do it that way.”

TLC, from page 7

Sheerin is confident of TLC’s chances, even if the firm is swimming with the big sharks. “We can compete for any job,” Sheerin says. “Now it’s about, ‘Can we deliver,’ and this helps us deliver. It’s a nice addition to our team.” While a merger is an official transaction with plenty of le- gal, insurance, and cultural issues attached to it, the way in “At some point, we had a lunch that just became a longer conversation about their future, our future and how those things may be better together. The actual deal was quick, maybe six months or so.”

THE ZWEIG LETTER March 21, 2016, ISSUE 1144

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