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Ramp up communication strategies Whether they use technology or face-to-face discussion, here’s how leaders in the A/E industry encourage collaboration and communication among employees and clients.
By LIISA ANDREASSEN Correspondent
is to ask: ‘Am I communicating with the person who has the authority to provide the correct answers?’” Additionally, CallisonRTKL is a global company, meaning that language barriers are not uncom- mon. “Speaking face-to-face is best for avoiding misun- derstandings, but that’s not always possible on ev- ery international project,” Gilbert says. “In those cases, we try to stream meetings live and use video capabilities whenever possible. These video meet- ings involve the key team members to help stream- line the process. Afterwards, meeting participants disseminate their information and take appropri- ate action. Live streaming can be extremely use- ful in assuring clear communication, especially on complex projects.” CLIENT COMMUNICATION. Scott Maynor, a senior project manager with Cobb, Fendley & Associates (Hous- ton, TX), a 300-person multidiscipline engineering firm, says it’s important to build both formal and informal relationships with partners. “The formal relationship is cultivated by running a See COMMUNICATION, page 4
C ollaboration and communication. These are among the most important aspects of running a successful business. Whether it’s internal or ex- ternal, formal or casual, you should never lose sight of how they can impact your profitability. TRACKING AND STREAMING. Ken Gilbert, associate vice president in the Los Angeles office of CallisonRT- KL (Seattle, WA), a more than 1,000-person global architecture and design firm, says that while the company is fortunate to have project teams with great rapport, the open lines of communication did not come around by happenstance. Gilbert says using a traceable method beyond voice and email such as NewForma, a web-based collabo- ration and file sharing software, allows its project managers to easily communicate, track, and share time-sensitive and approval-required documents. “We have great relationships on our project teams and accuracy is a vital, implicit aspect of our com- munication process,” Gilbert says. “Outside our company, a good rule of thumb to ensure accuracy
Scott Maynor, Senior Project Manager, Cobb, Fendley & Associates
THE ZWEIG LETTER February 22, 2016, ISSUE 1140
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