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PROFILE
Inspiring others: Leisbel Lam Principal at MCE (Minneapolis, MN), one of the largest mechanical and electrical consulting engineering firms in the United States.
By LIISA ANDREASSEN Correspondent
A s a principal at MCE, Lam leads the government, higher education, and corporate markets. He started with the company in 2021 and was challenged to build a sector team from scratch – much like creating a start-up within a mature organization. He was intrigued by the idea and says from day one building his team started with a clear vision – to inspire others. His dream: to reinvent team dynamics in the MEP design environment. To meet this end, once the vision was clear, his strategy focused on five pillars: 1. Communicating vision clarity repeatedly. 2. Assessing organization culture, personality traits, day-to- day workflow dynamics, team microcultures, and work sharing culture among sectors. 3. Establishing an informal internal network across all functions of the organization.
4. Soliciting help and support from others to facilitate connections with key clients and partners. 5. Connecting with key players of his external professional network and updating them about his new role and the story he aims to make a reality. TEAM-BUILDING TACTICS. “Attracting top talent has been one of the key challenges facing our industry for years, and it got even more difficult during the pandemic,” he says. “But thanks to the unwavering support of MCE, my clear vision, my authenticity, and mindset, I was able to attract top talent who wanted to be part of a great story.” Lam gives special attention to employee retention in every move he makes. He coaches and joins forces with managers to cover as much ground as he can when it comes to manager- direct reports’ experiences. “At the end of the day, people are the only asset we have.
See LEISBEL LAM, page 10
THE ZWEIG LETTER JANUARY 15, 2024, ISSUE 1520
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