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Inspire by example: Jeff Justice President of Hafer (Evansville, IN), a firm that has created environments that impact people’s lives with fun, thoughtful. and inspirational design since 1978.
By LIISA ANDREASSEN Correspondent
S ince 2004, Justice has provided design leadership across a wide spectrum of company projects. His responsibilities are two-fold: helping to shape Hafer’s strategic vision, and empowering employees to use their imaginations to create a better world. “I hope my friends view me as a servant leader – a person who does not seek recognition, but spends time building others up,” Justice says. “The mentality is to do whatever it takes to help the team be successful. The goal is to inspire by example.” A CONVERSATIONWITH JEFF JUSTICE. The Zweig Letter: Part of your firm’s philosophy states, “We don’t believe our designs should simply tell a story – they should enable it.” Can you illustrate what this means with a real-life example? Jeff Justice: When we design a project, we start by finding out what matters most to our clients and we listen intently to understand their mission, their story. Once we know these
things, we design a space that not only tells their story but allows them to live it each and every day. For example, a hospital client’s mission is “to be an innovative leader in health and wellness through unsurpassed quality, clinical care, and compassion for patients and their families.” As designers, our job is to then create a space that exudes excellence, allows staff to work efficiently, and provides patients and their families with safe and comforting spaces. Another example is when a corporation wishes for an office space where employees are inspired. Our role is to bring that company’s story to life by designing the space that emulates their brand, creating workspaces that give employees the flexibility to be creative and to collaborate to achieve their goals, and a space that sparks positivity and happiness. TZL: What type of leader do you consider yourself to be? JJ: I hope my friends view me as a servant leader – a person who does not seek recognition, but spends time building others up. The mentality is to do whatever it takes to help the team be successful. The goal is to inspire by example.
THE ZWEIG LETTER JANU
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