5
O P I N I O N
Tricky but essential
Innovation demands that we think, struggle, act, and sometimes fail. A tough slog, but it has to be done.
I t’s a balancing act to fit innovation into the daily practice of the AEC industry. Whether working for public or private clients, or in any of a variety of markets, consultants navigate a maze of twists and turns on our projects.
As AEC firm leaders, we juggle many business and human interests that demand our attention. It can feel difficult to fit anything more into your day. However, we must adapt and innovate, especially when faced with internal pressures and accelerating external change. Think artificial intelligence, blockchain, autonomous vehicles, smart sensors, extreme climates, war for talent, workplace flexibility – the list goes on and on. Major change can happen slowly or all at once. Sometimes, change creeps in surreptitiously and blossoms before we know it. I believe in the long-term sustainability of our company. A core value at Mead & Hunt is to continue our tradition of passing employee ownership to the next generation. That entails imbedding innovation into the culture of our firm, so we can thrive in the face of continued change. Big infrastructure and building challenges are not going away. On the contrary, they will continue to multiply. The ever-changing nature of our
industry and our world demands leadership and innovation. Mead & Hunt defines innovation as any improvement or significant contribution to a product, process, or service. Simply put, innovation is doing new things or finding new ways to create value for our employees and our customers. Mead & Hunt is an innovative company. We could not have survived and thrived for well over a century otherwise. We adopted a Strategic Plan for Innovation in 2015. In this plan, we forecast that “innovation will continue to add strength to competitive advantage, energy to creative thinking, and increased value to clients as Mead & Hunt journeys deep into its second century of success.” Our strategic plan recognizes that the implementation of innovative ideas is the key to
Amy Squitieri GUEST SPEAKER
See AMY SQUITIERI, page 8
THE ZWEIG LETTER October 15, 2018, ISSUE 1268
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