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Monthly health insurance premiums T R E N D L I N E S W W W . T H E Z W E I G L E T T E R . C O M M a y 7 , 2 0 1 8 , I s s u e 1 2 4 7

Keeping it together

O ne of the most frustrating aspects of being a business owner is when two or more employees – or worse – two or more work groups – both productive ones – don’t get along. One decides that they are making all the money. Or one decides that another group isn’t as profitable as it should be. Or someone thinks that someone else is being treated better than they are. Or one of many other things happens, large or small. Sometimes when this situation develops I just feel like banging people’s heads together and yelling at them, “The enemy (if there is one) is outside! We’re all on the same team!” Even if it were possible to actually knock heads, it probably wouldn’t make a lot of difference. Some people just seem bound and determined to compete with and/or battle with everyone else. So what can you do to foster better relationships and reduce harmful inter- company competition? Here are my thoughts: 1)Investigate and hear everyone out. Some- times people are upset for good reason. Don’t just assume that their problem is all on them. That’s a mistake a lot of managers make – assuming the complaints aren’t legitimate be- cause of their own preconceived notions about things. 2)Be careful what you measure and report on. Your scorecard could be a major factor in creating the problem. People don’t always see the long-term results. And overhead alloca- tions are arbitrary. And some units have the work they have because other units get the

“One of the most frustrating aspects of being a business owner is when two or more employees – or worse – two or more work groups – both productive ones – don’t get along.”

According to Zweig Group’s 2018 Policies, Procedures & Benefits Survey , monthly health insurance premiums paid by employees have steadily increased over the last three years. Though this is no surprise, it is interesting to note that over the same three-year timeframe, the percentage of premiums paid by firms has also increased at a steady pace. OPEN FOR PARTICIPATION zweiggroup.com/survey-participation/

Mark Zweig

F I R M I N D E X Gensler.................................................12

MORE COLUMNS xz CONTINUING ED: Destination education Page 3 xz GUEST SPEAKER: Leading creative spirits Page 9 xz FROM THE CHAIRMAN: Living the principles Page 11

Little......................................................10

Michael Baker International. ....................2

SVA Architects......................................10

T&M Associates......................................6 Conference call: Gary Dahms See MARK ZWEIG, page 2 Page 6

T H E V O I C E O F R E A S O N F O R A / E / P & E N V I R O N M E N TA L C O N S U L T I N G F I R M S

ON THE MOVE MICHAEL BAKER INTERNATIONAL STRENGTHENS SOUTHEAST CONSTRUCTION SERVICES PRACTICE WITH ADDITION OF TERESA IRBY-BUTLER: IRBY- BUTLERTOSUPPORT CRITICALWATER/WASTEWATER DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY Michael Baker International , a global leader in engineering, planning, and consulting services, has announced that Teresa Irby-Butler, P.E., CCM, PMP, joined the firm as water/wastewater regional construction services practice lead, serving Michael Baker International’s Southeast Region. Michael Baker International’s Southeast Region includes Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Based in the firm’s Orlando, Florida, office, Irby-Butler is responsible for assisting the National Construction Services Practice Lead in identifying, pursuing and executing national water/wastewater construction projects, while providing regional construction services leadership, expertise and mentorship to the firm’s Southeast Region. “We are thrilled to complement our growing Construction Services Practice with the addition of a construction management practitioner of Teresa’s caliber,” said Tom Zagorski, P.E., Michael Baker International’s national practice lead for construction services. “Teresa’s leadership and credentials, combined with her ability to successfully manage projects and industry relationships, exemplifies Michael Baker International’s commitment to the Water/Wastewater industry.” Irby-Butler brings more than 17 years of expertise in the design and construction of

Take your advice from Mark Zweig to-go.

major water/wastewater projects to her role at Michael Baker International. She provides expertise in pre-construction activities, including scheduling, estimating, constructability and biddability reviews, risk analysis and construction sequencing. Her construction management expertise includes inspection, commissioning, cost control and reporting for complex infrastructure construction projects and programs with construction values up to $2 billion. Irby-Butler is an active participant in the Construction Management Association of America, where she volunteers as a certified mentor in the Construction Manager-In-Training Mentor Program. She holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of South Alabama and is a licensed professional engineer in Florida, Illinois, Wisconsin, Alabama, New York, Texas, and Virginia. Michael Baker International is a leading provider of engineering and consulting services, including design, planning, architectural, environmental, construction and program management. The company provides its comprehensive range of services and solutions to support U.S. federal, state, and municipal governments, foreign allied governments, and a wide range of commercial clients. Michael Baker International’s more than 3,000 employees across nearly 100 locations are committed to a culture of innovation, collaboration and technological advancement to help solve challenges for clients and communities throughout the country.

thezweigletter.com/category/podcast/

1200 North College Ave. Fayetteville, AR 72703 Mark Zweig | Publisher mzweig@zweiggroup.com Richard Massey | Managing Editor rmassey@zweiggroup.com Christina Zweig | Contributing Editor christinaz@zweiggroup.com Sara Parkman | Editor and Designer sparkman@zweiggroup.com Liisa Andreassen | Correspondent landreassen@zweiggroup.com

MARK ZWEIG, from page 1

client in the first place. There are many complex interrelationships that need to be ac- knowledged. 3)Make sure your bonus program doesn’t reinforce the wrong things. If it is too slanted toward individual performance and group/team/department/office perfor- mance versus company-wide performance, you could be “getting what you are paying for.” My inclination is to pay out most of the money based on how the company per- formed overall. 4)Give praise where it is due – consistently and publicly. This is essential. If it is per- ceived that you have pet favorites, you’ll have some very unhappy people. Who you talk about and promote will determine this. And who you spend time with, too, will do the same. It makes a statement about who you like and who you don’t like. 5)Don’t talk about other people in a negative way. You could be inadvertently contrib- uting to the problem if you do this. You could be clearing the way for people to be too critical and judgmental. I am sure I have done this myself in the past but try to be more careful these days because I realize how toxic that can be. 6)Promote the idea of “one for all and all for one.” Bring up the issue at meetings. Talk about it, including the idea that various units do well at different points in time. Or how having one service line that is ostensibly not as profitable as another still benefits everyone and how. Or do as one CEO I know does – he has gone as far as putting “One company” on his email signature. MARK ZWEIG is Zweig Group’s chairman and founder. Contact him at mzweig@zweiggroup.com.

Tel: 800-466-6275 Fax: 800-842-1560

Email: info@zweiggroup.com Online: thezweigletter.com Twitter: twitter.com/zweigletter Facebook: facebook.com/thezweigletter Published continuously since 1992 by Zweig Group, Fayetteville, Arkansas, USA. ISSN 1068-1310. Issued weekly (48 issues/year) $250 for one-year print subscription; free electronic subscription at thezweigletter.com/subscribe Article reprints: For high-quality reprints, including Eprints and NXTprints, please contact The YGS Group at 717-399- 1900, ext. 139, or email TheZweigLetter@ TheYGSGroup.com. © Copyright 2018, Zweig Group. All rights reserved.

THE ZWEIG LETTER May 7, 2018, ISSUE 1247

O P I N I O N

Destination education

Zweig Group offers plenty of opportunities for education and training, but among the crown jewels are The Principals Academy and CEO Roundtable.

I f you work in the AEC industry, it almost goes without saying that you do important work – you design, create, and build many of the buildings, spaces, and structures that make our lives safer, healthier, and more satisfying. We are privileged at Zweig Group to support the mission of this industry by sharing the knowledge gained from our decades of experience helping and learning from the best performing firms.

Melissa Swann CONTINUING ED

core principles that help deliver a return on the significant investment of time and money. First, every detail and attribute of the destination by sharing the knowledge gained from our decades of experience helping and learning from the best performing firms.” “We are privileged at Zweig Group to support the mission of this industry

To that end, we also design, create, and build at Zweig Group – but rather than structures, we engineer experiences. Specifically, we are talking about the conferences, seminars, and other events where high-quality educational content is delivered through a physical environment that is conducive to learning, and a social environment that fosters human interaction. Taking precious time away from the job to attend an educational or training event may be viewed as either a “nice to do” or as a “need to do.” But we believe the experience can both satisfy the senses and accomplish essential professional growth objectives. Beyond ensuring the quality of speakers and content, there are a couple of

See MELISSA SWANN, page 4

THE ZWEIG LETTER May 7, 2018, ISSUE 1247

MELISSA SWANN, from page 3

experience that brings learning and personal growth to life – and brings life to learning and professional growth. Some of the particular features of the CEO Roundtable Retreat include: ❚ ❚ Opportunities for attendees to participate in the creation of the agenda based on pre-event input. Yes, that means sur- veys! ❚ ❚ Presentations of industry benchmarking data and analysis by Zweig Group consultants with the broadest perspective and lon- gest tenure in the industry. ❚ ❚ Special guest speakers selected to motivate and inspire through insights from other sectors and industries. ❚ ❚ Ample opportunities to learn from peers/other CEOs in non-competing firms in both structured and unstructured formats. ❚ ❚ All of which takes place in thoughtfully curated venues where the same attention to detail and to quality is reflected in all the amenities – the sights, sounds, soul, and taste of learning are all taken into account. Of course, the greatest potential value of an experience like the CEO Roundtable and The Principals Academy lies in what happens spontaneously, when peers with common problems and shared opportunities talk with one another openly, candidly, and without threat or fear of competition and judgment. “Nothing facilitates learning better than social interaction and the resultant human relationships. This is a principle that the most innovative educators are increasingly embracing.” You can be certain that Zweig Group will do everything possible in the planning and execution of these two events, or in any of our conferences and seminars , to maximize opportunities for those spontaneous happenings and the transformative growth that can come from the experience. If you are interested in learning more about our future CEO Roundtable Retreats please send me an email. I encourage you to share with me what experiences and locations would motivate you to sign-up. And we are still accepting registrations for The Principals Academy: ❚ ❚ Aspen, CO. June 7-8, 2018 ❚ ❚ Quebec City, QC. Canada July 19-20, 2018 ❚ ❚ Charleston, SC. October 25-26, 2018 MELISSA SWANN is Zweig Group’s events manager. She can be reached at mswann@zweiggroup.com.

– visual, audial, climatic, olfactory, ergonomic – must be considered as part and parcel to the educational experience. A comfortable and aesthetically pleasing physical space eliminates distractions and declutters the mind. “Taking precious time away from the job to attend an educational or training event may be viewed as either a ‘nice to do’ or as a ‘need to do.’ But we believe the experience can both satisfy the senses and accomplish essential professional growth objectives.” And second, nothing facilitates learning better than social interaction and the resultant human relationships. This is a principle that the most innovative educators are increasingly embracing; in practical terms, it means that attendees participate in activities, share personal stories and professional experiences that make for a whole new level of engagement in learning. Noted psychologist Lev Vygotsky emphasizes the importance of community and conversation as central to learning. Theoretical physicist David Bohm introduced the concept of dialogue as a free-flowing conversation where participants suspend judgment and foster a special appreciation for each other’s uniqueness, which leads to deeper levels of understanding and creative problem solving. To take it one step further, management consultant William Isaacs defines dialogue as a conversation in which people think together. Thinking together implies that you release certainty and acknowledge possibilities simply by interacting with others. When we think together without attachments we find ways to access connections and collaborations that might not otherwise have occurred. Theory aside, as professionals and human beings, we simply need to enjoy life and learning, as well as enjoy the company of our fellow man. The stresses and strains of the industry make that joy harder and harder to come by. This is true even for those of us who have achieved the greatest success in our professions. It is perhaps most true for the CEO, president, partner, and principal. To address that oft-neglected need among the C-suite executives, Zweig Group has designed exclusive events for the top leaders and aspiring leaders of AEC firms. The CEO Roundtable Retreat and The Principals Academy create a forum for reviewing and discussing the highest-level issues facing the leaders of today’s AEC firm. Two-and-a-half days of education, inspiration, and networking in signature locations across North America provide attendees a rich

TALK TO US Are you interested in having your firm featured in our Business News section? Let us know. If interested, please send your press release to sparkman@zweiggroup.com.

THE ZWEIG LETTER May 7, 2018, ISSUE 1247

ZWEIG GROUP’S

The Principals Academy is wo full days of education, inspiration and ne working in signature locations across Noth America, providing atendees a rich experience that brings learning and personal growth to life – and brings life to learning and professional growth.

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Business planning

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Firm ownership and transition

How to lead a successful firm

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events@zweiggroup.com

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1.800.466.6275

THE ZWEIG LETTER May 7, 2018, ISSUE 1247

P R O F I L E

Conference call: Gary Dahms President, CEO, and chairman of the board for T&M Associates (Hot Firm #73 for 2016), a 350-person engineering firm based in Middletown, New Jersey.

By LIISA ANDREASSEN Correspondent

G ary Dahms, PE, PP, CME, has beenwith the firm for more than 30 years. Since 2012, he’s served as president, CEO, and chairman of the board. Dur- ing this time, he’s spearheaded the firm’s evolution from a municipal engineering firm into a full-ser- vice, multi-disciplined consulting company with 19 offices in eight states. “The workforce consists of baby boomers, Gen- eration Xers, and millennials, and each group has different drivers, motivators, and are at different points in their careers,” Dahms says. “However, when their individual goals and career progression paths are aligned with corporate goals and there is engagement from the top down, we all succeed.” A CONVERSATION WITH GARY DAHMS. The Zweig Letter: The talent war in the A/E in- dustry is here. What steps do you take to create the leadership pipeline needed to retain your top people and not lose them to other firms?

Gary Dahms: We’ve developed clearly-defined, ca- reer progression paths to help us cultivate, retain, and attract exceptional employees in all areas. We work to provide guidance, consistency, and an envi- ronment that fosters career growth and opportuni- ty. Each path is unique and shaped by factors such as skill set, ability, interest, availability of appropri- ate opportunities, performance, and motivation. As a means to this end, we provide a variety of re- sources to help guide employees down their cho- sen path. We have continuous company-sponsored training on many levels and platforms including our own T&M University. We provide project man- agement training and tools and give them oppor- tunities to attend conferences and trade shows. We offer tuition assistance and have assembled a “Young Professionals” group. We’ve chartered a Toastmasters International club which focuses on improving our employees’ public speaking abilities while boosting confidence and building leadership skills.

Gary Dahms, President, CEO, & Chair- man, T&M Associates

THE ZWEIG LETTER M

We’ve also implemented a social rec- ognition program where employees can give recognition to others based on T&M’s core values. The internal vis- ibility of acknowledging superior per- formance as it relates to these values has proven beneficial to our positive workplace culture. TZL: As you look for talent, what po- sition do you most need to fill in the coming year and why? GD: We’re looking for all levels, but mid-level project managers across ge- ographies and practices are our high- est priority. We’re continually search- ing for technical experts to expand on our existing capabilities and that align with growth. TZL: While plenty of firms have an ownership transition plan in place, many do not. What’s your advice for firms that have not taken steps to identify and empower the next gen- eration of owners? GD: Start now, it’s never too early. We’re wholly owned by company em- ployees. Our stockholders are the owners and leaders. The program we have in place maps out the criteria and steps that need to be taken from any stage in their career to become a stockholder. Regardless of age, our stockholders range from millennials to baby boomers and they must be motivated to improve, innovate, and grow the business. A clear vision and strategic plan for the future helps us to identify those next generation lead- ers who will help lead the firm to those goals and beyond. TZL: Monthly happy hours and dog friendly offices. What do today’s CEOs need to know about today’s workforce? GD: Although you will not find any an- imals roaming our offices, we do have our fair share of happy hours, social engagements, and community out- reach events. Company culture is im- portant. The workforce consists of baby boomers, Generation Xers, and millennials and each group has dif- ferent drivers, motivators, and are at different points in their careers. How- ever, when their individual goals and career progression paths are aligned with corporate goals and there is en- gagement from the top down, we all succeed.

Today’s workforce wants more than just a 9 to 5 job. They want to find the right company with the right culture and purpose. They desire an environ- ment that supports advancement, in- novation, and cutting-edge tools to advance their career. Everything is more personalized now. No two paths are the same. TZL: Zweig Group research shows there has been a shift in business development strategies. More and more, technical staff, not marketing staff, are responsible for BD. What’s the BD formula in your firm? GD: Our clients are diverse – they range from Fortune 500 companies to small municipalities. Our business de- velopment strategy is a hybrid of tra- ditional marketing/business develop- ment representatives and seller-doers. We find the seller-doer model is more effective with the more technical cli- ents/practices while the traditional marketer/business developer is more effective in the municipal consulting arena. Both technical and marketing BD staff present at national, regional, and lo- cal conferences; are published in var- ious business and trade publications; and are award winners who represent T&M as subject matter experts and thought leaders. Our BD formula is continually be- ing refined based on geography, cli- ent, practice, technology, etc. We have found that our strategic plan is shift- ing from the pure BD models to com- pete on a technical level, but the tradi- tional BD model still works to estab- lish and retain relationships. TZL: Diversifying the portfolio is never a bad thing. What are the most recent steps you’ve taken to broaden your revenue streams? GD: Although always focused on grow- ing our core services – water resourc- es, environmental, real estate devel- opment, municipal/public works and transportation – we’ve expanded our service/practice lines. These emerging practice areas – technology (GIS, auto- mation, and IT), energy, construction management/project management – are stand-alone and open up new opportunities with new clients, but are also complementary to our core See CONFERENCE CALL, page 8

YEAR FOUNDED: 1966 HEADQUARTERS: Middletown, NJ OFFICES: 19 offices in 8 states NO. OF EMPLOYEES: 350 MARKETS: ❚ ❚ Educational/institutional ❚ ❚ Energy/utilities ❚ ❚ Environmental ❚ ❚ Hospitals/healthcare ❚ ❚ Local government ❚ ❚ Manufacturing/industrial ❚ ❚ Real estate and development ❚ ❚ Transportation/infrastructure THE T&M EXPERIENCE

T&M offers a broad range of programs to help its employees achieve their full potential, realize rewarding and fulfilling career opportunities, and make an impact within the communities they serve. For example, Operation Outreach is a company-wide initiative that helps employees in need, supporting their partner communities through volunteerism and promoting STEM education. Under the program, T&M volunteers routinely participate in blood drives, STEM education events, beach cleanups, food drives, home rebuilds, and numerous other community service events.

May 7, 2018, ISSUE 1247

CONFERENCE CALL, from page 7

management policies for your project teams? Is it differ- ent for different clients? GD: To manage our time more efficiently, we’ve been more proactive with upfront planning and preparation, standard- izing procedures, and delegation of resources. If everyone is on the same page, that allows us to share resources. TZL: Measuring the effectiveness of marketing is diffi- cult to do using hard metrics for ROI. How do you evalu- ate the success/failure of your firm’s marketing efforts when results could take months, or even years, to mate- rialize? Do you track any metrics to guide your market- ing plan? GD: Generally, yes. We track opportunity win/loss; gather statistics from digital marketing; determine cost of sales versus project cost with overhead numbers; and monitor hit rates on proposals. Our practice business plans have spe- cific, targeted growth and are tied to key metrics – staffing, geographies, etc. Our structure is so that operations manag- ers and practice leaders work together. It ties back to seller- doer versus traditional BD strategy. If we can better define marketing efforts, it will relate to overhead rates and grow business. TZL: The last few years have been good for the A/E indus- try. Is there a downturn in the forecast, and if so, when and to what severity? GD: We’ve seen a great deal of growth in the past few years, but I don’t see a real downturn – perhaps more of a leveling off. A lot of our personal growth can be attributed to recov- ery efforts in the New Jersey region due to storms such as Irene and Sandy. Sustainability/resiliency are still high on the priority list, but it’s plateauing. TZL: They say failure is a great teacher. What’s the big- gest lesson you’ve had to learn the hard way? GD: Go with your gut. Trust yourself when deciding on busi- ness partners or the direction of the company. Finding the right leadership for the company needs to align on many levels and the culture needs to align with strategic goals. TZL: While M&A is always an option, there’s something to be said about organic growth. What are your thoughts on why and how to grow a firm? GD: Our greatest success has been with strategic hires. For us, it’s the best market builder. We acquire an individual with a small team, provide assets to grow and they build the business. For example, in the Midwest region, we hired a lo- cal super star who brought in five people to start up our Co- lumbus, Ohio office. That office has now grown to more than 50 people with seven satellite offices. We have a healthy bal- ance of M&A and organic growth. TZL: What’s your prediction for 2018? GD: Modest growth in our core services and existing geog- raphies and improved performance over last year. We will continue to attract and retain key leadership talent, keep succession and transition in focus, and bring in high prior- ity succession planning.

services/clients. For example, energy services are both a new market for us and also a service we can offer to many existing clients. TZL: The list of responsibilities for project managers is seemingly endless. How do you keep your PMs from burning out? And if they crash, how do you get them back out on the road, so to speak? GD: The project manager is the most critical position – it determines success – and since projects are the lifeblood of our business, the job carries a lot of responsibility. To pre- vent burnout, growing into the role takes time and commit- ment and our Career Progression Paths help lead project managers down that chosen tract. Assembling the right team from the start and effective team collaboration is critical. From client management and op- portunity tracking to technical input and project closeouts, the project manager is only one person on the project team. Regular communication, a clear project work plan, project review meetings, early identification of risks and potential problems, and swift problem-solving and corrective action are essentials for every team. Project managers pull support from the operations managers, practice leaders as well as technical folks. “Go with your gut. Trust yourself when deciding on business partners or the direction of the company. Finding the right leadership for the company needs to align on many levels and the culture needs to align with strategic goals.” TZL: What is the role of entrepreneurship in your firm? GD: Entrepreneurship plays a key role. It’s evidenced in our growth over the past 50-plus years. In 1966, T&M employed seven people and served the municipal sector. Now, we have 350 employees who service a variety of clients. Our entre- preneurship/intrapreneurship got us there. Innovation is all around us. We need to do everything possible to keep the new ideas, strategies, and technologies flowing. Our dis- tribution of profits is designed to reward those innovators who have contributed toward our success. TZL: In the next couple of years, what A/E segments will heat up, and which ones will cool down? GD: Hot segments are urban redevelopment, infrastruc- ture (water, sewer, transportation), and environmental. I don’t see any segment so much cooling as changing. There are segments that are cyclical or rely on funding opportuni- ties (e.g., real estate or transportation), and what allows us to weather these changes in demand is our adaptive ability. Our talent is diverse and their training has allowed them to morph to the changing landscape. TZL: With overhead rates declining over the last five years and utilization rates slowly climbing back up to pre-recession levels, how do you deal with time

THE ZWEIG LETTER May 7, 2018, ISSUE 1247

O P I N I O N

Leading creative spirits

Understanding what fans their flames and what douses their embers will foster a more productive and fulfilling environment for everyone.

Editor’s note: This top eight list was borrowed from Tony Morgan, chief strategic officer and founder of The Unstuck Group. The descriptions for each, however, are original to this article. I came to Little about a year and a half ago from a global energy and technologies company. And while, believe it or not, there is plenty of creativity and innovation that goes into steam boilers, turbines, and nuclear power, it’s fair to say that it’s a bit different than the creativity I’ve experienced at Little.

however, there are best practices when it comes to leading creatives. “The best part about working at a design firm is that the entire environment is an incubator for creativity.”

Kate Bitterwolf- Hyde GUEST SPEAKER

The best part about working at a design firm is that the entire environment is an incubator for creativity. I’m surrounded by architects, graphic designers, interior architects, digital media experts, engineers, brand stewards, visual merchandisers, and space/land planners, whose passion, attention to detail, and abstract thinking is exciting, endearing and occasionally challenging. As the national director of human resources, it’s critical that I and other leaders in the industry understand that design professionals are who they are and that no two are alike. I’ve learned,

1)Tell them what to do, not how to do it. While

See KATE BITTERWOLF-HYDE, page 10

THE ZWEIG LETTER May 7, 2018, ISSUE 1247

BUSINESS NEWS SVA ARCHITECTS’ DESIGN FOR LONG BEACH CITY COLLEGE CELEBRATED AT GROUNDBREAKING SVA Architects , along with Long Beach City College and Novus Construction, announced the groundbreaking ceremony for a $25 million renovation and addition to Auditorium J at Long Beach City College. The two-year college educates more than 33,000 students per year and is one of the largest community colleges in California. The renovations to Auditorium J, which is dedicated to performing arts activities, are being funded by voter-approved Measures E and LB. Long Beach City College joins SVA’s ever-expanding portfolio of improved educational settings featuring state-of-the-art technology and efficient design. Ernesto M. Vasquez, FAIA, CEO of SVA Architects, states, “We are excited to be a part of Long Beach City College’s campus renaissance. Bond measures passed in the

past 15 years have provided new facilities and modernized learning environments. Long Beach City College continues to become better equipped to prepare its students to succeed in the 21st century.” SVA’s Long Beach City College project includes both new construction and modernization for an existing performing arts auditorium originally built in 1956. The 37,878-square-foot renovation includes a complete redesign of the entry, lobby, and restrooms, as well as substantial work within the auditorium including rehab of all seating and the addition of accessible control areas. All backstage and support areas are being completely modernized. The project also includes constructing a new, 14,449-square- foot, two-story addition designed to blend with the existing structure and the surrounding campus. The addition includes a costume

shop, paint room, offices and new classrooms for theater production and dance. Construction is anticipated to be complete in fall 2019. The project was designed by SVA Architects, and is being built by Novus Construction. Robert Simons, AIA, president of SVA Architects, states, “It’s both challenging and highly rewarding working on a campus that has been educating students for 90 years. Our design and construction team is thrilled to be bringing our expertise to modernize this space where students can learn, engage, and create life-long memories.” Founded in 2003, SVA Architects has become one of the country’s most innovative and respected design and planning organizations. The award-winning firm specializes in urban planning, architecture, and interior design of public, private, and mixed-use projects.

KATE BITTERWOLF-HYDE, from page 9

5)Routine can easily lead to boredom. Sometimes we silo our creatives within a particular project type because that’s where we’ve seen them excel or it’s simply where we need their help most. Make sure you balance that day-to-day need with what truly inspires them and gets their creative juices flowing. Give them the freedom to explore new challenges and opportuni- ties – you may be surprised what this may lead to in their day-to-day tasks. 6)They deliver new ideas but dread the details. A good deal of research shows that creatives are full of ideas, and that de- tails make their heads spin. That’s why having them on teams where they are balanced by more organized teammates who can help make sense of the ideas is important. Focus the cre- atives on tasks that benefit from the strength you hired them for and let those well-suited for project management and ex- ecution attend to the details. 7)They need a creative and participative environment. Cre- ative people value collaboration. In fact, the best results often come when creative teams work together constructively. The breadth of diverse creative teams – not just gender, age, and ethnicity, but also life experiences – stokes new ideas and in- fluences a different way of thinking. 8)Constraints are good but they need to experience free- dom. As leaders of creatives, there’s a balance of placing “boxes” around these employees and giving them free reign. Sometimes, constraints are the opportunities and having a “box” to push against allows your creative employees to think outside of it. There’s no magic formula for leading your creative team, but understanding what fans their flames and what douses their embers will foster a more productive and professionally fulfilling environment for everyone. And keep in mind that creativity isn’t reserved for right brain types; many left brainers embody their own version of creativity and will benefit from leaders who keep these tips in mind. I should know – the engineers and techies I have worked with continually surprise me with their ideas and creative solutions. KATE BITTERWOLF-HYDE is Little’s national director of human resources. She can be reached at kate.bitterwolfhyde@littleonline.com.

creatives do need to be briefed properly on the task at hand, they have an experimental mindset. As leaders in a creative industry, we have to not only invest in this but also set the example. Oftentimes, a project led by a creative means allow- ing time for experimentation and fact-finding while embrac- ing the potential for failure. It’s this process that moves us all toward bigger success and innovation. 2)Know they’ll be emotionally attached to what they cre- ate. Giving effective feedback is challenging. Employees who work on complicated creative projects can internalize and almost become the project for a while. In our business, this is where design critiques or pin-ups become valuable exercises. So the way we offer feedback should be rooted in empathy, with the understanding that we’re all in it together. It is also important to remind the creator that they are not their idea. Feedback is focused on the idea, not on them as an individual. “There’s no magic formula for leading your creative team, but understanding what fans their flame and what douses their embers will foster a more productive and professionally fulfilling environment for everyone.” 3)They’ll need a deadline but it needs to be reasonable. Whether you’re dealing with an architect who’s designing a building or a marketing employee who’s designing a presenta- tion, deadlines are important. While they may cringe at the sound of the word, creative people admit they need the struc- ture. However, make sure everyone agrees the deadline is rea- sonable; otherwise, you’ll end up with a frustrated employee and suboptimal results. 4)They are more motivated by praise than by money. The secret to getting great work out of your creatives is to praise them. Money definitely doesn’t hurt either, but let’s be real. Don’t you think they would have chosen a different profes- sion – law or healthcare, perhaps – if they were in it for the money?

THE ZWEIG LETTER May 7, 2018, ISSUE 1247

O P I N I O N

Living the principles

T his is the third installment of a three-part discussion on the topic of job success, which started with “How to Find a Job.” In Part Two, I addressed “After Landing the Job,” introducing the notion that job success goes beyond great design and producing the best work. Honoring your clients’ business success above all else will enhance your firm’s reputation and bottom line – without compromising design.

Edward Friedrichs

In this last post, I discuss the five guiding principles that defined my 34-year career at Gensler. Here are the five principles and examples to demonstrate how they worked in practice: 1)We’re in the business of using design as a busi- ness tool, not to win awards. Western States Bankcard Association: Gensler was hired to do a new operations/computer center. I was assigned the call center. This may seem menial, but it led to many other call centers after its successful completion. But first, imagine the existing facility. It featured long lines of 30-by-40-inch single-pedestal desks, lined up so each person was looking at the backs of the people in front. Employees worked a half-hour on and a half-hour off, punching a time clock at each rotation. At breaks, they went to the lunch room that featured a bank of refrigerators, each smelling of week-old sandwiches. Average longevity in the call center was a dismal 7.5 months.

I proposed to the manager that a business goal for a redesign would be to create a more pleasant working environment while increasing efficiency and reduc- ing the turnover rate. The manager said, “You can’t take one square foot of space more than we’ve allo- cated or spend one dime over budget. Good luck.” “We wanted to know how a physical space would affect behavior, and we encouraged anyone interested in this to become well acquainted with the subject.” Our solution used the prescribed footprint and came in on budget. ❚ ❚ We created three-sided surrounds for each desk using four-by-eight-foot burlap wrapped panels

See EDWARD FRIEDRICHS, page 12

THE ZWEIG LETTER May 7, 2018, ISSUE 1247

EDWARD FRIEDRICHS, from page 11

ability to see the connecting gate, resulting in missed con- necting flights and an overnight stay in Los Angeles and, perhaps, a missed day of work. Our solution was higher ceilings with warm-colored, indirect lighting, allowing passengers to look and feel as good and healthy as they did when they left the beach. And we moved the bars close to a cluster of gates, making it easier for pas- sengers to see and hear the call for connecting flights. We surrounded these areas with kentia palms, and Delta named them Delta’s Oases. The results: Delta’s market share for those important routes increased by 15 to 20 percent. Subsequently, Gensler got heavily into the airport business. 3)We asked everyone to adopt a collaborative attitude, us- ing the aggregated talent of the firm for each client. We believed the “expert” in the firm on a subject, regardless of location, should be part of the project team. As a result, we had people traveling to other offices frequently. Team camara- derie was seamless because we instilled the habit of working across office boundaries. An example was General Motors, which asked us to make a proposal on relocating the corporation’s Detroit headquarters to the Renaissance Center. Following the initial interview on a Friday, we were asked if we were to receive a call on Saturday, could we have a team in place Monday morning. We got the call on Saturday. We mobilized 17 people from five different offices. They were on the job Monday morning. Because they had the practice of collaboratively working together, they hit the ground running. 4)We were all in this together with a common goal – the best business solution that met a client’s needs and goals. Our focus on addressing our clients’ business needs did not stop us from delivering aesthetically-pleasing design solutions. We stayed very close to this by studying sociology. We wanted to know how a physical space would affect behav- ior, and we encouraged anyone interested in this to become well acquainted with the subject. We brought in a number of experts in the field, and those lectures were either broadcast or made available to the entirety of our design staff. The re- sults of this effort showed up repeatedly in design approaches and client/customer enjoyment of the spaces we created that were consistent with our client’s businesses. 5)We carefully documented our client’s performance goals. Up-front metrics and continual measurements against those metrics became a given with every project. Along the way, we could sense our clients’ pride in what we’d accomplished. We credited much of our success to this documentation and measurement reporting. Our clients told their peers about what they’d learned about “real design.” Because metrics and documentation against the client’s goals were required for virtually every project, the case studies were endless. We had happy clients, proud employees and an expanding business because of referrals. Whether you’re a new employee or a seasoned veteran, promoting and living the principles of a firm that values clients’ business success above all else will guarantee your teams’ satisfaction and enhance your firm’s reputation and bottom line – without compromising design. EDWARD FRIEDRICHS, FAIA, FIIDA, is the former CEO and president of Gensler. Contact him at efriedrichs@zweiggroup.com.

($4.99 a piece), sliced in half horizontally. ❚ ❚ We rotated every other desk 180 degrees so people had a place on each side to pin up pictures of family or a pet. ❚ ❚ After I asked the manager if she cared when the staff worked, I had data processing develop a computer algo- rithm, allowing employees to check in and check out online at their desks. As long as the employees work four hours a day with four hours off, she didn’t care. ❚ ❚ This gave supervisors flexibility to manage times on the computer according to call volume, which they had a reader board to monitor. ❚ ❚ We moved the break area to the work room, separated with a cluster of trees and featuring lounge seating and refrig- erators that were cleaned daily. The results may not have won design awards, but it was pub- lished in a design magazine and the business ROI was signifi- cant for both the client and our firm. ❚ ❚ Average longevity at the call center went from 7.5 months to 13.5 months. ❚ ❚ Caller satisfaction improved, which allowed a reduction in staff. ❚ ❚ The cost of recruiting and training was cut in half. ❚ ❚ Gensler subsequently got a lot of call center work. “Whether you’re a new employee or a seasoned veteran, promoting and living the principles of a firm that values clients’ business success above all else will guarantee your teams’ satisfaction and enhance your firm’s reputation and bottom line – without compromising design.” 2)We should make each design solution suit our client’s culture, both for the employees and their clients or cus- tomers. The example here is the Delta Airlines terminal at Los Angeles International Airport. Delta chose Gensler to do the interior design. At the first meeting, we asked the client how they would de- fine success. Delta’s answer was simple: “We will be successful if Delta gains market share over United and American, with whom we compete for the same connecting routes from LAX to Honolulu and Mexico.” We got Delta’s and the airport’s permission to interview pas- sengers. Here’s what we learned: ❚ ❚ No one remembered their outbound flight; it’s the return experience that mattered. ❚ ❚ A typical response was: “I’ve been on the beach all week. I’m tan and happy. I enjoy a couple of umbrella drinks on the return flight. On arrival, I’m drowsy and confronted with a search for the connecting gate, a low-ceiling con- course and mercury vapor (blue) downlights that make us look like cadavers.” ❚ ❚ Waiting for the connecting flight might entail a stop for a last umbrella drink at an airport bar with low lights and no

THE ZWEIG LETTER May 7, 2018, ISSUE 1247

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