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of tax dollars. At WSB, I’ve been able to think strategically about operations and how they can affect staff, clients, and the company. TZL: WSB is an entrepreneurial growth firm. It’s also a large firm. How did you adjust to the business environ- ment of an aggressive private firm? MC: Throughout my career, I’ve been drawn to opportuni- ties that challenge me. Where others may shy away from challenge, I find them motivating and have pushed my- self to tackle them. I’ve savored WSB’s aggressive growth goals and I enjoy being part of a leadership team that ac- tively seeks opportunities. These opportunities allow for professional development throughout our organization. In the time I’ve been at WSB, I’ve grown as a professional and have worked hard to elevate the success of our transporta- tion group and company. We’ve set lofty goals and I look forward to achieving them. TZL: President and CEO Bret Weiss is a well-known in- dustry leader. What is it like working with him and his leadership team? MC: Bret gives his leadership team a lot of latitude but be- lieves in communication. I appreciate his management style and embrace the responsibility that Bret puts on his staff. He holds us accountable. I also think his entrepreneurial spirit has largely contributed to the success of WSB. TZL: Your specialty is major highway projects that cost millions and take years to finish. How do you keep things moving forward over such a long timeframe, when so many things can change from beginning to end? MC: Project success is built upon a strong team, especial- ly when working on long-term projects. As a project man- ager, part of my job is to clear the path for people on my team. I like to set expectations from the beginning to en- sure that my team feels ownership of the project. Empow- ering my team is important and it is not my job to make every decision or micromanage, but rather help solve chal- lenges and act as a resource for success. I want my team to feel that they have the confidence to make decisions at the right level. Balancing responsibility is incredibly important, and when done well, leads to success for both the project and the team. “The level of competition that exists amongst private firms was surprising to me. I’m a firm believer that collaboration creates success but understand that competition drives business.” TZL: Along with your role as COO, you also act as WSB’s Transportation Group Manager. What’s the key to keep- ing your team engaged, productive, and on the lookout for new work? MC: Keeping your team challenged by identifying the right opportunities for them is so important. I like to play to their strengths, but also give them room to grow. As a manager,

it’s my job to understand the skills of my staff and identify opportunities that fit these skills. I focus on putting people in the position to be successful. An engaged team leads to successful project results. If you’re challenged and enjoying your work, you’ll perform better. I have a great team around me and I am constantly looking for opportunities for them to thrive. “Throughout my career, I’ve been drawn to opportunities that challenge me. Where others may shy away from challenge, I find them motivating and have pushed myself to tackle them.” TZL: Public awareness and community engagement are crucial to successful delivery of an important piece of public infrastructure. What are a few of the lessons you’ve learned about the engagement process during your years with MnDOT? And how did you transfer that knowledge to WSB? MC: Transparency and speed of information is key to pub- lic engagement. The public expects accurate and quick infor- mation. It’s not fair for them to get their information from behind closed doors. Having spokespeople interacting face- to-face and leading communications efforts with the com- munity is effective. We need to be direct and when possible, give immediate answers. Engineers aren’t known for being extroverts, but direct communication skills are becoming increasingly important. For example, while working on Minnesota Highway 212, I went with a colleague to a neighborhood where an ac- cess was being changed. We spoke directly to residents and changed the access alignment immediately based on their feedback. The residents went from being outraged to grate- ful in a matter of minutes. Listening to the people that you’re impacting is vital to a project’s success. TZL: The 2007 collapse of the I-35W bridge in Minneapo- lis: How did this affect you and what did you learn from this tragedy? MC: The sensitivity surrounding this project was not lost on me, it aged me. Through this experience, I learned that a highly-functioning team – owner, contractor, and consul- tant – can accomplish enormous feats. Our team worked closely and resolved problems quickly and our issues resolu- tion process was so effective resulting in few change orders. We worked together to quickly identify and implement so- lutions and the level of collaboration throughout this proj- ect was incredible. On a personal level, this project humbled me. It brought to light the significance of engineering and how it impacts a community, both good and bad. If we do a bad job, it could result in tragedy. If we do a good job, it will improve our economy and quality of life. Unfortunately, we experienced both impacts during this project. The tragedy of the collapse was horrible. It reminded all of us of the risk we manage. The collapse of the I-35W bridge spurred a national effort to See LAND OF 10,000 LAKES, page 8

pril 29, 2019, ISSUE 1294

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