9
O P I N I O N
Don’t suck
It might be a blunt mantra but it has a broad application across all facets of life and work, including the AEC industry.
W e all have leaders and figures in our lives who leave an enduring inspiration; those who we establish as the “high water mark” in our professional careers and whose standard we constantly strive to exceed. While I served in the Army and abroad in Iraq and Afghanistan, I had the privilege of such leadership in a number of individuals. But there was always one commander who made the greatest impression, and he had a great mantra: Don’t suck.
Shaun Theriot- Smith GUEST SPEAKER
and waning of business will give a lot of people the opportunity to experience the momentary highs of winning. But it’s in the discipline and “It was a simple phrase that often elicited a few laughs, but over the course of our deployment it became a touchstone for mission preparation and execution, and in part shaped how we took care of our soldiers.”
It was a simple phrase that often elicited a few laughs, but over the course of our deployment it became a touchstone for mission preparation and execution, and in part shaped how we took care of our soldiers. To this day, I always carry this commander’s challenge coin with me, which conveniently doubles as a bottle opener. Engraved on its face is this reminder of excellence: Don’t suck. A team member intuitively knows when their organization possesses a culture of excellence, almost like it’s written into the DNA of the company. This differs from the buzz of being on the “winning team.” The natural waxing
See SHAUN THERIOT-SMITH, page 10
THE ZWEIG LETTER July 9, 2018, ISSUE 1255
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