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OPINION
Giving credit where it’s due
Leadership isn’t about standing out – it’s about lifting others up and making sure no one’s contribution goes unseen.
A s a vice president of an environmental consulting firm, I’ve overseen countless projects – each with its own set of challenges, deadlines, and breakthroughs. We’ve celebrated hard-won victories and enjoyed smoother-than-expected successes. But one lesson that’s stuck with me, learned more often through missteps than triumphs, is this: success is never a solo achievement. It’s the product of collaboration – between the client, the consulting team, and every stakeholder involved.
Som Kundral, PE, BCEE
Throughout my 16 year career, I’ve noticed recognition disproportionately focused on the team leader or project manager – sometimes by the client, sometimes by our own organization, and, admittedly, sometimes by me. The quieter, though equally vital contributions often went unrecognized and, as I’ve grown in my career, so has my understanding that celebrating every individual contributor is not just nice, it’s essential. It builds trust, boosts morale, and strengthens a team’s sense of purpose. One project crystallized this for me. We were working on a high-stakes deliverable for a key client. While I held senior oversight, our project manager was the one in the trenches – juggling timelines, managing client expectations, and delivering polished updates with composure and clarity. This person made leadership look effortless.
But behind the scenes was a team of unsung heroes. One team member stayed up night after night analyzing complex data. Another transformed that data into strategy, directly shaping our recommendations. A quieter teammate – often overlooked – kept morale high with well-timed humor and unwavering support. When the client sent a glowing note of thanks and mentioned only the project manager by name, I missed the moment to publicly acknowledge the rest of the team. I regret that deeply but embrace it now as a significant learning moment. That experience became a turning point in my career. It reminded me of Maya Angelou’s words: “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did,
See SOM KUNDRAL, page 4
THE ZWEIG LETTER JULY 28, 2025, ISSUE 1595
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