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In the years that Friedman & Partners has been in business, we have again and again seen the power of successful thought leadership efforts to ignite business. And yet, there are still many firms that get stuck in effectively adapting this proven marketing strategy and implementing it consistently. That is why we are sharing how one firm has taken a creative approach to becoming a trusted advisor in a niche market. Here’s what 120-per- son A/E firm GLMV Architecture (Wichita, KS) did in their zoos and aquariums practice, and what they learned along the way. “In many industries, we become insular in the way that we think,” says organizational development consultant and self-proclaimed zoo nerd Michael Clifford, GLMV’s Curator of Innovation and Partnerships, who runs the firm’s ECHO Initiative. “Zoos are established organiza- tions, often run by municipalities and private 503(c)3s, and are not necessarily set up for solving ecological, social, and environmental challenges in the way that the for-profit sector can.” Creating Space for Ideas GLMV saw an opportunity to spark new thinking by bringing zoo professionals together with innovators from outside their world to talk about how they are solving big challenges. They created ECHO, an annual think tank workshop for mid- and senior-level professionals in accredited zoos and aquariums, named for the “resonance” of the ideas they wanted to present. During the 2 ½ day invitation-only event, 35 zoo leaders come together to focus on ideas, innovations, and dialogue. Past speakers, called “Thought Partners,” have included NASA’s award-winning scientist Dr. Vikram Shyam, Joel Sartore of National Geographic Photo Ark, specialists in behavioral and community health, and authors such as Duke professor Dan Heath and inclusion specialist Nina Simon. The event—a mix of facilitation, presentation, and small group conver- sation—is designed for engagement. No presentations are scheduled during meals so that participants can focus on conversation. The goal: To put smart people in a room with time and space for ideas to collide. Logistics are taken care of by the ECHO team— from flight arrange- ments to airport transfers, shuttles, hotel accommodations, and meals. “We try to take care of all the details so that our attendees can focus on the content and collaboration,” says Clifford. Multiple years of sold out events has confirmed the value of GLMV’s approach. Participants say they value what it provides for those at the top of an organization and report that their time at ECHO pays off. Curating conversations: how one firm took a nontraditional approach to market positioning
“We hear that it is so wonderful to have the space and time to actually think,” says Clifford. “It can be hard for them to carve out time to be reflective during their regular routine.” Building on Success One senior vice president credited ECHO’s LEGO serious play session with changing his approach to executive meetings. He started conven- ing each meeting in a new location, from the animal keepers’ kitchen to the education offices. “Now those executives are seeing things they would never see, and it breaks down the sense of ivory tower than can exist around the executive team,” says Clifford. For Palm Springs’ Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, ECHO sparked the addition of rocking chairs in an older part of its zoo to encourage visitors to spend time with species that are not always a top attraction. Those rocking chairs are often in use, providing opportunities for more empathetic connections between humans and animals. Another zoo has used the ECHO model itself as inspiration to create more collaboration in their own organization. After the first successful event in 2016, participants asked for more. The result is ECHO Digital, a series of online conversations about big ideas and zoological challenges (recent ones tackled conservation impact and diversity and engagement). GLMV maintains a list of 400+ zoo leaders and sends out invites to register for the live calls. Atten- dance is limited to 12-25 to allow for idea sharing, but after the call, the whole list receives a written summary of top takeaways. “I’ve had several zoo directors tell me, “please make sure that we keep getting those summaries,” says Clifford, adding that the briefs are widely read by those who aren’t able to attend. The ROI of Commitment Since ECHO began, GLMV has seen its zoo work rise by 400 percent. The zoo studio has grown from 2 specialists to 10, and they are win- ning more complex, higher quality projects. One project on the boards (and presented at a recent industry conference) aims to be the most complex African habitat in the country, solving the design challenges of cohabitating species. Another created safety innovations that allow animal care staff to move top predators without being in the same space. “We want to improve innovation across the whole industry, not just with our clients,” says Clifford, adding that today’s highly educated zoo professionals expect a collaborative process, not a predetermined solution. “When we get hired, (clients) know that we are going to ask the tough questions, challenge the way they do things, and foster in- novative thinking.” Clifford believes that his non-A/E background has been an asset to ECHO’s success. “I don’t have the answers,” he says. “My job is to bring people together to identify their own problems and their own so- lutions. But I’ve also been in their shoes and that goes a long way, too.” As GLMV develops its position as a trusted advisor for zoo master planning and architectural design, they’ve leveraged Clifford’s OD
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february 2020
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