10
TRANSACTIONS PAPE-DAWSON ACQUIRES FLORIDA- BASED BONNETT DESIGN GROUP Pape- Dawson has acquired Bonnett Design Group, a respected Maitland-based firm specializing in landscape architecture and planning. This acquisition marks Pape-Dawson’s fourth in Florida, further strengthening its capabilities and enhancing the comprehensive services available to clients across Florida. An established leading provider of civil engineering, surveying, and related professional services, Pape-Dawson
has strategically expanded its presence in Florida. Bonnett Design Group brings specialized expertise in landscape architecture and planning, allowing the firm’s Florida teams to offer an enhanced, one-stop approach to infrastructure and land development projects. “The addition of BDG strengthens our commitment to providing our Florida clients with comprehensive, multidisciplinary services,” said Trey Dawson, president of Pape-Dawson. “Together, we will elevate the value we
bring to our clients and deliver design solutions that merge Bonnett Design Group’s visionary community planning with engineering precision.” “Joining Pape-Dawson marks an exciting new chapter for us,” said Todd Bonnett, principal of BDG. “Our shared values, combined strengths, and expanded resources will empower us to deliver even more impactful, sustainable designs throughout the state.”
■ Agency creates ownership. If you want your team to follow your processes – not because they’re told to, but because they want to – try this: ■ Understand the current misbelief and define what you want your people to believe. Rather than saying, “Creating and maintaining a project plan takes too much time and gives little value,” try, “Spending time upfront on a project plan saves time, reduces stress, and helps me hit my KPIs.” ■ Tell a story from your personal experience. If your goal is to influence behavior, start with the people, not the task. ■ Understand what people want and what’s at stake. They want to finish projects on time and hit profitability targets. Their credibility, stress level, and bonus potential are at stake. ■ Provide what Lisa Cron calls an “Aha” moment. Give them a realistic moment where their misbelief fails them. Finally, don’t preach. Prompt. People are more likely to take action when they feel the decision is theirs, rather than something forced upon them. If you tell your team, “You have to follow this process,” they may comply temporarily, but it feels imposed. But if you tell a story where someone just like them faced a challenge, chose to use the process, and succeeded, they begin to see the value. You haven’t told them what to do. You’ve shown them what’s possible. Now they can choose to follow the process because they see the benefit. That’s human agency. And once they choose it, they’re more likely to take responsibility for it. That’s ownership. Storytelling is not fluff; it’s a strategic tool. As a manager, your ability to influence your team doesn’t come just from authority. It comes from your ability to make them care. When you lead with a story, you move past resistance and tap into motivation. That’s how you shift behavior. That’s how you build accountability. And that’s how you get projects across the finish line – with your team fully on board. Greg Sepeda is a former engineering manager and is currently rewired as a management consultant. Connect with him on LinkedIn .
GREG SEPEDA, from page 9
So, we tried a different approach. The next week, instead of slides, Jake told a story: “It was 5:30 p.m. last Thursday. I was staring at my inbox, realizing I couldn’t finish the invoice. Why? Half the team logged time to the wrong phase, and the project plan didn’t reflect the updated scope. I hadn’t touched the plan in a month because – honestly – it always felt like a time suck. Now, I was scrambling to fix the numbers, emailing three people for clarification, and delaying the invoice another day. Again. And all while my sons were waiting in the kitchen for me to take them to the park and throw the football with the other dads. “I always believed that maintaining the project plan just added more work. As long as I kept things in my head or on a scratch pad, I’d be fine. “But this time was different. A change order hadn’t been logged, a task slipped through the cracks, and the project now looked like it was overrunning, when it actually wasn’t. The client noticed. My boss noticed. And my stress? Through the roof. “That night, frustrated, I spent 45 minutes updating the project plan. I realigned phases, adjusted the budget, added the missing task, and set alerts for scope items. It wasn’t glamorous, but something shifted. I saw the data tell a story. And for the first time, I felt ahead of it. “A month later, I walked into the project review meeting feeling confident. My ETCs were accurate. My schedule reflected reality. And invoicing? Done early, for once. The time I invested in the project plan paid off – not in more work, but in fewer surprises, cleaner execution, and a stronger reputation.” The result? Use of the project plans spiked. Why does this work? Lisa Cron makes the case that story is how the brain makes meaning. It’s how we simulate risk, make predictions, and evaluate what matters.
Emotion and conflict engage attention.
■
Relatability builds buy-in.
■
© Copyright 2025. Zweig Group. All rights reserved.
THE ZWEIG LETTER OCTOBER 20, 2025, ISSUE 1606
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker