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SCHRADERGROUP’s 2021 holiday party.
TZL: SCHRADERGROUP’s careers page states you’re looking for people who are community-oriented and have a knack for detail, design, and collaboration. What are some tips for ensuring you’re hiring people who walk the talk? DS: We look for many things in new hires, but two top the list: common sense and team players. We think it’s critically important to make good decisions based on ingrained intuition and experience (where possible). We want everyone we hire to fit into the culture we’ve established so we can work harmoniously as a team. We tend not to have people pigeon- holed into specific roles, rather we expect people to work across a broad variety of tasks. We try to move individuals toward their strengths. On a team, we ask that everyone try everything and we’ll see where they land. “We build trust by demonstrating that we are true members of our client’s team and that we can be leaned on to support the expertise that we sell them on.” TZL: A firm’s longevity is valuable. What are you doing to encourage your staff to stick around? DS: We offer social opportunities for the staff to team-build. This is critical because a team that plays together can work together. It’s also important to offer growth paths – in individual careers as well as in potential management and company ownership. We want people to have a say in their day-to-day advancement. Staff turnover is the greatest challenge for a company and we’ve been blessed by people who stick around.
TRUSTWORTHY , from page 7
build trust by demonstrating that we are true members of their team and that we can be leaned on to support the expertise that we sell them on. Over time, they grow to trust us because we deliver what we say we can. And, when something doesn’t go as planned, we’re the first to step up to solve the problem. At the end of every project, I like to believe that our clients felt well guided to achieve their vision. TZL: What type of leader do you consider yourself to be? DS: I try to lead by example and want people to see my efforts. I believe I’m fair (perhaps to a fault in some cases), so I hope that when it comes time to reciprocate, they’ll remember. TZL: What do you most enjoy about your position – management, design, business development? Why? DS: This might actually be part of my downfall. If I focused on one aspect of the items described, the firm might be positioned better for higher levels of growth. I tend to work across all of these spaces. I might not have as much direct input into detailed design as I used to, but I do initiate the high-level design concepts. I do my best to manage the office with the help of others and am heavily involved in client management. I’m also a primary “rainmaker.” I suspect my favorite of all of these is the clients; it used to be design. We have such an incredible group of clients who are all trying to do the best they can for their specific constituencies. It’s one of the benefits of doing public work. TZL: In one word or phrase, what do you describe as your number one job responsibility? DS: The initiator, connector, and motivator.
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THE ZWEIG LETTER DECEMBER 5, 2022, ISSUE 1467
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