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When we do need to team up with a competitor for whatever reason, it should bring value to our client. If I already have a relationship with a competitor, I’m very comfortable calling them and having a conversation regarding upcoming opportunities, sharing our knowledge, and getting their opinion on projects or pursuits. For the past 25 years, I’ve built relationships within the industry, and those have served Garver, our clients, and our communities well. Having these enduring relationships also gives me insight into how our competitors think so that when we partner with them – or go head-to-head – I don’t have to read their minds. COMMUNITIES ARE THE REAL WINNERS. At the end of the day, the true beneficiaries of healthy competition are not the firms that win the contracts or the engineers who get the accolades. The real winners are the communities that gain access to clean water, reliable sanitation, and resilient infrastructure. When competition drives us to innovate, to exceed standards, and to deliver lasting value, it’s the public that reaps the rewards. That’s why we need to foster a culture of courageous, confident, and constructive competition in the AEC industry. Not for the sake of ego or market share, but for the sake of the people who depend on our work every day. Brian Shannon, PE is East Region Water Director at Garver. Connect with him on LinkedIn.
BRIAN SHANNON, from page 7
also builds confidence – not just in ourselves, but in our teams and our industry. When we see our peers delivering exceptional work, it inspires us to rise to the occasion. It reminds us that we are part of a dynamic, evolving field. That confidence is contagious. It empowers junior engineers to speak up and share their ideas; it encourages innovation; and it reassures clients and communities that they are in capable hands. When our junior engineers see us challenging the status quo, tackling complex multi-discipline projects, and contributing big-time to industry organizations, they feel inspired and energized. Empowering them to lead these efforts before they feel fully ready helps build their confidence, accelerating both their career growth and progress within the water industry. COLLABORATION THROUGH COMPETITION. Ironically, some of the most impactful collaborations I’ve experienced have emerged from competitive environments. The drive to deliver maximum value to our clients has brought together firms that might otherwise never have worked side by side. In these settings, competition doesn’t divide – it unites around a shared goal: delivering the best possible outcome for the people we serve. In water infrastructure, that might mean we partner with a firm that has expertise in an area that we do not, such as rate setting, geotechnical engineering, or subsurface utility investigation. These are not just technical challenges; they are human ones. And when we compete to solve them, we all win.
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THE ZWEIG LETTER OCTOBER 6, 2025, ISSUE 1604
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