Year: 2010

AEC Leadership Development – On a $1 a Day?

Dec 21, 2010adminBusiness Improvement, Leadership Development

OK, maybe not a dollar a day – but I’ll bet it’s less than you think. Few will argue against the importance and value of true leadership. In most all cases, effective leadership is the core of organization success. Still, many firms – particularly smaller ones – struggle with the cost of leadership – in time, effort, and dollars. But what if you could have it – strong, effective, and sustainable leadership – with a lot less investment? Interested? For the first sixteen years of my career I worked at Exxon Corporation (today Exxon Mobil). Exxon is of course a […]

AEC Leaders, Recharge for the Recovery!

Dec 21, 2010adminUncategorized

“Hello? Are you there?” You’re right in the middle of a really important call – with your best client or a gigantic prospect – and … nothing. Your cell phone dies – battery dead. There you sit – in the car, on a plane, at the park – and out of luck. No connection …no juice … no deal. Sound familiar? Is this the road you’re planning for your business as well? Certainly not intentionally, but perhaps inadvertently so. Like many today you’re probably running nonstop and working as hard as ever – just to keep the firm (and yourself) […]

“All right, what do we got here?” AEC Organizational Assessment

Dec 21, 2010adminBusiness Improvement, Operations, Planning

Here’s a thought: AEC principals can learn a lot about business improvement and effective firm management from television crime shows. Sound crazy? My wife Megan loves these shows – the police ‘procedurals.’ Most use a familiar structure – a victim in the opening frames, arrival of the lead investigator, and the obligatory question: “all right, what do we got here?” Queue the music, run the title shot, and cut. A perfect set up of context, background, and preliminary hypothesis. It’s fast paced, exciting, and entertaining – and nicely packaged up before the first commercials. Don’t you wish your business was […]

Business Improvement for AEC Firms – The Organization Assessment

Oct 14, 2010adminBusiness Improvement, Operations, Planning

Let’s Talk! Communications and Business Improvement in the AE Firm

Sep 3, 2010adminBusiness Improvement

Question: how’s the communication going in your firm today? I’d say not well enough – and without knowing anything about you. A safe bet, for three reasons: 1) almost all AE firms and their leaders get by with way too little (and too ineffective) communication, 2) the recession has shifted the “story” in many companies from ‘good’ to ‘bad’ (or at least ‘not as good’), and 3) there’s frankly no such thing as too much communication. But if you’re at all like me, the last thing you want is to have someone “harping” on the importance of good communication. Instead […]

Is Strategic Business Planning Dead – in Today’s Topsy-Turvy World?

Aug 24, 2010adminBusiness Improvement, Planning

Yes, according to some pundits, who argue that long term and strategy focused enterprise planning has lost its meaning and relevance in a new world order defined by constant turmoil, change, and chaos. Some suggest instead that organizations should focus on preserving operational flexibility and maneuverability, and on being opportunistic – keeping their options open. Others argue that the economy and markets are today too volatile and unpredictable for developing an effective strategic plan. One ‘consultant’ I know has even characterized strategic planning as little more than a fad whose time has now come and gone – just like so […]

Who’ll run your firm tomorrow?

Jul 21, 2010adminPlanning

What’s the biggest challenge facing your firm? Some recent answers I’ve heard: “staying afloat,” “getting through the summer,” and “making payroll.” A lot of AEE firms are doing just “OK” this year, while many others continue to struggle – week to week, month to month – with thin backlogs, weak utilization, and a still uncertain forecast. Most continue cutting costs, closely managing cash, and looking hard (though not always effectively) for new work. But far too many firm leaders are over-focusing today on the short term. Yes, stabilizing and restructuring the firm has been critical (and much needed) for short […]

What’s the risk in your business?

Jun 9, 2010adminBusiness Improvement, Operations

Are you following events in the Gulf of Mexico? It’s hard to get the straight story, but no matter how you slice it, the BP blow out will have a near catastrophic impact on both the environment and economy of the gulf coast region. And I’m an oil guy – with sixteen years notched as an oil and gas geologist, environmental manager, and business leader at Exxon Corporation. Exxon was a top notch company – with towering financial strength, global reach and breadth, world class technical prowess, and a culture of ethics, safety, quality, and teamwork. But like many large […]

Prepare now – the recovery is coming.

Jun 7, 2010adminPlanning

Yes, the economic rebound is on the way. Guaranteed. But where, and when? If you’re like most architecture, engineering, and environmental consulting (AEE) professionals, you’ve been asking and analyzing this question for some time. You’re not sure, and neither am I. The economy is indeed recovering, but it’s slow and fragile. Job losses have stopped, and nearly a million new jobs have been created this year (this week’s May jobs report was disappointing). Consumer confidence is growing and has this month reached a two year high. More business leaders are now planning for hiring and inventory ramp up across a […]

What’s your accounting system done for you lately?

May 31, 2010adminBusiness Improvement, Operations

This month I attended the annual Deltek Insight conference, and learned a good deal more about Vision, Deltek’s popular accounting software platform used by a significant slice of the AEE (architecture, engineering, and environmental consulting) market. The experience has me wondering again why it’s so pervasive that organizations don’t more fully utilize the capability and functionality of their accounting systems? A common experience: buy the system, install it, and get it up and running with core accounting functionality, and then stop – leaving much of the power of information reporting, business analysis, client account and relationship management, and such for another […]