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The Extraordinary Potential of AEC Firm Business Improvement

Apr 12, 2011adminBusiness Improvement, Operations, Planning

In a recent post I asked this question: is investing in AEC firm business improvement really worth it? There I offered four of the most common objections to working on improving the organization. Today I’ll look at the first of these – the belief of some that the opportunity in their own firm is relatively small – and test whether that perspective really holds up. And even for those who don’t see the opportunity as small – it’s useful to look straight away at the numbers, and the magnitude of the opportunity at hand. Step 1: An Opportunity for One […]

Is Investing in AEC Firm Business Improvement Really Worth It?

Mar 8, 2011adminBusiness Improvement, Operations, Planning

My question today: is working on the firm – those internally-focused initiatives of planning, training, and individual and organization development – really worth the time, energy, and financial investment involved? At some level the answer is (for most all of us) yes – since few would argue that they or their firms are perfect. That said, it’s common that leaders believe business performance improvement is both possible and worth it – while at the same being unwilling to invest in the actions required for change and improvement. There are of course many reasons – or justifications – for this lack […]

AEC Recovery – Bears and Bulls in the Early Going

Feb 7, 2011adminBusiness Improvement, Operations, Planning

As usual, economic pundits disagree on the direction and pace of the economic recovery. Still –perhaps you’ve noticed as well – fewer seem to be arguing for a decline (the so-called double dip) than before. In fact, most forecasters describe the road ahead (for the general economy) as encouraging, albeit perhaps too slow for most. In the AEC industry, future outlooks and levels of optimism remained varied. As has been the case throughout this recession, the forecast for an individual firm is highly dependent on that organization’s service capabilities, market focus, and geographic reach. A sense of cautious optimism defines […]

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 […]