JDoehring

We’re Thankful for Hard Things

Dec 2, 2024JohnUncategorized

In the US, we’ve just finished our National Thanksgiving – and kicked off the end-of-year rush into the holiday season. Along with the busy, this season also offers its own complexities: celebrations and losses; slowing down, and racing forward; important endings, and new beginnings. Most of us have a lot to celebrate – beginning with acknowledging the extraordinary life lottery we’ve won by simply living here, in this country, and in this time. Indeed, it’s far from perfect, always an ongoing work in progress, and with unlimited opportunity for improvement nearly everywhere. And yet, still there are millions and millions […]

‘Some Time for Me?’ (Asks the VIP)

Nov 25, 2024JohnUncategorized

One thousand plus executives. Over the last twenty years, I’ve worked – as a business consultant and strategic adviser – with more than a thousand top executives (CEOs, Presidents, Partners, Owners, Managing Principals). A hundred or so of these leaders have become clients for an extended term. A couple of dozen have become close friends. “On a 1 to 5 scale – I give John a six!” (President, Engineering Firm) Along the way I’ve found something strikingly similar in nearly all of these people: they’re often quite alone. There are, of course, many benefits to being in charge: autonomy, authority, power, […]

Bigger Impact, Greater Value, Higher Fees – All Good, Or Not?

Nov 25, 2024JohnUncategorized

Do you have professionals on your team who have trouble asking for more – in scope, value, and fee? In recent client sessions, I’ve been reminded several times just how difficult this really is for many. Most of these client firms are quite well run – with strong, focused, and talented leadership. Still, and as one client CEO puts it “we have a lot of smart people here, but some of them don’t know how to make a buck.” Technical talent, yes – but business acumen (and professional courage) – are different. There are a number of issues – and […]

A Golden Age or Overwhelming Overwhelm?

Nov 25, 2024JohnUncategorized

Recent conversations with firm executives echo a familiar refrain. What’s up, they wonder, in this disconnect between the success of business today, and how so many on staff just don’t see it? A consensus has been building (now for a while) that these are indeed very good times for architecture, engineering, planning, and environmental firms. Business demand is hot, the economy is strong, talent is in short supply, and backlogs are busting. If this isn’t a “golden age” for the professions – well, it’s pretty damn close. But ask the larger team beyond these executives – general managers, project managers, […]

Leadership is the strategy ahead

Nov 25, 2024JohnUncategorized

Not long after I began consulting to professional services firms (eighteen years ago now) my focus coalesced around two important (and even existential) questions: 1.) Who will get the work for us today? and 2.) Who will lead the firm tomorrow? In my view, these two questions precluded most everything else (nominally) important to the business. Growth and leadership. I still believe this today. But the truth is, today you can’t get many to focus on the first question. With strong client demand, talent in short supply, a heated economy, and record backlogs – there just isn’t much interest in improving business development. I […]

Is It Worth It? Building a Model for Strategic Engagement ROI

Feb 5, 2024JohnUncategorized

I’ve been a strategic advisor to professional services firm leaders now for two decades, and have helped a hundred organizations (and many hundreds of individual leaders) to level up their game – and their results. So, it’s not hard from my vantage point to see the direct connection between our engagements (strategic planning, growth strategy, leadership experience, team engagement) and the transformation of business they deliver. Dream. Plan. Do. Win. I don’t need to be convinced. Still, I understand and appreciate the concern (and even skepticism) of many firm owners and executives. Most have experienced less than ideal results in these projects. Poor process, […]

Of Endings and New Beginnings Alike

Dec 13, 2023JohnUncategorized

A few years back, one of my professional mentors, David Newman (of Do It! Marketing fame), suggested that all of us in a mastermind group send out a message to our communities with a year-end offer. The basic idea was to take advantage of a handful of possible motivations for action: capturing otherwise unused budget funds, acceleration of payments for tax mitigation, and/or alignment with year-end (or new year) planning cycles. Candidly, I was skeptical. Most of our clients and prospects are independently owned professional services firms – architecture, engineering, planning, scientific. These are not the typical businesses of corporate America, driven by quarterly […]

The Professional Employee Experience Today – Part 1

Nov 20, 2023JohnUncategorized

Across the markets of design, planning, and the technical professions, labor remains scarce – and true talent even scarcer. Moreover, population demographics, educational trends, and a hyper-competitive employment environment suggest that this will not change – perhaps for decades. In the professional firm, people are – and will be – the key. So, keeping the company’s staff focused, fulfilled, and engaged will remain job #1 for all executives. Many are doing quite a lot in this area, but – despite the effort – real progress isn’t always obvious. Note, in particular, Gallup’s annual survey of employee engagement (across the whole American workforce) – which […]

Something Amazing This Way Comes

Oct 26, 2022JohnUncategorized

Each year about this time, I am yet again reminded of just how short our time is. This year will soon end as the others have – whether I’ve accomplished my big goals or not. Lots of things to do, and less and less time left to do them. Projects to be finished (and some still to be started) and much, much more. I’ll be on airplanes nearly non-stop for six more weeks, along with family and community responsibilities too. The holiday season is ahead of course as well – and we’re also waiting now to welcome a new grandchild into our family! Ironically, it’s […]

Pushing Hard for the Extraordinary – Right Now

Aug 22, 2022JohnUncategorized

What does it take to be a truly extraordinary professional firm? What does performance and success look like for those who push beyond the current baseline to 2X? And what about further still – the transformative success of 5X or 10X. Who are the extraordinary leaders of these professional firms right now, and what are their secrets? I can certainly report on what is not extraordinary today. It’s not about being busy – even busier than you’ve ever been before. While still a blessing, virtually all firms (most average, and even below average businesses) are busy today. And it’s not about winning more work than you […]