A look into the crystal ball
What the future holds for A/E/P and environmental consulting firms A staggering amount of BS
Architects and engineers need to challenge the experts telling them how to do things better. Branch offices: Profit centers or not?
Should A/E/P and environmental consulting firms view branch offices as profit centers or should they measure profits and losses some other way? Business planning
Sum up your business strategy and your firm’s vision in one comprehensive planning process. Compensation programs that make sense
Debunking bonus schemes that reward poor performers and penalize stars. Practical ways to create a compensation and bonus program that is simple to figure out and administer. Creating firm-oriented folks
Get everyone in your firm on the same team, focused on the success and profitability of the firm. Cutting out the waste
Most A/E/P and environmental consulting firms could stand to trim some fat. Where to look for wasted dollars and ways to staunch the bleeding. Dealing with risk
Risk aversion is counterproductive to those who want their A/E/P and environmental consulting firms to be successful. Come to terms with risk and triumph. Dealing with setbacks
These techniques will help your firm weather economic storms. Don’t be a dinosaur
Are you a Selfasaur or a Lackofocusaurus? A humorous look at bad patterns that doom some A/E/P and environmental consulting firms to extinction. Don’t be afraid to force your will
The best leaders know how to sway others to help them achieve their goals. But it takes these attributes to make it happen. Don’t treat your people like children
Are you sweating small stuff and overseeing your employees like bad children? It could be hurting your firm’s chances of success. Ethics do matter
Managers are confronted with ethical dilemmas every day. Always doing the right thing could mean the difference between success and failure. Finding the money to increase margins and grow
Trapped in a cycle of making spending cuts to improve your margins? It doesn’t have to be that way. Practical ways to find the cash to grow your firm. Fulfilling daily chores leads to success
Procrastinating on things that should be done daily can cost you money and have detrimental effects on the entire company. Get out in the field
Getting your people away from their desks and out in the field to see projects first hand can mean the difference between a triumph or a design disaster. Get your firm focused on winning
How to overcome obstacles in the marketplace by making sure every employee is focused on winning the battle to make the firm successful. Getting ready for a New Year
Five things for your firm to consider when preparing for a New Year. How much is an employee worth?
A guide to determining starting salaries, pay cuts, and raises for both good and bad performers. How to keep really good people
Attract and keep an outstanding workforce with these six tips. Human resources management needs an overhaul
HR staff often solve the wrong problems. A frank assessment of how human resources management in A/E/P and environmental consulting firms should be revamped. Jed Dawson, the man and his dream
The story of an unfortunate soul who managed to grow his company and become a success despite getting some very bad management advice. Keeping the flame burning
Don’t take your recipe for success and leave behind a company that cannot survive without you when you retire. Keeping the growth alive
Techniques for company growth that will help firm managers when demand slows. Knowing when it’s time to move on
When should a manager at an A/E/P or environmental consulting firm change roles or retire? Leadership lessons learned
You won’t find these four practical leadership lessons in any business school textbook. Life and work should be more than fun
Retiring early may not be the answer if you’re a management type looking for a change. These ideas could re-ignite your fire for the job. Locating leaders at all levels
Where to find the next generation of management leaders within your A/E/P or environmental consulting firm. Look for ways to do things better
Small changes can yield big results when you want your firm to grow, make money, and be a better place to work. Management for smaller firms
Managing a small firm is really no different than managing a large one. Miscellaneous ramblings
Zweig weighs in on everything from business travel to boring staff meetings to grooming junior to take over the firm. On the road again
A motorcycle road trip was the source of valuable lessons about the A/E/P and environmental consulting industry. Psychological contracts for employers and employees
Creating an environment in your firm that encourages a motivated workforce to make clients happy requires a psychological contract between management and the employees. Public perceptions of architects and engineers
Easy tips to improve the image of your firm and your industry in the mind of the public. Raise prices now!
Stop debating over whether or not to raise your fees. Here are seven reasons why you should do it now. Recurring questions
A/E/P and environmental consulting firm managers deal with some issues over and over again. Here are answers to some questions you’ll hear repeatedly in this industry. Rethinking job descriptions and career paths
The conventional wisdom of human resources pros says formal job descriptions are essential. But this most unconventional response will convince you to rethink that idea. Seven things A/E firms could do better
There’s a lot of room for A/E/P and environmental consulting firms to improve in these seven key areas. Seven ways to drive down staff turnover
Seven easy steps to take to improve the quality, productivity, morale, and staying power of your workforce. Showing up is doing well today
Things to consider in determining if your firm is really providing the best possible service to clients. So, you want to be a principal in your firm?
No-holds-barred advice to the ambitious employee with an eye toward moving up the ladder. So, you want to make money?
There’s no shame in wanting to make a profit in an A/E/P or environmental consulting firm. These six tips will help you do just that. Some firms don’t look ahead
Looking forward is what management is all about, but some A/E/P and environmental consulting firm managers would rather react to a crisis than prevent one. Staying in the game
Ways to rekindle your own business spark and dispense with your doldrums. Take care of your best people
What to do if you are committed to the idea of keeping your best people in your firm. The board of directors
There are some darn good reasons for your firm to have a board of directors, even if it will be made up of people you work with daily. The compassionate firm
Business is more than business when it comes to humane and compassionate treatment of your employees. The emperor has no clothes
If the staff tells you only what you want to hear, the firm could be headed for problems. These tips will open up real communication again. The ownership transition process
What you should be doing in order to determine the real value of an A/E/P or environmental consulting firm and initiate a feasible ownership transition process. The skills young folks need
A list of skills employers are looking for in new graduates today. The story of Russell Beatletwoven
At 43, he was thrust into the captain’s seat of a firm with a record of up-and-down performance. This is the story of how Russell Beatletwoven changed it all. Think about the important stuff
Put your time, money, and energy into things that are really important and leave the trivial behind you. Twelve ways to motivate your workers
A dozen things managers need to do if they want their workers to be more motivated and productive. Value statement myths and realities
Most value statements sound good but mean little. We all make our own beds
Architects and engineers are not exempt from the Golden Rule. How you behave in some typical business situations can work for or against you. What to do?
Things in Raymond Stodge’s life and engineering firm were going downhill until he turned it all around. Here’s the story of how he did it. What will the Internet really do to us all?
The Internet won’t really change everything, but here’s what it will do for A/E/P and environmental consulting firms. What’s really happening in ownership transition?
Ownership transition in the A/E/P and environmental consulting industry is changing in nine key ways. Who knows management?
Some of the worst managers have business educations. Some of the best have never taken a business class. So who knows management? Why some people won’t change
Some owners and managers of A/E/P and environmental consulting firms are unhappy with the results they’re getting but they won’t change how they do things to change the outcomes. You made your bed…
Real-life examples of bad decisions made by some A/E/P and environmental consulting firms and what they ought to be told. |
