Ep. 13: Sneak Peek: Leadership Journey and Development in the AEC Industry

Aspiring to be a leader in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction industry? Join Emily and Jen as they engage in a conversation on noticeable soft-skill trends that have emerged in the industry over the recent years, and introduce our next guest, Katie Goodman, Vice President of Education and Leadership at the American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) National, and her upcoming discussion on the value of investing in personal mastery and the crucial role of a peer network.

Discover how mastering your own path empowers you to inspire, motivate, and navigate the complexities of your leadership and development journey in the AEC industry.

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Transcript

Emily Lawrence: Welcome to the AEC Groundbreaking Growth Podcast.  

Jen Knox: Hosted by Stambaugh Ness. 

[Opening Credits] 

Emily Lawrence: Welcome to another sneak peek episode of Groundbreaking Growth. Emily and Jen here; we have an exciting preview for you today as we pave the way to our full episode with Katie, the Vice President of Education and Leadership Programs for ACEC National.  

Jen Knox: Yeah, we've been threading together some key themes in our recent episodes, from our discussion with Aly on recruitment to Kevin's deep dive into cross-functional collaboration. 

And now we're gearing up for Katie's take on leadership and development and the AEC industry.  

Emily Lawrence: Absolutely. And today, we'll give a glimpse into what to expect from our full episode with Katie. We're talking about trends in AEC, learning and development, the value of investing in personal mastery and business understanding, and the crucial role of a peer network throughout your leadership journey. 

Jen Knox: In the realm of AEC Learning and Development, a noticeable trend has emerged in recent years, and that's the heightened focus on non-technical skills. Here at SN, our training portfolio encompasses a broad range of topics, including seller-doer, project management, financial basics, and strategy. But our training focusing on key soft skills has been getting the most attention in recent years, with one of our more popular series diving into cultivating interpersonal and communication skills. 

Technical skills and expertise still remain crucial, but there's a growing recognition that soft skills, power skills, people skills, or whatever you like to use are in demand and just as crucial for project execution. I think we're starting to acknowledge that the AEC industry may not have consistently prepared managers for success in the past, and now, in particular with the missing middle and efforts to promote younger staff into leadership roles, I think we found ourselves playing a bit of catchup to some extent with those softer skills and people skills in our leaders and young emerging leaders as well. 

Emily Lawrence: That ties into what Katie discussed with that personal mastery journey. I know you've had quite an experience with that, haven't you, Jen?

Jen Knox: Yeah, as I have grown throughout my career, I almost felt some pressure "to be a leader." We often carry this weight early in our careers to emulate or model leaders we see and admire. 

But the truth is that leadership looks different for everyone. And that's a good thing. Being a successful leader boils down to truly understanding your strengths and yourself. Leadership isn't just for those in a specific role. It's really beyond some of those positional boundaries within an organization. You may be managing a team, nurturing a peer relationship, or excelling as an individual contributor and needing to manage up to some extent. And that's really where personal mastery comes in. It's about identifying and leveraging your strengths; your combination of strengths is as unique as you are. They're where you feel most comfortable and confident and allow you to deliver your best work and build successful relationships with other people. They're the cornerstone to impactful leadership, and there are so many different tools that you can leverage to learn about yourself and your strengths. 

Here at SN, we leverage Clifton's Strengths through Gallup. And that was such an eye-opener for me. It gave me a common language to talk to my colleagues and peers about how I show up and how I can contribute most meaningfully.  

Emily Lawrence: I could not agree more with that, Jen. That brings up another point: Katie talked about the significance of a peer network and having that language to use with them. 

That hit home with my journey through SMPS, the Society for Marketing Professional Services. It's been a testament to this throughout my career, starting as the only marketer at a small architecture firm and feeling somewhat isolated. I was not sure how I would get the development I needed, which is a common challenge in our field. As Katie emphasized, the role of a peer network cannot be overstated. This experience taught me the importance of seeking out and engaging industry and community organizations, which is not just about networking. A lot of people going into an organization think it's just about networking, but it's exposing yourself to different and diverse ideas and perspectives throughout the industry. 

These connections become your support system, a community you can learn from when you encounter challenges or roadblocks in your career, which are inevitable. And it's important to remember that no one has all the answers, and no one is expected to. And having access to that network of peers and mentors gives you that fresh perspective and advice. 

It's not just about overcoming the challenges; it's about growth. Every interaction and every shared experience with your peers elevates you professionally and personally. And Katie's insights on that were spot on, highlighting how crucial these networks are as you advance in your career.  

Jen Knox: That's so true. I've felt it in my career, and I've also talked to colleagues who love their peer network and leverage it to its full extent. 

I hope our emerging leaders continue to do that as well. Our listeners will appreciate Katie's perspective and passion for career-long learning and the insights she brings from developing ACEC's learning pipeline.  

Emily Lawrence: Yeah. Thank you, everyone, for joining us on this sneak peek of Groundbreaking Growth. Stay tuned for our full episode with Katie; we will delve deeper into these engaging topics.