Have your well-educated staff painted themselves into a confidence corner?

👉CEOs and other leaders, please take note: personalities can be reinvented so that your team feels confident in the community, sharing their expertise and helping win bids.

No more excuses from younger staff about being shy and reserved!

Equip emerging leaders with today's repeatable skills to attract opportunities and help build revenue.

💰Ineffective communication costs A/E/C firms millions of dollars a year in lost bids and profits.

Our online Top Tier Communicator Training shows industry newcomers how to overcome imposter syndrome, growing their confidence, careers, and impact.

🎯Graduates of Top Tier Communicator get instant results with a blend of brain science and business development "we've never heard before." 🎯

New classes are available monthly throughout 2025. Enroll with this link today! 

Want more visibility at networking events and in your community?

Do this.

PS: And don't "wing" your introduction!

Refreshing energy is front and center for 2025.

Which employees, including yourself, will excel beyond your wildest dreams in the coming months?🤩

Let's empower your team to excel together and help younger staff build confidence with the superpowers below.

Emerging leaders with under 10 years of industry experience will become unstoppable.🎯

{RELATED: EMERGING LEADERS CAN REMOVE SELF-DOUBT SO THEY COMMUNICATE CLEARLY, FEEL CONFIDENT, AND GENERATE BUSINESS. ENROLL NOW IN TOP TIER COMMUNICATOR ONLINE TRAINING.}

➡️These 5 superpowers are a good jumping-off point.

1. Charisma. People with this quality have allure, a special style, charm, light-heartedness, and magnetism. Others quickly recognize there's something interesting about their personality that's attractive. 🔷A/E/C PRO TIP: Most babies aren't born with charisma. We can learn this trait and reinvent ourselves to be more personable and confident. For example, notice role models and mentors who have positively impacted you. How do
...

A/E/C NewsFlash: 

Architects, engineers, and construction pros are in business.

🎓No matter your degree or major, you must know the bigger picture of your role.

You've got to understand the marketing, revenue, and operations of day-to-day business.

➡️How do YOU contribute to goals like sustainable growth, winning pursuits, succession planning, and effective communication?

College degrees and certifications don't give us a "pass" on learning. 😮

It's not a one-and-done. 

Can you say continuous improvement? 😎

Don't be the Radio Shack or Kodak of your firm.

🎆Take initiative, think creatively (unrelated to designs, infrastructure, or building materials), and show up in a bigger, bolder way.

People who strategically connect the dots win trust and lead the industry. 

*️⃣Take the initiative with one of our communication, sales, and mindset development training programs.

Click here for training info or drop me a note.

Let's back up the bus on servant leadership in A/E/C.

Being of service and positively impacting communities is a noble pursuit.

The buzz around this phrase, though, weakens the intent.

➡️Servant leadership isn't exclusive to your broader community.

It also applies to internal teams within A/E/C firms.🎯

🗝️Are leaders genuinely addressing the real challenges and deeper problems your staff may not openly share?🗝️

Servant leadership starts at home.

🔹It may include coaching or training for YOU to improve your communication skills and lead by example.

🔹Internal servant leadership can be sharing your wisdom, screw-ups, and experiences with your team.

🔹It may involve implementing programs that help staff prioritize and reduce burnout.

The productivity piece gets woven in; don't worry :)

Exceptional servant leadership can only happen

when firms have a solid internal foundation.

Once that's in place, go into the community and make a freakin' impact!

The pioneer of daytime TV talk shows, Phil Donahue, passed away yesterday. 

His syndicated show ended in 1996, after 26 years on-the-air. 🏆

There are many skills AEC business development marketers can learn from this legendary communicator. 

Donahue knew how to listen for the minutiae that others miss.

Attention to detail is crucial in our industry as you communicate an understanding of client needs and provide custom solutions.

Is there room to improve your teams' interview prep and presentations?

How do we develop a natural curiosity and understand people?

✅Learn how to ask quality questions and be more engaging.

How can we allow others to share their opinions while subtly driving conversations?

You've got to think on your feet and know how and when to pivot. 🔥

Another lesson from Donahue is how to invite differing opinions in a polite and welcoming way.

You foster open communication and encourage diverse perspectives.

Being open-minded and open-hearted are invaluable tra...

Reading slides in shortlisted interviews doesn't engage prospects.

🔥Top-tier communicators in A/E/C know how to read the room.

Reading the room means you notice peoples' facial expressions, body language, and energy.

Do people in your presentations look distracted, impatient, or confused?

😮You must notice what people aren't saying.😮

Then, you can subtly re-engage and bring prospects back to your message without missing a beat.🎯

Successful business development teams think on their feet in a split second. 

They know how to course correct.

There is no overwhelm or anxiety.

🏆This technique is pivotal to winning pursuits and competitive projects.🏆

You can learn to read the room (click the link so you can learn this skill) and form deeper connections with practice.

The slides are secondary.

Sending mixed messages to prospects and clients leads to confusion.

Does your body language match your words? 😮

Here's a 30-second video example of a classic disconnect.

I coach an engineer in our Amplify program who tells the group he's got exciting things underway.

Watch what happens. 

We are celebrating A/E/C pros who know how to use curiosity in communication and sales.

I met Sydney Unnerstall recently. She's an emerging leader and marketing coordinator at Vessel Architecture in St. Louis.

After my communications presentation at an SMPS regional conference, Sydney jumped at the chance to transform business conversations by being curious.

"I have started asking more relevant questions and hiding less since I attended Susan's program at the SMPS conference," she said.

"These go hand-in-hand with feeling more confident as I gain experience in meetings and with clients."

You get quality information when you ask quality questions (and listen deeply).

Sydney adds a couple of more quick gems in this 30-second video.

Take a look above.  

🧨🧨And reach out if your emerging leaders want to be more effective communicators. Our "Amplify for Emerging Leaders" online group coaching program is now available. Details are here!

Stories connect us as human beings.

A/E/C leaders know the value of relationships and connections that build business.

Why do so few of you use the power of storytelling in business development presentations?

Most people are uncertain about what story to share and how to make it relevant to prospects. 

The key is in this 40-second clip (above) from a podcast interview with Evan Troxel, NCARB.

🧨The full video episode is here.

🧨Click here to access the audio file.