I’m seeing a recurring leadership risk inside A/E/C firms right now.

Strong project managers get promoted; their technical performance is consistent, but something quietly breaks down in high-stakes conversations with clients, principals, or internal teams. 🚩

The risks are higher, and expectations shift from expertise to influence—subtle but critical.

Leaders sense it early.

The hesitation, the over-explaining, and the missed cues are warning signs. 

These moments erode trust and can affect a leader’s credibility—even when intentions are good.😮

The challenge isn’t confidence or personality.

➡️The real issue is conversational judgment. It’s a skill that’s rarely measured until it’s already had an impact on results. 

Typically, it's a negative impact that results in frustration and lost bids.

🔷This month, I’m opening a small number of private Leadership Conversation Audits for firm leaders who want clarity around a specific emerging or newly promoted leader—and what to correct, coach, or recalibr...

I’m seeing a recurring leadership risk inside A/E/C firms right now.

Strong project managers get promoted; their technical performance is consistent, but something quietly breaks down in high-stakes conversations with clients, principals, or internal teams. 🚩

The risks are higher, and expectations shift from expertise to influence—subtle but critical.

Leaders sense it early.

The hesitation, the over-explaining, and the missed cues are warning signs. 

These moments erode trust and can affect a leader’s credibility—even when intentions are good.😮

The challenge isn’t confidence or personality.

➡️The real issue is conversational judgment. It’s a skill that’s rarely measured until it’s already had an impact on results. 

Typically, it's a negative impact that results in frustration and lost bids.

🔷This month, I’m opening a small number of private Leadership Conversation Audits for firm leaders who want clarity around a specific emerging or newly promoted leader—and what to correct, coach, or recalibr...

Client challenges don't typically come from poor intentions or weak talent.

Problems on projects come from inconsistent processes that leave teams guessing in high‑stakes moments.

This is the client experience gap that shows up as miscommunication:

🚩Different PMs delivering wildly different experiences

🚩Missed details that should be automatic

🚩Clients feel like they need to manage the team

🚩Rework caused by unclear handoffs

🚩Leaders stepping in to “save” meetings

Your clients don’t want heroics.

They want consistency.

🎯Consistency comes from communication-based systems. 

The completion of successful A/E/C projects requires strong foundations.

Not just effort.

Executives often feel trapped in meetings because the organization hasn’t built processes that allow decisions to happen without them. 

Meeting fatigue is a real thing for staff at all levels.😮

Common symptoms:

Meetings that exist only to clarify what should already be clear.

Does this sound familiar? 

➡️Leaders are being asked to approve routine decisions.

➡️Teams are waiting for direction instead of moving forward.

➡️Endless status updates instead of real problem‑solving lead to a lack of productivty.

Meetings aren’t the issue.

Missing systems are.

Many A/E/C firms point to recruiting as their main challenge.

But is that truly the core issue?

Here's the real issue: Retention suffers because expectations are unclear and development is fragmented. That’s what’s draining your talent.

The signals become obvious once you look more closely:

🚩New hires struggle to ramp up.

🚩Mid‑level staff feel stuck.

🚩Managers spend more time correcting than coaching.

My nephew and niece, 26 and 32, both started new jobs recently in completely different fields. 

Each prefers to work independently. Both are very smart. 

Each told me they've asked for help finding project info. 

Each said their boss barked, "Find it yourself." 

More than once.

This isn't leadership or coaching. 

It isn't a culture that welcomes smart people.

This isn't about coddling younger staff; it's about coaching and knowledge transfer.

People leave jobs for clarity—a clear path, clear coaching, clear expectations—not just for higher pay.

People don’t quit hard work.

Most industry leaders I speak with aren’t worried about strategy.

Instead, their main concern is execution through people.

✅They know the plan.

✅They know the numbers.

✅They know the market.

Here's the truth about what keeps them up at night:

“Can my leaders actually move the ball forward without me in the room?”

Communication gaps don’t show up as “communication problems.”

Instead, they appear as rework, missed signals, slow decision-making, and shaky client trust.

Addressing these hidden challenges is the real leadership issue in 2026. 

It's not solved by another process or framework.

It’s solved by elevating conversations within the firm.

I met yesterday with a leader of a national construction trade organization to discuss hot-button issues our industry faces as we head into 2026.

We weren't discussing tech skills.

➡️Instead, we were focusing on the critical need for the younger workforce to uplevel their interpersonal communication.

I imagine these takeaways will resonate with you:

1. A/E/C's fragmented ecosystem must be improved to enhance job site safety, messaging, and knowledge transfer.
2. Newer staff must become proficient in decision-making, problem-solving, and other critical thinking skills. Clarifying information and logical thought processes improve job site safety, project completion, and leadership development.
3. Bi-directional knowledge in our multigenerational workforce is essential for continuous learning. Communication is not linear; rather, it is an ongoing process for all generations to embrace.

Here's the truth: Each of these points — along with cybersecurity — is a stark reminder to prioritize ...

It’s no secret that data center construction is booming.

It’s mostly fueled by AI and our demand for more data, faster speeds, and more answers.

But here’s the irony I see every week in A/E/C business development.

Seller-doer interviews aren’t lost because teams lack data.

Firms lose bids because decision-makers are overwhelmed with too many numbers.

Clients already have plenty of data from proposals.

Here’s the truth: Stakeholders are deciding if they trust who is in the room.

Successful interviews aren’t driven by slide decks—they’re driven by human connection.

• Clear, confident storytelling

• Thoughtful small talk that builds rapport

• Being present, personable, and intuitive

• Reading the room and responding—not rambling

Artificial Intelligence may be transforming how projects are designed and built. 

But people still hire people.

This human side of communication is exactly why I created Top Tier Communicator.

It's where A/E/C’s emerging leaders develop essential sk...

The best gift of communication you can offer anyone is the gift of your attention.

It's great year-round. 

🔷It costs nothing and requires no shopping.

🔷There’s no need for fancy wrapping.

Paying close attention requires deep listening skills—fully focusing on the speaker, listening not just to the words but also to tone, body language, and emotions.

You can’t genuinely understand someone else’s perspective if you miss a few words or sentences they are expressing to you.

Learn how to pay attention without distractions. This is priceless. 

Focus on others and block out distractions—no phones, pings, or alerts.😮

Don't try "faking someone out" by acting like you're engaged when you're mentally drifting. 

Forget the email that needs to be sent. 

Forget that the car needs gas. 

Forget about stopping at the store.

The truth is that people notice when you're "checked out." Don't kid yourself.

🎯The better way is to be more self-aware. 

Exceptional communicators catch themselves qu...

Operational delays rarely come from a lack of effort.

They come from professionals who were never taught how to communicate clearly under pressure, across roles, and with accountability.

That gap shows up here.

When I’m training top tier communicators in A/E/C, one pattern is consistent:

When communication skills lag, operational risk increases.

Here’s the truth: These gaps often go unnoticed until profit margins and credibility are already impacted.

What are leaders in your firm doing to reduce these risks?