The right way.

Good communication isn't about giving people more information.

It’s about being deliberate about what people actually need to know—and when they need to know it.🙌

Before sending an email, making an announcement, starting a meeting, or moving a project forward, stop and ask three questions:

1. Who needs this information?

Not everyone. Identify who will decide, act, or be affected.

2. What do they need to understand?

Information without context can create more questions than answers.

What does this person need to understand to do their job, decide, or respond appropriately?

3. What happens if they don’t know?

This question often gets overlooked.

Could it cause a missed deadline, a wrong decision, rework, or a frustrated member, client, or stakeholder?

➡️What happens if a message goes in the wrong direction?

Here's the truth: Communication becomes much more effective when you answer these questions *before* the information goes out, not after confusion starts.🤔

The goal isn't to commu...

Your first real job.

They say you always remember your first.😍

I graduated from college and landed my first real job.

It was at the World Trade Center.

Tower 1.

The 13th floor.

I was initially shell-shocked by the ungodly 40-minute train commute from central New Jersey into lower Manhattan.

I went from college hangovers to harried businesspeople in suits. 😎

It was the summer of 1984. I listened to my Sony Walkman and the song "The Warrior" from Scandal.

The greatest lesson I learned from working at the World Trade Center is this:

🎯People-watching is priceless.

Why pay for entertainment when a slice of real life and stories are all around?

I'm glad there were no cell phones and tech distractions.

I quickly discovered the best part of the day was lunch! 🙌

I would sit outside and eat lunch at the fountains between Towers 1 and 2.

Tobin Plaza.

🔷Watching tourists take pictures with Kodak Instamatic film cameras.

🔷Seeing couriers on bicycles delivering who knows what to who knows who.

🔷Catching glimpses ...

1 in 3 people.

A survey on American Fears shows that 1 in 3 adults are afraid of public speaking.

I know the research from Chapman University is legit because I've coached and trained people on confident public speaking for over 40 years.

The interesting piece is that I can't find any research on the fear of listening.🤔

That's where the real communication often begins.

The first website.

The world's first website went live 35 years ago today. 🎂

The site was actually called the World Wide Web project and explained how to use it.

What the heck has happened to our world and communication since August
6, 1991?

I would need a decade, multiple therapists, and a big pot of coffee to "go there." 😯

For now, we can laugh about a simpler way of life.

🧨Can you relate to my Top 10 Internet Memories?

1. Using an AOL email address

2. Hearing that ear-piercing dial-up sound on the modem

3. Having to hang up the telephone to go online

4. Saying WWW before the actual web address (no one said "URL")

5. Receiving lengthy emails from the King Prime Minister Ruler of the Emirates that he had a $20m trust fund account from my long-lost maternal great-uncle

6. Understanding that having a virus didn't require a medical diagnosis

7. Printing interesting webpages

8. Grabbing free AOL floppy discs...everywhere

9. Watching images load line by line

10. Using Netscape Navigator

Interestingly, ...

Defining moments.

My first memory of seeing the Statue of Liberty.

➡️In 1970, when I was in second grade in New Jersey, my class took a trip to the Statue of Liberty.

It was only a 30-minute drive from our cushy, middle-class neighborhood.

Back then, everyone brought metal lunch boxes to school.😯

But for this trip, our lunches were packed in brown paper bags instead.

My classmates and I sat at the base of the Statue and ate lunch, looking out over Liberty Island.

I finished most of my sandwich, walked to the rusted, weathered garbage can, and tossed my bag on top of the pile. 🗑️

A minute later, I saw a homeless man reach into the can and take my bag. He began eating what I had thrown away.

That night, I asked my parents why anyone would eat food from the garbage.

They answered me in just three sentences.

I cried.

And I never forgot that moment.

➡️The next year, in 1971, a classmate called me a dirty J*ew.

I was only 9 years old. 😢

➡️1976- I successfully lobbied the principal at my middle school for ...

Accelerating confusion.

The chaotic pace of change with AI can feel overwhelming.

From proposals and documentation to enterprise risk and conflict resolution, firms that strategically embrace AI have a significant competitive advantage.

➡️As these changes accelerate into 2026, A/E/C leaders faces a key question:

Is your firm's communication and decision-making infrastructure keeping pace with your technology investments?

High-performing firms don't simply use more tools. 

They're establishing clear communication standards, governance protocols, accountability, and measurable business outcomes.💯

Only six months remain to align leadership priorities in 2026.

Before the end of the year, A/E/C executives should prioritize:

✅Meaningful performance measures that connect AI investments to business results—not just technology adoption.

✅Consistent communication standards that keep AI-generated information accurate and client-ready.

✅Clear expectations that help employees use AI confidently, responsibly, ...

Executive presence isn't about showing up to a client-facing meeting. 

It's about being a valued and trusted advisor who creatively communicates meaningful insights and proactive solutions.👈

People who attend high-stakes meetings and add IMMENSE value easily gain trust, respect, and new business.

What value do you bring to teams and clients?

Three words.

There are three words that sum up the key to success in anything and everything we do.

🏀These three words—a guiding phrase—were highlighted last night after the New York Knicks made the greatest comeback in NBA Finals history, edging past the San Antonio Spurs, 107-106.🏀

The Knicks' OG Anunoby scored the winning basket in the final two seconds, overcoming a 29-point deficit.

Thunderous cheers erupted as stunned Knicks fans celebrated at Madison Square Garden.

Within a minute, ESPN's Lisa Salters interviewed Anunoby about the comeback.

She asked how he and his teammates managed the victory and what he thought mid-game as the Spurs dominated.🥇

Anunoby revealed the three words that fueled their comeback: Stay with it.

He told Salters his team is resilient and never gives up. They stay with it and keep pushing.

In the span of a 90-second interview, Anunoby said "stay with it" several times.

It resonates with me as I've turned to this mantra for years. You can, too.

No matter the challeng...

Today, everyone is in marketing.

Most A/E/C professionals, however, don't see themselves as marketers, business developers, or salespeople.

Especially highly skilled technical people.

You might not have a degree in marketing or sales. It probably wasn't your original plan.😕

But technical professionals often need to scale back the tech talk that can confuse stakeholders and clients.

Most are interested in the end result, not the process. They want to see the WOW—the finished product.⬅️

Project managers, superintendents, and estimators need a mindset shift that embraces marketing as part of their roles.

An example I heard years ago will likely resonate with you: Sell the painted room, not the paint.

🎯Here’s the bottom line: Those who focus on the WOW, not the HOW, connect and engage with stakeholders.

This is your ticket to increasing trust and profits.

Three words.

These three words are the core strategy for increasing your revenue.

So why do so many A/E/C firms struggle to win more pursuits?😕

If you don't see how revenue ties to these three words, profitability stays flat, and your credibility can suffer.

Here's the key: Business development and relationship-building start with communication.💯

Improving your hit rates comes down to one actionable strategy: Make small talk.

Easy, light-hearted conversations build deeper connections, generate more referrals, and drive sustainable growth.📈

Technical people who aren't comfortable interacting with others miss chances to generate leads.

🎯Make small talk your competitive advantage.

The bottom line is that engagement grows business.