Susan Young's
Amplify Blog

 

 

 

The Communication Skill Holding Back Our Emerging Leaders

Have you ever felt your voice didn't matter in a room full of experts? 

Younger architects and engineers often feel they must have all the answers in presentations and meetings. 

Not true.

The need for perfection is exhausting and expensive when you lose bids to more confident competitors. 

• It's comforting to know that no one knows everything. 

• And that's more than OK; it's liberating. 

• Project managers, superintendents, and others can overcome limiting beliefs with new communication and mindset processes. 

An architect in this month's Top Tier Communicator Training said: 

"I keep falling into a trap, feeling I'm not good enough, and I didn't even know it. Now it's clear, and I have all the puzzle pieces to improve."

Admitting when you don't know something can be empowering. 

Your firm will earn respect and trust when staff says with humility and honesty:

"I don't know, and I'll find out within the...

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The Instant Way to Connect and Communicate That You Probably Don't Know

Ever feel like you're "talking past" someone?

It's super frustrating.

It's like you're speaking Spanish, and they're speaking French.

Of course, there is confusion and misunderstanding!

Uncertainty runs rampant in A/E/C because most people aren't aware of our three main communication modalities.

It's important to know YOUR preferred style of communicating.

But to grow profits and trust, it's vital to identify other peoples' preferences.

Then, you'll feel more self-assured because you speak the same language. 

There is less stress and fewer mixups. 

How do you get on the same page as your prospects, clients, and colleagues?

We drop subtle clues and cues about our preferred communication method in every interaction.

Knowing how to pick up the clues makes it easy to bridge communication gaps.

You'll confidently resolve conflicts when they arise.

This single transformational skill skyrocketed my business 25 years ago. I use it every...

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How an Elevator Repairman Taught Me a Huge Communication Lesson

 

Life lessons come in so many different forms.  

Regardless of our expertise or education, seemingly ordinary experiences can bring powerful transformation. 

And they make for fabulous stories.

Can you spare 6 minutes to hear the heartwarming communication lesson I learned from a guy named Lamar?

It all unfolded in a podcast interview called Resilience in Action with host Erin Brown. 

Click the video above to hear the story, or click here.

And if you want to improve your business storytelling, hit me up.

 

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In Hot Pursuit of Curiosity

Communication tip for Architects, Engineers, and Construction Professionals: 

When pursuing new business, pursue curiosity at every turn of the project lifecycle.

Curiosity helps beat competitors as it: 

Engages people
Develops deep listening
Guides you to ask better questions (gather the proper intel) 
Improves critical thinking skills
and much more.

Curiosity is a business growth strategy and leadership trait that people can learn. 

Successful A/E/C project managers use it to win shortlisted interviews.

Reach out to discover how this powerful communications and marketing tool transforms your competitive advantage.

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3 Things Powerful Presenters Do to Win New Business

 

Here's the secret sauce to nailing new clients.

Great news: You don't have to know everything and you don't need a script!

Take a look at this two-minute video. 

And reach out if you want your emerging leaders in A/E/C to be more effective communicators.

Our next round of Amplify (online group coaching) starts soon!

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4 Essentials to Sharing an Impactful Business Story in A/E/C

 

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.

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The Best Questions to Ask When You Lose a Bid Proposal

If you want quality information, you've got to ask quality questions.

Waiting to hear back on a bid proposal you submitted months ago to ask why a prospect didn't choose you flies in the face of this.

Bottom line: You're in sales and marketing. 

Do your homework so that you have higher-level conversations. 

Ask better questions of yourself and your team. 

It's on you to deeply understand and know.

This is the way, A/E/C. 

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Competitors Have Solutions to Your AEC Communication Woes

Pulling together resources from different A/E/C offices and people was the theme of a CEO Roundtable I led yesterday. 

Each of the six attendees came in cold.

They didn't know who else was participating. Several are competitors.

They warmed up quickly.

I facilitated the free communication session for one reason.

There are pressing communication and leadership issues impacting the entire industry.

Leaders opened their hearts and minds to their peers about:

  • Mentoring staff AND getting work done
  • Attracting and retaining younger talent for the firms' future
  • Communicating effectively to build a positive culture
  • Teaching tech staff engaging ways to share processes in interviews

Each person brought a single question or challenge to pose to the group.

And each one was eager to be a resource. 

Creative solutions, success tips, and outside support brought fulfillment, individually and collectively.

Today, I celebrate these fearless architects,...

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Sales Presentations Don't Require Bragging

Sales presentations mean we have to talk about ourselves.

Most Doers in architecture, engineering, and construction aren't comfortable bragging about themselves.

Here's the deal. It's not about being egotistical.

It's about being relevant.

If you feel like you're boasting, you've got it all wrong.

Project managers, estimators, schedulers, commissioners, and program managers have to feel confident. 

And speak with humility.

Your job title or industry doesn't matter.

A/E/C folks in business development meetings must self-promote to win construction bids. 

To be effective, show prospects why your accomplishments are relevant to them.

That's not bragging.

That's understanding business marketing and branding.

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