Drones and AI are reshaping the A/E/C industry.

But they don’t win pursuits—people do.

What consistently sets your firm apart from others?

Curiosity and storytelling.

These skills build trust, spark connection, and make clients want to work with you.

Technical expertise matters—but only after you’ve won the bid. 🎯

To capture more pursuits, you need to connect first, then talk tech.

I’ve been teaching this at SMPS conferences, industry events, and in private trainings. 

It's a topic that can not be overlooked any longer. 

Skilled business development leaders and marketers use curiosity and storytelling to strengthen proposals, interviews, and client relationships.

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
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Imagine a world where shortlisted interviews didn't open with rah-rah team slides and your firm's values.🎆

It does exist, my friends.

Here's how leading-edge marketers land new clients:

🧨They embrace curiosity and resist complacency.

The foundation of business development is hunger.

It's knowing how to whet a prospect's appetite and skillfully keep their attention.

*️⃣Is your team dropping seeds that pique interest and spark creative conversations?

*️⃣Your dream clients are starving for fresh approaches and delicious interactions.🍽️

Profitable firms with empowering staff sprinkle curiosity into everything they do.

Forget complacency and develop this one communication skill that grows people and profits. 📈

Let's do it!

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...

Angles and a 360-degree view extend beyond job sites and software.

Influential leaders are willing to explore fresh angles and perspectives in communication.

We need open minds and hearts in conversations, conflict resolution, negotiations, and presentations. 

This strategy affects creativity, confidence, and critical thinking skills. 

Can you say competitive advantage, innovation, and profitability?

New insights are necessary in conference rooms, coffee shops, and construction trailers. 

Often, there is no right or wrong. People simply have a contradictory or unique position. 

Are you open to different perspectives, views, and angles?

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. 🔓

It’s just a fad. 

That’s what people and business analysts said 20 years ago when social media started to take off. 

None of us has a crystal ball around how we’ll interact, connect, and communicate in the next 20 years. 

That’s why it’s so freakin’ important NOT to leave behind the timeless forms of human-to-human communication:

-Being curious 

-Giving others the gift of your attention 

-Asking meaningful questions and genuinely listening 

-Using stories to connect emotionally with people 

-Developing charisma so others feel comfortable around you

It’s impossible to replace these five qualities with technology. They certainly aren’t fads💯

It is 🔷absolutely possible 🔷 to learn these skills and live a more fulfilling life—at work and home. 

💥Reach out if you want to finetune your communication, leadership, and business relationships. 

A/E/C teams that want to help grow firms and their careers need this now more than ever. 

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!

Friday Communication Tip: 

Focus on prospects and clients. 

There's no need to brag or talk about yourself. Be interested in others. 

Ask good questions and listen deeply.

Stay curious and watch your career and business grow! 

“The more you try to be interested in other people, the more you find out about yourself.”-  Thea Astley

A/E/C = Processes.

Networking and business growth = People.

Then processes.

First, you metaphorically nudge the door open.

Focus your 30-second elevator pitch on the other person.

Processes take more than 30 seconds and are cumbersome.

Your job in business development and shortlisted meetings is to avoid cumbersome.

Instead, pique people's curiosity. There's no need to be a walking bid package.

Nudge the door open.

🎆Be interesting so they are interested. 🎆

When a prospect invites you to a meeting or coffee, ease into the process. But only if asked.