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.