Susan Young's
Amplify Blog

 

 

 

Why Speaking Up Is a Strategic Advantage

Years ago, when I was in high school, I lost my voice for a few days.

I suddenly had laryngitis. 

Couldn't make a sound. 

It was beyond frustrating.

After college, I became a radio news reporter and anchor. 

My voice was my job. I had a degree in communication. 

But even then, I didn't fully believe my opinion or voice mattered. 😮

I second-guessed my worth. 

I stayed quiet when I had something to say. Sound familiar? 

I see the same pattern in 95% of the A/E/C professionals in my coaching and training programs. 

People who are technically capable but hesitate to speak up in client-facing meetings or networking events.

Many in our industry shy away from making small talk and interacting with others.

It's about having more confidence.

Keeping your "nose in your phone" keeps you silent in real life. 

💰The reluctance to use your voice costs your firm millions in lost bids, referrals, and opportunities.💰

A/E/C professionals don't lack ideas; they doubt their value. 

They second-guess themselves. 

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The New PMs Are Watching. What Are You Showing Them?

New project managers are watching you.

What are you showing them?

In every meeting, on every jobsite, and during every project handoff, your emerging leaders are quietly taking notes.

They may not speak up yet.

But they are watching how you...

✅Communicate under pressure

✅Handle mistakes

✅Give direction

✅Treat others

Your actions become their playbook.

🧨Here's the truth about A/E/C: Strong communication and visible ownership are non-negotiable.

It's not only about what you say—it's how you lead through words, tone, clarity, and follow-up.

If experienced leaders model sarcasm, vague directions, or avoid responsibility, younger project managers are likely to do the same—and think it's acceptable when it's not.

Your communication and the leadership culture of your firm come down to this:

🗝️You lead by example, not memos and long meetings.

Train your next-level leaders today so that they don't mirror outdated and bad habits.

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40% of Leaders Say Teams Aren't Asking the Right Questions

Communication, seller-doer challenges, and confidence.

To achieve greater success in the A/E/C industry, a new poll says firms must overcome these three obstacles, beginning with communication.

➡️Nearly 40 percent of respondents said unasked questions hold teams back in sales meetings. 

➡️More than 25 percent cite rushing through conversations as a significant challenge.

Are you working on the right problem?

In A/E/C, this could mean focusing on the most pressing client needs or more profitable projects.

Reach out if you want to transform your teams' communication so you can capture more pursuits, improve productivity, and build trust.

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The Vision and Future of A/E/C

Staggering statistics around communication and lost bids are getting the attention of leaders in A/E/C. 

Being proactive is key to sustainable business growth.

➡️Managers who take action show their commitment to adapting to change and the risk of giving new jobs to competitors. 

🧨Proactive managers build stronger teams and win more bids.

It's that simple.

It's why our Top Tier Communicator online training gets firms returns on investments of 5,000 percent or more (Yes, you read it correctly!)

And it's why we have classes available for the next four months.

📈Here's the secret:

Old ways of doing business won't open new doors.

How many contracts are you losing a month?

And industry data supports the need for human-to-human communication and professional development.

A recent report from Newforma, an AECO software management firm, finds: 

  • More than 75 percent of respondents miss project deadlines because of inefficient communication and fragmented workflows.
  • Some 73 percen
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