Get in Front Communications

07/16/2025

You hired brilliant engineers. Sharp estimators. Smart, ambitious young project managers.

Still, many in A/E/C struggle to run a meeting, provide constructive feedback, or hold their ground in a challenging conversation.

And that’s a quiet liability.

Our industry has long prioritized technical talent.

But in 2025, we've reached a tipping point:

Without solid communication and leadership skills, even your smartest hires will get stuck—or worse, drive away clients, confuse teams, and damage trust.

🔹 A 2024 FMI survey found that nearly 60% of A/E/C firms say poor communication limits project performance.

🔹 Yet only 50% of firms provide ongoing communication training to staff under 35 who work on job sites.

The result?

👉Your firm has competent people who are awkward in client meetings.

👉Or they avoid one-on-one conversations.

👉You may have staff who share vague and confusing instructions with the crew.

The good news is that technical people can learn effective communication techniques.

But they don’t come from guessing or trial and error.

They come from intentional, customized training programs that meet them where they are—on job sites, in field trailers, or online between tasks.

👉 If you want your shy and reserved talent to grow into your next confident leaders, start by helping them share their expertise.

Help them to use their voices and speak up. 🧨

Reach out so you can see our training programs and uplevel skills in 2025.

There's still time!

06/30/2025

For years, A/E/C firms have wrestled with the same big question:

"How do we pass on decades of expertise so the next generation can step up—and the firm remains sustainable?"

A dream solution, right?

But it’s not just a dream. It’s a choice.

👉Here’s what I mean:

Years ago, I read The Art of Possibility by Benjamin and Rosamund Zander.

Ben, a conductor of the Boston Philharmonic, and his late wife, a family therapist and executive coach, captured something I’ve never forgotten.

This prolific story in the book still hits me hard today:

A young man visits his dying father, a lifelong musician, and asks:

"If you could give me one piece of wisdom, Dad, what would it be?"

The father replies: "Don’t die with the music still inside."💝

🥹I’m weepy even writing this, because this is exactly what’s happening across A/E/C firms right now.

It’s not about literal music.

It’s about your hard-earned wisdom, your stories from the field, the lessons from wins—and costly mistakes. 🗝️

It’s about sharing your leadership journey; your music.

To my point, a recent poll on LinkedIn reveals that the most effective ways for transferring knowledge in A/E/C before retirement are:

🔷Storytelling

🔷Documentation

🔷Shadowing roles

Interestingly, formal mentorship programs barely made a dent.

🧨Here’s my point:

Your younger staff wants and needs your knowledge.

But they need it delivered in real and natural ways so they can hear it, absorb it, and act on it.

That means exeutives learning how to communicate your expertise—clearly, passionately, and with impact.

➡️Not buried in a CRM.

➡️Not in a single sit-down meeting.

➡️You share your gifts as a heartfelt human being with an intentional process.

Senior leaders: Don’t die with the music still inside.💖

✅ If your firm wants help with knowledge transfer, communication coaching, or leadership training, drop me a message. I’ll help you start sharing the wisdom executives already have—before it’s too late. https://www.aecamplify.com/contact-us

06/27/2025

Communication tip:

If your team is hesitating to say what everyone is privately thinking, you have a communication gap.

You may—or may not realize it.

👉Avoiding uncomfortable truths—with internal staff or prospects—doesn’t help your firm's credibility.

It erodes trust, performance, and your bottom line.

This isn’t about publicly calling someone out or embarrassing them.

It’s about creating a culture with psychological safety to calmly address real issues with professionalism and respect.

➡️Here’s a common example in A/E/C:

You have a charismatic project leader or superintendent who dominates conversations and shortlisted interviews.

They’re likable… outgoing… the “life of the party.”

But here’s what no one’s saying to their face:

📈Their long-winded stories and off-topic comments derail important discussions—especially with prospects.

What feels like small talk to them feels like wasted time to others. 😮

The challenge is that this individual doesn't know how to read the room and reel themselves in.

➡️The price you pay is lost bids and credibility.

➡️Your staff notices.

➡️Your prospects notice.

But because this person is well-liked, no one wants to be the one to say "the thing."

So people "dance around it" and feel frustration.

Effective leadership means addressing these patterns. One-on-one.

Early. Calmly. And clearly.

🔷The goal isn’t to criticize—it’s to help people grow.

It’s about improving communication, morale, and, profits.💰

If your culture doesn’t encourage honest conversations, key issues become expensive problems.

You set the tone.

🎯If you’re serious about improving communication, morale, and your bottom line—let’s talk. Message me to learn more about leadership communication training for A/E/C firms.

06/24/2025

Smart leaders manage like this...

06/16/2025

Smart A/E/C leaders don't ignore the training gap in their firms.

They capture more pursuits because they embrace workplace training data. 📈

They don't make excuses about budgets, limited time, or keeping programs in-house:

👉Nearly 50 percent of managers with 10 or more years of experience report having received a total of only nine hours of training.

👉Almost 45 percent of managers who have been in their role for less than a year haven't had any training.

Research from Lorman shows that internal programs may save your firm money in the short term, but the benefits are limited.

🎯Most employees crave fresh perspectives and innovative problem-solving strategies.

To scale and narrow talent gaps, proactive firms are willing to invest in external training.

A/E/C executives must be open-minded and know that scalability is intertwined with today's business development and communication skills.

How does your team measure up against competitors?

Savvy leaders recognize the return on investment includes more than projections and successful projects.💰

The bottom line is that the ROI of effective training elevates productivity, confidence, and morale while reducing employee turnover.

06/12/2025

Communication tip: No one wants marketing mumbo-jumbo.

Here's your solution: Avoid J-A-R.

Jargon, adjectives, and rhetoric.

This is a golden takeway for A/E/C professionals who hear my keynotes or attend trainings.

Empty words and clichés don't attract clients.😮

They repel stakeholders who want substance, not buzzwords.

I've compiled a looong list of words and phrases from research, industry websites, and social media posts.

The top seven overused tidbits are below. ⬇️⬇️⬇️

Talking about quality service and being established doesn't compare to the results and outcomes your clients share.

🧨A better way of communicating in your presentations and online is to speak and write like a human being.

This is how you build deeper relationships.

Yes, search engine optimization is important.

Just don't forget the human factor in your communication, both online and in-person.

06/05/2025

Articulating complex data and information doesn't have to be an ongoing struggle in A/E/C.

From misunderstandings in e-mail threads and texts to confusing slide decks and messaging to stakeholders, there's room to improve communication.⬅️

Interpersonal communication is at the root of reworks, lost bids, budget overruns, and the labor shortage.

In the "Bridging the Gap" podcast episode, I talk with host Todd Weyandt about how A/E/C teams can become confident communicators, with new storytelling and networking skills.

🧨🧨Grab valuable techniques and strategies from our conversation. Here's the link. https://bit.ly/3T7L97B

Discover how storytelling, curiosity, and clarity can transform communication in construction from quiet to compelling.

06/03/2025

📈Time to Step Up: The 80% Challenge for A/E/C Leaders

A new survey reveals that more than 80% of A/E/C professionals want better, more efficient business systems.

➡️That’s a loud call for change.

But the real test isn’t in wanting improvement—it’s in leading it.🎯

Are you stepping up to make it happen, or waiting for someone else (or the wish fairy) to fix it?

Continuous improvement demands action.

Here are three ways to begin.

05/27/2025

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.

05/27/2025

Do you work in architecture, engineering, and construction (A/E/C)? Comment yes or no below. Thanks!

05/20/2025

Too many people in A/E/C are saying they are shy, introverted, or reserved.

So they play small and don't speak up at internal and external meetings. 😮

They shrink back at networking events, missing opportunities to build relationships and generate business.

Don't allow imposter syndrome and a lack of confidence to stop you from sharing your expertise.

🎁People need your gifts and insights!

Becoming more self-assured and confident is a learned skill.

🎯Here are 5 ways to start overcoming your limiting beliefs and shut down negative self-talk.

05/18/2025

This is the best way to solve your clients' problems in A/E/C - and add value every step of the way.

Focus on this four-letter word: CARE.

For me, CARE is an acronym.

🔷Your COMMUNICATION is based on what you pay ATTENTION to.

🔷Your ATTENTION (focus) determines your RESULTS.

🔷Your RESULTS can be EXCELLENT.

How do you show clients and prospects that you truly CARE about them...as human beings and in business?

Are you focusing on the correct problems they are experiencing?

Where can you improve improve your presentations and conversations?

🧨Notice your communication patterns and habits.

It's all about self-awareness.

Success in A/E/C means you're focusing on others, and not yourself or the need for a sale.

If you want better results, show others you can solve their problems.

Show them you CARE more than the next firm.

It's a feeling, not a tech solution.😊