We’re giving a huge shout-out and hearty welcome to the chapter to our first, new member of 2021! Jessica Besso is the accounting manager at Weinstein AU.
Welcome Jessica! We’re looking forward to when we can meet you in person!
EDConnect20: Members share take-aways
EDConnect20 offered a session on “Connect Through Your Camera,” presented by David Goad. Since March, who HASN’T attended a virtual meeting?
If you’re presenting in a virtual meeting, David offered some great practices to follow. Chapter member Judy Beebe, FSDA (of WSP USA) shares her take-away.
When your audience has their cameras turned on, it’s easy to spot those that aren’t giving you their undivided attention. Do you notice them looking down (probably looking at their phone)? Is someone having a side conversation with others (they turn away to take a phone call, or you can see they’re talking while they are muted)? If you’re not engaging, can you expect your audience to stay engaged with you?
The speaker suggested you interrupt the pattern of monotony by being a little unpredictable. It helps keep their attention on you. He offered six practices for keeping your audience tuned in to you.
- At the beginning, promise them you’ll end the meeting early. People will appreciate the shorter meeting and the extra free time. (We’re here for an hour, but I can finish up 15 minutes early, if you stay with me and participate.)
- Use humor. Situational humor is the safest. (David shared how at one conference, dinner was supposed to be served, but it ended up being hors d’oeuvres instead. When he got back in front of the audience, he said, “I don’t know about you, but I’m stuffed!” Which of course, garnered some laughter.)
- Make them work, every 5 minutes. (Give them a poll, ask them to speak up or raise their hand, or ask them to write a response in the chat box.)
- Question, then pause.
- Tell an off-script story. (Right before we started, I was talking to Jane, and she said . . ..)
- Call them by name.
EDConnect20: Members share take-aways
One session from EDConnect20 was “Building Firm Strategy When Uncertainty is the Only Thing Certain: Building a Roadmap for Success,” presented by Donna Corlew, FSMPS, CPSM (of C*Connect), and Frank Lippert, FSMPS, CPSM (of Go Strategies).
Speaker Corlew uses a PEST(EL) analysis, i.e., scenario planning from an external view:
- Political
- Economic
- Sociocultural
- Technology
- (Environmental
- Liability)
Here is what chapter member Carrie Thompson, CDFA (Director of Operations at Studio Meng Strazzara) took away from that session:
I had never really thought about how “scenario planning” is a whole thing unto itself – but it is exactly what so many of us were doing in March and have been working with since. As the presenters described, my company’s plan has changed as the months went along, and we revisit the plan every few months to see what might be coming our way that require modification to the plan. We joked that we were making it up as we went along, but that isn’t exactly right: we had an initial plan that just required a lot of adjustment in the early months as the external factors (PEST) changed.
Welcome to the Seattle Chapter!
We’re excited that Emily Brandesky joined our chapter! She’s an Administrative Associate III at Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc., and celebrated her fifth anniversary with the firm in August of this year. Fun facts: She practices Brazilian jiu jitsu, and she’s on a mommy-break from her typical oboe/English horn performing/teaching routine.
Welcome to the Seattle Chapter, Emily!
Back to Basics
Administrative positions are almost unrecognizable from what they entailed fifty years ago. We are now tasked with a wide variety of responsibilities across all aspects of the business, allowing others within a company to focus on their area of expertise while trusting that “the ship” is being steered by a competent crew of professionals.
Did you miss our May business practice event? Chapter members Carrie Thompson, CDFA and Gretchen Renz, CDFA shared what it means to be an administrative professional in an A/E office. Along with that, we also heard from an associate principal at Bernardo|Wills Architects, Mike Stanicar, AIA, and from Kurt Wong, CDFA, project controller at Studio Meng Strazzara. Here’s what they had to say:
It’s hard to express the value of your admin. team – like describing the value of the air you breath. They are the lifeblood of the company that keeps the body of the technical staff working. Since our training is primarily in our chosen field, not many technical professionals have operational knowledge in benefits, HIPPA, payroll, etc. We tend to focus, as we should, on the client, the design, and the next project. We can only concentrate on these aspects of the business secure in the confidence that all the other facets of the business are being well managed. The admin. team brings this balance through their considerable skills in organization, judgment, and leadership. — Mike Stanicar, AIA
I began my career on the architect side, doing the design, and realized that I liked the industry but wasn’t liking the role I was in, so after taking some time off to rethink things, I decided to come back on the administration side.
I started at a small 9-person firm as the only admin person on staff, which meant I was responsible for everything. That’s where I learned to be a jack-of-all-trades – between general office administration to handling HR to dealing with the finances, and even getting into some of the marketing. It was a great introduction to how an architecture firm operates.
I learned over time what I enjoyed more and have since started on a different, more specialized position within the administration side. I’m always looking for learning opportunities, ways to do my job better, and chances to contribute to making my firm better on the administration side. I love hearing from other admins at other firms to share knowledge and to be resources and support for each other. — Kurt Wong, CDFA
Thank you Carrie, Gretchen, Mike, and Kurt for sharing your knowledge and comments at our chapter’s business practice event!
Our 2020 Star!
We are thrilled to recognize Kurt Wong, CDFA, as our chapter’s 2020 Star. Chapter Star Awards are announced each year at SDA National’s Annual Meeting. Chapter stars are members who go above and beyond in helping the chapter reach its goals. Kurt has been a member of SDA since 2014, and has served on the chapter’s board for a number of years. He works at Studio Meng Strazza, in project controls. This is what we submitted to National:
Kurt was our membership chair in 2019. During that time, we gained 15 new members, and part of that impressive growth was due to Kurt’s implementation of “coffee chats.” He’d invite people to join him for 1:1 chats, whether it was a prospective member, a new member, or a current member. Kurt’s personal touch resulted in getting to know more about those he met with. In addition to his coffee chats, Kurt had an important role in our quarterly Wine Wednesdays – he served as our wine aficionado. We appreciate Kurt’s quiet determination in helping our chapter grow toward its goals and vision, and his dedication to the Seattle chapter. He is our shining Star!
Congratulations Kurt!
Presentation Gold: Sticking the landing
At our November business practice event, Steve Peer and Santoshi Pisupati presented “Presentation Gold: How to Stick the Landing when Presenting,” sharing tips on how to be a better presenter.
Their final thoughts:
- Your introduction is the blueprint for your conclusion. The human mind’s tendency is to remember the first and the last thing it hears. So put the most important information at the beginning and end of your speech. It might seem repetitive, but when your audience zones out (it happens sometimes), they can’t press rewind.
- Be bold when concluding your presentation. Use words to get your audience off their phones and paying attention again, such as: In conclusion. To conclude. In summary. With the two minutes I have left. To wrap it up. Once you have their attention, share your conclusion.
- Use a quote that will stay with your audience long after they leave the room.
- Call to action. If your primary purpose is to move your audience to action, use the last few minutes to reinforce the call to action you seek. Examples of strong calls to action include: Join the fight. Begin the journey. Improve the process. Donate today.
- A compelling story. Ending your presentation on a story—especially if that story is personal or illustrates how the content presented affects others—is the best way to conclude. Creating empathy with your audience and tying the story back to points made throughout your presentation ensures your presentation hits the mark.
The foundation? Mutual respect and trust
One of the takeaways from the EDSymposium19 best practice panel presentations, from chapter members Gretchen Renz, CDFA, and Emily Meyer, CDFA (of Bernardo|Wills Architects), was that if a firm’s culture is not built on a foundation of mutual respect and trust, investing in the culture with donuts or cool toys does not have long term effects.
Some of the fun things they do:
- Birthday program: Cards are routed through the office for everyone to sign. They also send cards to spouses/partners and kiddos (the kids also get a $10 bill).
- Friday breakfasts
- Summer patio parties: This is also a marketing effort. Consultants and clients from major projects are invited to their own patio party to thank them and celebrate together.
- Team-building raft trip
- Afternoon planking group/fitness
- Telemedicine benefit: This is separate from the firm’s regular group medical plan. It includes employees and their dependents (including those that do not opt in to the regular plan), and many have their adult kids on it as well.
At Bernardo|Wills Architects, putting their people first is good business.
What fun things does your firm do for your staff or clients?
Introducing the 2020 Board of Directors
These are the professionals who stepped up to spend a year helping the chapter grow toward its vision and goals.
Left to right: President Judy Beebe, FSDA (WSP USA); President-elect Laiisha Thomas (MG2); Director Carol Wanda Spradlin, CDFA (Baylis Architects); Director Karyn Marks (Studio Meng Strazzara); Past President/Director Jessica King, CDFA (MG2); Vice President Carrie Thompson, CDFA (Studio Meng Strazzara); Treasurer Kurt Wong, CDFA (Studio Meng Strazzara). Not pictured: Secretary Gretchen Renz, CDFA (Bernardo|Wills Architects); and Director Crystal Ray (Pennell Consulting).
Members rock!
You know what’s cool about serving on a board of directors? It’s having chapter members who volunteer to help. Who enjoy helping. Who delight in knowing that their help made a difference.
Last year, these chapter members (non-board members) stepped up and served on committees or took on tasks – big or small – that helped the chapter move closer to its goals.
THANK YOU!
Erica Collins (CallisonRTKL)
Sarah Cawthra (ZGF)
Becky Henselen (Selkirk Development)
Stacy Rowland, CDFA (Berger Partnership)
Margaret Vandenberg (Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates)
Eunoh Lee, CDFA (Mackenzie)
Karyn Marks (Studio Meng Strazzara)
Crystal Ray (Pennell Consulting)
EB Meyer (Weinstein A+U)
Shannon Soady, CDFA (DLR Group)
Emily Meyer, CDFA (Bernardo|Wills Architects)
Megan Addison (Weinstein A+U)
THANK YOU!
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