Welcome to the 2021 End of Summer Podcast Series – where I’m taking a fresh look at the 7 most downloaded podcast episodes over the past year! 

Growing Culture and Success at Scale

The episode we’re starting with today is the most downloaded – Episode 36 with Barry Barber, Executive Vice President and Chairman of the Board of Kimley Horn. 

Our focus was on “Growing Culture and Success at Scale”.

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“Culture does not need to be complicated. Culture is nothing more than behavior – the collection of behaviors we reward, incentivize, encourage, or allow to occur in our organization.”

–Peter C. Atherton, P.E. 

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As I’m doing with each of these top downloaded episodes, I went back and re-listened. 

And for this series listened with a new lens – one focused on where we are today with all new and emerging challenges we’re facing as leaders, leadership teams, and firms.

“Culture” is one of the prime topics being asked about today by leaders and leadership teams related to effective and strategic organizational development… and it is also one of the topics I focus on in my new book coming out later this year on ReDesigning Work. 

Creating the conditions for – and instilling – a “thriving”, healthy culture – one that drives employee engagement especially during challenging times – is a core leadership function, along with business strategy, diversity, innovation, and sustainability. 

Based on what Barry shared, here the 5 keys to growing culture and success at scale:

• Having a culture mindset.
• Having a people and relationship focus
• Having a collaboration and internal partnership mandate
• Thinking “next-level up”
• Having a system of accountability  

Every firm’s ideal approach to culture – how you do work and the values behind such – will be different – and that’s absolutely necessary and appropriate. 

So, as you take-in again – or for the first time – this top downloaded podcast, think about how you and your team can best design and document the actual behaviors and an overall “behavioral framework” needed to realize your greater success.

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“The fact is, we already have a culture; the question is, whether that culture – that collection of behaviors we reward, incentivize, encourage, or allow… is “healthy” or not… or if it’s consistent across our firm or project teams… or whether it’s consistent with our values.”

–Peter C. Atherton, P.E.  

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Thanks for listening to the AEC Leadership Today Podcast!

I sincerely hope you enjoyed today’s episode. Be sure to check out Pete’s contact information and the other resources provided throughout the ActionsProve website designed to help you and your firm grow and prosper in the 21st century.  And, if you like what you heard, please leave a review on iTunes and share the podcast with your friends and colleagues. We look forward to seeing you in the next episode! 

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

Link to original shownotes:  Episode 36 Growing Culture and Success at Scale