Today’s episode of the AEC Leadership Today podcast features Michael Sahota, founder and CEO of SHIFT314. Our topic is work methods – specifically work methods and thinking new to us that could be key to helping us solve some of our biggest work challenges.
Thinking and Becoming More Agile in AEC
Imagine that there were work methods specifically developed based on universal principles of human interaction which, at their best, embrace change and create a culture of high performance, continuous learning, and great design with less risk and, at their core, value and respect people.
These in fact do exist, even if we’ve not had (or taken!) the time to critically think about or explore them.
Our guest today on the podcast is Michael Sahota, founder and CEO of SHIFT314. Michael is a worldwide expert in Lean, Agile, and evolved leadership, and we dive into different work methods, specifically the Agile method.
Agile is a very people- and team-centric way of working with clear outcomes, clearly defined deliverables, and a defined timeframe for delivery. Historically, this is not what has happened in the AEC industry, but it’s something that is craved and seems to line up well with our organization needs and the overall evolution of creative design work.
The shift to Agile work is not for everyone, as Michael explains; however, if leaders within organizations are ready to make the shift, it can greatly improve individual and team collaboration, productivity, and outcomes.
“Agile is an extraordinarily powerful technology, innovation and invention, and it will demand of you that you upgrade the leadership, the organizational culture, and the environment to one that will actually serve your people, serve your customers, and serve your profits.”
– Michael Sahota
In this episode, we discuss:
- Michael’s transition from high-achieving software developer to leading Agile thought leader and consultant.
- How the concept of Agile came to be, and how it helps organizations across all industries build high performance, as it applies universal principles of how human beings work together.
- The definitions of various work methods and processes, including Lean, Kaizen, Six Sigma, Scrum, and Kanban; and which are most applicable to design professionals in the creative industry.
- The philosophy of Agile which at its core is putting people first and creating environments where we respond well to new information, how Agile integrates “rework” into the overall design and build process to eliminate last-minute project delays and stress, and what “waterfall” and “whirlpool” mean in relation to traditional design processes.
- What happens when work environments operate without a learning culture, how it affects junior-level employees’ ability to grow, and how “pairing” can foster collaboration and improve outcomes.
- How Agile teams are more flexible, adaptable, and able to meet the needs of individuals, teams, and customers better.
- Why organizational change needed for Agile design begins with leaders, and why the shift to Agile won’t improve performance, culture, or employee engagement without changes within leaders themselves.
- How better collaboration, outcomes, and productivity created by Agile processes allow for a premium to be charged for services.
- How the change to “work from anywhere” and remote and hybrid teams affects working in a more collaborative Agile state.
- What becoming an “agile organization” looks like.
“There’s no reason to fundamentally believe that a project in any one industry has to be different than any other. We are all faced with ambiguity, complexity, high time pressures, and constant change – that’s the world we exist in as engineers and, frankly, most knowledge workers.”
– Michael Sahota
Michael’s insights into Agile design and leadership are truly thought-provoking and should be used as a catalyst for us to think more critically and strategically about how we can best improve our current work methods and processes to achieve greater project, team, and client results; and am thankful he took the time to share his knowledge and expertise with us on the podcast.
Thanks for listening to the AEC Leadership Today Podcast!
I sincerely hope you enjoyed today’s episode. Be sure to visit the SHIFT314 website to learn even more about how Michael and his team encourage organizational and leadership evolution to inspire positive outcomes in individuals and teams. If you like what you heard, leave a review on iTunes and share the podcast with your friends, colleagues, partners, and peers. Look forward to seeing you in the next episode!
Resources and Links Mentioned in This Episode:
- The SHIFT314 website
- Michael’s book, “Leading Beyond Change”