By Anthony Dunams, PE, CVS – Editor, Value World
I am reminded today and every day that we are a people-oriented practice and service offering. We are focused on our clients overt and covert needs, and we drive solutions and improvements with teams of unique and diverse individuals. The composition of the team, with the leadership and the guidance of the facilitator, drive solutions; solutions that are somewhat determined by who is on that team.
To get the most out of the unique workshop teams requires transparent and effective communication as well as the ability to foster camaraderie, and sometimes quickly. In this age of people spending more time on their phone and being remote, we really need to not forget how to and to sharpen the saw on working with people. That skill cannot be lost on us for it is critical in our industry.
Speaking of phones, I stumbled on a tracker that shows how much time I am using my phone and what are the key apps that I am using. The apps were not an issue but the data saying that I am actively on my phone around five hours a day was concerning.
This has led me to rethinking a few things, kind of in line with New Year’s resolutions. I want to read more (actually hold a book), and I want to reengage in personal and work relationships. Regarding the latter, I am so busy now that when I would visit my kids every month in Virginia (I live in Boston), I used to drive down eight hours each way, but I would use half of that time to reconnect with friends and colleagues by phone (lately I have been flying due to time constraints). That was time well spent and it is incumbent on me to keep fostering those relationships and staying on top of that very soft skill of communicating well and often.
Staying on top of facilitating techniques, disruptive technologies and communication is critical for those in our profession. So, what do you do to keep your edge? Share if you want (anthony.dunams@arcadis.com) and, as I wrote last issue, sharing information is sustainable and necessary in our industry.
Please enjoy this issue and I hope to see and communicate with a lot of you at the SAVE International 2024 Value Summit in Nashville, TN this June. There is a lot of great information in this issue from changes to the Certification approach, a great conference by INVEST (I want to read a few of those papers), and other information related to the Summit this summer. Stay safe out there everyone!
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