A recent round of chemotherapy to treat a pre-cancerous skin condition put me through the ringer – and the experience got me thinking about the process of transformation and how it often requires that we go through a really uncomfortable process in order to achieve new growth. From diagnosing the thing that’s in our way to emerging on the other side, transformation demands courage, vulnerability, commitment and vision. Here are my thoughts on the experience and some questions to consider about undertaking transformation in your own life in service of a better you.

COVID-19 has upended everything about how we live. And for many architects, it’s completely impacted how we design. Especially in the hospitality industry architects and their clients are re-thinking how we congregate, socialize, recreate and travel. Circumstances demand that we design and work with new health and safety paradigms in mind. Rashana Zaklit is on the forefront of Gensler’s efforts to meet the new needs of the hospitality industry. Together with her team, she draws upon her more than 16 years of working with some of the biggest hospitality names in the industry such as Virgin, Hyatt, Marriott, Loews, Four Seasons, St Regis, Hilton, and Millennium to name a few. We dive into an exploration of the challenges the pandemic have presented designers of hospitality properties, the impact of social distancing on client programs, and the challenges and benefits of remote working for both teams and individuals.

I’ve noticed in my conversations with people recently that everyone seems to be waiting. Waiting for a vaccine for coronavirus. Waiting for a promotion. Waiting for a deal to come through. Waiting to make any plans. Waiting for 2020 to end. Unfortunately, all this waiting leaves one feeling pretty helpless. It’s a convenient way to give up your agency and abdicate responsibility for making powerful choices NOW. I got curious about the things people are waiting for and how it’s ground their lives to a halt. See if any of them resonate in your own speaking, thinking and actions…

Thinking about starting your own architecture firm? It’s a daunting proposition, fraught with doubts and uncertainty. Where do you start? How can you succeed? What challenges will you run up against and how can you avoid the pitfalls. I know this well – because I went through the process myself when I started my design firm in 1999. Through a process of trial and error I built my practice into a successful 6-person firm that left a legacy of successful projects across the city of Chicago. It was great fun, but it was challenging work. And in retrospect I find myself thinking of all the things I learned along the way that I wish I’d known from the outset. So, in the interest of paying it forward, here are the top 10 things I wish I’d known when I went out on my own!

Tired of being stuck? Finding all sorts of creative ways to avoid doing the one thing that will move your business forward? I hear ya. I got myself to a place last week where I was procrastinating so much that I got fed up with myself! I finally broke the log jam and got into action. But it got me curious about HOW I got moving. The result? 5 ways to combat procrastination! Check them out, try them yourself, and let me know how they worked for you!

In a rapidly changing world and in the face of a global pandemic, architects are finding their skills and creativity even more essential and in demand. Luckily, they have architect Tom Vonier on their side and representing their interests through the International Union of Architects (UIA), the global organization representing the world’s 3.2 million architects. With this wealth of international experience and access to a global audience, Tom is exactly the right person to sit down with and take the pulse of the profession and the possibilities and challenges architects face globally.

As architects we often feel we’ve hit our capacity. Short on time, resources, energy, we operate on the edge of efficiency. But consider that, outside of the “doing” of life, we might still be playing a small game. I recently had the epiphany that what I THOUGHT was my big game was still me just playing within my comfort zone. Doing what I know will yield results, but it won’t actually help me grow personally or professionally. Here are three key questions you can ask to determine whether you’re playing a small game and it might be time to level up!

Buildings don’t exist in a vacuum. But we have often thought of them that way – independent objects plunked down on a piece of land with little or no regard for the impact they have on the surrounding environment or the communities they house. Efforts to mitigate the consequences have given rise over the decades to various approaches to sustainability. But sustainability isn’t enough. Enter Bill Reed - an internationally recognized planning consultant, design process facilitator, lecturer, teacher, and author in sustainability and regeneration. Bill and I discuss the principles of regenerative development and its impact on architects, the profession, and how we see our role in creating the built environment.

Architects who strike out on their own are destined to be overworked and underpaid, right? Absolutely not. It’s definitely a challenge to run your own design firm, but there are some simple things you can do to make sure your firm flourishes rather than flops. Here are five tips you can follow to make sure you’re positioned for success when you start your own firm!

David Bradley, AIA PCC, shares coaching perspectives and tips from the Architects Possibility Podcast on how to create a positive mindset in the face of challenging circumstances.

Sustainability has been a well-established buzz word for decades now, but it seems to have lost a lot of its punch lately, watered down and co-opted by the building industry. Although it’s still a worthy goal, a growing number of practitioners are re-thinking the role and impact of design in an increasingly interconnected world. Helen Kessler, FAIA, LEED Fellow and Well AP has been on the forefront of these discussions and continues to lead the way as we design and plan our cities and communities for the future. In the latest episode of the Architects Possibility Podcast we engage in a lively conversation about the principles of regeneration, regenerative design, and the powerful paradigm shift that is required in the profession and society in order to forge a more positive future.

Welcome to the first installment of Perspectives, a short-form end of the week podcast that covers a variety of topics I run into as a coach. I'll share some tips and tricks to help you past common places where you might get stopped, share my thoughts on issues that my architect clients bring me, and provide a brief nugget of wisdom that just might help you get to the next level in what you're up to.

As architects, we’re not often eager to throw ourselves into the fray when it comes to politics even though we’re perfectly positioned to have an impact on local, national, and even global issues. Thomas Jacobs, AIA, a partner with Krueck and Sexton Architects, is an exception to that rule. Tom is a Swiss-American citizen architect who practices at the intersection of design, education and advocacy to catalyze inclusive positive change in the built environment and beyond. This week Tom and I sit down and discuss the role of politics in architecture, and conversely the role of architecture in politics. Especially in this politically charged year, it’s a conversation that is sorely needed, and his message hits at the core of who we can be, both personally and professionally.

Ryan Gann, Assoc. AIA, has worked on some of Ross Barney Architects’ most ambitious civic projects. These architectural and urban design investigations have allowed him to collaborate with communities across Chicago and the world, expressing the role public space plays in everyday life. Most recently, his involvement with the design of Chicago’s new flagship building for McDonalds and their net-zero building in Orlando has proven that even the smallest of moves can have an outsized impact. In his capacity as newly-elected At-Large Director for the AIA, Ryan seeks to continue to take small, but measurable steps to affect change in the profession in areas that desperately need attention – climate change, racial justice, and healthy buildings. With his track record, I think we’ll get there. One step at a time…

Over the course of her 25-year design career Felicia Middleton has worn many hats. She is a writer, Architectural Design Professional, amateur photographer, environmentalist and entrepreneur. But at her core, Felicia Middleton is The Foodie Builder. And her commitment and passion for everything she does will leave you feeling full of possibility. In this episode of the Architects Possibility Podcast, Felicia shares with me her passion for food service design and creating spaces for restaurants, caterers, and the wider food service industry. We discuss her love of all things related to the culinary arts, new design challenges that have arisen with the arrival of the coronavirus, and where that might take us in restaurants of the future.

In 2017 Jason Boyle became the youngest Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (FRIBA) and in 2018 he was awarded Fellowship of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA). It was this elevation to Fellowship in both organizations inspired him to start mentoring others. He subsequently set up a mentoring company which has successfully mentored many architects, including one recent Fellow of RIBA. Jason joins me to share his philosophy on mentoring, his efforts to support others in their endeavors, and his experiences calling them forward to be their best. You’ll appreciate his commitment, his compassion, and his grasp on what’s possible when someone is in our corner!

The successful practice of architecture requires an inquisitive nature and the desire to be in dialogue with others, explore the impact of design and ask the right questions. Omar Garcia leverages all of these skills in his work, his practice, and his podcast, Student Architect. Whether experimenting with architecture and design, working with different forms of media, or simply taking a bike ride down the mountains, Omar is always looking for an opportunity to learn and share architecture and all its wonder. In our conversation, we discuss both his leadership in the AIA as a recent student and his thoughts on the exploration and exchange of ideas and conversations that move the profession forward and bring people together to design a better, more responsive world.

One of the greatest things about being an architect is its multi-disciplinary nature that requires one to be have a broad and varied education in many subject matters. Steve Kismohr, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, is one of those professionals whose life and career have taken him in many different directions, yet whose passions have provided a unifying theme to his work. Join us this week on the Architects Possibility Podcast for an engaging conversation with Steve about his various experiences, his underlying commitment to energy efficient design, and how he’s created a career and life that mirrors his curiosity about the world.

For many architects, our role frequently extends far beyond the built environment to include leveraging our skills in service of social justice and the betterment of our world. Over the years, Brandy Koch has been pursuing her passions and putting her skills to work outside the office, getting her hands dirty, and pitching in to support causes she believes in. In today’s episode Brandy and I discuss volunteering, its impact on communities and the intersection it provides between her personal and professional life. With a particular focus on her work with AEC Cares, we take a look at what inspires her to volunteer her valuable time and what keeps her engaged.

It takes a lot of guts and determination to start your own architecture practice. It takes vision and commitment to keep it going even in the best of times. Ultimately, it’s the professional and personal relationships one builds that determine one’s success. Jean Dufresne, co-founder of Space Architects and Planners in Chicago joins us to discuss the arc of his career and the experiences that led him to found a firm that embodies his philosophies and principles. We also discuss his ongoing involvement with the American Institute of Architects (AIA) which has included extensive advocacy for small practice owners like himself, and for fellow colleagues in the LGBTQI+ community.