Q. What are the benefits ofanalysis and performancereview?
It gives the person beingreviewed the opportunity toexpress what they think they’veaccomplished. In turn, they getthe review of the project manager that is responsible for themor the superior above them thathas been watching their workfor a year. Then you have theindividual who is perhaps the project head for the wholearchitectural department sittingthere with them reviewing it, sothey get a three-way vision totheir work effort.
We don’t really complete ituntil they come to an agreement. Like, ‘Yes, this is what I’vereally done, and I agree with youand understand you agree withmy position.’ It also sets theirability to move up in the firmand earn raises; that is shared bythe whole management team.
We have a group of about nineindividuals who are principals— one from each of the engineering disciplines and construction management and four from architectural. We meettwice a week to keep the focusof the total office and talkthrough the direction we wantto go.
Q. How do you keep employees from leaving for other jobs?
We do everything we can tokeep the individual. So it’s moreof a negotiation on an equalplane than it is an employee-employer type of situation.
It’s more personalized becausewhen you’re on a team, everybody is together on the team,everybody knows what everyone’s problems are. If someone’s ill in the family, you knowabout it right away.
From that standpoint, we tryto do things that involve theoffice as a totality. We share eachother’s information because youcan get involved as a team, andall of a sudden, you don’t seethe big picture. Only throughgroup meetings of the wholeoffice can we refocus that.
Q. How do you work withyour management team to setthe vision for the company?
The management meeting isthe vision aspect of what wewant to do more long range.
You’re always looking for newmarkets. You’re saying, ‘Do wewant to get involved in that?’That’s hammered out betweenthe management team [and] theother principals.
It’s not singular. It’s not justmyself saying, ‘Here’s what I’mgoing to do’; it’s, ‘Here’s whatwe’re going to do.’ Then youpass it down to the staff. We discuss the pros and cons. It’smore of a total office decision,almost.
HOW TO REACH: Richard L. Bowen + Associates Inc., (216) 491-9300 or www.rlba.com