The mystery is…
why more architects aren’t actively thinking about it, let alone working on their practice to be more adaptable, inclusive and designed with a regularly iterative approach. So that they might better support their team, their practice and achieve the goals they’re pursuing.
Sometimes leaders near and at the top of a practice’s hierarchy can become impediments, closely guarding a practice’s goals and vision. Change isn’t an option, iterative or otherwise. The leaders become gatekeepers to change – which is part of their responsibility, and can also lead to habituation. Whilst working on maintaining the status quo might be an important responsibility for the leaders, it hardly ensures competitiveness and adaptability in the face of change that might be happening in the industry.
What we often see in this instance is the practice’s problems are treated as symptoms in isolation. Whilst the bigger challenge, the one causing the symptoms, remains unrecognised nor addressed. Groupthink predominates. Blindspots remain unchallenged.
And what is the bigger challenge I just mentioned?
It’s the culture.
What’s the culture?
Simply put,
“The culture is the way we do things around here.”
And it’s the leadership that drives the culture of an organisation or practice.
We should therefore be asking:
Is the leadership actually addressing the practice’s challenges, or are they shoring up previous decisions? Filling in the gaps in other’s thinking, supporting their own position and reinstating a culture that might be the problem. Rather than supporting the practice in doing its best work.
It’s an approach that seldom drives innovation, sparks new ideas or helps practices to stay competitive into the future.
So what does?
Better leadership.
It’s no mystery. It’s likely you knew that too.
But what does better leadership look like?
Better leadership fosters openness, seeks out and supports new ideas, and promotes a culture of continuous learning and improvement. It requires being adaptability, a willingness to take risks and embrace change. Better leadership fosters a culture where everyone feels valued, seen and heard, and where actively asking questions, pursuing better and working on innovation, is not only accepted but actively encouraged.
With better leadership comes better practice.
To learn how to develop a better practice culture, book in for my Culture of Practice Workshops.
A workshop series focussed on professional development by teaching better human and practice skills. With a wide collection of modules to choose from, allowing for tailoring to your specific needs. So that you’re better placed to thrive, embrace opportunities and enrich your practice.
AI image generated in Canva
