The Question Every AEC Leader Should Be Asking Today
đ°Â Redefining leadership through the âGive to Getâ framework: why great leaders ask what life their team members want to build, and help them get there. Plus, the cost of replacing talent vs. retaining it, and how generational shifts are reshaping AEC firms.

Does innovation have to center around technology? Not at all. Innovation is multi-dimensional, and this conversation explores how to implement innovation from a completely different angleâthrough leadership and firm culture.
Summary
This edition is a powerful reframing of leadership for AEC firms. I recently sat down with Phil Putnam. Phil is a leadership coach, author, and former tech exec whose âGive to Getâ model places empathy, curiosity, and generational awareness at the center of modern leadership. We unpacked how intentionally-developed leaders can transform not only careers, but livesâchanging the trajectory of individuals, firms, and the AEC industry itself.
Depending on your leadership upbringing (aka indoctrination), hereâs some potentially uncomfortable truth for the modern workplace:
âEmployees donât work to make your firm successful. They work to build the lives they desire. And when leaders support that, it transforms lives.â â Phil Putnam
If that makes your stomach squirm, read on to learn something new that might challenge your current thinking. And if you are nodding along in agreement, read on for what to look for in firm leadership to help you achieve success and fulfillment in your career.
Key Takeaways
Here are my top takeaways from the podcast episode. Then we'll get into the deeper analysis.