By Cassidy Jones, AIA
The Emerging Leaders Program met in February for its first session of the 2025 class. For the third year now, Suzanne Smith welcomed in nervous young professionals, eager to learn more about the industry and themselves. General class logistics were discussed, introductions were made, and every member was asked to share a leader they look up to. We gained the introspection of why we look up to the people we chose; they have qualities we want to see in ourselves and lead in ways that exemplify values we hold in high regard. This flowed perfectly into the session’s general theme: The Architect as a Leader.
The power of the “First Follower”: We learned that a singular individual with a goal is only the beginning of a revolution. True change requires others to join the movement and offer the opportunity to be led. Being the first to follow someone else gives credibility to the concept and encourages others to acknowledge it as well. We should all keep in mind that leadership does not always have the be the first to run out in front with an idea, but that leadership can also be found in upholding the good ideas of others and demonstrating that to the collective.
Help can be hard to ask for: It is easy to become competitive with our peers, to want to be the first to complete a task and prove our abilities. However, asking for help can often be the quickest way to successfully complete a task. We gained insight in how we deal with the pressure to compete, and how so often the solution is in front of us, all we had to do as ask. We also looked at ourselves when we do ‘win’ and why our ego may not always encourage us to share that win with others. Asking and offering help are both required for strong teams, and the lack of either hurts the collective.
Working with opposites: Often tension within teams can stem from not understanding the others whom we are working with. We completed a workshop on our general personality types. This looked at how we like to work, what values we do or do not hold, and what we need to feel successful. Sharing these insights with one another encouraged us all to look at teams from the perspective of one another and reminded us that there are many different ways to lead.
We wrapped us the session with a wonderful panel of alumni from the program: DeQualès Thompson, AIA, Megg Conway, AIA, and Samantha Markham, AIA. They shared feedback on what the Emerging Leaders Program taught them, advice for the members this year, and the experience they have gained in their careers as they have all become successful leaders.
