Curious Teams

Just Curious...Did you enjoy season 2 of Curious Teams?in this last episode of the season, Fred and Barbara talk about the interviews and inspirations that formed this season. Season Two Interviews:Scott Pheiffer, Acoustician, helped us understand the importance of effectively sharing complex information with the entire team https://curiousteams.com/2023/01/16/season-2-teamwork-with-acoustician-scott-pfeiffer/ Randy Deutsch, author of Super Users, helped us understand the value and characteristics of industry talent https://curiousteams.com/2023/03/12/randy-deutsch-superusers/ JD Schramm and Jeff Bryson show us how to apply communication skills to the design and construction industries https://curiousteams.com/2023/04/02/total-cost-of-ownership/ Season Two inspirations:Dave Gilmore of Design Intelligence and his ideas on leadership in difficult times https://curiousteams.com/2023/01/22/leadership-during-challenging-times-leadership-part-3/ Priya Parker inspired us to talk about the Art of Gathering https://curiousteams.com/2023/02/13/virtual-meetings-inspired-by-priya-parker-the-art-of-gathering/ This American Life kickstarted a conversation about deadlines https://curiousteams.com/2023/01/30/deadlines-how-to-deal-with-urgency/ Brene Brown insights on onboarding started us thinking about onboarding to project teams https://curiousteams.com/2023/02/27/onboarding-a-critical-collaborative-tool/ Other Season Two topics: Budgets https://curiousteams.com/2023/02/05/budgets-the-good-the-bad-and-the-complicated/ Schedules https://curiousteams.com/2023/03/19/schedules-the-push-and-pull/ Total Cost of Ownership https://curiousteams.com/2023/04/02/total-cost-of-ownership/ Disruption https://curiousteams.com/2023/02/20/disruption-are-you-ready/ Successful Owners https://curiousteams.com/2023/03/05/how-to-be-a-successful-owner/ Please  visit us at curiousteams.com And for Home Owners building their design and construction team please join Fredhttps://www.thehomeownersinstitute.com/

Just Curious...How do you successfully close-out a design and construction project?In this episode, Barbara and Fred discuss the technical aspects of closing out projects but through the lens of collaboration? How can teams work together during closeout to minimize long term problems and to ensure success for all team members? Avoid Post Project Stress Syndrome by communicating and collaborating! Critical elements of project closeout include:1) Certificate of Occupancy does not mean you are one2) Inspections and punch lists can be stressful3) Warranties and post project services must be clarified4) As-built documentation including BIM models can be an opportunity to help the owner5) Saying good-bye to a project is a team experience Please visit us at curiousteams.com And for Home Owners building their design and construction team please join Fred https://www.thehomeownersinstitute.com/

Just Curious...Do you know what buildings really cost? Fred and Barbara discuss TCO, the Total Cost of Ownership, and why knowing the TCO is critical to effective decision-making during design. Shouldn't you be curious about the energy costs, maintenance costs, interest costs, and other costs that may make it difficult to afford ownership?See the ChatGPT assessment of TCO below:When trying to reduce TCO, building owners may face several challenges, including:Balancing short-term and long-term costs: Some cost-saving measures may have an upfront cost but lead to long-term savings. For example, investing in energy-efficient technology may have a higher upfront cost but lead to significant savings in utility costs over the building's lifespan.Finding the right balance of cost-saving measures: Building owners may need to implement multiple cost-saving measures to achieve their desired TCO reduction. However, finding the right balance of cost-saving measures can be challenging, as some measures may conflict with each other or have unintended consequences.Maintaining quality: Cost-saving measures should not compromise the quality of the building or its operations. For example, reducing custodial staff to save on wages may lead to a decline in cleanliness, which could negatively impact the building's reputation and tenant satisfaction.Securing financing: Some cost-saving measures may require significant upfront investment, such as upgrading to energy-efficient technology or retrofitting a building for accessibility. Building owners may need to secure financing to implement these measures, which can be challenging, particularly for small or medium-sized building owners.Changing tenant behavior: Some cost-saving measures may require changes in tenant behavior, such as turning off lights or adjusting thermostat settings. Building owners may need to educate and incentivize tenants to adopt these changes, which can be difficult to achieve.Overall, reducing TCO requires a careful balance of cost-saving measures, long-term planning, and a commitment to maintaining quality and sustainability. Building owners may benefit from consulting with experts in building operations and finance to develop a comprehensive strategy for reducing TCO. For more information about TCO see the following: https://www.appa.org/appa-total-cost-of-ownership-tco-part-1-key-principles/https://www.appa.org/facilities-manager/appa-total-cost-of-ownership-the-link-to-excellence-through-data/https://system.suny.edu/media/suny/content-assets/documents/capital-facilities/ppaa/Total-Cost-of-Ownership-v1-1.pdf Please  visit us at curiousteams.com And for Home Owners building their design and construction team please join Fredhttps://www.thehomeownersinstitute.com/

Just Curious...Were you taught how to communicate effectively in school? In this episode, Barbara and Fred talk to two communications experts inside and outside the Design and Construction industries to explore how you can communicate more effectively. JD Schramm,  communication consultant and author of Communicate with Mastery, joins Jeff Bryson, principle of Talking Forward, a construction industry communications educator, provide insight on when to speak, how to speak, and what to say to be better communicators within complex teams. Resources:Find JD Schramm athttps://jdschramm.com/about/https://jdschramm.com/books/ Find Jeff Bryson atjeffcolebryson@gmail.com Please  visit us at curiousteams.comAnd for Home Owners building their design and construction team please join Fredhttps://www.thehomeownersinstitute.com/ 

Just Curious...why are schedules so difficult to manage? In this episode Fred and Barbara deal with the difficulties and opportunities of using schedules as a tool for success. Like budgets, some professionals embrace the use of schedules to manage proactively and predictably.Please visit us at curiousteams.com And for Home Owners building their design and construction team please join Fred https://www.thehomeownersinstitute.com/ 

Just Curious...what makes a great design and construction professional? Fred and Barbara talk to Randy Deutsch, FAIA about his book, SuperUsers: Design Technology Specialists and the Future of Practice. SuperUsers has won prizes for Best Future Technology of All Time and Best New Design EBooks both awarded by Book Authority. What characteristics should design technology (and other professionals) have? How can firms retain great talent? Please visit us at curiousteams.com And for Home Owners building their design and construction team please join Fred https://www.thehomeownersinstitute.com/ 

Just Curious...How can project owners be more successful? In this episode, Fred and Barbara discuss the characteristics of great owners. Six key elements and some straight talk can help owners be better team member and successful project owners. The six responsibilities of owners include:1) Be present and ask questions2) Make timely and informed decisions3) Express values as well as goals with the entire team4) Build and maintain a team that shares the owners values5) Fire toxic team members6) Strive to make every member of the team successful Please  visit us at curiousteams.comAnd for Home Owners building their design and construction team please join Fredhttps://www.thehomeownersinstitute.com/

Just Curious...Do you know how it feels to be left out? In this episode of Curious Teams, Barbara and Fred discuss the importance of onboarding your team members when they are added to the team. The five critical components to onboarding in the design and construction environments include:1) The leader must be present - don't pass of the important job of onboarding2) Values and team principles are communicated early and often3) All new team members are "on-boarded" the same way4) New team members are encouraged to do their part including asking questions and to be authentic5) Remote workers are "on-boarded" too! Please  visit us at curiousteams.comAnd for Home Owners building their design and construction team please join Fredhttps://www.thehomeownersinstitute.com/

Just Curious...Are you ready to have your world turned upside down? In this episode, Fred and Barbara discuss the past disruptions and future disruptions to the design and construction industry. What are these disruption and how should you strategically prepare for inevitable changes to the market, technology, management processes, supply chain, and talent. Will you be ready when the world turns upside down? Please  visit us at curiousteams.comAnd for Home Owners building their design and construction team please join Fredhttps://www.thehomeownersinstitute.com/

Just curious...are you frustrated by virtual meetings? Fred and Barbara are inspired this week by Priya Parker's work on the art of gathering and her book of the same name. Can virtual gatherings be improved through better organization and greater thoughtfulness. How do we make these cyber meetings more relevant and effective? Do you have time to plan better virtual engagements? What are the benefits of investing time to make these meetings more useful? Roll up your sleeves and gather your bandwidth because design and construction virtual meetings can be better. Resources - https://www.priyaparker.com  and https://www.priyaparker.com/book-art-of-gatheringWith Brene Brown: https://brenebrown.com/podcast/brene-with-priya-parker-a-meeting-makeover/Please visit us at curiousteams.com And for Home Owners building their design and construction team please join Fred https://www.thehomeownersinstitute.com/ 

Just Curious...How do you feel about project budgets? In this episode, Barbara and Fred explore the complexities of using budget as a tool for success. If you struggle with budget development and maintenance, this is the episode for you. With preparation and discipline, budgets can be your best friend for project success. Please  visit us at curiousteams.comAnd for Home Owners building their design and construction team please join Fredhttps://www.thehomeownersinstitute.com/

Just Curious - Are deadlines good or bad for the design and construction industries? In this episode Fred and Barbara inspired by Episode 776 of This American Life, I Work Better on a Deadline, seek to understand the role of deadlines in the design and construction industries, exploring the pros and cons of working with deadlines as well as providing some insights on deadline management.Five ways to think about deadlines for architects, contractors, and owners:Break down the big deadline into manageable smaller deadlines.Schedule decisions required to make each deadline.Schedule and collect decision-ready information as required to meet deadlines - don't solve problems too early or  quickly if you do not have sufficient informationCreate a sense of urgency early on in a project so that decisions and deadlines can be managed thoughtfully - don't procrastinateKeep project values and principles up front to stay focused on why deadlines are important - For example, your project deadline may be part of a larger owner deadline.Resources:  Episode 776 of This American Life, I Work Better on a Deadline https://www.thisamericanlife.org/776/transcript Please  visit us at curiousteams.comAnd for Home Owners building their design and construction team please join Fredhttps://www.thehomeownersinstitute.com/

Just Curious - How do great leaders keep their heads during challenging times? Fred and Barbara are inspired by Dave Gilmore from DesignIntelligence and his short podcast on "Keeping Your Head" (Ep. 168). How leaders manage challenges during difficult times can make or break your projects.Dave Gilmore's Advice for Keeping Your Head includes:"Keep your head, maintain common sense, refuse to accept baseless, factless, highly opinionated input.""Pull your trusted team in and ensure you are all on the same page. There is no room for misalignment.""Lift your head and secure client relationships. They need to know you are about their needs as your own.""Plan your work. far too many are in reaction mode not planning, not maintaining strategic perspectives. Get the help you need to research, articulate, author, and execute."Episode References: This is DesignIntelligence (Ep. 168) https://www.thisisdesignintelligence.com/2022-minicasts/lessons-leadership-keeping-your-head/Please  visit us at curiousteams.comAnd for Home Owners building their design and construction team please join Fredhttps://www.thehomeownersinstitute.com/

Curious Teams is BACK with a new season of conversations about teamwork, leadership, decision-making, and values. This season we will engage other professionals on these subjects, share ideas that have inspired us, and discuss the disruptive future. Join us for the first episode of Season 2. Just curious...How do we make hard concepts accessible to the entire team? In this episode of Curious Teams, Fred and Barbara speak with Scott Pfeiffer about collaborating with technical specialists on projects. We discuss how Scott and his team at Threshold Acoustics engage the entire design and construction team as well as the Owner in difficult conversations about complex outcomes. Scott demonstrates how engaging the entire team has a big payoff.See more information on Scott Pfeiffer, FASA at https://www.thresholdacoustics.com/scott-pfeiffer Please  visit us at curiousteams.comAnd for Home Owners building their design and construction team please join Fredhttps://www.thehomeownersinstitute.com/

Just Curious...What have we learned? As Season 1 of Curious Teams comes to an end, Fred and Barbara look back at season highlights and forward to an exciting Season 2 starting January 15, 2023.Please  visit us at curiousteams.comAnd for Home Owners building their design and construction team please join Fredhttps://www.thehomeownersinstitute.com/

Just curious...what do leaders really know about motivating teams? In this episode of Curious Teams, Fred and Barbara discuss the next three characteristics/skill sets for Caring Sophisticated Leadership. Items discussed include: 4) Motivating the team; 5) Coaching team members to success or coaching them out the door and; 6) Creating Psychological Safety. Join us for this critical conversation about leadership.Episode References: The Inner Game of Tennis - Timmothy Gallwey https://theinnergame.comThe Coaching Habit - Michael Stanier   https://www.mbs.worksAmy Edmundson - The Fearless Organization  https://www.hbs.edu/faculty/Pages/profile.aspx?facId=6451Please  visit us at curiousteams.comAnd for Home Owners building their design and construction team please join Fredhttps://www.thehomeownersinstitute.com/    

Just Curious...What makes a great leader in the design, construction, and owner environments? Fred and Barbara discuss the first three key characteristics of effective leadership. This episode covers 1. Servant Leadership, supporting others to success; 2. Striving for Balance- Directing Clearly and Empowering Freely and; 3. Providing the Tools for Team Success. Join us for this critical conversation about leadership.https://simonsinek.com/  mentionedPlease  visit us at curiousteams.comAnd for Home Owners building their design and construction team please join Fredhttps://www.thehomeownersinstitute.com/

Just Curious...Can you ask too many questions? In this episode, Barbara and Fred respond to listener questions specifically related to influencing team members. How do influence team behavior if you are not the leader? How do you influence the engagement of stakeholders? Join us to explore the concerns of real team members in action.Please  visit us at curiousteams.comAnd for Home Owners building their design and construction team please join Fredhttps://www.thehomeownersinstitute.com/

Just Curious - Can there be too many choices in design and construction? Fred and Barbara discuss a Ted Talk by Barry Schwartz, The Paradox of Choice, where he contemplates the exponential expansion of options and the consequences of that expansion. How does the availability of too many choices impact the design and construction process?Watch Dr. Schwartz's Ted Talk at https://www.ted.com/talks/barry_schwartz_the_paradox_of_choiceAlso referenced is a podcast by Greg McKeon, Episode 142. The Only Business Metric That Matters with Jeremy Utley, https://GregMcKeown.comFind Zamore Kit Homes  at https://www.brettzamoredesign.com/zkitPlease  visit us at curiousteams.comAnd for Home Owners building their design and construction team please join Fred at https://www.thehomeownersinstitute.com/

Just Curious - Why do decisions feel so risky?In this episode, Fred and Barbara discuss Decision Risk and Decision-Ready Information, exploring what creates risk in the decision-making environment and outlining criteria for preparing information for decision-making.Please  visit us at curiousteams.comAnd for Home Owners building their design and construction team please join Fredhttps://www.thehomeownersinstitute.com/Please  visit us at curiousteams.comAnd for Home Owners building their design and construction team please join Fred https://www.thehomeownersinstitute.com/