An ode to the A/E profession, from Mark Zweig.
Being in the construction and development business through Mark Zweig, Inc., and getting exposure to many other businesses and industries as a professor teaching entrepreneurship at the University of Arkansas, I have gained a whole new appreciation for the A/E and environmental consulting business. I love it! Sometimes I think it’s good to remind ourselves why we do what we do, and why it is such a great business to be in. First off, the people who work in A/E firms are some of the most honest, ethical, and hardworking people you can find anywhere. The standard of ethical behavior in this business is higher than any other I’m aware of – helped, in part, by professions that have strict ethical codes of conduct. The people in this business are also intelligent and creative. What could be better than that? We all have to spend a lot of time with our co-workers so why not work with people we can learn from and who inspire us? There’s nothing better! Another great aspect of this industry is that the companies that make it up are by and large doing good stuff for society versus just selling junk food or tobacco, or overpriced garments or unneeded financial products. The work of firms in this business directly impacts the quality of life for all of us. The work itself is fun and gratifying. Designing construction projects and then seeing them built in life-size, 3D is incredibly gratifying. And doing something where you get to continue to learn new things is also great. The advances in software and other technologies people get to use every day keep things fresh. Being able to move around during the day is also great. Whether it’s getting in the car and driving to a job site, or getting on a plane and going to an exotic location, the opportunity for people working in this business to not be stuck behind a desk all day is real. The point is, we all have a lot to be thankful for and feel really good about working in the A/E/P or environmental consulting business. So let’s use some of these points as the underpinnings of our own daily affirmations to create a positive attitude for ourselves and our people as we move into 2015. Mark Zweig is the chairman and CEO of Zweig Group. Contact him with questions or comments at mzweig@zweiggroup.com.This article first appeared in The Zweig Letter (ISSN 1068-1310), issue #1083, originally published 12/15/2014. Copyright© 2014, Zweig Group. All rights reserved.