Your firm is growing. Are your leaders?

Real success depends on alignment, courage, and people ready to own the future.

Growth is exciting. New clients, new offices, bigger numbers; it feels like validation. But somewhere between the dashboards and deadlines, something quieter starts to surface: leaders who look tired, stretched, or quietly uncertain about how to keep up with what they have built.

One of the most human moments in a firm’s life is when success outpaces readiness, and no spreadsheet can fix it.

At Zweig Group, we have seen this moment across hundreds of AEC firms. The pattern is familiar: a brilliant team, ambitious goals, and a plan that makes perfect sense, until execution begins to fray. Not because the plan is flawed, but because the village behind it isn’t fully aligned. As we wrote in “Advanced Strategy Execution,” successful implementation hinges on behavior, belief, and the confidence to move from intention to impact. And often, it’s not frameworks that fail; it’s the Firefighters, the Historians, and the Lone Wolves who subtly sabotage execution without even realizing it.

Because firms don’t grow on paper. They grow through people. Here is what we have seen work (time and again) across real firms, real teams, and real results:

1. Begin with alignment, not ambition. Every great plan begins with honesty. Before you chase the next horizon, ask: “Are we truly together in this?” Not just in words, but in trust, understanding, and accountability.
   For one mid-sized civil engineering and land surveying firm, we paused the traditional planning process to focus on leadership effectiveness. Through strategic interviews, a candid diagnostic, and a highly intentional retreat design, core tensions came to light, not to break the team apart, but to bring them together. It wasn’t always comfortable, but it was transformational.
   Client testimonial: “I think the retreat helped to build/reinforce trust in each other and in the overall strategic planning process. Being together, learning and doing things together built a collective level of comfort and trust that allows for open and honest conversations. That level of comfort and trust is what helps us all move forward with direction and confidence.”
   Real alignment isn’t just agreement; it’s connection. And alignment without commitment still breaks. Connected commitment is what makes the plan work.
2. Let the next generation in. When firms talk about legacy, they often forget: the next generation is the legacy. But rising leaders won’t believe in a vision they never helped create.
   At a nationally respected architectural firm, an emerging leader, not yet a principal, helped shape the firm’s long-term vision. Her contribution reframed how leadership saw the future. And because her fingerprints were on the plan, her buy-in became contagious.
   Client testimonial: “I’ve never been in a room where I felt so energized, connected, and aligned across generations. Seeing the draft 2030 vision statement made me emotional – like I could actually latch onto this and own it. I’m ready to be an ambassador for this firm in ways I never imagined before.”
   Inclusion isn’t just about voice but about belonging. And belonging creates energy that no incentive program can buy.
3. Coach for courage, not compliance. Growth demands new muscles. And the hardest one to build is courage to let go, delegate, decide, and sometimes, redefine success.
   A national construction management firm didn’t need more process. They needed permission to lead, to trust, to grow. We paired strategy with coaching, helping each market leader step into their role more fully. They started making better decisions, faster. Not because they had a script, but because they had support.
   Client testimonial: “The reason our team is still excited about execution and acting collaboratively is because of the clarity, trust, and confidence that came out of the retreat and the strategic planning work you led.”
   Strategy isn’t about perfection. It’s about progress that people can believe in.
4. Turn planning into a live rehearsal. A plan isn’t a document. It’s a moment and a rehearsal for how your leaders will act when it counts. Every retreat, every workshop, is a stage for practicing how to listen, decide, and lead.
   At an offsite with a national full-service AEC + CM/PM firm, we structured the experience to feel like more than just planning; it was leadership in action. The prep, the facilitation, and the tone created space for vulnerability and buy-in. What emerged wasn’t just a plan, but a shared momentum that carried into execution. The energy didn’t fade; it grew louder.
   Client testimonial: “The impact you made in leading up to and during the retreat made this possible. The team walked away feeling aligned, inspired, and more unified than ever. And the momentum kept building even after the retreat.”
   Planning is where leadership grows up. When done right, it’s not the end of a process but the beginning of a movement.
5. Build systems that protect your people. Growth shouldn’t come at the cost of peace. If your plan depends on heroic effort, it’s not sustainable.
   One small, award-winning architecture firm had the right vision but needed scaffolding to make it real. Through Zweig Group’s facilitation, they co-created a growth operating system with rhythms, checkpoints, and messaging tools to support their people as they scale.
   Client testimonial: “I don’t know what came over me to be so emotional about it, but I was moved by the alignment I was hearing from our team members. You and your team got us to that place.”
   Structure doesn’t suffocate creativity. It gives your people the space to breathe and believe again.

You’ve built the growth. Now build the leadership.

These are real stories from real firms. Each faced the same inflection point: fast growth, mounting expectations, and leaders wondering what’s next and whether they are ready for it.

What made the difference wasn’t a better spreadsheet. It was a better process rooted in trust, alignment, and courage. Zweig Group helped guide that journey, not with a cookie-cutter plan, but with strategic facilitation, deep listening, and a bias toward action.

If you are thinking about the next chapter of your firm’s strategy and growth and want to make sure your people are ready to own it, let’s connect! Not just to plan, but to build leadership capacity for the long haul. The kind that sustains growth, inspires belief, and anchors your firm’s future. Learn more about Zweig Group's Growth consulting area here!

Ying Liu, LEED AP BD+C is senior director of Growth consulting at Zweig Group. Contact her at yliu@zweiggroup.com.

Ready to build leadership that keeps pace with your firm’s growth?

The Principals Academy is designed for AEC leaders at exactly this inflection point. This immersive, in-person program equips current and emerging principals with the leadership, financial, and strategic skills needed to guide growing firms with confidence. Think of it as a mini-MBA for AEC professionals – focused not just on running the business, but on leading people through complexity, change, and opportunity. Join us February 4-5 in New Orleans. Learn more and see if the Principals Academy is the right next step for you and your firm.