Here is my 2024 outgoing President’s Message for the Western Canadian Chapter of the Building Commissioning Association (WCC BCxA). I highlight our goals for the year, the quality (and quantity!) of successful initiatives in line with those goals, and highlight the strong team going into 2025.

In a world filled with constant, tempting choices, understanding our values is essential for effective decision-making and achieving our goals, both personally and professionally. Through personal experience, I've come to realize how pivotal values are in guiding us through life’s complexities. This post outlines a practical exercise inspired by Warren Buffett to help identify and prioritize our core values. By distilling a list of aspirations into a clear set of five guiding principles, we can simplify our decision-making processes and ensure that our choices align with what truly matters to us. Whether it's choosing between a dream vacation and a valuable property or balancing KPIs in a team to pull in the same direction, having defined values provides clarity and confidence. Ultimately, embracing our values not only reduces anxiety and regret but also empowers us to make meaningful decisions that help us move mountains.

Transitioning from a doer to a manager is more than just a title change, it’s a shift in mindset. Technical leaders often fall into the trap of saying “yes” to too much, trying to maintain control of tasks that should be passed on to the team. This post explores how failing to delegate effectively can lead to burnout and dependency, and offers practical steps to empower your team to take ownership of their work—before your office is overrun by “monkeys.”

Navigating the delicate art of giving feedback can be one of the toughest challenges in leadership. While many of us excel at offering praise, the task of delivering constructive criticism often leaves us feeling uncomfortable and hesitant. In this post, I explore the powerful concept that "Clear is Kind," and how embracing clarity in our feedback can transform not only our approach but also the growth and success of those we lead.

This is the continuation of my own path in understanding how teamwork and strong communication can reduce risk and increase quality of projects.

Communication and Collaboration is the cornerstone of our construction industry, so why don’t we talk more about it? I delve into the real life scenario of integrating architecture and building envelope engineering, and how that integration benefits all project stakeholders.