MCFA podcast
INSPIRING PEOPLE & PLACES
Leadership Blueprints is the podcast where leaders in the built environment learn to disrupt the status quo, improve their project teams, and steward public and private investments more effectively. Your host is BJ Kraemer. As the President and CEO of MCFA, BJ has navigated the complexities of the architecture, engineering, construction, and development industry. With a blend of interviews with national industry leaders and solo episodes filled with stories, tips, and lessons, Leadership Blueprints is your weekly source of inspiration and practical advice. By tuning in, you will learn how to challenge conventional processes, enhance team performance, and manage projects more effectively, paving the way for innovation and success in the built environment. Join BJ each week for a deep dive into the strategies and mindsets that drive real change and lead to real results.
What does it take to excel in architecture and engineering leadership?
Andrew Lewis, principal architect at NK Architects and manager of their Philadelphia office, shares his journey from an ambitious architecture student to leading in one of the industry’s most respected firms. Reflecting on his formative years, Andrew highlights how serendipity and initiative shaped his career, from pivotal moments like building connections at unexpected places to spearheading large-scale projects early in his tenure.
Andrew also discusses the importance of curiosity, a willingness to step outside comfort zones, and fostering a workplace culture that embraces trust and autonomy. He provides insights into NK Architects’ entrepreneurial spirit, the feedback loops that propelled his rapid growth, and the firm’s adoption of the EOS system to guide their next phase of development.
Tune in for valuable lessons on balancing ambition with humility, creating environments for leadership to thrive, and staying curious in a fast-evolving industry!
Key Points From This Episode:
• Andrew’s journey to becoming an architect and joining NK Architects.
• Reflections on how the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry is evolving.
• The importance of having a willingness to grow, especially as you start your career.
• Andrew’s insights on nurturing leadership within your organizations.
Quotes:
“Graduating into the bottom of a recession isn’t really so bad, because you don’t really have anything to lose. It’s not like when you start working for a couple years and you get comfortable and then all of a sudden the industry just completely shuts down.” — Andrew Lewis
“The feedback loop opportunity that I was getting was so tight and so condensed that I was like, ‘I’m advancing at a really fast rate here, and if I just keep at this, who knows where it’s going to go’. And 14 years later, I feel like that feedback loop is still active – I’m still really learning and growing daily.” — Andrew Lewis
“It was really rapid growth for where I [was] in my career. And I can’t say that was because of me. That was really because of the environment that I was placed in.” — Andrew Lewis
“This knowledge of when to speak up and when to say something and when to take action – I can’t say that anyone taught me that. I think that’s that’s just a thing [where] maybe there’s a bit of it inside of you, and then there’s a bit of nurture as well.” — Andrew Lewis
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: