Читать книгу Voices of Design Leadership - Ken Sanders - Страница 26

Few strategies are more critical to an organization’s long-term success than identifying and developing new leaders. As mentioned in the opening chapter, I was privileged to co-lead three Gensler University (GU) programs, each of which included eighteen to twenty-four next-generation leaders. In addition to the workshops and speakers, each class was asked to collaborate and propose initiatives for pursuing a strategic opportunity for the firm.

The theme of GU 2007 was “Think Blue,” inspired by the book Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne. It was required reading for all students. The book introduces a strategy the authors call “value innovation,” which aims to increase client value and reduce delivery costs simultaneously, thereby creating “blue oceans” of opportunity as opposed to “red oceans” filled with competitors.

The GU 2007 class, which I co-led with Janine Pesci,⁷ was asked by Gensler’s co-CEOs to develop strategies to help fuel the firm’s global growth over the next decade. Over a period of eighteen months, the team met in person three times (once in Los Angeles, once in London, and once in Washington DC) and virtually at least once a month. Janine and I were coaches and facilitators more than instructors. The success of each class primarily depended on their ability to build trusted relationships with each other and collaborate effectively.

Gensler University 2007. Left to Right, Front Row: Dave Broz, Wyett Baker, Ala Hason, Theresa Shiels, Andrew Bennett. Middle Row: Chris Curson, Carolina Tombolesi, Kate Kirkpatrick, Xiaomei Lee, Stephanie Burritt, John Adams, Jill Goebel, Lisa Bierenger, Fergal Walsh, Lindsey Diethrich Sena (executive assistant), Janine Pesci (co-leader), Ted Kollaja. Back Row: Jim Oswald (facilitator), Duncan Swinhoe, Kevin Heinly, Robert Fuller, Johnathan Sandler, Rob Wood, Ryan Haines, Ken Sanders (co-leader). Photo Credit: Photo by Gensler.

At the conclusion of GU 2007, their proposals were presented to Gensler’s co-CEOs. Among the recommendations were a formalized talent exchange program between global offices known as GenslerExchange, and a Global Office Start-up Team (GOST) to share best practices and lessons learned with the leaders of new global offices.

Versions of both proposals were implemented and helped accelerate Gensler’s global expansion during the next decade. In 2007, the firm had six offices located outside of the US: London, Tokyo, Shanghai, Beijing, Dubai, and San José (Costa Rica). Today, it has eleven more: Bogota, Mexico City, Birmingham, Munich, Paris, Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong, Bangalore, Bangkok, Singapore, and Sydney.

In terms of leadership development, the twenty-one students of GU 2007 represented fourteen Gensler offices in the US, United Kingdom, and China. Today, sixteen are still with the firm. Of those, thirteen are Principals, three are office Managing Directors, three are Regional Managing Principals (responsible for multi-office regions), and three have served or are serving on Gensler’s Board of Directors. Without exception, I consider all of them my friends.

Importantly, every time I co-led a Gensler University class, I was also a student. I learned something from everyone who participated. In the same way, I learned something from every design leader interviewed for this book. In the chapters that follow, I hope readers will too.

Mollie Marti is exactly right.