Читать книгу Designing a World-Class Architecture Firm - Patrick MacLeamy - Страница 46

When I was a young architect, I walked around with a copy of Ayn Rand's book The Fountainhead, in which the main character Howard Roark had great personal integrity—and was an architect! After much sacrifice, he ultimately achieved success and fame through the patronage of a powerful newspaper owner. I had also learned about the patronage system used during the Renaissance, when wealthy clients like the Medici family supported artists like Michelangelo. Even though HOK was my employer, I began to think of the firm as my patron, nurturing me in my career, so that I, in turn, could take care of HOK clients. This is more than nice—it's smart—since employees are the most important asset of any service business.

A good example of HOK taking care of its people occurred about a year after I joined the firm. I was working at my desk when Hellmuth came through the design department followed by one of the accountants, pushing a little cart filled with envelopes. Hellmuth gave each person an envelope and said a few words. When Hellmuth reached my desk, he retrieved an envelope from the cart and gave it to me. It was personalized with my name. He shook my hand and said, “Here's a gift of appreciation for your hard work. Thank you.” The envelope contained a bonus check made out to me, and I was thrilled! The founders understood that treating people well and giving them opportunities to grow were two keys to building a great firm.