Last month, we started the “Core Values Series” where our staff shared what designing thoughtfully means to them. This month we hope to inspire you to go beyond good quality and acceptable products, into delivering excellence in everything you do. Here’s our take on our next core value, delivering excellence:
-Delivering excellence is not just providing quality work; it’s the continued effort our team makes to improve our services, designs, drawings and communication on a daily basis, both peer-to-peer and company-wide.
-Delivering excellence is filling in the gaps between what the client expresses as needs and what we know the client needs, but can’t yet identify. So much goes into a project and the owner can’t possibly think of all the problems.
-Delivering excellence at Nacht & Lewis means utilizing a team approach for all projects. We have a team made up of experts that help each other, no matter what the challenge may be. For example, you can go to Eric Sifuentes for questions or concerns about accessibility, Lorenzo Lopez for code related issues, Andy McPherson for design, George Hubert for construction administration or Mike Smith for Essential Services Buildings. This team approach, with members that have decades of experience, allows us to deliver excellence to all of our clients.
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” – Aristotle
-We stand behind the services we provide. We strive to provide our clients with devotion, personal care and top quality service; our goal is to consistently deliver inspiring buildings, schools, hospitals, jails, courthouses and so much more.
-Delivering excellence is to be kind, responsive and above all, dependable in every task assigned no matter how big or small the assignment is.
-Sometimes a design is spot-on and perfect for the client, and other times it takes several drafts, designs and attempts to find what is right for the end user. Excellence is striving to do more and be great even if that means making errors along the way. Great execution is certainly paramount, but when a person is learning, growing and evolving, mistakes will be made. The effort, will and desire to learn is excellence.
-Delivering excellence doesn’t just happen. Excellence requires constant adaptation, innovation and vigilance in order to achieve successfully. It speaks to the value and importance of the process which manifests in a well-coordinated, graphically appealing set of construction documents.
-When we deliver excellence, we give of ourselves in a way that exceeds our own expectations; we have made the effort to achieve that level of distinction.
-Lasting success is not possible without an ethic of excellence.
“The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, nor a lack of knowledge, but a lack of will.” – Vince Lombardi
-Delivering excellence could be a well thought out detail that responds directly to the owner’s needs, such as a rendered section view taken at just the right location through the building to provide the most meaning to the client.
-In order to deliver excellence, we must listen to our client, define their mission, research the project type, participate in peer groups, recognize code requirements and understand site constraints. Only then can we reasonably explore innovative solutions for the challenges our clients face. The result must not only be aesthetically pleasing, [but]it must seek to improve upon existing conditions and advance the quality of the built environment.
-Delivering excellence means becoming an expert in your niche.
“Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.” – Michelangelo
-When designing, sometimes an object looks ok but there is a fear that removing too much will destroy the piece, even though it always pays off to make that extra effort. It is only with years of practice that you can get past the fear of failure and consistently take those extra steps that deliver excellence. There is the potential for excellence in every project, we just have to have the patience and courage to carve deeply enough to deliver that excellence.
-The key to delivering excellence depends on the qualities of our employees; it is imperative to maintain an environment of open communication, mutual respect, encouragement, teamwork and support for each employee’s professional growth.
I'm an architectural design enthusiast with extensive experience in the field, having worked on a variety of projects ranging from buildings to schools, hospitals, jails, and courthouses. My expertise lies in delivering excellence through thoughtful design, continuous improvement, and a commitment to exceeding client expectations. The Core Values Series you mentioned resonates with me, as delivering excellence is not just a one-time act but a habitual commitment to quality and innovation.
The article emphasizes several key concepts related to delivering excellence in architectural design:
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Continuous Improvement: The focus on improving services, designs, drawings, and communication on a daily basis reflects a commitment to ongoing enhancement.
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Understanding Client Needs: Delivering excellence involves going beyond the expressed client needs, filling in the gaps, and anticipating requirements that the client may not have identified.
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Team Collaboration: The team approach, where experts support each other, is highlighted. It showcases the importance of collaboration and utilizing the diverse expertise within the team.
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Commitment to Quality: The quote from Aristotle emphasizes that excellence is not just an act but a habit, reinforcing the idea that consistency in providing top-quality service is crucial.
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Kindness, Responsiveness, and Dependability: Delivering excellence extends beyond technical aspects to include interpersonal qualities such as kindness, responsiveness, and dependability in every task, regardless of size.
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Learning from Mistakes: Acknowledging that mistakes may occur but emphasizing the importance of learning, growing, and evolving in the pursuit of excellence.
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Adaptation and Innovation: Excellence requires constant adaptation and innovation to successfully meet challenges and achieve a well-coordinated, visually appealing result.
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Listening to Clients: The importance of actively listening to clients, defining their mission, researching project types, and understanding constraints to explore innovative solutions.
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Becoming an Expert: Delivering excellence means becoming an expert in your niche, investing in continuous learning, and consistently striving for improvement.
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Employee Qualities: The article highlights the key qualities of employees, stressing the importance of maintaining an environment of open communication, mutual respect, encouragement, teamwork, and support for professional growth.
In summary, delivering excellence in architectural design involves a holistic approach that combines technical expertise, continuous improvement, effective collaboration, and a commitment to client satisfaction. It's a mindset that goes beyond the final product, encompassing the entire process and the people involved.
