Architecture & Engineering Business Strategies

A growing number of firms are combining two major responsibilities into one role: chief operating officer and sustainability director. It’s a lot to juggle in a small firm, let alone a quickly growing one spread across multiple cities. But Allen Schaffer, COO and Director of Sustainability at Moody Nolan, has handled the two roles for almost two years now as they’ve expanded into new markets. In this Best Practice interview, Allen discusses the ways the two roles overlap and how they differ, how the firm is managing growth, and how success all comes down to having a plan and communicating.

Show Notes

A growing number of firms are combining two major responsibilities into one role: chief operating officer and sustainability director. It’s a lot to juggle in a small firm, let alone a quickly growing one spread across multiple cities. But Allen Schaffer, COO and Director of Sustainability at Moody Nolan, has handled the two roles for almost two years now as they’ve expanded into new markets. In this Best Practice interview, Allen discusses the ways the two roles overlap and how they differ, how the firm is managing growth, and how success all comes down to having a plan and communicating.

Interview Takeaways
  • Find the overlap in operations and sustainability
  • Juggle the differences between two roles
  • Look internally for operations and sustainability roles
  • Engage in responsive architecture
  • Strive for structured growth
  • Lean into diversity
  • Deliver solutions to clients and your team
  • Monitor and adjust to stay on budget
  • Use communication to stay on track
  • Create strategic plans for sustainability
  • Find consultants who challenge you
  • Care deeply and look for others who do too

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What is Architecture & Engineering Business Strategies?

Welcome to A/E Business Strategies — a podcast hosted by Monograph about architecture and engineering leaders who run great firms. Monograph is a project management software built exclusively for A/E. Over 1,000 firms use Monograph to get clarity into their budgets, projects, time, and clients so their entire team can make smarter decisions. Get started today at Monograph.com