Our Core Values: Empower & Collaborate
One of the most critical principles to the success of our organization can be found in our fourth Core Value, “Empower and Collaborate.”
Staff members are presented with the questions, “Am I mentoring, inspiring, and delegating to others?”, and “Am I leveraging the talents and skills of my teammates to solve problems?”
What creates a successful collaboration? Collaboration is defined as “the action of working with someone to produce or create something.” At the heart of every project is the need for team members to work together in cooperation with clients and each other to accomplish their goals. To get a project “right”, our staff must first listen carefully to clients to truly understand their needs and long-term goals. As work progresses, the success of the project remains heavily reliant on effective communication and successful collaboration.
Along with the willingness and ability to collaborate, it’s critical that our team members feel empowered to make decisions and trust the talents and capabilities of others involved in the process. When staff members reflected on their experience working at Studio Four Design, there was a common theme among their responses. Many referenced the freedom to ask questions of other team members, to confer with one another, and to explore opportunities for professional growth. “My favorite part of the design process is the support and openness to work with others through every step of the process,” shared Abigail Myers, Architectural Designer. Another important distinction in the office culture was described by Vallie Noles, Designer. “Studio Four Design is really team-oriented and there are a lot of opportunities for collaboration between the architects and designers. It’s like a breath of fresh air.”
The organizational values of empowerment and collaboration impact the way that we relate to each other and serve to enrich the client experience. When staff members are empowered to explore solutions to complex problems, confer with each other, and learn from seasoned professionals, there is confidence built that enables creative freedom to flourish. Markus Chady, Principal and Vice Principal, noted the benefits of this environment when he said, “The makeup of our team is conducive to continual learning and the refining of our craft. Young professionals develop quickly into savvy problem solvers and more seasoned practitioners benefit from fresh perspectives.”
Strong leaders recognize the talent in others, empower them to do great things, and lead by example. “We’ve thrown out the ideas of ego and hierarchy, there is no person’s name on the door, and we all share in the success and failures,” observed Brian Nicholson, Principal, Vice President.