Published!
Michael Sanderson on Leadership, Growth, and the Both-And Strategy
Sanbell is proud to share a recent article by Michael Sanderson, published in the Zweig Letter, that tackles one of the most consequential questions facing growing architecture and engineering firms: how do you scale without losing the culture that made you worth scaling in the first place?
In the article, Michael makes the case that growth is not optional. Firms that resist it eventually become targets for those that embrace it, whether through acquisition or talent loss. But growth, he argues, is only as good as the leadership and culture that carry it forward.
The piece explores the tension between promoting from within and hiring outside talent. Internal leaders bring institutional knowledge, cultural continuity, and earned trust. Outside talent brings hard-won experience from organizations further up the growth curve. Neither approach alone is sufficient. The answer, Michael argues, is intentional investment in both.
At Sanbell, our highest purpose as an organization is to grow a World Class team of Cool, Smart, Talented People (CSTP). That means committing to the development of our people, creating meaningful paths for growth from within, and making strategic hires who raise the bar for everyone around them. Culture and capability are not competing priorities… and with the right approach, each one strengthens the other.
Check out the full article and learn more about what this both-and strategy means for Sanbell and our on-going growth.
Learn More: How AEC firms can grow without losing culture
