Dorrier Underwood

Doug McVadon (speaker, R) and Mike Watson speaking on Succession Planning at the American Institute for Architects Young Architects Forum in Charlotte, NC on October 12, 2016. Straight-talk about succession planning and leadership transition was on the docket at the American Institute for Architects (AIA) Young Architects Forum event last week in Charlotte, NC and the room was packed. Associates in their 20s and 30s as well as more tenured firm principals were keen to know: What does it take to be “picked” as a possible owner of a firm? And how do current leaders lead that process well, for the people involved and the long term health of the company? It’s not just a topic relegated to architecture. Healthy organizations across industries and around the world know that succession doesn’t happen accidentally, at least not succession that ensures the strongest future. For two hours, Michael Watson (principal, Watson Tate Savory architecture) and Doug McVadon (p...

"You’re going to need a plate with that." He never would’ve said that, never gotten that far, if I hadn’t decided to turn things around. It was at the Qdoba Mexican food place in the Newark Airport food court. Not a garden spot by any means, just the place Nancy and I were stuck last Wednesday night. We weren’t stuck yet, didn’t know our flight would be cancelled and we’d end up driving 35 miles to Princeton at one a.m. to the nearest hotel room, didn’t know our rental car would be a red Toyota Corolla whose trunk smelled like dead fish. So I was spry and observant and I saw the whole thing. The woman at the front of the line took a while to make up her mind, and then while her taco was being constructed, it happened. A piece of meat touched the counter and the one making the taco put it back into the taco. You put it in there. What? A piece of meat. It touched the counter and you put it in there. The server looked incredulous, her face denying it. But the young...