C-Suite: Dave Wilgus
by October 10, 2022 8:58 am 950 views
Fast fact: Wilgus was named CEO in 2019 after working for HFA for nearly 19 years.
What’s the most recent book you read? “The Infinite Game” by Simon Sinek.
What is the most used app on your phone? Messages up to 10 hours per week.
If you had $1 million to give, what would you support? Architects Without Borders.
What is the best business advice you have ever received or given? Richard Branson says it best, “Clients do not come first. Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients.”
What is one thing you would change about your company if you could today? I’d like to dedicate even more time to talent and client-partnership development by employing automation of design workflows and data access, leading to increased design thinking and solution-providing activity.
If you could change one thing about your leadership style, what would it be and why? I’d like to improve my ability to balance the pace of change. I recognize the value in knowing when to push forward relentlessly and when to pull back for resource and change management.
What do you think is most important in creating a positive culture? Fostering a culture of empowerment. It’s important to provide talented people with the tools, training and mentorship to lead from their position. This gives them opportunities to progress and grow vigorously, personally and professionally.
Which supporting skills do you think are most important when it comes to leadership? A leader can set a direction by casting a vision and purpose, but without having established a culture of belief and trust, people have no reason to move forward. Trust is earned based on witnessed actions and consistent communication that is open and transparent.