Have a Foxhole Mentality

The term “foxhole” is military jargon originating from trench warfare. The troops fighting together would dig a hole for protection which came to be dubbed a foxhole. The troops would live in the foxhole together throughout battle, not only fighting in the foxhole but eating and sleeping there as well. Throughout battle, no other world existed outside of the foxhole. The troops inside that hole lived and died as one, trusting each other with their lives, with relationships lasting much longer than the battle.

When we’re in the trenches of a program or a project, things can feel chaotic, resources may be scarce, and there are unknowns/potential threats coming from all angles. We know, though, that our CPS team has ‘got our six’ no matter what we’re faced with. We work together to solve problems, and there is no fear to bring an issue to the team so that we can work together to solve it. We must know how each member of the team is going to respond to any challenge we face in a way that moves the team and the mission forward. We must be willing to take a bullet for one another. We believe in kinship, in solidarity.

Draw the Owl

We can never have a complete instruction manual for what we do, just as there is no exact instruction manual that can capture the intricacies of drawing an owl. We harness the administrative tools in our toolbox, and we capture lessons learned so that we never make the same mistake twice. However, we are still drawing the owl every time we approach a new project. We love hard problems and live the spirit of challenge.

No two projects are alike. No new building has ever been built before. Even if the exact same design is built in two different places, the land, the weather, and the team that builds each building will not be exactly the same.

Much of what we do is to plan the unplannable. We look around the corner to see what could occur, and we figure out how to proactively avoid issues and, ultimately, accomplish our Owner’s objectives. We face the unknown and it excites us. To build is to create. Our industry is about creating spaces for our Owners that will last for decades.

Leave No Wake

“Be like a duck. Calm on the surface, but always paddling like the dickens underneath.” –Michael Caine

If you observe a duck moving across a pond, it appears to glide effortlessly across the water. What is not seen, though, is the duck’s furious paddling under the water’s surface. On our projects, our Owners should have the perspective from the top of the water, where the surface is smooth like glass. Our role is to lead project team to paddle hard underneath the water, in the right direction. It is our responsibility to find common ground, see the bigger picture, ensure everyone lives up to their end of the bargain, and motivate excellence. We must act as a buffer between the Owner and project issues so that our client is able to focus on their operational duties rather than feeling like they are being pulled into chaos or uncertainty.

Walk In Their Shoes

Our role is to represent our Owners while acting as arbiter throughout a project, settling the common disputes that arise. We must act impartially. This requires us to wear everyone’s shoes, or look at situations from all perspectives, before providing guidance on matters. We understand the roles of each member of the project team and bring reason to the decision-making process when there are disagreements.

We cannot be effective leaders if we are only looking at matters from our own perspective, or even that of our Owners. Our role is to protect our Owners, which means that we must be fair to all parties and understand their obligations. It is important to be able to understand where others are coming from even when we don’t agree. Understanding what reasons team members have for acting the way that they do may enlighten us to new perspectives and lead to out-of-the-box solutions.

Be Intentional

To be intentional, one must:
Set goals
Plan their time
Avoid distractions

Intentionality requires immediate focus from the outset of a project. We know that when we are intentional with our time, our energy, and our focus, we achieve great things. First, we must know who the Owner is and what problem they need us to solve.

We work with our Owners to understand their mission and vision. Then, we use this clear direction to set measurable goals aimed at achieving our Owners’ objectives. This direction serves as our north star that we plan and prioritize around, avoiding distractions that could take us off course. Every decision is measured against this direction, and we keep the big picture in mind throughout a project.

Exhibit Associate Ownership

CPS is an associate-owned company. We place a high value on teamwork and shared successes. We all have a stake in the company and our performance has a direct effect on each of us. We can see the impact of hard work on our bottom line. Our founder, Eric Johnson, tells each of us when we go to work that we work for our clients, not him. This culture is fostered by associate-ownership. However, we also work ‘for ourselves’ and we are incentivized to work hard, offer up ideas, and contribute to the growth and success of the firm. Eric has entrusted the legacy of his business to each of us.

For our Owners, this means we have a very high associate retention rate. We want our team to stick with them throughout the entire project lifecycle. We also have a high-involvement work culture where employees are motivated to go above and beyond.

Engage from the Top

We have always striven to keep our culture as we’ve grown, and a core facet is our Principal-level involvement in our projects. Each team member understands their responsibility to manage and lead their projects, but they will always have leadership—whether shielding from the front, standing at their side, or supporting from behind—depending on what’s needed at any given me. Our involvement at the Principal level reinforces to our Owners that every project we are involved with is significant to us, as we know it is for them.