Date:        May 6th, 2022
Location: HeyDay Properties
                 2000 Pennsylvania Ave NW Suite 7000, Washington, DC 20006
Led by:    Faith Broussard, LEED GA and Jenna Pye, AIA, NCARB
Session Sponsor:       runningdog Architects
Session Downloads:  Session Program

Overview

Faith Broussard and Jenna Pye planned and executed an engaging and informative session on “The Art of Negotiation.” Like the previous session, it was a hybrid event that allowed scholars to attend in-person or virtually. Three presentations with five guest speakers gave scholars insight into the multiple ways we negotiate with ourselves and others daily.

Presentation #1

LSI – Lifestyles inventory: Negotiation within Myself
Speakers: Cable Clarke

Cable Clarke from Clarke Consulting led the first presentation of the session, the Life Styles Inventory. Prior to the session, scholars were asked to complete the Life Styles Inventory questionnaire. The presentation began by examining the difference between a firm’s “culture” and its “climate”, the former being the apparent organization and the latter being the ‘below-the-surface’ organization; one might think of the climate as the visible portion of an iceberg and the culture as the underwater portion of the iceberg. After this, the scholars were introduced to the LSI, a performance assessment where the results from the questionnaire are plotted on the “circumplex” across twelve patterns that fall into either constructive, passive / defensive, or aggressive / defensive styles. Each pattern was further discussed in detail and the presentation ended by highlighting that awareness of these patterns can lead to acceptance then action in order to promote more constructive styles.

Presentation #2

Relationship Building & Conflict Resolution – Negotiation within my Team
Speakers: David Barritt-Flatt & Alix Lafronta

David Barritt-Flatt and Alix Lafronta from Carta Advisors led the second presentation.  Carta is a company of advisors that focus on stakeholder alignment, building solutions, and risk management for large capital programs and projects. An emphasis was placed on the inevitability of conflict, but that conflict is also an opportunity to demonstrate your skills to others and differentiate yourself. Working with others and with a team relies on trust and the drivers of trust are integrity, competence, alignment, and reliability. A case study of the alignment between two team members of a hypothetical project followed; CKLDP Chair Sarah Walhgren-Wingo and guest speaker Thomas Brokaw were the designer and the owner / developer, respectively. Understanding their top priorities, primary concerns, “hot button” issues, and “hidden forces” allowed scholars to examine potential alignments, which in a real project, could allow for greater cooperation between team members.

Presentation #3

Roundtable Discussion – Negotiation within my Firm and Life
Speakers: Yiselle Santos Rivera, AIA, NOMA< NCARB, LSSYB, LEED AP, WELL AP
Thomas Brokaw, NOMA

The last presentation of the session was a fireside-like chat between Yiselle Santos-Rivera and Thomas Brokaw. Yiselle began by studying genetics and science in Puerto Rico, leading to an interest in environmental design and community, before making the switch the study architecture in Puerto Rico and the United States. To her, architecture allows for the creation of platforms for others to share their experiences. Thomas discovered architecture through a summer camp that followed band camp; his interests include how architecture can mitigate gentrification and how different cultures’ music affect architecture and vice versa. Prior to starting his own firm, he worked for the federal government, where his interest in development grew.

After talking about their journeys, ticks, and interests, Faith and Jenna led a moderated discussion that probed the speakers on how they’ve advocated for themselves, who in their circles has advocated for them, how they’ve discovered their worth, how they’ve developed their brand, and how they’ve managed a work-life balance. Common themes included staying on the cutting-edge of the architecture industry and using that knowledge to leverage your position at a firm, being vocal, always having a mentor or a team that can advocate for you when you might not be in the room, lifting as you climb, and realizing what kind of work-life balance is sustainable for you personally. A standout quote from the chat was that your value is not dependent on saying yes to everything that is asked of you.