At the recent Grassroots Leadership Conference, the AIA’s new EVP/CEO, Chris McEntee, introduced herself to the Institute’s component and knowledge leadership. The medium was an open mike Town Forum. With AIA First Vice President and Grassroots Chair RK Stewart, FAIA, working the crowd with a hand-held mike, and President Kate Schwennsen, FAIA, on stage guiding Stewart to those who raised their hands, McEntee fielded a wide range of questions, concerns, and suggestions, with some pinch-hitting help from national component staff seated up front. Following are a brief introduction written by McEntee for this article; the questions that were asked, organized by topic; and an edited summary of notes taken during her live response. Where additional information on a topic may be useful, AIArchitect has added a link.

Two Ears and One Mouth
by Chris McEntee
“We have been given two ears but only one mouth, and we should use them proportionately.” It’s a sentiment I heard several times during Grassroots. It strikes me as a core value of leadership: we should be quicker to open our ears than our mouths. Or, as Abraham Lincoln said, “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.”

I feel an obligation to listen, because I’m new at the AIA and that’s the best way I know to gather the essential information that will help me to learn, grow, and achieve your vision for the profession and the communities you serve. Also, let’s be clear: The members not only own the AIA; they give the AIA its value. The closer we listen, and I really mean listen to the members, the better we will be positioned at the national component to deliver the products and services members need to be successful. This is an obligation all of us share who have been called to positions of leadership.

The Grassroots Town Hall last February was a unique opportunity to promise AIA leaders that I will make good use of the ears God gave me. It was also an opportunity to ask them, and now you, to keep the dialogue going.

So what kinds of questions and concerns came up? Some of the most passionate arose from an issue obviously close to the hearts of those in the room—practice. Here’s a summary of what it sounded like—and, by the way, I’m including the question and the name of the member who brought up an issue, so I can be set straight if I’ve got it wrong. Also, since time was limited, some of the questions were submitted afterwards, and I’m using this opportunity to address those as well.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FROM THE GRASSROOTS CONFERENCE
Practice issues

What will you do to reinforce the bottom line for architects in private practice?–Larry Quenette, AIA, president, AIA Illinois.
McEntee: The first and best thing I can do is to gather information about the pressures members face. What are the trends, the hurdles, the opportunities? You can be sure that getting a full, accurate picture of the nature of today’s practice—large firms and small—is precisely what I’m going to be listening for.

Yes, the national staff and I will be casting a wide net to catch essential information about the nature of modern practice and what the trends are. However, no one source of information is as important or valuable as what the members themselves can tell us. Having that information in hand is absolutely key to delivering the programs and services of real value that will equip members to increase the bottom line.

What do you see as the hurdles to small businesses? I see the excessive number of continuing education units that are required for maintaining our licenses.—Martin Wilson, AIA, AIA Redwood Empire.
McEntee: First of all, the AIA is not the licensing body. That does not mean, however, we aren’t in constant dialogue with NCARB to represent the profession’s best interests. We are, and the AIA’s voice does make and is making a positive difference on behalf of you and your fellow members. Listening to your concerns and then being your advocate is an important part of our job.

The other dimension of the question has to do with our obligation to deliver knowledge in ways that best suit member needs, from the standpoint of content, flexibility, and cost. This is something constantly under review as we look around the country for good models. (Visit the AIA Web site.)

Any plans to study licensing in other countries as models?—Denise Thompson, Assoc. AIA, associate director, AIA Pennsylvania.
McEntee: Licensing is a hot topic in a global economy. The issues, however, tend to focus on portability and equivalences. In this regard, the AIA is a strong advocate of a free market if it can be demonstrated that all of us are truly on a level playing field, which puts a premium on the profession’s traditional obligation to protect the public health, safety, and welfare, as well as respects the cultural differences unique to various societies. This is a classic case where a rising tide lifts all boats. (Read about the UIA’s Accord on Recommended International Standards of Professionalism In Architectural Practice.)

Organizational issues

Can we lower dues now that our finances are in better shape?—Joe Pax, AIA, president-elect, AIA Columbus, Ohio.
McEntee: The answer everyone wants to hear is, yes. An honest response to the perception behind the question—that AIA dues are too high—is more complex. I’d put it this way: Does the AIA deliver services of real value? If members don’t believe they are receiving a good return for their dues dollars, whatever the cost—$10 or $1,000—the tab is too high.

Here, at the national component, we obviously have to be constantly looking at our share of the cost of membership. To do that means keeping an eye on at least two things: Member satisfaction with the services they receive from the national component and alternative sources of revenue to hold the line at the national level on dues increases.

At the same time, the annual cost of AIA membership is an aggregate of local, state, and national dues, and national dues are not always the biggest piece. Although the national component cannot dictate to its sister components what is or is not an appropriate fee structure, all of us should be exploring alternative models, which is to say: It’s up to us collectively—local, state, and national—to make sure we are providing the best value and that the fee structure is both appropriate and fair.

In light of Paul Welch’s Component Partnerships Committee update, what can we do to strengthen components?—2004 AIA President Eugene Hopkins, FAIA.
McEntee: Paul’s report offers something like 40 recommendations, about a quarter to a third of which are already in the process of being implemented, according to a timeline laid out in the report. (Read about the Component Partnerships Committee.) One area worthy of consideration is to open the way for components to deliver continuing education.

At the national component, I will be expecting every member of our staff to be thinking about the impact their work has on the state and local components. Only a handful of the national staff is formally given the responsibility in their job descriptions of managing Component Relations. The truth, however, is more complex: Component relations constitute an Institute-wide responsibility, and my job is to make sure our staff understands this.

How do you see the AIA changing five years out?—John Klockeman, AIA Minnesota.
McEntee: I see at least three things coming to pass:

1. Developing a Memorandum of Understanding on how components, knowledge communities, and the national component can work more effectively together, with pilot programs under way
2. Providing affordable knowledge for members and non-members alike in print and electronic media on how to make the best built environment
3. Transforming the incredible stories that arise out of the Blueprint for America initiative into a national agenda for more valuable, healthy, secure, and sustainable communities.

How can we increase penetration into the profession?—Richard de Young, AIA, president, AIA Pennsylvania.
McEntee: I agree with the assumption that underlies the question—the current percentage is too low. Here are some questions we should be asking ourselves.

1. Are the fees too high for the services we deliver?
2. Are there alternatives to streamline internships?
3. How do we increase the AIA’s relevance to people who pursue alternative careers, or what used to be called non-traditional practice?

How can we increase the value of membership? There is little value in the coupons [AIA Advantage]. We have a great potential to assist small firms with health and professional-liability insurance.—Thomas R. Cannon, AIA, president, AIA Maui.
McEntee: We shouldn’t be giving away anything that is inadequate or of little value. If for whatever the reason we can’t deliver what you want, we will tell you.

As for health insurance, I wish I had an easy or at least thoughtful answer. The cost of providing health care is a huge and growing problem in this country. I’m not sure anyone has yet figured out a “solution” that is both workable and politically viable. That doesn’t mean we should just throw up our hands and do nothing. (Contact your senators about pending health-care legislation to help small businesses.) It does mean we have a lot of work ahead of us, and here, as elsewhere, I am eager to hear suggestions from AIA members. Even incremental improvements would be better than nothing at all.

There is a lot of information at national but it is hard to find. Is it possible to be assigned a contact?—Sandy Dickenson, executive director, AIA South Dakota.
McEntee: I like the idea of what might be called account managers, someone you can turn to on this end to help you navigate what I’m sure sometimes looks inscrutable if not overwhelming from the outside. I’ll be exploring this and other ideas to strengthen the bonds among us.

At the same time, here, too, I’m open to any suggestions aimed at facilitating the flow of information from both directions. We’re in this together as part of a team. We’ve got to be pulling for one another.

Can you tell us your views and personal experience with international associations and a global association?—Michael Lischer, AIA, international director.
McEntee: The American College of Cardiology, where I was most recently CEO, has alliances with 30 to 40 cardiology societies around the world, mostly in Europe, but also in China and South America. Based on this experience, my philosophy is that we in the U.S. have to be partners. I have come to understand that we have to see ourselves as equals and not think we are “it.”

That said, we have to pay close attention to outsourcing, where we might have competitors springing up. That means seeing what’s out there and acting strategically, instead of simply reacting in a panic. And by the way, Michael, I think it’s great that we now have an International Director on the Board!

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