By Karen L. Compton
I used to believe that Presidents, CEOs, and CFOs were interested in hiring the best service provider--a firm or individual experienced at the delivery of a specialized service--be it architecture, engineering, legal, finance, or audit.
Then I had the opportunity to discuss this perception with a few close colleagues who wore that hat. Since I'm in the built environment, my "million dollar" question was, "What do you look for in selecting an architect?" The answer applied to any service provider. After thinking about my question for only a minute, virtually all of the professionals I queried responded, "I no longer select 'just architects.' I select business partners."
A paradigm shift occurs in assuming the role of business partner versus that of service provider. Which one are you?
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