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In this episode of the Action Lab Leadership Podcast, Danny is joined by Jason Wistreich, a principal at JKRP Architects. Jason shares how he evolved from a new graduate into a leader managing a firm that grew from 20 to 70 people. His core message is simple: true leadership requires thinking outside of your own success to help others win.
Adopting an Iterative Leadership Approach
Jason advocates for an iterative approach to business and leadership. Rather than falling into “paralysis by analysis” while waiting for a perfect plan, Jason suggests figuring out a concept, taking action, and then reflecting to fine-tune the results. By treating mistakes as experiences rather than failures, leaders can maintain momentum and stay ambitious.
Mastering the Human Skills of Communication
For an architect, technical skills are the baseline, but Jason argues that leadership curiosity and human skills are what actually drive a firm forward. He highlights several tactical shifts he made to improve his impact.
What You’ll Learn In This Episode:
- The Listener’s Ear: Recognize that communication doesn’t happen at the speaker’s mouth, but at the listener’s ear.
- Mirroring for Alignment: Use techniques like “What I’m hearing you say is…” to prevent misaligned expectations and crises.
- Asking, Not Telling: Shift from being an “expert” who dictates answers to a coach who asks questions that allow team members to discover solutions organically
- Consistent Messaging: Bring sports-style “reps” to the office by repeating core slogans and values until they stick with the team
Turning Down the Ego
Finally, Jason emphasizes the importance of the feedback loop. He believes leaders must turn their ego down to zero to receive honest feedback from their team. By looking for the “nugget of truth” in criticism, leaders can fine-tune their approach and continue their own lifelong chase for learning.
