"There is a difference between leadership and management," states Geoff Rich, Managing Partner of Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios (FCBS). "A good manager is not necessarily a good leader."
Rich will be giving one of the presentations on Developing a Leadership Mindset in the first of this year’s three-part RIBA Future Leaders programme on 28 March, alongside Grimshaw’s managing director Kirsten Lees and leadership coach Gordon Mackenzie.
The leadership skills Rich cites as desirable are not the stereotypical ‘alpha personality’ qualities of drive or ambition but are empathy, respect for people, openness and transparency in your dealings with both staff and clients.
"Being authentic in the relationships you build at all sorts of levels is the key," he maintains. "It is crucial."
For Rich, stepping up into a leadership role requires cultivating emotional intelligence. Rather than managing by giving orders, a good leader will demonstrate the relevance of matters to others, thus according respect to the people working with you.
That said, Rich was clear-sighted about his own abilities and interests, and how they could be an asset, when he first came to FCBS. "I joined with an ambition to help the practice develop its business in conservation at a time when few practices where doing conservation as part of their design process," he recalls. "So I arrived with a skill set that was valuable. I was also seen as trustworthy."
Rich became a finance partner in 2000, before becoming one of two managing partners in FCBS’s Bath office (the London office has another two). He now takes responsibility for business development and communications, spending around 60% of his time on projects and 40% in his management role.
FCBS has a reputation for a strong ethical stance. The practice has always had policy guidelines that new projects are checked against. "We expect our clients to share our views on authenticity, transparency and social purpose," Rich explains, and work will be turned down where there are conflicts.
All staff receive a free lunch, daily communal coffee and tea breaks for chatting or getting some fresh air, and every month there is a staff meeting where senior managers share information about the state of the practice, including its finances and profitability.
"Leadership can be demonstrated at all levels of a project, not just at a senior level," Rich believes. "This is especially true in architecture."
Accordingly, FCBS have a very open policy about pay, and staff are aware which pay grade everyone else is on. Staff are consulted on issues such as gender equality, inclusivity and the kind of work the practice should be taking on.
Rich accepts that the leadership role is easier in some ways in a business that already has a strong sense of purpose and a set of principles to be upheld.
Such guidelines would certainly not be quietly torn up, even in the event of any work downturn that the UK’s current state of economic uncertainty might lead to, Rich maintains.
"I am confident that we will remain principled. We are not anchored to any particular sector and we also work internationally, which gives us resilience; although the greatest resilience comes from maintaining strong client relationships."
Future Leaders is a three-part programme, consisting of three half-day events at two-month intervals, designed to provide early career professionals with a comprehensive introduction to leadership. All events take place at the RIBA, 66 Portland Place, London W1B 1AD. Tickets are now on sale.
Developing a Leadership Mindset on 28 March 2019
Leading Teams on 16 May 2019
Leading Change on 18 July 2019
Thanks to Geoff Rich, Managing Partner, Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios.
Text by Neal Morris. This is a Professional Feature edited by the RIBA Practice team. Send us your feedback and ideas
RIBA Core Curriculum Topic: Business, clients and services.
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Posted on 21 February 2019.
