Operations personnel keep AEC firms moving, linking project managers, architects, engineers, field teams, and clients. Two development tools can dramatically amplify that impact: coaching and mentoring. They’re related, but not the same, and knowing when to use each helps your people (and projects) level up.

Guiding Principle:

• Choose coaching when someone must perform now.
• Choose mentoring when someone needs context, confidence, and a longer-term growth plan.
• Add sponsorship when someone needs visible opportunities and advocacy to advance.

Your Field Guide: Moments to Coach & Mentor

The “Lock It In” Principle: Learn It → Apply It → Now

Lock It In, as taught by Jonathan Wilson (PSMJ Resources), turns passive listening into active learning by having the learner apply the skill immediately after you teach it.

For example, after you explain the Accounts Payable (A/P) process, ask:

• “Can you explain it back to me?”
• “Can you show me the file naming convention we use?”
• “Can you tell me 2 details that must be on the invoice before paying?”
• “Will you come back to me with improvements in the process if you find any needed?”

Lock It In = Don’t just tell it. Don’t just show it. Let them do it.

Celebrate Mistakes (Learn, Don’t Shame)

• Own it in the moment: “That was my miss, thanks for catching it.”
• Debrief quickly: “What happened here?” “What can we try next time?”
• Strengthen systems: Would a checklist or workflow catch this earlier?

Coaching Opportunities by Time Frame

• 3 minutes – Quick learning bite: Share a tip/video; ask, “What’s one thing you’ll try next?”
• 5 minutes – Micro-training: Demo a step; “Now you do the next one.”
• 10 minutes – Focused 1:1: Tackle a challenge; end with clear next step + date.
• 30 minutes – Coffee chat / Lunch & Learn: Build relationship; “What insight will you apply next?”
• 60 minutes – Team workshop / Firm-wide learning session: Assign action items for next check-in.
• 1–3 hours – Deep dive learning: Apply immediately to a live operational system or project.
• 1–3 days – Retreat / Intensive: Close with written action plans, accountability partners, and scheduled follow-ups.

Coaching Best Practices

• After every moment, ask: “What did you take away?”
• Slow down; focus on one or two lessons at a time.
• Reinforce by repeating key ideas in future touchpoints.
• Follow up: “Did you try it? What came up?”

Coach with Empathy

Listen without interrupting, match their pace, and check in with “How are you feeling about this?” before “Any questions?” Psychological safety fuels real growth.

When to Coach vs. When to Mentor (Quick Scenarios)

• Coach a project coordinator to run tomorrow’s OAC meeting: rehearse the agenda, role-play stakeholder questions, and commit to one improvement.
• Mentor an operations person mapping a move from project support to marketing/BD: share how the firm wins work, offer feedback on a portfolio, and make two introductions.
• Sponsor a rising team member: put their name forward to lead a client touchpoint or an internal improvement sprint.

Make It Real in Your Firm

1. Publish a shared one-pager (use the table above) so PMs and PMAs align on terms and expectations.
2. Offer both pathways: short, skills-focused coaching for immediate performance and relationship-based mentoring for broader development.
3. Measure what matters:
   • Coaching: observable behavior change, meeting outcomes, accuracy/quality.
   • Mentoring: role readiness, internal mobility, retention, engagement.

1. Equip leaders to teach basic coaching skills (questioning, contracting, and feedback) and how to mentor without turning sessions into status updates.
2. Close the loop: schedule brief follow-ups to check what was applied and what’s next.

References/Resources

• Coaching vs Mentoring Cheat Sheet
• Harvard Business Review – A Guide to Mentors, Sponsors, and Coaches (clear distinctions + when to use each).
• Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) – How to Use Coaching and Mentoring Programs to Develop New Leaders (program design & best practices).
• PSMJ Resources – AEC TalentMAX pre-conference AEC Executive Workshop (source of “Lock It In” as taught by Jonathan Wilson).
• PSMJ Resources – Jonathan Wilson bio (coach/instructor background).

SDA does not endorse any products or services mentioned, and SDA does not assume responsibility for any circumstances arising out of the interpretation, application, use, or misuse of any information presented. SDA recommends that the reader consult the appropriate legal, financial, or human resource counsel before implementing the information contained herein.

In today’s fast-paced A/E firm environment, productivity is less about working harder—and more about designing smarter systems, workflows, and habits that remove friction from the day.

During SDA’s January 2026 Productivity Hacks Virtual Roundtable, members from across the country came together for a lively peer-to-peer conversation focused on practical ways to save time, streamline work, and improve day-to-day operations. The discussion surfaced ideas spanning automation, technology, task management, and workflow design—grounded in real-world experience.

Here are a few key takeaways from the session.

Reducing Manual Work Through Better Systems

One of the strongest themes was the value of reducing manual processes through smarter workflows. Several members shared how moving requests and data collection out of email and into simple online forms has improved accuracy, reduced follow-ups, and saved time.

By standardizing how information enters the system, firms are able to launch projects faster, eliminate missing details, and create cleaner handoffs between teams. The takeaway was clear: meaningful productivity gains often come from redesigning how work flows, not adding more tools.

Technology That Truly Supports Productivity

Participants highlighted several digital tools that have become part of their everyday workflow.

The Remarkable Tablet generated strong interest as a practical way to combine handwritten notes with digital organization, helping reduce paper clutter while keeping information accessible.

AI tools such as ChatGPT were also discussed as helpful partners for drafting emails, outlining procedures, and jump-starting documentation. While adoption varies, many agreed that starting with low-risk, routine tasks is an effective way to build comfort and uncover value.

Across the discussion, one theme emerged consistently: the goal is not technology for its own sake, but technology that removes friction from routine work.

Simple Habits That Make a Big Difference

Beyond tools, members shared time-management strategies that help maintain focus in busy operational roles. Daily priority lists—especially identifying the top three “must-do” tasks—were a popular way to protect time and maintain momentum amid interruptions.

Others shared how small adjustments, such as using Outlook reminders, Excel shortcuts, and task boards, have helped reduce rework and stay organized. These incremental improvements, when combined, create noticeable gains across the workday.

Making Invisible Work Visible

One powerful theme that emerged during the roundtable was the importance of recognizing SDA members not simply as “support,” but as the designers of the systems that keep firms running. When an administrator streamlines a proposal process, automates a report, or creates a smarter template, it isn’t “no big deal”—it’s reclaimed time, reduced stress, and improved consistency for the entire team.

Even a 10-minute improvement to a recurring task, multiplied across dozens of proposals or projects each year, adds up to hours of capacity a firm can reinvest in higher-value work. As a community, SDA members are encouraged to document and articulate these wins rather than minimize them, helping ensure that the often-invisible impact of their expertise becomes visible, understood, and valued within their firms.

The Power of Peer Learning

Perhaps the most valuable outcome of the roundtable was the shared learning itself. From automation successes to adoption challenges, the conversation reinforced that productivity challenges are rarely unique—and that peer insight is often the fastest path to better solutions.

The session closed with a reminder that small changes, applied consistently, can significantly improve both efficiency and work satisfaction.

Continue the Conversation

Missed the session or want to revisit the discussion? The recording is available for purchase through the SDA Store.

Have a productivity tip that’s working well in your firm? We invite you to share your ideas in the comments below. Be sure to join future roundtables as we continue exploring ways to strengthen operations and elevate performance across A/E firms.

To learn more about upcoming programs, visit the SDA Events Calendar and stay connected with the SDA community.

Choate+Hertlein Architects

Our firm opened its doors in 1971 with small projects, typically quirky in nature, requiring out of the box solutions. Evolving over five decades and influenced by the varied interests of the partners, our resulting body of work represents a wide range of abilities and accomplishments, capitalizing on the variety of what Atlanta and the Southeast region has offered.

Throughout the years, one of the main areas of focus for our work has been the preservation, restoration, and adaptation of historic buildings resulting in an intimate knowledge of the fabric of built antiquity — the bones and sinew of the architecture of bygone eras. Located in a vibrant and growing city, other kinds of opportunities have allowed us to explore our interest in the design of highly original modern architecture. In many cases, we have been able to blend these two approaches in the adaptive fusion of historic and modern themes. 

With this wide range of differing expertise, the joy of our practice is found in the goal of creating a common thread to run through it all. This has evolved into a level of creativity and care that heightens and distinguishes the quality of our built work, whether respectfully historic or creatively new. Underlying our approach is the belief that no two opportunities are the same. We stretch to find the "Big Idea" that will give our work a sense of place and time, all in the service of our clients´ needs and desires.

The type, scale, and complexity of Choate + Hertlein Architects (C+H) work ranges from small, custom and finely-detailed interventions to large, complex adaptive reuse projects such as Ponce City Market and the redevelopment of the Centennial Yards South buildings in downtown Atlanta. We specialize in finding the appropriate solution to each unique challenge. Based on our accumulated knowledge and our creative passion, we consistently deliver pragmatic solutions and profound results. 

Thank you to Choate + Hertlein Architects for being a firm sponsor with SDA National. To learn more about Choate + Hertlein Architects and their work visit their website Choate + Hertlein Architects