FEATURED ON THIS EPISODE:

INTERIOR DESIGNER’S GUIDE TO CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE:

HOW BEING RESPECTFUL AND BEING TREATED WITH RESPECT IMPACTS YOUR PROFITABILITY

THE THREE-LEGGED STOOL – CLIENT, CONTRACTOR & DESIGNER

HOW TO APPROACH NEGATIVE COMMENTS YOU HEAR WITH CURIOSITY INSTEAD OF JUDGEMENT

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I heard a lot of pushback from designers while promoting a recent webinar about how difficult contractors can be and giving up on thinking that that would somehow change. 

But one of the points I made in the webinar, and one I really want to drive home today, is that being respected and respecting others affects your profitability and your bottom line – the amount of money you will make on projects. And if for no other reasons than to be respectful and to be treated respectfully on projects, your bottom line should be at the top. Because this isn’t a hobby, this is a business. This is something we want to make money at while enjoying what we do. And I promise you, it is possible to have it all.

How this impacts profitability

If you are not treated equally, if you are not seen as a professional, and you are not being respected, then you are not going to be able to follow through on how you develop your fees. You’re going to calculate how many hours you’re going to need. If you’re in a worker bee role, you’re going to be doing a lot more work than you had anticipated because you were coming at it from a managerial role. So, all of a sudden, your numbers get upside down. So designers leave angry and resentful.

However, this can be avoided by understanding the role that everybody plays and how you present yourself at the beginning of each project.

I am talking about showing up as a confident professional and establishing respect as an equal partner. You must focus on the entire team, not just with the client (and I know that is a focus of designers). 

There’s this dynamic I want to talk about today that is like a three-legged stool, where the designer, the contractor, and the client all play equal roles in keeping that project balanced as well as successful. 

I understand that dismissive and rude behavior can be a part of projects, and that is insanely challenging when you’re simply trying to do your work. But I want to encourage you to come at it from a curious perspective instead of a judgmental one. Stay curious as to what is happening, the dynamics you are in and how you can resolve them successfully and positively to impact your experience as well as the entire success of the project. 

This really can transform a project if you are all respected and trust each other as equals.

The Three Roles – Client, Contractor & Designer

The client provides the vision and the budget. 

The contractor brings the technical expertise to execute the work. 

You, the designer, you’re the glue that holds all of this together. 

You ensure that the client’s goals are aligned with what’s possible, leading the team to bring that vision to life. You also troubleshoot any surprises that come along the way. You are the client liaison. You include your clients so that they are a part of the process as much as they’d like to be, and you streamline the project so the contractor can stay on task, on time, and on budget. 

It truly is three equal legs creating this stable project. If one of those legs, whether it’s you the contactor or the client, isn’t pulling your weight, the stool tips over. 

That isn’t something that is always intentionally being done. Sometimes, it’s about respect or the lack of it. 

If you, as a designer, aren’t stepping into your role with confidence and authority, the contractor may not see you as an equal. That’s an imbalance that can cause the entire stool to wobble, and the project will suffer. 

That is why it’s important for every single project that you start on, no matter how well you know the client or the contractor, you start with confidence and authority as an equal partner– not a worker bee and not just a decorator. 

If you are managing a construction project, you are a professional collaborator who adds value at every stage. 

I heard comments from many designers inside the webinar, such as, “Contractors don’t respect me. “They dismiss me.” or “They act like I don’t know what I’m doing.” 

Some I’ve heard in my career are, “Yeah, I expected to be over budget and way past schedule when I heard you were hired.” These are real things. I have heard them, and I’m sure a lot of you have as well. 

I want to challenge you to approach these comments with curiosity. 

Where are these comments coming from? Rather than taking them personally or judging the contractor who is saying them. 

Look at it from the contractor’s point of view.

Maybe they’ve had a bad experience with a designer before. Maybe the designer had no idea how to handle a scope of work or screwed up all the deadlines, or blew the budget without any consultation with the rest of the team. 

The reality could be that that contractor is worried about being held accountable for your work even though that is not their responsibility. That can cause serious friction. 

But that friction is not inevitable. More often than not, it is the result of a miscommunication or, worse, a mismatched expectation. Which, by the way, can be avoided when you show up prepared and confident. 

So please do not lump all contractors together, as tempting as it may be. You don’t want to be lumped together with some of the stereotypical designer comments and insults we hear on a regular basis. 

How to approach issues with curiosity and not judgment

A lot of it is self-reflection. Did you set clear boundaries from the beginning? Did you communicate your role and responsibilities in a way that built trust? Or, how can you show up differently next time to create a stronger foundation for collaboration? The answer to these is your path forward. 

It starts with preparation and clarity. 

First, you need to know your role – on every single project you go on. That role will change depending on the team, the scope of the work, the complexity of the design, etc. So you need to understand that role. You need to be confident that your expertise will match the goal. If you walk onto a job site unprepared or unsure of yourself, it will be that much harder to gain the respect of the team. 

Secondly, you also need to set boundaries. We set boundaries with our clients all the time. For some reason, we don’t do the same with the team, and I think it comes from the intimidation of being the only girl on the job site. And I  get it, and not making light of it. The problem is if you don’t set those boundaries, someone else will set them for you.

Thirdly, you need to communicate openly. Remember, contractors are not your competition. They are your collaborators, your team members, the other leg of your stool. When you treat them as equals and show that you value their experience, you create a foundation of mutual respect. 

Being respected and seen on a project not only makes it more successful but also more enjoyable. This also protects your profitability. If you are dragged into a role that you didn’t count on, meaning you are becoming a worker bee vs keeping yourself in the managerial position, your hours will be upside down, and you will be losing profit. Not only that but if they do not respect you on the project, they will not be referring you to others. I can’t tell you the value of my industry partnerships for the referral business that I get year after year after year. 

Again, be curious, not judgmental. Showing up prepared, confident, and collaborative will earn you the respect you deserve and create a reputation of collaboration, creating opportunities for these referrals to come your way.