“I’m laid back at lunchtime, but I’m aggressive at crunch time. Let’s get it.”
– Jacob “Crunch Time” Mann

Many firms out there have figured out how to stabilize in this down economy. The hard layoffs and continued reduction of hours are over (note I didn’t say BEING on reduced hours is over). Many owners are now thinking that their firms will survive. Times will still be tough for a while, but a new stasis has been reached. I often hear the term ‘a new normal‘. The new normal means young, capable architects are seeing their careers stagnate. Older more experienced colleagues watch as their retirement gets farther and farther away. I hate the new normal. It sucks and it won’t last. The new normal is just a tenuous pause. Stay in survival mode too long and the new normal will be the start of the final slide to failure and collapse.

Ray Kogan of Kogan & Company has some great advice for all of us architects on how to survive after the economy recovers–and those solutions require action now. I am always excited to read this type of article, but I am usually a little disappointed once I do. But not this one. It’s spot on perfect. Read it. We need tough talk, vision, and cultivation of the next generation of leaders.

At Shoegnome we think about these issues to the point of obsession. The time to sit around and wait for other people to save the firm you work for is over. There technically never was that time in the first place. You need to be proactive. Where ever you are on the hierarchy at your office, it’s time to start thinking and acting. I’ve got one simple question for you to ponder:

“How much has your architecture firm evolved since the start of the recession?”

I’d love to hear your answers (and your thoughts on Ray’s article). But I’ll tell you this, however much your firm has evolved, it’s not enough.

This is crunch time. Let’s get it.