At Gresham Smith, we know our greatest strengths are our People & Culture. We also believe that leadership isn’t just about titles but about growing people, and that supervisors play a vital role in supporting our people and cultivating our culture. That philosophy is at the heart of our Blueprint for Supervisory Excellence program. It was developed to provide supervisors with the resources, learning and support they need to make Gresham Smith the best place to work and move us toward the goal of having the best culture of any A/E firm in the world.
From Vision to Impact
Gresham Smith’s Blueprint for Supervisory Excellence is a multi-session development program that provides our supervisors with a foundation in effective leadership, and was designed to empower current and emerging supervisors with the tools they need to lead our teams with confidence, empathy and accountability. The training curriculum focuses on key leadership competencies including:
- Communication Skills – Fostering clarity, active listening, and impactful feedback.
- Coaching and Development – Supporting employees’ growth with intentional guidance.
- Performance Management – Setting expectations, evaluating results and providing constructive input.
- Time and Priority Management – Balancing supervisory responsibilities with project demands.
- Team Culture and Inclusion – Helping shape a positive, inclusive work environment where everyone thrives.
This program reflects our belief that supervisory excellence is a skill that can, and should, be nurtured throughout a leader’s journey, benefiting employees at every level. Ultimately, it serves as a design plan or model for helping one’s vision of being an effective supervisor become a reality.
Empowering Leadership at Every Level
Supervisors have a big impact on how engaged employees feel, how well teams perform, and the overall tone of our company culture. Stepping into a leadership role isn’t always easy though, especially without any formal training. That’s where the program comes in. It’s designed to help new supervisors make the shift from being individual contributors to confident leaders. The program also helps everyone stay on the same page when it comes to leadership expectations, while providing practical tools for handling real-life challenges and encouraging stronger collaboration across different teams and office locations.
Leading with Confidence and Clarity
Participants are nominated or selected for the program based on their leadership potential or current supervisory roles. Delivered in cohorts over a set period, the program offers a dynamic mix of learning experiences, including live training sessions led by internal facilitators, interactive workshops with role-playing scenarios, peer discussion groups, case studies, reflective exercises, goal-setting activities and ongoing mentorship or peer check-ins to reinforce key takeaways. By the end of the program, graduates leave with practical strategies they can immediately apply to their teams to build stronger connections with fellow leaders and a deeper understanding of how their role contributes to advancing Gresham Smith’s mission and culture.
Investing in People, Building the Future
At Gresham Smith, we know that great design is made possible by great leadership. The Blueprint for Supervisory Excellence program is just one of many investments we’re making in our people to ensure we continue building purposeful spaces and sustainable careers. By empowering our supervisors, we not only strengthen our teams, but we define the future of leadership at Gresham Smith.
Supervisory Excellence in Action
Graduates of the Spring 2025 Blueprint for Supervisory Excellence cohort came together this summer for a well-earned in-person recognition of their six-month journey. Throughout the experience, participants connected with peers, expanded their networks, and directly engaged with firm leaders, gaining fresh perspectives and actionable insights. We’re proud to see these emerging leaders take the next step in shaping strong, effective teams across Gresham Smith!
