Building the AEC Firm of the Future: Leadership, Innovation, and What Comes Next (Ep. 3)

What will tomorrow’s most successful architecture and engineering firms look like - and what steps must leaders do differently starting now? In this episode, Heather Polinsky, CEO nominee of global multidisciplinary firm Arcadis, joins the conversation to explore how AEC firms can build future-ready organizations through being bold in areas such as stronger leadership development, smarter innovation, and evolving business models. From preparing next-generation leaders to rethinking how work gets delivered, this discussion offers practical insight for CEOs focused on long-term competitiveness. Learn more about Heather Polinsky and Arcadis here: https://www.arcadis.com/en/news/global/2025/12/arcadis-announces-heather-polinsky-as-new-ceo Not a PSMJ PRO member? Learn more here: http://www.psmj.com/psmjpromembership Check out Greg’s Book of the Month here: amazon.com/gp/product/B0GPSRHDPH Chapters1:38 Metric of the Month5:49 Who is Heather Polinsky?6:33 Polinsky’s Career Journey12:06 Navigating Ownership Transition and Leadership Gaps14:34 Emerging Traits for Future Leaders18:15 Embracing Change in the AEC Industry20:38 The Impact of Technology on AEC24:25 Fostering a Culture of Innovation31:44 Future Trends in the AEC Industry34:56 Five Minute Fix40:01 Book of the Month TakeawaysHeather Polinsky's career path emphasizes the importance of curiosity and taking risks.Leadership requires a different skill set than technical expertise.Assessing leadership potential involves understanding both interpersonal and intellectual capacities.Emerging leaders need commercial fluency and digital judgment.Technology, especially AI, is transforming the AEC industry.Creating a culture of innovation requires clarity and guardrails for experimentation.The industry must move from transactional to relational models with clients.Future leaders must understand the interconnectedness of various sectors.The gig economy is reshaping workforce expectations in the AEC industry.Structural changes in the industry will require agility and systems thinking. Host: Gregory HartProducers: Gregory Hart, Pete McPherson, Molly McElaney, Nadia Drozario, Daniel CochlinEditor: Molly McElaneySpecial thanks to Arcadis CEO Nominee Heather Polinsky and Riverside FM!