Growth Mindset

If you’re already a member of our team at SWE, you’re here because we have this in common. With our mission to elevate — to continuously raise the bar on what’s possible — it’s important to regularly remind ourselves of our intentions for growth.

But what does growth really mean? In a business context, it’s often associated with greater levels of revenue or profits. That’s not quite how we see it. Sure, those metrics are indicators of our success, but they’re not to be misconstrued as the primary goal — they are the welcome side effects of our true focus, which is on impact. Growth at SWE is about improvement as individuals, expanding our expertise as a team, delivering greater value to our partners, and doubling down on our commitment to our community. Even at the highest level on our team, we never stop looking for ways to learn and improve in our roles and as human beings.

So, whether you’ve been here a decade, or you’re considering your first internship with our company, we ask you to reflect on what growth means to you. What are you learning about now, and what are you interested to learn about next? What will the next iteration of SWE look like? How can we better serve our partners, our teammates, and the people in our communities? Our charge as a company is to support your growth as an individual, and we hope you’ll help SWE take it to the next level, too.

Celebrating Success

In cultures that emphasize improvement and problem solving, it’s common to readily move from one challenge to the next. While we appreciate that enthusiasm, we think it’s important to take time to high-five and reflect on what we’re accomplishing together. When we bring our attention back to what’s going well, we can stay energized as a team and maintain a positive outlook on what’s yet to come.

These celebrations take many shapes big and small. A brief acknowledgement of a colleague’s job well done can go a long way, and major milestones on projects or as a company are often cause for greater gatherings where we can all raise a glass together. (See also: Social Events)

Authentic Conversation

If you’ve read thus far, you probably realize we like to approach each day with optimism. We’re also careful not to lean too far into what is commonly referred to as “toxic positivity” or “Prozac leadership”. Difficult conversations are going to happen, and it’s important we don’t sweep them under the rug. When we approach these situations with an open ear and an open mind, we can make others feel heard and understood so they feel safe enough to share authentically.

This also means we’re all responsible for illuminating issues before they begin to fester. You may choose to start with a private conversation or have a word with your supervisor. It’s not necessarily your job to resolve things on your own — reach out for support and we’ll work through it together.

Professionalism

The word “professionalism” often conjures up images of corporate America, where every interaction is layered with unspoken rules and formalities. That’s not quite what we have in mind here. We’re a small company, and we’d like to create a comfortable, approachable environment where folks feel they can be themselves and connect openly. There are, however, still a few aspects of professionalism we feel are useful to agree on so folks can bring their best each day:

Communication — We’re always representing the company, so we simply want to be mindful about where we’re showing up and how (see also: Brand Ambassadors). Context is key — of course interactions with customers may carry a different tone than casual watercooler talk with colleagues. Whether you’re sending an email, doing an on-site walkthrough, or just sporting some SWE gear out in public, be mindful about what you say, how you say it, and how it will be received by the audience.

Attire — You probably haven’t seen many neckties or stiletto heels around our team — that’s not an accident. You also won’t see many graphic tees or ballcaps in the office. Instead of a strict, universal dress code, we essentially dress for the day, with consideration for who we’re seeing and where, or whether we’ll be in a safety vest and helmet at some point. Our team’s headshots show the broad range of the look we’re going for — put together, approachable, and never stuffy.

Volume — Our office space is open. Very open. And part of the appeal of coming into an actual office is connecting with our co-workers. You’ll see everyone from recent grads to directors chatting about their weekends, the ballgame, families, etc. — and we encourage it. We also need to remember that while some of us are catching up on life, others are catching up on work. We’ve all been in situations where audible distractions make it hard to focus, so we just try to keep our volume in check and save the longer conversations for lunch.

Sage Archetype

Our archetype is the role we play in the minds of our customers and community. We are the sage — the expert, the scholar, the advisor, thinker, or intellectual. We seek information, knowledge, and wisdom. In many cases we not only provide insight but also encourage others to think. The sage’s core desire is the discovery of truth, and its goal is to use intelligence and analysis to understand the world.

Classic, recognizable examples of the sage include characters like Yoda and Mr. Miyagi, people like Stephen Hawking and Marie Curie, or brands like PBS and Gallup.

Brand Story: Mycorrhizal Networks & Reciprocal Connections

Beneath the external representation of our brand lies a metaphor that helps us tell our story and communicate our value. Mycorrhizal networks are the underground, branching, filamentous structure created by mycorrhizal fungi that connect individual plants together and transfer water, carbon, nitrogen, and other nutrients and minerals. The formation of these networks is context-dependent and can be influenced by factors such as soil fertility, resource availability, disturbances, and seasonal variations. It’s these invisible dynamics that allow the above-ground plants to flourish and elevate.

Just like the hidden transmissions of mycorrhizal networks, SWE makes sense of the surrounding context to support the entire project community. We dig into owner and project goals, how to make the most of limited resources, and how to enable others through real-time exchange. When we equip fellow contributors with the insights we uncover, they are empowered to do their best work. While our efforts may go unseen by many, the underground collaboration and technical depth leads to above-ground elevation of the project and the entire team involved.

You can see the presence of this metaphor in our external representations — in our visual identity, in our proprietary way (our approach to design, commissioning, and energy), and in our voice and vocabulary in writing. We don’t need outsiders to connect the dots to the underlying metaphor, but internally it creates cohesion and consistency in our brand and the SWE value proposition.

Brand Ambassadors

Every member of the SWE team is an ambassador of our brand. Whether we’re showing up in person or online, with a customer or elsewhere in our community, we’re all reflections of our company. We’re delighted for that to be the case, as each person here was selected for their outlook and alignment with our mission and values.

Attitude and Energy — Brand is so much more than a marketing tool. Every touchpoint someone has with our company — a phone call, an invoice, a handshake, a meeting — shapes their perception of us. That’s what brand really is: it’s what people think, not just a logo or a website. Even before we launched our new visual identity, the SWE brand was built on reputation, on 30 years of investing in relationships and establishing trust. This is why attitude and energy are everything; brand is how we show up. And people notice! We don’t expect everyone to be extroverted rays of sunshine, but even a calm positivity can elevate a room and turn an acceptable interaction into an exceptional one. Our ask of you: bring it.

Amplifying SWE — It goes a long way when members of our team help boost our visibility on social media. Zero requirement here, but an open invitation, as everyone’s personal profiles are theirs to do with what they so choose. If you were involved in a big project that just wrapped up, celebrate the big win publicly by engaging with or reposting content from SWE or other collaborators on the project. As we look to grow the team and find excellent candidates, tap into your network or point right-fit folks in our direction. The lowest hanging fruit — see what our team and company page are up to on LinkedIn and join the conversation.

If you’re interested in exploring more ways to share the SWE story with the community, please come forward! There are always opportunities for us to strengthen our presence in both the markets we serve and the places we call home. Whether it’s a customer open house, a tradeshow, a career fair, a volunteer event, or some other way to engage, we’d love for you to help us elevate!

Email — Not everything needs to be documented in an email. What’s most essential for this digital paper trail are deliverables and items related to project tracking. When it comes to meeting deadlines, capturing input from customers or other contributors, or anything we may need to refer back to (i.e., covering our bases), it's best to put it in an email.

MS Teams Messaging — Great for quick questions, quick answers, and responding when convenient. If the thread starts to go off the rails, it might be time to take it elsewhere.  Keep in mind that not everyone uses or reciprocates with the same style.

Meetings — Real-time meetings can be worth 1,000 emails. When we’re navigating opposing views or trying to involve multiple perspectives, step away from the keyboard and come together to talk it out. It’s great to do this in person for important milestones with the client, or when the relevant team members are around for an internal discussion. When that’s not the case, we have options:

• MS Teams Meetings — We mainly use these for internal meetings, and they allow us to include remote team members.
• Zoom Meetings — Typically for external meetings, which can be a little more formal (see Professionalism: Attire).
• Bluebeam Sessions — Ideal for internal quality control of design standards, master documentation, etc. (more technical stuff).

Casual Connection — Stopping by someone’s desk is sometimes the most efficient way to get something done. It’s also how we build rapport as a team, so it’s generally a safe bet to reach out in person. Get to know each other, solve problems together, and be considerate of those around you (see Professionalism: Volume). If the topic you’re excited to discuss with a colleague won’t fit into a quick chat, consider scheduling a meeting or a coffee, lunch, or after-work beverage together.

Every member of our team creates a Career Development Plan (CDP), which is a personalized roadmap outlining where they are in their career, where they want to go, how to get there, and the obstacles to overcome on the way. The CDP is also complemented by a growth path visual, which helps us see the current and future states of our unique skillsets, both individually and collectively. CDPs and growth paths are dynamic by nature — as we grow, our interests may shift, and our direction may change course. There are three primary tracks to explore, one at a time or concurrently:

• Management/Leadership — for those interested in project management, supervisory, or leadership roles.
• Technical/Production — for those interested in deepening their experience in the design and/or production environment.
• Subject Matter Expertise — for those with a depth of knowledge or interest in gaining knowledge in certain markets, project types, design types, or functions within the company.

Supervisor 1:1s

Regular one-on-one meetings with your supervisor are your opportunity to review your CDP and growth path and discuss possibilities about your role and interests. This is also your time to share about your experience at SWE and exchange feedback. Half-baked ideas and questions are welcome here — you may see where you want to go but be unclear on how to get there. That’s where your supervisor comes in: to make sense of things together and explore opportunities.