The final session of the Regional DBIA Virtual Conference Week wrapped up last week, featuring a panel of local leaders who shared lessons learned over their careers.

Panelists included Maria Maffry, principal with BNIM; Andy Heitmann, vice president & operations manager with Turner Construction; Robert D. Regnier, executive chairman and CEO of Bank of Blue Valley; Dave Harrison, president of VanTrust Real Estate; and Mike Orth, executive vice president with Black & Veatch.

Here are the key take-ways from the panel discussion:

1. Forge Your Own Path

Your career consumes more than 40+ hours of your week. Find something you enjoy. Don’t be afraid to forge your own path.

Robert Reigner talked about the opportunity to work for his dad developing Johnson County, but instead he chose to take a job in banking. His boss mentored him to find out what made him happy.

“Look for people and companies you respect. Promoting from within is important. When you find that, apply yourself and show them what you can do. I started my career as a safe deposit box clerk and left an executive officer," Reigner said.

“Working hard can be a head scratcher when people become billionaires by creating an app, but don’t underestimate hard work. Work hard, work smart and take risks early," Dave Harrison said.

2. Find Opportunities from Within

Learn and understand your company’s why. From there, your personal skills and creativity can help you provide value to your organization in a unique way.

Maria Maffry joined BNIM in its infancy and was fortunate to know B, N, I and M. This early involvement gave her a special connection with the company’s purpose and culture.

“Thirty years ago, (a) chief business development officer did not exist. Let alone a non-architect leading in that way. The company allowed me to grow and explore. I was able to find opportunities in my organization and craft my role around that. As the firm grew, I was able to grow,” Maffry said.

“COVID has really challenged company culture. We’re all getting really good at Zoom calls, but it takes a toll on culture and collaboration," Harrison said.

The more we empower people to bring their unique skills to the table the more growth we can expect. Those people looking for opportunities to grow within the organization are people we can groom as our replacements.

3. Failure Is Part Of Innovation

People don’t like to talk about failure. As an industry, we’re usually conservative when it comes to risk, but failure is natural and important.

“I had a boss move on to start another office. As a result, I was thrown into a project. It was probably too early, but I had a great safety net. I learned a valuable lesson to surround myself with a strong team. Lean in to discomfort and always be learning,” Mike Orth said.

“Early on it’s easy to be a sponge. There is a point in your career where you think you know everything. That’s where adversity finds you. But that is a learning opportunity – it humbles you. How you react to it tells you a lot about yourself," said Andy Heitmann.

It’s important as leaders to be humble and vulnerable. We all have something to learn.

In closing, the panel was asked to address the importance of civic involvement in their careers. Each panelist noted how it contributed to their professional and personal growth and helped them see the needs in their community.

“Do your best to the leave the world better than you found it," said Reigner.

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The next KC-DBIA event is the Annual Golf Tourney on Sept. 16, 2020 at Shoal Creek Golf Course in Kansas City, Mo.