Building High-Performance Architecture Teams with Rion Willard | EP657

Business of Architecture Podcast

End chaos in your firm—300+ peers use this framework. Free video here: https://www.businessofarchitecture.com/framework

In this energetic live session, Rion Willard held at the AIA Austin Event, he asks a hard question: what does a true high-performance architecture team look like? He shares sobering industry stats and stories. Then he flips the script, turning the room into a workshop with quick audits, hands-up shares, and honest self-checks.

You’ll hear why profits power design, and why little things—like scattered emails, fuzzy roles, and quiet scope creep—silently drain margins. Rion sketches a simple score that top firms use to gauge performance, plus a brutal-but-kind way to map every teammate’s fit. He closes with field notes from firms that made the leap, and a nudge to take one concrete action today.

Along the way, he surfaces bottlenecks leaders rarely admit, and invites you to test with no-fluff prompts. Expect candid talk about hiring, delegation, and the real cost of turnover. If you lead a team, or want to, this is your wake-up call now.

• The surprising revenue-per-person target top studios chase—and how to gauge yours in minutes.
• A four-box lens that reveals who to elevate, coach, or release (without drama).
• The tiny leaks that steal profit each week—and the simple ritual that plugs them.