EP 52: Why Curiosity and Change Define Tomorrow's Leaders with Tom Scarangello of Thornton Tomasetti
Join us as we talk with Tom Scarangello, Managing Principal and Senior Advisor of Thornton Tomasetti, about what it takes to build an enduring organization. Tom shares how his firm grew from 30 people to more than 2,000, why curiosity and openness to change matter for emerging leaders, and how the AEC industry advances faster through collaboration.
Key Takeaways:
00:00 Why the best mentors help young leaders make new mistakes instead of repeating old ones.
05:34 The choice every growing firm faces between a lifestyle company and an enduring organization.
12:37 Why deciding what a firm wants to be is harder than deciding what it doesn’t.
14:11 What changes when a firm drives innovation into its culture instead of reacting to it.
29:56 The three things Tom looks for before backing a new idea or emerging company.
32:10 Why adoption, not the technology itself, is the hardest part of changing the industry.
35:10 How smaller firms can keep pace by collaborating with peers instead of working in silos.
41:55 Why openness to change and constant retooling now define long-term career growth.
Thanks for listening to the "Building Better Futures" podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss any insightful conversations.
Resources Mentioned:
Thornton Tomasetti website, where Tom serves as Managing Principal and Senior Advisor
AEC Angels, the industry investment platform Tom helped found
T2D2, the building damage detection platform developed inside Thornton Tomasetti
TTWiiN, the Thornton Tomasetti technology accelerator Tom describes
#PeopleDevelopment #WorkplaceCulture #AECpodcast