Fearlessly facing new challenges

The crisis we’re now all facing offers a powerful reminder that we are part of a global community. Whether it’s a health crisis, a natural disaster, or a financial downturn, what happens in one country often has an impact on many others, in many different respects. We can organize and prepare and take precautions, but none of us is truly immune. The world’s many cultures, climates and economies are all interconnected, and we each play a role in protecting ourselves and our global neighbors from harm, as much as we can.

“We each play a role in protecting ourselves and our global neighbors from harm, as much as we can.”

This is why we work hard – and work together – at WATG and Wimberly Interiors to build a solid foundation with a strong and resilient global network; so, when conditions arise that increase our risk of facing real challenges, we can adjust and adapt accordingly. Our firm-wide structure is designed to give local leaders the flexibility and autonomy to customize their own practices for different cultures, individual clients and practitioners based on specific needs and skillsets. But our structure is also globally integrated so we can be nimble and support each other – going where we’re needed, when we’re needed. If London has a gap to fill, Singapore steps up. Or if Singapore needs a hand, Irvine steps up – and so on. We operate locally but we are one cohesive and collaborative global team.

“Teamwork requires trust, and building trust requires a willingness to take risks – to open our minds to new experiences and new perspectives.”

Teamwork requires trust, and building trust requires a willingness to take risks – to open our minds to new experiences and new perspectives. We leverage our collective knowledge as we face new challenges at any scale. Seventy-five years ago, our founders embraced a swashbuckling, pioneering spirit and a willingness – even an eagerness to travel the world and explore new cultures and experiences. As the firm grew, these leaders weren’t afraid to hire creative disruptors who were willing to look beyond commodity and current thinking to reach real creativity, a practice we’re proud to continue today.

Projects like intu’s Costa del Sol property, which aims to reinvent retail industry standards, are not possible without taking a few creative risks. Our willingness (even eagerness) to embrace new ideas and opportunities is why we host global activities like our recent Hackathon. It’s also why we seek out people like Josh Held, who, by joining our team, inspire us every day to think differently. And it’s certainly why we don’t shy away from the chance to give back with efforts like Deserving Designs, aligning our mission to create sustainable, resilient communities with organizations that are working hard on a daily basis to change habits and improve lives. Just like our daring founders, we can’t overcome challenges or grow without taking risks and disrupting the status quo.

“Just like our daring founders, we can’t overcome challenges or grow without taking risks and disrupting the status quo.”

Risks should be taken and based on knowledge and understanding that we cultivate through our diverse, integrated teams, and inspired by visionary clients. We also understand the importance of remaining calm and confident in uncertain times. Supporting our equally fearless clients and maintaining workflow using technology and the good old-fashioned telephone to stay virtually connected.

When we trust each other to take risks, we can rearrange and even disregard conventional wisdom to create something new that carries us and our clients into the future. We can’t eliminate challenges, but we can face them fearlessly.