Maksim Levchenko: Year results, in short

A powerful team is the main asset of any company.

We were sculpting the collective throughout the year, and we continue to do so, so it is to govern and renovate Moscow’s ruined “Zolotye Vavilony”.

The new team needs time to play itself out, no matter which stars and professionals it would consist of. They should learn not only to think about themselves, but also for “the other guy” as well, to make decisions as a group and not to fear taking responsibility. It’s true that sometimes the situation can turn out absurdly: the big international architects team working, dare I say, in the world’s capitals, unable to give a building solution for a simple drywall hurdle. One party waits for the other to reconcile it, and the other, in turn, nods in their direction.

Week after week a mountain tries to produce a mouse. A long and tedious e-mail and messenger exchange takes place as well as video consulting through Skype…

Finally, the blueprints are ready. Hooray? No. It’s too early to celebrate! Turns out, the architect didn’t send out the building documents because he had some doubts: what if the wall won’t be strong enough? It’s easier to play it safe and ask the designer to hear what he has to say. It resembles a table tennis game, although this one doesn’t have a winner. An enclosed circle, a sack run through rugged terrain.

Everyone fears  FORTGROUP purchasing department for some reason. The letter has been sent, but the reply hasn’t been received, supposedly.

I politely ask: “Have you at least called them and asked why they are silent?”

They shrug: “No, we haven’t, we were waiting for them to reply”.

Sometimes it’s fruitful to ignore the standard rules, to tritely forget about the mail and the business process, to pick up the phone, type ten numbers on it, and talk with the coworkers, contractors, and suppliers. To check the indicators, to understand what’s the catch, what the coworkers are worried about, to step backwards, if necessary, to retreat, to find a trade-off, not smash through, not take your own course. I’ve seen it too many times: they balk like rams with horns and just stay in place, not moving an inch. I can’t call the cases like this anything other than stupid. I think that fighting with it (the stupidity) is my main concern.

It is crucial to understand who there is, besides you, what ulterior motives the people follow, while coming to your company, shaking your hand, and looking you in the eyes with hope. What are they thinking about per se, what do they want?

Maybe my words may seem too outlandish to someone, but I think that the main aim of being is creation, the development of self, the striving to make the surrounding world better. I can give some other definitions, but it won’t change the essence. It is simple: the man is born to build, not to demolish. Otherwise, everything would be long demolished already. And why the hell are we here, I ask?

I hear the voices “No-no-no, everything is done for the money; it motivates progress!”

I don’t even want to argue. I instantly reply, cutting off any possibilities for the continuation of the discussion: “To hell with you, coworkers! Don’t come back”.

Yes, money is important. It is the all-purpose measure of freedom, success, and opportunities. Money allows you to think pragmatically about whether you should take part in a project, give a loan, or refuse a loan. But it will never – hear me: never! – make you happy. You can shovel it, you can burn it in a furnace. Nothing will help.

I keep telling the people around me: “Guys, make something out of this shitty life – grow a garden, raise kids, open up a business, even the smallest one, but yours. In the end, build this fucking drywall hurdle!”. Any action requires effort, which is why you need to move your brain and ass. Not everyone can accept or throw out a challenge, not everyone wants it.

Those who are close to me really want to make the world better.

You probably think that everyone in Russia is lazy and negligent. There are creative and leading ones, but they need to be searched for, and then taught to work in a team.

There is a similar situation in Madrid, where we opened an architectural bureau. For the process to keep going, I have to take part in everything, to kick people around, and push them. The Spanish have forgotten about the siesta and midday naps. They are angry about me flying over to them after a week or two and pushing them, stating that I destroy their projects into ashes, and calling them a disgrace.

When I was employing the Spanish, I warned them that they will live in hell. Welcome to the team! It’s not “Real Madrid” or “Barsa”, used to playing on “clean” balls, you need to work, get dirty, and get your nose into it.

I have already faced the inorganic growth of the company, when after a brief period of time a leap happens, and the number of employees as well as the quantity of the tasks being worked on increases twice or thrice. Believe me, it is a good, healthy action. The people experience DES – Deep Emotional Shock.

We will move along with DES in 2019. We won’t have the time to be bored. And, from my perspective, it’s a reason for being optimistic. I am sure that everything is just in the beginning!