The 80-year-old co-founder of Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates is a respected and well-known figure in architecture after 50 years in the business. His company is a world leader and the firm behind the construction of the Heron Tower and the Pinnacle in the City of London
As a young boy I was not very confident. I never thought I was that good at anything. I was a good student, I could always do well at school and I studied well. I didn't feel especially bright or talented and I always thought other people were smarter.
It was not a childhood dream to be an architect. I had hoped to be a sports professional, but I wasn't good enough. I became interested in sports broadcasting, but my parents didn't think that was a proper profession. I was a creative kid so I was persuaded to study architecture.
I had doubts about architecture. I wanted to do something good for humanity like be a lawyer saving people's lives or a doctor curing disease.
Architecture is more than just aesthetics. It's creating environments that make people happy and help them enjoy their life, perform better, work better and live better. Whether it's a hospital, a classroom or an office space, your environment is critical to one's mental and physical health.
I have always been a team person. I started my own firm, called Kohn and Associates, but I've always believed that things happen because teams work together. Critics love to make architecture sound like a one-person adventure, but no architect is able to do this by themselves. No matter how famous, they depend on a great group of people.
I set up KPF with William Pedersen and Sheldon Fox. We were a great team and we always respected and complemented each other and so it allowed us to get off to a great start with clients. We had a great unity and harmony between us and that's something clients like.
I care a lot about leadership. Key to building a great firm is to make sure you hire people who are going to be as good as, or preferably better, than you. If you do that your firm is not only going to be good, it will be great. That is what we have done, we have phenomenal young partners.
The greatest leaders have always been lateral thinkers because they bring out the best in people. Everybody performs better because they feel they are contributing and so my goal as a leader was to inspire people, give them confidence and make them feel they could do it themselves.
Good leaders are good leaders whether they are in the US or the UK. Churchill was a great leader and so was Eisenhower. I don't think the differences will stand in the way of making you successful. If you are good at it, hard working and likeable, people respect you.
I have learnt that I can make very good decisions. I have good ideas and I can articulate them well, I can present well and produce the word sell. Trying to build staff confidence is key because when you have confidence you make better decisions and enjoy life more.
If you want to make somebody responsible you must give them authority. We were giving authority to people at a young age to travel to Asia and to Europe, represent us and to do a good job.
My biggest achievement is the firm and our people. Although we have done some spectacular buildings all over the world, my goal was to build a great firm that would be doing terrific work long after I was gone.
I am confident that I could stop working right now and the firm would do great. We have between 550 and 600 people who are the brightest, most talented and dedicated people. Despite the fact that I still contribute I feel we have got the horses to do a great job. The greatest thing has been to build something that is not just a building but something that will last.
I still wake up every morning believing I can do better today than I did yesterday. Whatever I am going to do I am never happy with what I have done. I always think I can do better and that is what drives me.
I have thought about retirement. I love to paint and to teach, I love golf and tennis, and watch baseball and football on TV so there are things I do enjoy and I wouldn't have to work to keep myself occupied.
