Business development is the lifeblood of any AEC firm—yet the pipeline of skilled BD leaders often runs dry. The reason? Most firms wait for BD talent to emerge organically rather than actively cultivating it. Wally Hise, Senior Vice President of HDR Engineering, has spent a career developing BD leaders, and he's identified eight essential qualities that separate good business developers from great ones.
These aren't just job responsibilities, Hise emphasizes—they are "strategic imperatives."
8 Essential Skills for Strong Business Development Leaders
1. Knowledgeable
Great BD leaders possess deep knowledge of their clients, their clients' industries, the competitive landscape, and the broader market challenges at play. They stay current through industry events, speaking engagements, and thought leadership.
Hise points to Cal Newport's book So Good They Can't Ignore You as a guiding framework: "It's competence first, not passion. I got really good at business development, and then I got passionate about it." Knowledge builds credibility—and credibility opens doors.
2. Strategic
Knowledge without application is just information. Strategic BD leaders translate market intelligence into targeted opportunity identification. They're skilled connectors, forward-thinking planners, and intuitive about which relationships and pursuits carry the most potential. They ask the harder questions: "What's our greatest internal challenge hindering growth? What should we stop doing?"
3. Curious
Children are, by some estimates, ten times more curious than adults. Most adults have learned to suppress that curiosity out of overconfidence, pride, or the fear of appearing uninformed. Effective BD leaders fight that tendency.
"Be a relentless learner," Hise urges. "Learning beats knowing." Curious BD leaders ask better questions, listen more actively, and develop genuine empathy for their clients' challenges—making them far more effective at identifying how their firm can help.
4. Connected
Relationships are the currency of business development, but connectivity goes beyond knowing a lot of people. Hise describes building a coalition—a diverse, deep network of contacts from past jobs, schools, professional societies, and civic organizations.
"You want a breadth of connections and a diversity of backgrounds and perspectives," he says—deep enough that you can pick up the phone and get a candid, trusted perspective from the right person at the right time.
5. Disciplined
Strong BD leaders know that they cannot chase every opportunity. "We can't do everything!" Hise says. "If you don't prioritize your life, someone else will."
He recommends a four-bucket approach to prioritization: Do, Delegate, Delay, Dump. Saying no—with an explanation and an alternative—is sometimes the most strategically sound move a BD leader can make.
6. Decisive
Indecision is a decision—and often the worst one. Hise illustrates this with a personal story about choosing between two competing priorities: once he committed to a path, the clarity that followed was immediate. "The choice was liberating," he said.
Strong BD leaders evaluate situations, generate options, select the best available path, and move forward. And when a decision needs to be revisited, they revisit it without ego.
7. Accountable
Accountability means owning your wins, losses, and effort with equal honesty. "Consistency beats intensity," Hise says. The result of true accountability is trustworthiness—and in BD, where long-term relationships are everything, trust is the ultimate competitive advantage.
8. Appreciative
This one is deceptively simple and profoundly impactful. Start with thank you. Recognize others publicly. Listen actively. Spend quality time. Celebrate wins. The result? "People want to work with you"—which, in business development, is the most powerful position you can be in.
Can These Qualities Be Developed?
Hise is unambiguous on this point: yes. "I don't subscribe to, 'If you are or aren't.' I think you can develop them." Current leaders can accelerate that development by clearly defining competencies, having direct conversations about performance gaps, setting realistic expectations, and celebrating progress.
The key is doing so with care. "Would you mind if I give you some advice or coaching or suggestions?" Build trust first. Then be honest. "How you do it can be more important than what you do. When you develop people, they win."
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