Leadership Blueprints Can Infrastructure Bring Us Together? Lessons in leading with heart, advising with humility, and building trust — not just projects.
What happens when engineering leaders prioritize people over profit and community over convenience?
In this episode of Leadership Blueprints, we’re joined by Phil Wursta, a seasoned strategist with over 40 years of experience in municipal agency and private sector engineering. He’s also the founding partner of WK2 Consulting, a woman-owned civil engineering and public management firm serving Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
From his early days as an archaeology-obsessed teen to his leadership role building resilient infrastructure and compassionate teams, Phil shares how clear communication, community engagement, and employee-first values have guided his career and company culture. You’ll learn how to balance technical expertise with emotional intelligence, simplify infrastructure funding for stakeholders, and lead with authenticity by caring for your people.
Don’t miss this inspiring conversation packed with practical insights for building a business and a team that truly makes a difference!
Key Points from This Episode:
• What goes into launching a people-first engineering firm and scaling fast.
• Strategies for overcoming early-stage startup challenges.
• People-first leadership through community-focused problem solving.
• How engineers can build trust in politically sensitive environments.
• How to align diverse political stakeholders around shared goals.
• Building a team culture rooted in care, values, and purpose.
Quotes:
“[WK2 is] employee-oriented. We want to take care of our people. We're not in it to make a ton of money. We're just in it to do the right thing, serve clients, and feel good about ourselves with the projects that we do.” — Phil Wursta
“We try to say, ‘How can we get it done?’ Rather than why we can't get it done.” — Phil Wursta
“Involving your people and [caring for them] sets the stage for success because, at the end of the day, you're doing this for the people, whether they're the people of the country [or the] people of your company.” — Phil Wursta
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode: