Every fall, something slightly out of the ordinary happens at TSP.
Team members from all of the firm’s office locations meet in Sioux Falls – not for a client meeting or a conference, but for something else entirely.
It’s a chance to reconnect, reflect on the year so far, and recharge for what’s ahead.
The two-day event, called the Midpoint Gathering, includes an agenda filled with learning opportunities, project updates, and sharing best practices. But the focus goes beyond professional development.
At its core, the event is about ownership.
TSP is a 100 percent employee-owned firm, and it’s no coincidence that this event takes place in October, during Employee Ownership Month.
As a celebration of employee ownership, the Midpoint Gathering highlights the values of collaboration, accountability, and a long-term commitment to each other’s success.
This year, the event focused heavily on helping team members gain a deeper understanding of their strengths.
“We believe the best work happens when people can lean into what they naturally do best,” said Kari Kiesow, director of human resources at TSP.
Kari Kiesow
“But this training experience is more than a professional development tool – it’s part of a larger cultural commitment to empowering individuals and fostering stronger, more collaborative teams.”
Ahead of the event, all team members completed a personalized strengths assessment and received a custom report.
At the gathering, the firm built on those insights by exploring the research behind natural talent and how it influences day-to-day work. Team-level discussions highlighted the diverse ways individuals approach collaboration and problem-solving across the organization.
“When people understand their innate talents, they bring bold ideas to the table, find smarter ways to work, and support one another in new and meaningful ways,” Kiesow said.
The experience left an impression on many participants.
“I found the strengths assessment to be more valuable than I initially expected,” said Austin DeJong, a structural engineer.
“It highlighted the natural tendencies of our people in terms of how they go about life, how they think, and how they work. By knowing these strengths, we can better tailor workloads, assign roles, and even adjust how we communicate within teams.”
A concept that resonated was the recognition that strengths can have both positive and unintended consequences, depending on how they show up in real-life situations.
Austin DeJong
“Those descriptions were revealing, DeJong said. “They offered honest insight into our character and our level of self-awareness. I know I wasn’t the only one who walked away thinking differently about how I show up for my team.”
The hope now is to build on the momentum.
“I’m looking forward to using this tool over the next few years to refine how our teams work together to become more effective and impactful in the communities we serve.”
For some, the gathering was an opportunity to meet colleagues in person for the first time.
“As someone new to the team, it was great to meet people face-to-face rather than through a screen,” said Bailey Wanner, an architectural graduate who joined TSP in May.
“There’s something positive about connecting in person—hearing stories, feeling the energy in the room, and realizing how much people genuinely enjoy being part of this team.”
Bailey Wanner
The experience also sparked new self-awareness.
“The strengths discussion was especially eye-opening for me,” Wanner said.
“It helped me understand how others might interpret my traits, and what I can do to make sure I’m showing up in a way that’s clear and authentic. It also gave me a way to think about how my talents can work together—and how I can use them in partnership with others to make a bigger impact.”
TSP’s Midpoint Gathering offered a meaningful look at how the firm’s core value of we before me shows up every day.
As the firm looks forward to its next chapter after more than 95 years in practice, that foundational principle continues to guide the path forward.
