CONTACT
SUBSCRIBE- SOLUTIONS
- Training Classes
- Project Management Training
- Strategic Operations Programs
- Process & Workflow Improvement
- Excel Tools For Contractors
- Operations & Acctg. Integration
- Customized Training Programs
- RCCA (Rapid Const. Co. Analysis)
- Emerging Contractor Development
- CCD (Const. Co. Development)
- Special Projects
- RESOURCES
- BLOG
- CONTRACTOR HEADLINES
- ABOUT
- CONTACT
- SUBSCRIBE
- CLIENT LOGIN
HEADLINES ADDED: July 02, 2009
Being a Leader in a Construction Firm
The era of leadership is past its peak. The surge has worked and we now have a very settled definition of leadership. There is little mystery of the right approach to leading a combat brigade, a religious organization or a construction firm. We have filtered through many significant works from some very accomplished men and women. Each of who have proven leadership skills and have written their approach to it. They have contributed to our management thinking in a great way. It was the missing link to improving productivity,... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: December 02, 2008
A Recipe for Effective Leadership
All good leaders are not cast from the same mold. This is evident when we study those who have demonstrated good leadership. We might say that each is a good leader with certain characteristics that make them so, yet when we compare those characteristics with the characteristics of other good leaders we might discover that instead of a set pattern there is a wide range of characteristics—both in nature and intensity.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: September 09, 2008
Being a Leader in a Construction Firm
The era of leadership is past its peak. The surge has worked and we now have a very settled definition of leadership. There is little mystery of the right approach to leading a combat brigade, a religious organization or a construction firm. We have filtered through many significant works from some very accomplished men and women. Each of who have proven leadership skills and have written their approach to it. They have contributed to our management thinking in a great way. It was the missing link to improving productivity,... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: July 07, 2008
Being a Leader in a Construction Firm
The era of leadership is past its peak. The surge has worked and we now have a very settled definition of leadership. There is little mystery of the right approach to leading a combat brigade, a religious organization or a construction firm. We have filtered through many significant works from some very accomplished men and women. Each of who have proven leadership skills and have written their approach to it. They have contributed to our management thinking in a great way. It was the missing link to improving productivity,... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: June 17, 2008
High-Performing Contractor - NEWSLETTER June 08
High-Performing Contractor - NEWSLETTER June, 2008 This e-newsletter is dedicated to supporting High-Performing Contractors and all contractors working to become one. Edited by Dennis Sowards Leadership George Hedley is a contractor with some great thoughts on Leadership: “Think of great companies, large and small. Excellent companies are lead by a leader who takes and makes time to be the leader instead of a doer. He or she is the seller of the vision and what the company offers to its' employees and customers. Examples of this leadership style are... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: April 24, 2008
Changing Role of the Construction Leader
Brad Humphrey explains the emerging trend of a “changing of the guard” in construction leaders. As the industry loses many of its baby boomers that hold roles such as supervisor, foreman, etc. the knowledge and technical experience is leaving with them. Younger, tech-savvy personnel are now filling these positions and bringing a different work ethic and new set of skills.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: April 07, 2008
Louisiana Associated General Contractors Installs 2008 Officers
Baton Rouge contractor Bruce Hix, James Construction Group, LLC, was recently installed as president of the Louisiana Associated General Contractors, Inc., a statewide construction trade association headquartered in Baton Rouge comprising 700-plus construction businesses. Bruce Hix has been vice president of James Construction Group, LLC since 2002.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: April 02, 2008
New ARMA 2008 Leadership Team Announced
The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA) has announced its slate of elected officers and Executive Committee members for 2008-09.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: April 01, 2008
The First Word: What Makes Great Leaders?
Leadership comes in all shapes and sizes. For some, it comes naturally. For others, it doesn’t. But great leaders have some common traits.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: March 25, 2008
High Performing Contractor - Mar 2008
High-Performing Contractor - NEWSLETTER March 2008 Leadership – customers George Hedley owner of Hedley Construction writes about leaders who make customers a priority: I have some deep concerns about the future of your company, the management team you have assembled and your leadership. Your business is not growing for one reason: You and your management team are not making customer relationships, selling and creating new revenue a priority." This is the opening to a letter I recently sent to a start-up company I invested in. I wanted to get... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: February 25, 2008
How to Get Workers to Think and Act Like Owners
FEB 2008 from the Wall Street Journal | Read the full story» Companies that want to create an ownership culture need to make an explicit effort to teach employees about their stake and keep them focused on increasing stock value, says Corey Rosen, executive director of the National Center for Employee Ownership. To that end, they should give workers the freedom to take initiatives to cut costs and boost a company's bottom line. Companies should "push decision-making down," he says.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: February 20, 2008
Haymill's Steve Farrant speaks out
t's people who make companies. Your staff are your biggest asset. This is a mantra every finance director in a construction company should have to...... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: February 18, 2008
High Performing Contractor - Feb 2008
High-Performing Contractor - NEWSLETTER - Feb. 2008 This e-newsletter is dedicated to supporting High-Performing Contractors and all contractors working to become one. Written by Dennis Sowards read more... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: January 28, 2008
Is HR Leadership the Marine Corps Way Still The Way?
... Read More
How Investing in Intangibles -- Like Employee Satisfaction -- Translates into Financial Returns
Contrary to management theories developed in the Industrial Age, employee satisfaction is an important ingredient for financial success, according to a new research paper by Wharton finance professor Alex Edmans. His findings also challenge the importance of short-term financial results and may have implications for investors interested in targeting socially responsible companies. The paper is titled, "Does the Stock Market Fully Value Intangibles? Employee Satisfaction and Equity Prices."... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: January 24, 2008
Failure Isn't Always a Bad Thing
22 JAN 2008 from the New York Times | Read the full story» Successful entrepreneurs invariably say that they have learned as much from their failures as their successes. (Subscription required)... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: January 23, 2008
The essential job of a leader
How do you learn to lead in the world of high-stakes corporate affairs? Author Warren Bennis says it all comes down to one thing: Good judgment. He talks with Kai Ryssdal about his new book. (Audio)... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: January 14, 2008
What Leadership Is About
Leadership is about capturing the imagination and enthusiasm of others and bringing out the best in them both individually and collectively. At one time, U.S. engineers held significant leadership positions and were highly respected by the general public. George Washington, Theodore Roosevelt, Herbert Hoover, and Jimmy Carter, for example, were engineers who became U.S. presidents. These engineers who went on to assume the highest elected office in the United States consistently demonstrated to the public their commitment to the betterment of society while never losing sight of what engineering... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: January 06, 2008
Does Judgment Trump Experience?
The publication of a new book, Judgment: How Winning Leaders Make Great Calls, by Warren Bennis and Noel Tichy warrants attention if for no other reason than the range of experiences that they bring to the topic. The event coincides with an issue that has arisen in the U.S. presidential campaign, an issue of broad relevance: Does judgment trump experience?... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: January 03, 2008
To Have A Good Workforce, You Need To Have Good Leadership Skills
... Read More
How Do I Develop My Children into Family Business Leaders?
If you own a family business and are hoping to someday turn over the reins to your adult children, you may be struggling with the best way to help develop their leadership skills. Experts say start early, be open, provide opportunities, and hold them to the same business and performance standards as non-family members... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: December 30, 2007
Are you using the office "grapevine" to its fullest potential?
... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: December 25, 2007
Is Your Company Prepared For Your Absence?
If you had an unexpected accident or suddenly fell seriously ill, how prepared is your company to operate without you for any extended period of time? ... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: December 19, 2007
Ownership: The Ultimate Motivator
Encouraging employees to take ownership of their work will result in better customer service and a stronger company.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: December 12, 2007
Measuring Up: Good Business Practices and the Lonely Roofer
Roofing is a tough business. If it rains, you can’t work; if it doesn’t rain, you don’t need to work. Who can you reach out to? What advice do you heed? What advice should you avoid? Owning a business can be a lonely proposition. Most business owners are somewhat isolated. They work long hours, and it can be hard to find time for friends. Family and friends also may not understand what it is like to employ people, deal with customers and fully understand the stress of day-to-day business... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: December 09, 2007
The Founding CEO's Dilemma: Stay or Go?
Q&A with: Michael J. Roberts and Noam T. Wasserman Editor's Note: Noam Wasserman is an assistant professor and MBA Class of 1961 Fellow in the entrepreneurial management unit at Harvard Business School. His paper "Founder-CEO Succession and the Paradox of Entrepreneurial Success," published in Organization Science in March-April 2003, won Harvard's 2003 Aage Sorensen Memorial Award for sociological research. With his coauthor, Rock Center Entrepreneur-in-Residence Henry McCance of Greylock Partners, professor Wasserman recently completed a case study about founder-CEO succession at Wily Technology. New Business publisher Mike Roberts met... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: December 04, 2007
Guest essay from Ram Charan
We're pleased to feature an essay from Ram Charan, author of Leaders at all Levels. Here, Charan discusses the impact profit and loss has on the balance sheet and overall health of an organization, especially when a leader is...... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: December 03, 2007
People Acumen
In an excerpt from his new book Leaders at All Levels, Ram Charan discusses which social qualities make someone a good leader.... Read More
You Can't Do It All Yourself!
During my first seven years starting and building my construction company, I tried to do it all myself. I did all the estimates and presented the bids; I signed all the contracts, subcontracts and change orders; I made the big field decisions; I purchased all materials and equipment; I awarded subcontracts; I went to all the job meetings; I supervised concrete slab pours; and made every personn...... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: November 27, 2007
The Opposable Mind
I've been reading the Opposable Mind by Roger Martin. We humans have long been distinguished from other animals by our opposable thumbs... Likewise, our opposable mind enables us to consider two separate ideas simultaneously. We can use the tension between and elements of these two ideas to create new possibilities. A process which Roger labels integrative thinking.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: November 21, 2007
Tough CEOs Often Most Successful, a Study Finds
19 NOV 2007 from the Wall Street Journal | Read the full story» What are the traits that chief executives of successful companies share? A new study suggests that hard-nosed personal virtues such as persistence and efficiency count for more than "softer" strengths like teamwork or flexibility. (Subscription required)... Read More
Scrambling to Find a Successor
BusinessWeek columnists Jack & Suzy Welch answer the question: If good succession planning makes so much sense, why isn’t it more common?... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: November 20, 2007
Leadership: Watch for Reactions
Carl Bass of AutoDesk was recently quoted in the Wall Street Journal as saying that when he became CEO, "My IQ jumped 10 points and I became much funnier." What Bass discovered is that proximity to power can have unintended effects on people.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: November 12, 2007
Developing the 3-Dimensional Leader
Too many leaders today are one-dimensional, narrowly focused on business results. Today’s complex business challenges require the full development and expression of a leader’s capabilities; we need three-dimensional leaders!... Read More
Why You Should Include a Joker in Every Brainstorming Session
The Fast Interview: John Morreall on the link between humor and innovation, why authoritarian bosses fear humor, and the funniest CEO in America.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: November 06, 2007
Leadership, Patagonia-style: Changing the Criteria for Success
Kristine Tompkins, former CEO of outdoor apparel company Patagonia, pulled no punches with the audience attending her recent Wharton Leadership Lecture. Tompkins said that when she began working full-time at Patagonia in 1972, she didn't understand how the actions of the business world as well as the behavior of individuals "affected the very underpinnings" of the individual, the family and the community. "You know that now," she said, and "the choices you make count more and more." People who can manage "the tough decisions and incorporate" difficult issues into... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: October 30, 2007
Ten Minutes with Robert Luffy, CEO of American Bridge Co.
By the time CEO Robert Luffy took over as president of Pittsburgh-based American Bridge in 1993, the former powerhouse steel erector had one contract and was down to 25 employees.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: October 24, 2007
A Different Animal Seeks The Chief Executive Post
The gap between No. 1 and No. 2 in a company is often bigger than many realize. Here's a look at some of their differing traits.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: September 24, 2007
The Issue: A.G. Lafley's Judgment Call
13 SEP 2007 from BusinessWeek | Read the full story» A.G. Lafley, Chairman and CEO of Procter&Gamble, skipped over 78 general managers with more seniority in making a key staff appointment without even consulting the rest of his management team. Lafley says “there was almost a revolt” over his decision. What could Lafley do to win back the support of his team and engage them in a process that was just about completed?... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: September 19, 2007
The New Leadership Model - Servant Leadership
... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: September 17, 2007
"Master Plan" or Rapid Experimentation?
Tom Peters posted some very interesting thoughts "The Right Plan Is to Have No Plan" which touches both on why a lot of foreign aid programs fail and how that applies to business execution as well. At the heart of the matter is a difference in execution styles - some companies and people want to try to plan out every single detail having meeting after meeting working on a grand "master plan." Over time these companies build cultures that are afraid to experiment and believe they need every detail... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: September 14, 2007
No Business Leader is Perfect
... Read More
Workforce Quality or Management Quality?
I'm in Florida this week and was reading an interview with Stuart Graham, the CEO of Skanska, a construction company listed as 125 on the Fortune 500. They have construction projects worldwide so a natural interview question was: QUESTION: Where in the world do you find the most productive workers with the best work ethic? ANSWER: We have 12,000 projects, so I see vast differences in productivity. But I can't attribute it to a country or a culture. I attribute it to the management on a project. Productivity is... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: September 13, 2007
Leadership: Today I Will...
This week I will…. Will you? Best laid intentions…How many leaders brainstorm about changes that have to be made to move an organization forward, arrange endless meetings and retreats and perhaps actually dialogue about what those changes should look like, only to park it all and live with the status quo? It happens more often than you think. What stops a leader from jumping in with both feet to make it happen? There’s a chemistry that happens in an organization and if your enthusiasm for the results that change... Read More
High-Performing Contractor - Sep 2007
**************** Leadership read more... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: September 10, 2007
Scholars Link Success of Firms to Lives of CEOs
An emerging area of financial research delves into the lives of executives in search of links to stock prices and corporate performance. The trend is an outgrowth of the tendency to lionize CEOs as critical to the businesses they lead. (Subscription required)... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: May 14, 2007
Heeeeeeeee's Back!
Crusty & curmudgeonly former Chrysler boss and almost presidential candidate Lee Iacocca is back with ... Where Have All the...... Read More
High-Performing Contractor - NEWSLETTER May 2007
**************** Leadership A recent survey of US workers found that only 49% trust their senior managers. The trust level has dropped annually since 2004. Only 53% of the employees surveyed feel that senior management makes the changes necessary for the company to stay competitive. In 2004, this was 57% for the same survey. "This dip in ratings is concerning because employees' attitudes about their senior leaders are a key factor in building engagement," said Ilene Gochman, national practice director for organization effectiveness at Watson Wyatt (the company that did... Read More
Cisco Compass Series Peer-to-Peer Networking
My associate, Kellee Johnson, wrote up a nice story about my April 24 appearance at the Cisco Compass Series Peer-to-Peer Networking event in San Jose.An upbeat room of 150 women, and 100 more watching by Cisco TV, are significantly outnumbered by male peers back at the office. About 87% of this networking and router company is male. When Keith asks them to introduce themselves and share themselves with someone they don’t know in the room, few mention something personal or act with passion. Are we as women trained to... Read More
People You Don't Like
I’ve been asked many times, “How do I build a relationship with a person I just don’t like?” And typically, we’re talking about the workplace – a customer or boss or associate. My answer is usually, “Not everyone is going to be your best friend, but if you’re forced to deal with a person, why not make the relationship more personal and real? Wouldn’t you want a better relationship for the sake of success, mutuality, and most importantly, less angst and more joy?” I found myself in a position to have to... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: May 01, 2007
Marshall Goldsmith on executive coaching
Marshall Goldsmith, one of the world's best known ? and best paid ? executive coaches, talks to Des Dearlove about his methods and how he helps successful leaders get better.... Read More
Do You Have the Right Mindset for Success?
Don't make up your mind about this until all the facts are in. Carol S. Dweck, author of Mindset, the New Psychology of Success, contends that your success or failure in life, career and relationships is attributable to a fixed or growth mindset. The fixed mindset believes that your personal qualities - intelligence, personality and character - are set in stone. The growth mindset believes that your qualities can improve with effort and experience. A fixed mindset can sidetrack your career - especially if you're working for someone who... Read More
Customer Feedback: The Right Response
Let me contrast two approaches to responding to customer feedback. The first comes from my recent experience with a hotel chain that engages in predatory pricing for long-distance calls made from its in-room phones. I invested the time to complain to the headquarters staff. In response I received a two-page letter from the general manager of the hotel explaining that their pricing was no worse than competitors. Moreover, he noted, providing phone service was far more expensive than I might think. The letter went on to bemoan the large... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: April 27, 2007
Do you have what it takes to be a top place to work for?
... Read More
Becoming a Great Place to Work: What It Really Takes
... Read More
Extraordinary Contempt and Defiance Beyond the Normal Call of Engineering Duty
... Read More
The Four Barriers to Partnering
Listed below in order of priority are four barriers that can stop you from successfully partnering a project. Barrier #1: Lack of commitment to, or believe in, the process and concept of partnering. This lack of commitment can range from seeing partnering as a waste of time to blatant hostility to partnering because of a belief that it gives someone else an advantage. Barrier #2: Not bringing key stakeholders to the partnering sessions. Key stakeholders include anyone who can negatively effect the project. Often only the project management team... Read More
Project Leadership
Projects are managed… sometimes very well, sometimes not. People are led. That takes good leadership along with good project management skills. Project leadership falls to those people who are in charge of the daily work on your project. Leadership can be difficult to define. We do know that even a highly intelligent and skilled individual can fail at leadership. Another person with solid, yet not extraordinary abilities can soar. When promoting people we need to look not only at their intelligence and technical skills, but also (and maybe even... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: April 26, 2007
The CEO Is Jumping Ship, Should You Take Off, Too?
Turnover among senior executives often increases after a new chief comes on board. But a change at the top shouldn't automatically be a red flag.... Read More
Cool Friends: Women Gurus Network
Once upon a time, in December 2004, there was a gathering of about 100 of Tom Peters' closest friends and...... Read More
Leadership begins at school
Whether or not you agree with legendary American football coach Vince Lombardi that leaders aren't born but made through hard work, what's increasingly clear is that it is at school that most leaders get their the first taste of leadership.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: April 25, 2007
Toleration 3: Dealing with a Critic
Are you working for someone who is constantly and consistently critical? No matter what you do there’s always an element of something wrong with it? Bullies come in all shapes and forms and are very prevalent in the workplace, even at the highest level of leadership which is why, when going on an interview it’s just as important for you to interview the people in the organization as it is for them to interview you. Critics make you feel about an inch tall. They criticize everything you do and... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: April 24, 2007
Sir James Dyson On Getting It Right
It took Sir James Dyson 5,127 tries to get his vacuum right, and three years to perfect a hand dryer. Listen as he explores the link between failure and greater creativity.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: April 23, 2007
3 Critical Rules for Avoiding a Customer Service Meltdown
If anyone ever doubted that a customer service crisis can suck the life out of your brand in a heartbeat, examine the Presidents Day Jet Blue fiasco.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: April 19, 2007
The End of a 1,400-Year-Old Business
... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: April 18, 2007
Why Do Good Employees Leave?
... Read More
Executive's Motto for Reducing Job Stress: Work Hard, Be Nice
Corporate leaders are going further to ensure that they and their employees balance work with other interests and activities.... Read More
Toleration 2: Thinking Traps
Last week I asked the question "What are you tolerating?" I wrote of one toleration where people habitually come into meetings late. That results in everyone else having to wait around, push back the rest of the day and other people's appointments to accommodate disrespectful behavior. This week I'd like to talk about another toleration; that of draining thoughts and beliefs. Holding onto old ways of doing things, paradigms and processes that are no longer applicable can bring an organization down. Often, leadership, especially a leader who founded the... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: April 17, 2007
GE Joins the War Against Bad Profits
There is good news to report from the battlefront. GE has joined the growing list of companies that have embraced NPS as the weapon of choice in the struggle to eliminate bad profits and re-energize profitable growth. GE Healthcare piloted NPS during 2005, and the results were so promising that this year GE is deploying NPS across all of its businesses worldwide. In GE’s 2005 Annual Report, CEO Jeff Immelt indicated his personal commitment to the Net Promoter initiative, devoting a full paragraph of his letter to stakeholders explaining... Read More
What Are You Tolerating?
I’ve written articles about being scheduled to death, and living in meeting hell but another question that comes to mind and often, is, “What are you tolerating…and why?” I can’t tell you how many leaders I observe who put up with staff consistently coming late to meetings, their one-on-ones and committees while the rest of the group sits there wasting time waiting for that individual to show up. Whenever a client allows this to happen and accepts it by pushing his schedule back the ten or fifteen minutes when... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: April 16, 2007
Great Storytellers, Great Leaders
Recently I had the pleasure to join an outstanding group at the home of my good friend Peter Guber, one of Hollywood’s greatest moguls, most innovative thinkers, and finest storytellers. In the room were Oscar winners, top business execs, and even one of America’s top engineers, all united by their ability to tell great stories. The guest list: Scott Adelson, Senior Managing Director at national investment banking firm Houlihan Lokey; Ron Bass, the Oscar-winning writer of Rain Man; Colin Callendar, President of HBO Films; Chad Hodge, one of the... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: April 08, 2007
Leadership Lesson: Tiger at Doral
Tiger Woods, the number one ranked golfer in the world and on track perhaps to become the world’s greatest if he wins 19 major tournaments, professional golf’s gold standard. Tiger demonstrated how greatness in sports is not simply athleticism but also sheer willpower and no small amount of brains. Tiger began the day with the 4 stroke lead, a margin going into the final round by which he has lost only once. Don’t like golf? You think, like Mark Twain, golf may be a good walk spoiled. Well, indulge... Read More
Leading Ideas: Simplify Your Focus
"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." -- Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) Consider this: Simplicity isn't simple. Complexity is simple. Anyone can make something complex. Read the front page of any newspaper. You'll find complex problems everywhere. Look into your own life. You'll find complex forces at play. Complexity is the natural state of things. Sophistication lies in your ability to SIMPLIFY complexity. It lies in your ability to make sense of the world around you. You can't do everything. Understand what's important and what's not. Pick your focus and act.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: March 29, 2007
The Key to Keeping Learners Interested
... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: March 26, 2007
A Vital Jack Welch Quote
“Too often we measure everything and understand nothing. The three most important things you need to measure in a business are customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction, and cash flow. If you’re growing customer satisfaction, your global market share is sure to grow, too. Employee satisfaction gets you productivity, quality, pride, and creativity. And cash flow is the pulse—the key vital sign of a company.” -- JACK WELCH -- source | CONTROL YOUR DESTINY OR SOMEONE ELSE WILL (Noel Tichy, 1993)... Read More
High-Performing Contractor - NEWSLETTER March 2007
**************** Leadership A wise consultant, with many years of experience coaching executives in leadership, shared these two themes for leaders to use as they drive their vision: · Stay the course · Be a broken record Leaders need to keep with their vision and not change it by the flavor of the month new idea. Leaders must have faith in their vision and what it will do for their organization. read more... Read More
A Different Sort of Leadership. A Different Sort of Company.
In recent Posts I have referred very positively to Servant Leadership (Servant Leadership—Robert Greenleaf) and the idea of "decency" as...... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: March 25, 2007
The DNA of Wal-Mart
I’ve already gushed about Bill Marquard’s business strategy book, WAL-SMART. In the book, this former Wal-Mart executive explains because of Wal-Mart’s unbridled success, this mega-retailer has forever changed the game of business from sourcing to distribution to pricing to inventory methods to merchandising. It’s now up to companies today (and tomorrow) to deal with doing business in the world that Wal-Mart has created and redefined. Since Marquard spent time at Wal-Mart in the late 90s responsible for developing the company’s strategic planning processes, he has a very unique understanding... Read More
The Boggs e-Learning Chronicle: Basic Information on Competencies
... Read More
Retaining Good Employees Takes Commitment
Excellent interview with F. Leigh Branham of Keeping the People, Inc. There are a lot of great points made about how the construction industry treats people and often fails to do the basic things required to retain top talent. One of the questions we get asked a lot is about compensation or bonus programs, what we have seen, what works, what does not, etc. Mr. Branham makes a great point by calling it C-A-R: Challenge-Acheivement-Reward I can not think of a better phrase for this and was just telling... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: March 19, 2007
Talent Fatal Flaw
At one time it was the executive parking lot that was coveted, and over time, many organizations moved to open...... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: March 18, 2007
The Charisma Myth
Now that some of the 2008 presidential candidates are out of the gate, it's been fun to see who is being labeled with that mysterious quality, charisma. Of course, we can't seem to hear Barack Obama's name mentioned without it being accompanied by some form of the word. The others aren't as lucky. Even John Edwards, who's pretty good on the platform, doesn't seem to fit the description. Neither does John McCain, Hillary Clinton or Rudolf Giuliani. So what is it about people like Obama that makes us gush?... Read More
High-Performing Contractor - NEWSLETTER February 2007
High-Performing Contractor - NEWSLETTER February 2007 This e-newsletter is dedicated to supporting SMACNA High-Performing Contractors and all contractors working to become one. Written by Dennis Sowards **************** Leadership Carlos Cardoso, president and CEO of Kennametal Inc., a manufacturer of metal cutting tools. He believes that every successful company shares the same three traits: A clear vision and strategy that everyone in the company understands The right processes in place to drive that vision to results The right people to implement those processes In short, while your customers are demanding... Read More
Related Links
Adjust Text Size
Subscribe to Contactor Headlines
[What is RSS]
Subscribe By Email
More Options
Categories
-
- BIM
- Best-Practices
- Career
- Codes-Standards
- Construction-Accounting
- Construction-Books
- Construction-Equipment
- Construction-Event
- Construction-Events
- Construction-Law
- Construction-News
- Construction-Productivity
- Construction-Products
- Construction-Safety
- Construction-Technology
- Construction-Training
- Construction-Workforce
- Customer-Service
- Design-Engineering
- Entrepreneurship
- Estimating
- Green-Construction
- Industry-Association
- Industry-Outlook
- Interesting
- Leadership
- Lean-Construction
- Management
- Operations
- Organizational-Change
- Outside-The-Box
- Personal-Productivity
- Process-Documentation
- Project-Delivery
- Project-Management
- Public-Works
- Risk-Insurance
- Sales-Marketing
- Strategy
- Studies-Lists
- Talent
Pre-Planning Facilitation
Improve Profitability On Your Next Project
Archives
-
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
- March 2007
- February 2007
Favorite Book 2007
The Toyota Way is my favorite book for 2007. It had so many good ideas that I could not keep up and ended up reading it again and even buying the Field Book to go along with it.
Download Elegant Solutions from Change This which provides some highlights of the Toyota Production System. Too many ideas that are applicable to contractors to even count!
Recent Posts
-
- Being a Leader in a Construction Firm
- A Recipe for Effective Leadership
- Being a Leader in a Construction Firm
- Being a Leader in a Construction Firm
- High-Performing Contractor - NEWSLETTER June 08
- Changing Role of the Construction Leader
- Louisiana Associated General Contractors Installs 2008 Officers
- New ARMA 2008 Leadership Team Announced
- The First Word: What Makes Great Leaders?
- High Performing Contractor - Mar 2008
Management Class Series
Training Modules Specifically Designed For Contractors
- Construction Documentation Overview
- Scheduling
- Project Pre-Planning Impacted Jobsite Productivity
- Production Tracking Customer Service & The Project Team
- Change Orders Talent - “People Processes”
- Profit Dynamics For Construction Contracts
- Cash Flow & The Project Team
- Priorities (Time Management For Construction)
- Construction Financial Basics
- Integrated Accounting & Operations
- Project Management Overview
- Process Documentation
- Effective Superintendent Processes
- Implementing A Project Management System
- Organizational Planning For Contractors
- Technology Systems For Contractors
- Excel for Contractors