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HEADLINES ADDED: March 09, 2009
Sperian Names New CEO
The board of directors agreed March 3 that Brice de La Morandiere will be CEO as of April 14. This action splits Sperian's board chairman and CEO duties and completes a succession plan for Henri-Dominique Petit, who now holds both titles. He will continue as chairman.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: March 10, 2008
DON'T SEND YOUR TECH OUT IN THE FIELD WITHOUT ANY TOOLS
You would consider it the height of insanity to send an untrained, ill-prepared service technician out on a call without any tools. The only thing crazier would be expecting him to solve the customer's problem. Yet, service companies do it all the time. They don't send the technician out ill-prepared technically, just ill-prepared to answer customer questions about new services and products.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: March 06, 2008
Business management for construction
I had a note in from a friend the other day regarding our book, “Markup & Profit; A Contractor’s Guide“. One of her clients had gone to a construction bookstore to purchase the book. A store clerk advised them not to purchase it because, they said, “It is out of date.” The Markup & Profit book is as relevant today as it was when it was first published. It is a business management book for the construction industry. It is not about construction materials or construction techniques; materials and... Read More
Is there a risk of training?
I’m not going to reveal names or companies but some contractors believe they should teach their employees everything they know — and should even open their books to employees so the employee feels more a part of the company and better understands some of the company decisions. Other contractors keep a tight rein on their workers, teaching them only as much as they need to know to perform their specific job — and no more. Which approach is best? I lean toward the former but that depends as much... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: March 02, 2008
Performance-based Salaries Motivate Employees, Fatten Profits
Integrators might want to take a new look at the old way of compensating salespeople, technicians and programmers. ... Read More
Are You Losing Control of Your Business?
Networks and resources for startups abound, but small companies managing expansion need help, too. No. 1 on your to-do list? Make a "stop doing" list.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: February 18, 2008
Cut the Fat
download as PDF“Two rules: #1 Preserve the principal and #2 When in doubt, see Rule #1.” –Warren BuffetQUESTION: What possible good could come out of the construction slow down? ANSWER: Too many to cover in just one short article! Here are just a few. Of course some action may be required on your part. This first series is on cutting the fat and turning a financial downturn into a win for your construction company.Forced Ranking Look around your company for those employees that just don’t shine quite as brightly... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: February 17, 2008
Smaller Builders Share Survival Strategies
Getting more from less was a common theme expressed by small builders and remodelers who participated in a seminar at the International Builders' Show in Orlando on Thursday that focused on how to weather the housing downturn.... Read More
Measuring Up: How to Avoid Plunder in Slower Economic Times
Sometimes it can be difficult to keep things in perspective. Adapting to a changing market versus panicking and imagining problems that don’t exist can be a tough balancing act to follow. How do you keep your business sharp and prepare for the future without making mountains out of molehills? This article contains some business tips designed to help you keep things in perspective.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: February 04, 2008
Give Till It Doesn't Hurt
BusinessWeek columnists Jack and Suzy Welch say that if rewarding your stars with bigger-than-ever-before checks does not come naturally for you...practice, practice, practice. (Audio)... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: February 02, 2008
Czech workers guilty of battering boss to death
The boss of a Bolton-based construction firm was murdered by two of his own workers, a court has found.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: January 29, 2008
The Case Against Case Studies
24 JAN 2008 from BusinessWeek | Read the full story» How Columbia's B-school is teaching MBAs to make decisions based on incomplete data.... Read More
You Can't Learn Management in a Classroom
25 JAN 2008 from BusinessWeek | Read the full story» A leading management thinker argues that MBAs need more real business world experience in their education.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: January 28, 2008
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 22, 2008
Factors Shaping Our Future Workforce - Part 5 - Need for a Higher Purpose in the Workplace
... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: January 06, 2008
The 80/20 Rule -- and Surviving (thriving) during a recession
... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: January 03, 2008
Businessman or remodeler?
Which business is going to be more successful? The one run by a remodeler turned businessman or businessman turned remodeler? I think abo...... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: December 30, 2007
Are you using the office "grapevine" to its fullest potential?
... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: December 19, 2007
Tools to Reduce Change Orders
... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: December 18, 2007
Challenged Employees Are Happy Employees
One of the greatest challenges the construction industry faces today is labor and training. The average age of a competent technician is mid-forties, and is inching towards retirement. Some also say that a lack of training in new recruits can cause a need for extra body count on job sites to make up for the lack of skill and experience.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: December 13, 2007
Are We Creating Hardworking Idiots?
... Read More
Construction Verification Makes Doesn’t Replace Your Experts - It Makes Them Better
A... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: December 12, 2007
Sponsor Profile: ABC Supply Co. Inc.
Many distributors talk about putting the customer first. ABC Supply Co. Inc. lives that promise every day. For 25 years, the company has distinguished itself by following a single, simple guiding principle — take care of contractors better than any other distributor by understanding their businesses and offering products and services carefully selected to meet their unique needs.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: December 04, 2007
The Six Practices of High-Impact Nonprofits
In this excerpt from the book Forces for Good, authors Leslie R. Crutchfield and Heather McLeod Grant share what makes a nonprofit effective.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: December 03, 2007
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 26, 2007
Firing a Client
It is a tough emotional day when you have to fire a client. When we started in this business, we had one or no customers. It was scary. I can remember waking up in the middle of the night and asking myself why I ever left my regular job to go out on my own. No clients means no income. A truly humbling but, electric experience. Small victories mean more when you have little. So, we all remember that time. As we mature as business owners, we soon discover... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: November 21, 2007
Plan For the Future When Business is Down
The time to lay plans for expanding business is not when business is flourishing. ... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: November 20, 2007
Realists vs. Idealists: Thoughts about Creativity and Innovation
... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: November 15, 2007
BUSINESS BASICS FOR CONTRACTORS:
... Read More
Tip 96 – Debunking the Time Myth
I always hear people say that they don’t have the time to look for a new job or consult with a personal board of advisors or make that extra call to an important contact. BS, let's get real. When you say “I don’t have time,” just admit that you are really saying “I don’t want to. Others things are more important, and I am not courageous enough to admit that fact to myself and others.” You make time for what is important to you! ... To get complete, future... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: November 14, 2007
Builders Look Back, Prepare to Move Forward
Builder executives speaking at Building and Building Products CEO Conference in New York City didn't have sure-fire plans to keep their company afloat in a stormy market.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: November 12, 2007
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 08, 2007
Materials Suppliers Need To Change
What was considered value added yesterday in material distribution is not necessarily value added today or tomorrow.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: November 06, 2007
Sales: Salary Vs Commission
... Read More
Is Your Bid Only An Estimate?
You know what I really hate as a general contractor? We negotiate an easy project to build with a great repeat customer. They trust us, don't question our costs and then award the job at our price. Then, seven months later, we discover our estimator didn't have enough in the budget for labor to complete all the work and we don't make any money.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: November 02, 2007
The annual planning meeting
... Read More
Business planning
... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: November 01, 2007
Pave The Way To Profits
Imagine, it's the height of the paving season, the jobs have been bid and your crews are on-site ready to work. A call from one of your haul truck drivers lets you know they're still waiting in line at a competitor's asphalt plant. With the competitor's trucks taking priority and the season at its peak, the lines are extra long.... Read More
Equipment Maintenance Boot Camp
One of the most effective ways of improving your bottom line is by making sure that everything you own with an engine or motor is on a scheduled maintenance program. Controlling fuel costs has to be of great concern to everyone in construction. Fuel prices are almost as predictable as the stock market or next year's election results.... 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: October 31, 2007
The right way to use the consultants!
... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: October 30, 2007
Failure Sucks But Instructs
... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: October 29, 2007
We Like to See The Good Guys Win
In August I served as expert witness on a new home project. It was another situation of a homeowner deciding to wait until the job was almost complete, then start playing the “we are not going to pay you because blah, blah, blah.” This project was done in 2002 to 2004. The contractor, after trying several times to get the owner to honor the contract, gave up and pulled off the job. He sued for all his job expenses and the overhead and profit on the contract. The homeowner... Read More
Change orders, prime consultants and relationships
... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: October 26, 2007
Keep Your Best Employees Happy Through a Mentoring Program
Mentoring programs not only develop your staff, but can have a positive ripple effect across your company.... Read More
Planning a Course of Action Is Key to Mentoring Success
Mentoring programs help companies groom their next generation of leaders. Absent clear guidelines, however, such efforts sometimes fizzle out.... Read More
Integration in Construction Contracting
There are three business activities every construction contractor must perform. 1. Acquiring Work 2. Building that Work 3. Tracking it All Doing these with accuracy and speed assures a certain future. Clients, Service Providers, Subcontractors, Material Suppliers and others affect the quality of these three critical functions. Each of these project partners must be communicated with if the three functions are to be done well thus, provide a competitive advantage. Acquiring work means building work. That is where the real risk starts. This is no place for fumbled information... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: October 25, 2007
More Homework, More Earthwork
Years ago earthmoving projects were won by the best guesstimator. Today they're won by the contractors who did their homework. Earthmoving is a generic term used to describe the process or processes used to change, ready or reconfigure a job site in preparation for a construction project. It can include both excavating and grading techniques.... Read More
Builders and remodelers - surviving a downturn
I was reading Builder Online Magazine this morning and came across an article talking about the crunch many builders and remodelers are going through right now. In part, it said: Veterans look at the rookies and shake their heads. “They’ve never been through a downturn,” they say, wise from years of ups and downs. “They’ll never make it.” The veterans are right, of course. Many of the rookies won’t survive.hey won’t. It is not because they don’t know how to get a home or remodel job built. It is... Read More
Construction Business Coaching Results in a Win
I talked with one of our coaching clients earlier this week. He came to us about two months ago looking for help to get out of the doldrums that had infected his company and so many other contractors recently. He was determined to turn his company around, so he implemented most if not all of the ideas that I shared. As a result, his business is now doing much better. He has increased his markup His overhead has been reduced He now has a steady flow of good leads... Read More
When in Rome...
Do owners have unrealistic expectations? Click here for the answer Download file... Read More
A Return-to-Work Program Can Ease the Sting of Worker Compensation
: Good communication, planning are key to getting injured employees back on the job quickly.... Read More
Do You Need To Formalize Your Risk Management?
A well thought-out program can reduce your vulnerability.... Read More
Just Look at Yourselves
Board performance assessments are still a work in progress.... Read More
New NARI groups could be a boon for small firms
Some cool news out of the NARI fall board meetings. The group is starting a new peer networking program aimed at smaller firms with sales in the $250,000 to $750,000 range. It was designed to complement, rather …... Read More
Developing African-American Business Ownership
The African-American Trucking Association of Construction Contractors in Detroit is training African-Americans to become successful business owners in the construction trucking business. The association also provides smaller trucking firms the opportunity to pool their resources with other trucking firms in order to bid on larger projects and have buying power when purchasing equipment.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: October 24, 2007
Dealing with Difficult Customers in the Construction Industry
The construction process can be very emotional for your clients. We look at tips to help diffuse a volatile situation.... Read More
Home Building Lessons Apply to Personal Finances
Financial lessons from building professionals? Sure! Much wisdom from the jobsite applies equally to selecting investments and making good financial decisions.... Read More
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: October 22, 2007
The Finer Points of Change Work Orders
We have discussed Change Work Orders for several years now, but new stuff keeps cropping up. Let’s take a look at some of the new things that have come our way. First - We continue to hear from contractors that insist on sending out invoices and bills for their work, and that includes CWO’s. Sooner or later, probably sooner, that practice is going to bite you right in your assets. When you do change work orders, get paid up front, BEFORE you do any work. Anything up to $2,500... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: October 19, 2007
Succession Planning Tips for Builders
Make sure your business isn't caught off guard by sudden changes in leadership.... Read More
'The Art of Woo': Selling Your Ideas to the Entire Organization, One Person at a Time
Using relationship-based, emotionally intelligent persuasion to secure both individual and organization-wide buy-in, everyone from CEOs and entrepreneurs to team leaders and mid-level managers can sell their ideas -- a skill that everyone needs to learn if they want to be effective in their organizations, the authors say.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: October 18, 2007
Two thirds of absentees simply sick of work
... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: October 17, 2007
Roofing boss to be charged with manslaughter
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is set to charge a Welsh roofing firm boss with manslaughter following the death of a teenage employee.... Read More
Define Yourself--or Others Will
BusinessWeek columnists Jack & Suzy Welch say that you should never let the members of your team guess about your principles or why you make tough calls the way you do.... Read More
Succession Planning: When Rotations Fail
Moving top employees into different roles can tell finance executives quite a bit about the weaknesses of a possible successor, as well as the strengths.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: October 16, 2007
More Evidence of the Total Cost of Assholes: Abused Workers Make More Mistakes, Slack-off, and Hide From Their Bosses
The evidence that workplace assholes generate a host of costs for organizations keeps piling-up. A new survey of 180 employees by Professor Wayne Hochwarter and his colleagues at The University of Florida adds more items to the "Total Cost of Assholes." A recent summary of this research by Jenna Bryner at LiveScience reports: "Employees with difficult bosses checked out in the following ways: 30 percent slowed down or purposely made errors, compared with 6 percent of those not reporting abuse. 27 percent purposely hid from the boss, compared with... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: October 15, 2007
Free online business workshops
For those of you interested in improving your business savvy, Home Depot will be launching a series of free online seminars starting tomorrow. The workshops are being presented in partnership with Case Design/Remode …... Read More
The New Guy
The way you manage the first weeks with a new employee can boost someone's entire career. And if you're the new guy, there's no better time to make new relationships and start your career off in the right direction.... Read More
So, What if You're Hit by a Bus?
Finance departments aren’t very good at finding CFO successors—and they face very different challenges depending on company size.... Read More
Have You Ever Been "Poisoned By Power?"
I've written a lot here about how being put in a position of power can turn people into insensitive jerks. This is also the theme provoked a deluge of response to a question that I asked over at LinkedIn, so I know that this is something that people care about a lot. BUT caring about it, even admitting in private that you've suffered from at least temporary bouts of asshole poisoning when you've been in power is one thing, but talking about it in a public forum is an... Read More
Guest Column: How I Became a Businessman
My story probably isn’t unique to many of you reading Roofing Contractor, but sometimes I find the lessons that are the most powerful are the ones that have been in front of us all along. When we finally have our eyes opened to see them, that’s when the real impact hits home.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: October 05, 2007
Why Rewarding People for Failure Makes Sense: Paying "Kill Fees" for Bad Projects
... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: October 03, 2007
Financial Models for Underachievers: Two Years of the Real Numbers of a Startup
... Read More
Are You Legally Prepared For Security Installs?
Branching into the specialized field of low-voltage contracting, however, may not be as easy as it looks. ... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: September 28, 2007
Financial Incentives Can Create Bad Employee Behavior
SEP 2007 from the Stanford Graduate School of Business | Read the full story» Professor Jeffrey Pfeffer of the Stanford Graduate School of Business warns that using monetary incentives can backfire, especially if they are offered mainly to influence behavior.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: September 26, 2007
Pulling the Trigger
Often the greatest regret after you fire someone is that you didn't do it earlier -- sometimes it's just better to fire sooner than later.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: September 25, 2007
Are You Really Growing Your Business?
Nearly every integrator with whom I have spoken this year has told me that their business has largely been unaffected by the housing slowdown.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: September 21, 2007
Labor is the Greatest Opportunity
Labor is the greatest risk factor and the greatest profit opportunity for construction contractors. Specialty contractors (also known as subcontractors) will tell you it is the single greatest opportunity for them to make or lose the most money. None of the other cost items compare, not material buyout, or subcontracting or equipment utilization. It all starts with labor productivity. Studies for several years have pointed out that wasted labor time on an average project is over 30%. Multiply that percentage by a payroll of $1 million dollars and you... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: September 19, 2007
Why Management is Not a Profession
... Read More
For Most, It's Just a Dream: Being Your Own Boss
Survey suggests that most executives wouldn't make the jump, even if they were financially able.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: September 04, 2007
Join Us for our Business Management Bootcamp For Construction
We offer a 5 day intense bootcamp on the business of Construction October 15th - 19th, 2007. Read the reviews below. Download file _________________________________________________________________________________________ Recent Reviews of our 5 Day Bootcamp: Matt, I wanted to write to express my appreciation for the Business Management Boot Camp seminar you put on through the Southeastern Pennsylvania Associated Builders and Contractors from 4-23-07 through 4-27-07 My personal experience in our industry has been one of coming up through the ranks of a carpentry company, from Apprentice, to Carpenter, to Superintendent and now... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: May 14, 2007
It's Worth it to Have Your Customers Stay
Always remember, your company’s current customers are the absolute No. 1 source of your future sales. When you lose customers, you lose all of their future business and all of their referrals to your competition. When you keep customers, you keep that pool of sales for yourself.... Read More
Heeeeeeeee's Back!
Crusty & curmudgeonly former Chrysler boss and almost presidential candidate Lee Iacocca is back with ... Where Have All the...... Read More
I don't want to be a manager!
Getting promoted, especially into that first management job, can be a nightmare, one that is made all the worse by a lack of support and training. Which could be why so many people just don't want to be managers.... Read More
A New Solution for Controlling Costs
Most contractors want to avoid litigation of any dispute with a project owner. But most contractors also want to maximize the outcome of any negotiating session so they don't have to go to court. Now there is a proven way out of this dilemma called "empowered negotiating" that can help parties prepare effective presentations.... 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
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
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: May 01, 2007
Managers Don't Grow on Trees
... Read More
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
Appreciating Talent
We hear all the time, "talent is important," "our people are important," or "our greatest assets are our people." We...... 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
Change management a growing headache
Managing change continues to be at the top of the corporate leadership agenda, but with middle managers growing increasingly change-weary, organizations are meeting increased resistance along the way.... Read More
Project Conflict?
I’ve been reading Dr. Tammy Lenski’s blog “I Can’t Say That!” Her blog focuses on how to talk things out in relationships that matter. It seems that whenever two or more people have a relationship, whether it be personal or business, conflict inevitably pops up. Project Managers face this kind of conflict on a daily basis. One way to avoid conflict during your project is to set up some ground rules for discussing project issues. The first rule should be that you focus on the present and not rehash... 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
INDIANA JONES in Customer Service
She called asking a very simple question. Something seemed to be wrong with the paperwork and she needed to find out about the shipment. After talking for a few minutes, just as the conversation was drawing to a close, our customer service manager said point blank... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: April 25, 2007
8 Work Perks You Wish You Had...
... Read More
Nothing to hide, nothing to fear?
In the post-911 United States, it's increasingly difficult, indeed, nearly possible, to insist on any degree of personal privacy without having the fear-mongers asking what you have to hide. The fact that this is becoming increasingly common in the workplace is frankly, quite scary.... Read More
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
Can a Company Be Run as a Democracy?
Running a firm democratically sounds like a recipe for anarchy, but executives who adopted the system insist that it works.... Read More
Read The Room
My friend, Amy, told me of a recent experience. She had been working in a fairly high-responsibility position for about 5 years at the same company when she started to get strange vibes. It was difficult to put her finger on it because everything was going so well: The company was doing great, its stock price at record highs, everyone was making good money, getting promoted and generally being treated well. The workforce seemed motivated and happy, as did management. Still, something was not right. So, rather than ignore... Read More
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 18, 2007
Why Do Good Employees Leave?
... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: April 15, 2007
Growing Great New Managers
We’ve all seen it: a successful employee promoted to manager is given no training and essentially pushed into the deep end and told to swim?... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: April 13, 2007
Start Slow - Finish Fast
If you want to master change, the first thing you have to do is become a student of change. Try things. Watch the results. Talk to others. Read about how people deal with change. Change RARELY originates at the top. Change NEVER “happens” at the top. Change, like evolution, happens SLOWLY. Change usually starts as a GRASSROOTS effort and bubbles up. Following these 9 steps will produce the best results and will build an organization that is great at change over time. Too many people want to run out... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: April 08, 2007
New Evidence: Testosterone Poisoning Turns People into Assholes
... Read More
The Root Causes of Miscommunication
Raven’s Brain, quotes an article written in ComputerWorld, “For IT Projects, Silence Can Be Deadly” . The article says “The research suggests that the culprit in 85% of project failures is silence. The study showed that there is a definable set of project communication problems that are far more common than most senior leaders realize. An estimated 90% of project managers routinely encounter one or more of five critical problems in the course of a project, but the killer is the silence that follows.” For the past ten years... 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: April 06, 2007
Measure What Matters
John Moore pointed out a great quote from Jack Welch: “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 -- Thanks John for pointing this out again. With the advent of computer technology... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: April 04, 2007
A Picture is Worth More than a Thousand Words in Construction - Podcast
Download file Listen to the Podcast above about the use of graphics and charts to help better manage. Emai us at mstevens@stevensci.com for a sample DuPont Chart.... Read More
It's All in the Picture in Construction
We, by our nature in the construction industry, are visually attuned. We don't care to read as much as the average person. We like to see a picture of what we are talking about. It helps us understand quickly. Our senses like graphics. Give anyone, construction person or not, a picture and he or she sees and understands. It is no secret that construction invites immigrants to do its work. The history of construction has been consistent. Newcomers are attracted to our business due to its pay. The hard... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: April 03, 2007
Budget Wars: Sales & Finance vs Marketing
I look at the challenge that marketers often face when it comes to getting their budgets approved by finance and I wonder why does it have to be so hard? Many financial executives still view marketing as an expense, a.k.a. cost center, rather than viewing it as an asset that creates revenue. Bottom line: it's the numbers. So why not begin with that? A new report by MarketingSherpa shows that marketers need to do a better job capturing and communicating their value. According to their research, "...only 17% of... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: April 02, 2007
High Performers Know The Score
Newsmagazine of Mechanical Contracting SOWARDS ON QUALITY BY DENNIS SOWARDS , Quality Authority High Performers Know the Score QUALITY GURU Philip Crosby once told a story about a football team that lost its first two games in the season, both by a score of 14-13. The coach reasoned that the problem was that other teams had blocked one extra point attempt, while his team had blocked none. He figured that if his team had blocked two attempts he would have won 13-12. The coach set out to make this... Read More
Workforce Employment Trends - A New Look
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Project Manager Bonuses
Contractor Magazine published a quick excerpt from FMI's 2007 Contractor Productivity Survey showing the range of bonuses paid to Project Managers. h="178" style="height: 18.0pt; width: 134pt; font-size: 10.0pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; color: black; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap; border: 1px solid; padding-left: 1px; padding-right: 1px; padding-top: 1px; background: #FFFF00"> BONUS AS % OF BASE RESPONDENTS < 5% 18% 5-10% 43% 11-15% 24% 16-20% 8% 21-25% 2% > 25% 5% This is a question we get asked often and there is no perfect... Read More
Sales 2.0: Where Your Sales Force's Technology Is Headed
Luckily for the sales force, technology is evolving to meet the demands of reps who are pressured to produce, but don't always have the tools to get there.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: March 30, 2007
The Winning Thought Process #2
I just finished reading Losing My Virginity - by Richard Branson again. It is a very good book and makes you realize more than anything that if you simply have the right mindset you can achieve anything. Richard Branson lived on the edge of constant failure for more than 20 years while building the Virgin Group which was basically started on a payphone and some free shop space in a not-so-great area of town for the first Virgin music store. Someone noticed me reading it the other day and... Read More
Use the First 30 Minutes of Your Day to Succeed All Day
One of the ways that top-performing salespeople separate themselves from others is by effectively using the first 30 minutes of the day.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: March 29, 2007
The Key to Keeping Learners Interested
... Read More
Science Daily Week: Which is more effective: bonuses or raises?
... Read More
Make strategy meetings shorter, but more productive
Most of us are tired of wasting time at unfocused meetings, especially when they are supposed to be about strategy. So here are three simple rules to keep meetings moving and on target.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: March 27, 2007
Cash Flow - Keep Water Out of Your Ship - Podcast
Hear the beginning of our article on Cash Flow in Construction. Download file Email us at clientservices@stevensci.com for the remainder of the article. Limit 1 article per month. We will send it to you in three working days. Order our book published by McGraw - Hill, Managing a Construction Firm on Just 24 Hours a Day by going to stevensci.com... Read More
Company Will Give Free Work in Exchange for Charity Donation
When Bob Lipp, president of Better Business Presentations, a business presentation creation and coaching firm, was still a graduate student at Ohio State University, he read an ad by a company offering to work "free" if the client donated the fee to its favorite charity. Lipp, who went on to start Better Business Presentations, believes that now is as good a time as any to invite others to become vocal about giving back.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: March 26, 2007
Fixing Things to Move Forward
We tend to be so busy trying to figure things out, look at trends, strategize etc. that we don’t tend to fix problems. What if, instead of analyzing things to death we fixed them? What if we didn’t look at trends and the why’s and how other companies handle similar situations and worked with someone to fix things and now? What a concept! Why make things more complex than they have to be, at least in most day to day situations. We live in a world that has to... Read More
Managing to the 2%
Consider this: You have a competent work team. They collaborate, share knowledge and ideas freely, offer and accept feedback and deliver on time. All of them, but one -- we’ll call him Bob. Bob does not participate with his team, does not appear engaged, and calls out of work and team meetings monthly. So what do you do? Coach, support, discipline? Maybe, but what I am finding is that many organizations create rules or develop policies to handle the ‘Bobs’ of the company. They create team agreements, missed meetings... Read More
Reduce Building Costs & Risk
... 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
HEADLINES ADDED: March 25, 2007
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
Are our tools making us dumber?
It's lunchtime at the cafe and you give the cashier a $20 bill for an $8 purchase. She gives you $32.78 in change. You mention the mistake. She says, "But that's what the cash register says I owe you." She can't cope with the cognitive dissonance between reality and What The Machine Said. Later that day you get a frantic call from a co-worker--a recent addition to the programming team. "I keep getting this error message that it can't find the classes I'm using!" You ask, "By 'it' do... Read More
Surviving and Thriving in the Wal-Mart World
In the late 90s, Bill Marquard worked deep inside Wal-Mart as a strategic thought-leader. Besides his first-hand Wal-Mart experience, Bill also spent 17 years at Ernst & Young, did a stint as the EVP/Chief Knowledge Officer at Fleming, and served eight-years as an adjunct professor of finance at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management. (So, he has some business chops to speak of.) Bill has written a brilliant book, WAL-SMART, which sheds new light on Wal-Mart’s business DNA and how companies can profit in the Wal-Mart world we live in.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: March 18, 2007
Is Your Boss an Asshole?
... Read More
Hiring and Cultivating Employees Who Succeed
A small-business owner shares the titles that helped him learn to be a better boss.... Read More
Fund Puts Premium On Well-Run Firms (Investor's Business Daily)
Investor's Business Daily - Manage the company well and its stock price will follow is the way Richard Weiss picks the holdings of $1.14 billion Wells Fargo Advantage Common Stock Fund (NASDAQ:STCSX - News). This isn\'t just for Wall Street - well run firms are ALWAYS more valuable in the long-run... Read More
Generational Differences in Communication
Ruth Sherman, a leading commuications consultant and author of "Get Them To See It Your Way, Right Away: How To Persuade Anyone of Anything," discusses how to communicate with millennials.... Read More
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
Ten Ways to Inject Fun Into the Workplace
MY WORK-LIFE BALANCE SHEET When I first heard that there was a book called "Work Like Your Dog," I had some unsavory visions of excusing myself from an important meeting to drink out of the toilet bowl, taking a moment out of a client lunch to rub against their leg, or simply getting caught cleaning myself when my assistant walked in. It turns out, Matt Weinstein and Luke Barber had something completely different in mind, and it concerns the notion that dogs are actually really energetic and good at... Read More
ManageSmarter Rewind: Become a Meeting Master
Business will always be business-- and that means some best practices are evergreen. ManageSmarter.com digs through the archives to present you with timeless articles and strategies for today's market.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: March 17, 2007
Sales Meeting Spectacular: Plan a Successful Sales Meeting
Think you know everything about well-run sales meetings? Think again. These six steps will help you plan your best meeting yet.... Read More
HEADLINES ADDED: March 11, 2007
How to Get What You Want
I was just perusing Seth Grodin’s Blog and came across something he posted on Friday, December 29th, What waiters can teach marketers. The point of this blog is that people tell you things for a reason, and if you want repeat customers or to provide excellent service, then, while you don’t have to do what they ask, you do need to acknowledge and respond to it. How you respond does make a difference. A research project on persuasion I came across showed that specific requests get better results. When... Read More
How to Get What You Want
I was just perusing Seth Grodin’s Blog and came across something he posted on Friday, December 29th, What waiters can teach marketers. The point of this blog is that people tell you things for a reason, and if you want repeat customers or to provide excellent service, then, while you don’t have to do what they ask, you do need to acknowledge and respond to it. How you respond does make a difference. A research project on persuasion I came across showed that specific requests get better results. When... Read More
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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!
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