We all have to have hard conversations from time to time. While you can’t control the outcome, I’ve learned over the years that you can take a few steps to set yourself up for success, or at least a more positive and productive discussion. The first thing I always consider is timing, which can be almost …
I recently read an article about what the world perceives as “cool,” and how that can affect workplace dynamics. People who get labeled as cool are often extroverted, independent and perhaps a little unpredictable. All these things certainly get attention. But do they make a team as successful as it can be? The author argues …
For many years, I’ve thought Malcolm Gladwell is one of the most thought-provoking authors out there. I first read The Tipping Point in 2000 and am always interested in what Malcolm shares. One of his most recent discussions involves driverless cars and brought up interesting and thought for me. Can we play it too safe? …
Recently, one of our team members had the opportunity to tour The Academy of Craft Training’s Birmingham campus. The ACT is a public–private partnership between the state’s construction industry and K–12 education, aimed at preparing high school juniors and seniors for careers in the commercial construction sector. They train students who represent every public school …
Several years ago, I was involved with a group that brought the Urban Land Institute to Alabama. The ULI has always been a resource for best practices in city planning and responsible land use, but also a great knowledge base for real estate trends. I recently read one of their articles monitoring REIT research and …
I recently shared some insights from the annual ABC of Alabama conference in relation to hiring, a major issue in our industry right now. To summarize, the military has figured out how to reach younger folks by offering adventure, purpose, career development and the chance to work with advanced technology. I can testify that this …
This year has brought a lot of changes and questions in terms of economic growth, but as we all know, the major disruptor has been the threat of tariffs and the potential increase of the cost of doing business. So far, the major side effect has been uncertainty, but not much in terms of real monetary consequences. …
This week, Chappell Covington, our director of talent and corporate development attended the Associated Builders and Contractors of Alabama convention. She is an ABC board member, and the conference was also was a good fit for her because workforce development is such a huge topic in our industry right now. When I asked her for …
This week was the annual ICSC RECon in Las Vegas, or “the Super Bowl of Retail,” as it has been nicknamed. This is an annual favorite trip for me, a chance to see old friends and make a few new ones. It’s also an opportunity to see what’s on the horizon for the industry, and …
The tariff wars between the U.S. and other nations, particularly China, have been a roller coaster, for sure. President Trump says he was able to reach an agreement with China last weekend. As I understand it, we will lower our tariffs from 145% to 30% and China’s tariffs on U.S. goods will drop from 125% …
We recently started a new project on 60 acres of formerly developed land that is now a long-abandoned industrial site. In the time the site has been vacant, foliage has grown, making it a potential nesting place for bats. Since some of these species might be endangered, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Alabama …