This week, I met with our peer group, which has been a valuable resource to me and our company for the last 10 years. We are comprised of 5 contractors spread coast-to-coast in non-competing markets. Our semi-annual meetings are a time to share best practices and lessons learned, with the hopes of making each of …
When was the last time you or someone on your team contacted a customer without an ask? I recently read an article about relationships in the construction business, and this quote really stuck with me: Trust is the tiebreaker. The gist is that what we do can feel transactional, but those who genuinely care about the …
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 …
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 …
Recently, I had the opportunity to talk with a former manager for the great developer Trammell Crow, a major player across several sectors of real estate development in both the U.S. and Europe. He and the company are known for their quality work. My friend recounted an interesting conversation he had with Trammell when he first …
March Madness is upon us, and for the first time ever, I participated in our company’s “March Madness Bracket Challenge” that one of our sharp young APM’s put together. He told me his mother picks the teams based on which mascots she likes, and maybe I should have done the same thing. I might be …
While technology has changed, and we have a lot more tools in the toolbox, email is still the primary business communication for most of us. It has the advantage of being an easy searchable virtual paper trail. However, it can be nuanced, lack context and personality, and even feel a little cold. Over the years, …
I recently read an article generalizing the types of leaders you often find in a construction setting. It discusses the importance of creating a mix of people who are great at coaching, pacesetting, being autocratic, and working as servant leaders. These are all vital to a company’s success, but the one that really resonates with …
Steve Jobs may not have been the most beloved manager, but there is no doubt he found a way to encourage the best out of the people who worked with him. I think the philosophy is summed up with this 2008 quote from him: “My job is to not be easy on people. My job …
We work in a field where information is key. If a mistake is made on a job site, we often find ourselves trying to uncover the process, so we can correct our action and then create a path forward so we never repeat it. This involves asking a lot of questions. I recently read an …
A friend recently sent me an article about Warren Buffett and his belief that “about a dozen truly good decisions” led him to be so wildly successful. While many of these resonated with me, one stood out: Making a decision to do nothing. To use Buffett’s own words, “The trick is, when there is nothing to …