I was listening to NPR recently and they were discussing how the Recession isn’t the only culprit behind recent job loss. Throughout modern society, the ability to work in certain fields has ebbed and flowed based upon changes in culture and advances in technology. The example they gave was from the 1920s. Before motion pictures …
You’ve heard the Three Musketeers shout it as a show of selflessness and solidarity. It’s the national motto of Switzerland. I’m proud to say it’s also a mantra of the Stewart Perry team. When the economic downturn started affecting commercial construction, our CFO Del Allen and I were forced to take a hard look at …
Over the years, I have noticed how many people get attached to job titles, particularly in their letters and on their business cards. Some are in the game for a higher rank, and achieving their desired title is almost like wining an Olympic medal. It’s something for them to hold on to. If I had …
In my opinion, good listeners are continually refining their skills of attention, empathy and most of all, reticence. Listening comes more naturally to some, while others have to work hard to silence themselves and fully digest the thoughts of others. Over the years, I’ve made a conscious effort to improve as a listener, and I …
Anyone can talk a big game. It seems that in the name of public relations, lots of business leaders are talking up green initiatives, corporate responsibility and the importance of a welcoming in-office environment. It all sounds good, but does it ever really play out in day-to-day operations? I’ve always thought that corporate culture goes …
Every December our team and their families come together for a long weekend. Last weekend was our 25th year to celebrate this tradition. We started on Friday afternoon with a presentation on quality EIFS details, followed by the chairman of the USGBC visiting with us about their standards. Saturday morning our branding consultant, Holland & …
One of my most important jobs is to instill confidence in our company, especially now—to help team members feel at ease about the work portion of their lives. I recently ran across this iconic poster, “Keep calm and carry on,” and it struck a chord with me. While the original words came from the British …
Recently, one of our long-term client relationships sponsored a forum in New York City on innovation of company culture through design. While I wasn’t able to attend, I did get my hands on some great notes from a friend. Design of function has evolved to be much more in the center of technology, business and …
While most of us are suffering from the Recession’s effects in one way or another, there is a silver lining inside our current cloud. Recessions let us step back and observe the way we do business, often providing takeaways for our businesses as we move forward. From the reading I have done, innovation and great …
Effective community service is an essential part of every company’s resume, and it has been an active portion of our extra-curricular efforts over the last 25 years. Community service does several different things simultaneously: Foremost, it helps whichever organization or charity we are supporting It helps bond my team in a setting outside of the …
Being prepared is something that I can never get too much of. In business this means always looking around the corner to find the next job or being careful not to spend foolishly, and at home it means having that rainy day fund for when the unexpected happens. I’ve been involved with the Boy Scouts …
When supporting conservation in the developing world, many people prefer to make handouts or writing checks to their favorite organization of merit. While there is a place for this type of giving, I also like to travel to places in need, find small businesses that are doing the right thing environmentally and support these shops …