Be Specific About Problems

The business of construction is filled with constant problems.

D. Brown Management Profile Picture
Share

It’s not that great contractors don’t have problems, it’s that great contractors have learned how to troubleshoot first, which allows them to learn from their problems faster.  

Book: Principles by Ray Dalio. Be very specific about problems; don't start with generalizations. Avoid the anonymous "we" and "they," because they mask personal responsibility.

Ray Dalio spends a lot of time in his book “Principles - Life and Work,” describing how to make the machine (company) work better. 

  • Be very specific when identifying and then troubleshooting the problem. Generalities can’t be fixed. 
  • Keep digging until you get down to the root cause of the problem. Don’t stop when you get to the first few, seemingly obvious, answers. These are likely just proximate or contributing causes.   
  • Limit complaining. Limit blaming. Focus on solutions.   
  • Don’t worry about people being uncomfortable with the process. Nothing worth achieving in life is ever comfortable.  

How effective are your project teams at identifying problems and then putting improvements in place across the company that will help you grow sustainably?


Be Specific About Problems
Change orders are a fact of life in construction. Improve profitability, cash flow and customer satisfaction by effectively managing changes. Build a foundation for success with 12 steps to improve pricing and 11 negotiating strategies for the whole project team....

Related Training
Be Specific About Problems
Change orders are a fact of life in construction. Improve profitability, cash flow and customer satisfaction by effectively managing changes. Build a foundation for success with 12 steps to improve pricing and 11 negotiating strategies for the whole project team....

A Business Exists to Serve a Customer
Without satisfied and growing customers, nothing else a contractor does will matter. Few things are more profitable for contractors than recurring work negotiated with a select group of project owners.
Leadership and Management of Details
Building a great contracting business requires the right balance of leadership and management. While it is possible to separate them the truth is that many of the top leaders are relentlessly disciplined managers.
Changes - Problem or Fact?
If you perceive that changes are a problem in construction, then you are likely framing them as a point of blaming others. This framing will impact your ability to effectively manage changes.