Leadership and Management of Details

Building a great contracting business requires the right balance of leadership and management.

D. Brown Management Profile Picture
Share

“Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things.” - Peter Drucker

This quote or a variation often gets used to describe the difference between strategy and tactics; leadership and management.

Quote: The man in charge must concern himself with details. If he does not consider them important, neither will his subordinates. Yet the devil is in the details... Hyman G. Rickover

While it is possible to separate them the truth is that many of the top leaders are relentlessly disciplined managers.  Think:

Admiral Hyman G. Rickover who is considered the “Father of the Nuclear Navy” was a relentless and disciplined manager.  He oversaw every detail of building out then operating a nuclear submarine fleet with a record of zero reactor accidents.  

Contractors have to put together many thousands of parts coming from hundreds of suppliers and subcontractors across dozens of projects each year operating on very thin margins with tight cash flow and major safety risks.  

Disciplined management is a key to sustainable growth.

Improve your management processes




Relationship Tiers and Impact on Outcomes
Relationships form the foundation of every construction business, from customers to key vendors and subcontractors. While all relationships are valuable, their value varies and must be managed accordingly—a task that becomes more complex with growth.
10 Jugs of Wine - A Tale from Japan
Diffusion of personal responsibility can occur quickly on teams. Everyone must contribute. This is a simple tale from Japan that elegantly illustrates the point and includes how people react even when the failed results are clear.
Diffusion of Innovations Curve - Leading Change
The contractors that dominate tomorrow’s market will be those that have built strong capabilities for identifying opportunities or problems and then rapidly making lasting changes throughout the organization.