The Right People - Jim Collins

Contracting is not a generally business where the strategies are complex or all that different. What differentiates contractors is their ability to execute the basic strategies consistently.

D. Brown Management Profile Picture
Share

Effective execution comes down to people, process and tools - in that order.

Quote: Leaders of companies that go from good to great not with where but with who. Jim Collins.

Jim Collins explores the traits of long-term sustainably growing businesses in his book “Good to Great” where he describes how leaders of the best companies view people and how they simplify their strategies.

  • Put together a high-level scoreboard of the basics you need for a sustainable contracting business.  This dashboard should include basic metrics around customer satisfaction, profitability, cash flow, growth, safety and succession bench strength for all key roles.  
  • Develop a company operating rhythm of key meetings and feedback reporting that address address each area of the scoreboard.  These will include opportunity review meetings, interview slots, project reviews, company financial reviews, evaluations, etc.  
  • Lead a culture where egos are focused on using whatever skills anyone on the team has to improve the scoreboard.  Eliminate ego about position and keep internal competition positive. 
  • Focus on continuous improvement to processes and specific role responsibilities adjusting regularly for the optimum outcomes.  

Schedule a call to learn how we help contractors grow profitably.  




Ownership Transition - Key Seller Risks
Whether you are buying or selling a construction business, it is important to understand the perspectives of the other party. Each will tend to discount the risks of the other, impacting the ability to create the best deal.
Job Instruction (JI): A 1940s Solution to the Craft Labor Shortage
The shortage of qualified craft labor, crew leaders, and supervisors has been solved before - just not in our lifetimes. The lessons from the Training Within Industry (TWI) and specifically the Job Instruction (JI) training can be used by any contractor.
Six Daily Questions to Drive Team Engagement
Construction leaders are facing a growing challenge working to keep project teams working effectively together across multiple companies. At the business level, the need to keep team members engaged to both attract and retain talent.