Category Archives: Leadership

Leading Seasoned Workers (Audio)

leading seasoned workers
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Leading Seasoned Workers focuses on leading and sustaining experienced workers. These employees have the tools your company needs to thrive, and are often times impossible to replace. Learn how to effectively engage these workers and allow them to continue growing, for their own benefit and for your company!

 

Transcript:

There is so much attention today on how to deal with our newest of workers, the “Millennial,” that many contractors have overlooked the sustaining of our more experienced workers, aka, the “Seasoned Worker.”

The Seasoned Worker is not so much known as an age group but more as a level of experience that is hard, sometimes impossible, to replace.  My observation when working with construction companies of many different sizes is that once a worker has five, ten, fifteen or more years under their belt, the “seasoning” of knowledge, lessons learned, and “hard knocks,” has begun to refine their problem solving skills.

But working with the Seasoned Worker can have some challenges as well.  For example, see if you have noticed any of the following with some of your more Seasoned Workers.

  • May appear to be “know it all”
  • Could be tough to teach new technique to
  • Might be slow to train or coach new worker
  • Has forgotten that they too were once “ignorant”
  • Prefers to interact with other Seasoned Workers
  • Can see the invisible “L” (for Loser) on new employee’s forehead

Now, the good news is that many of our Seasoned Workers are awesome in their work ethic, their ability to work well with the younger or less experienced worker, and their desire to do whatever is best for the company.  BUT…for those who are a little more challenging, not super bad workers, but simply a little challenged, try working a few of the following techniques into your leadership efforts.

  1. Stay mindful of the Seasoned Worker’s value.

The Seasoned Worker brings their learning, their experiences, and their mind to you…don’t forget this nor take their value for granted.  I’ve coached several owners through the years to hold their tongue when they get frustrated with that Seasoned Worker who makes a mistake.  Like a little brother, or sister, it’s sometimes easy to take our a little more frustration on someone who should know better but still makes a mistake.  Stay calm and address the Seasoned Worker personally.

  1. Remind the Seasoned Worker of their “construction pedigree.”

All I mean here is that even the Seasoned Worker can use a little reminder to “act their experience.”  Even the Seasoned Worker can get frustrated, take short-cuts, or make a poor decision at the end of the day because they’re in a hurry to get off the site.  Rather than barking profanities at your Seasoned Worker, remind them (calmly and personally whenever possible) that you are disappointed in their lack of presence of mind to handle the situation as a Seasoned Worker.  Your point will be received…trust me!

  1. Coach the Seasoned Worker to be more strategic in their preparation.

One of the real benefits of experience is that it teaches us what works and more importantly, what does not work.  What does not work costs money.  While most construction workers, including owners, are tactical in approach, the more strategic effort made the more wise decisions are executed and the better productivity and profitability are realized.  Coach your Seasoned Worker to slow down their planning, considering consequences that might take place, and to include past lessons learned before finalizing their planning and preparation.  Such an effort will put more profitable performance in your Seasoned Worker and your company!

  1. “Tee up” your Seasoned Worker to share their years of accomplishment.

While not every Seasoned Worker is a “key note speaker,” we need our Seasoned Worker to be communicating their learned lessons, their secrets to better quality, and their preparation discipline.  To “tee up” does not suggest that the Seasoned Worker will be giving speeches, but there are plenty of teaching outlets available for them to assist and educate our less experienced workers, such as at:

  • Weekly/monthly project meetings
  • Safety meetings…tail-gate talks
  • AM/PM “Huddles” with other crew members
  • Pre-Mid-Post Project debriefs
  • Individual coaching moments during workday
  • Formal mentoring opportunities with new workers
  1. Simply ask your Seasoned Worker for their assistance.

The fact is that we are losing more of the Seasoned Workers to retirement today.  While they may still have five, ten, fifteen or more years left to work, ask them to assist in the training and molding of the next generation of construction workers.  Not all of our Seasoned Workers are instinctively aware of what they could do to assist another worker.  As crazy as that may seem to some of us, there are people who simply do what they are tasked and paid to do…and that’s about it.  I term this sort of worker the “Fence-Sitter.”  Yet, I have even found that the Fence-Sitter, if they are asked to help, usually respond nicely to taking another worker, less experienced, and showing them the ropes of their craft.

  1. Raise the image of the Seasoned Worker; do not put them down in front of others.

One of the only things you really can raise for the Seasoned Worker is their image and legacy.  At this point in their tenure, they are probably some of our higher paid workers, people who have acquired a wealth of ideas through good and not so good experiences.  Critical to their presence and effectiveness with less experienced workers is the fact that they “have been there” and have the credibility to tell stories, provide warnings, and to confirm well planned projects.  While you may have to discipline a Seasoned Worker, do it privately, protecting the Seasoned Worker’s image among their peers.

The Seasoned Worker is special to every construction owner and leader.  We need experienced people at every level but sadly we’re beginning to see much of this experience leaving our industry.  Commit today to taking a renewed look at how you may be dealing with your Seasoned Workers…they may not be there tomorrow.

Here’s to more seasoning of experience for all of our workers!

Leadership, , , ,

Risk Management: Safety First

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Risk management is essentially the effort you take as a contractor or construction leader to limit, reduce or eliminate any construction effort that would pose a safety risk.

The legality and science of risk management is quite well known among general contractors and is growing in need to be embraced, understood and practiced by all specialty contractors. Our country is one of the most litigious in the world and, sadly, this certainly has found a home in the construction industry.

Let’s first address safety in your organization. While this article will not fulfill the entire educationalsafety first needs for a total safety program at your company, there are some key learning points that have been successfully implemented by many contractors that can bring value to your company.

Safety First

I don’t know what else to call this first point other than safety must be first everywhere possible in your company. I know of no contractor that will admit to NOT believing in the importance of safety — but once again it is in the actions and behavior of our most senior of leaders, including the owner, that sells safety first.

Therefore, what can you do to demonstrate in action and behavior that safety really is first? Consider a few suggestions below:

  • Personally invest in safety education… be the “guinea pig” for all new training education.
  • Lead safety training workshops personally
  • Make safety-related questions part of your daily discussions with field leaders, office workers, field workers, etc.
  • Personally investigate when there’s been a safety failure and be the first, or second, to recognize great safety results
  • Publicize Safety First via signage, posters, proposals, contracts, “graffiti” on company trucks, business cards, and all marketing pieces and Internet outlets

Resource Safety First

The resourcing of Safety First is to consider all literature, tools and equipment that should be reviewed, updated and replaced as needed as they relate to safety. Again, some quick highlights:

  • Commit a budget amount each year to inspect, replace and maintain all equipment, vehicles and power tools
  • Inventory your hand tools and consider what needs “sharpening” and what needs to be replaced.
  • Make sure your educational materials are clear in their intent to teach safe practices
  • Use clear and visible signage in your shop, yard and especially on each jobsite
  • Create informative “5-S Maps” that indicate where everything is kept on trucks, trailers, your shop and yard. The 5-S Map can contribute to faster inventory management and keep workers from pushing and pulling tools, cords, shovels, etc. to find what they are looking for
  • Keep an ample supply of barricades, flare tape, emergency kits, safety vests, tie-offs and just about every other “safety tool” that can help prevent any issues

Teach Safety First

Teach Safety First most certainly includes actual training workshops and live demonstrations of safe working processes and techniques, but it also affects your company in a few other areas. Consider:

  • Purchase of hats and shirts that have a clear reference to safety
  • Commit 3 to 5 minutes of stretching for all workers and leaders…office and field employees.
  • Require part of your “pre-con” start-up to address every safety “risk” potential on the new job
  • Take a brief “safety debrief” after each project from the hourly workers involved with job. If you perform more than one project in a short time span, review multiple projects once a week
  • Incorporate one positive safety story a week in meetings or share a learning lesson from another company who may have had a safety problem

Recognize and reward Safety First

Not much secret here, and many contractors are practicing some degree of this suggestion. If you do not or are in need of upgrading your company’s approach, consider a few of the following:

  • Recognize all new milestones of “incident free” goals and the people who are making it happen
  • Engage rewards to include company logoed giveaways such as shirts, hats, gloves, etc.
  • For exceptional safety performance and results look to some cash rewards or tickets, coupons, dinner cards, etc. Be careful here due to the taxing of such items but provide some form of “hard” proof that safety is saving you money
  • Engage proven workers to conduct the safety training for newly hired employees
  • Consider appointing a “Safety Coordinator” for each work crew and your office. The “SC” isn’t the safety czar but instead another outlet for employees to go to with questions, resource needs, etc. The SC for my old crews used to also assist our foremen on scouting out potentially unsafe work areas, inspecting equipment and tools needing repair, and assisting in placing orders for new safety equipment

Accountable Safety First

All of the previous suggestions and examples are for naught if we do not practice what we preach and hold people and processes accountable. Now for some tough love, consider:

  • Hold leaders accountable to invoke safety discussions before every project and at the beginning of each new day
  • When leaders do not practice the previous, coach, counsel and discipline as needed
  • Clearly educate your workers on safe practice, and when they do not comply with such practice, coach, counsel and discipline as needed
  • When “repeat offenders” continue to be non-compliant about following safety rules and practices counsel, document and fire! Do not allow such people to stay with your company. It sends the very bad message that Safety First is really “Safety Whenever it’s Convenient.”
    Make Safety First mandatory for every employee. Absolutely no favoritism!

Our industry has indeed come a long way in the area of safety, but our insurance rates continue to be a bit high compared to other physically involved industries. Accidents happen, but there is a tremendous amount of prevention that we really can do

Prevention is the key word here. Prevention in the form of educating, reminding, and having needed safety resources and safe working equipment and tools can reduce your risk ten-fold. But, we need to clearly communicate safety and be consistent in practicing what we are preaching about safety.

 

This article originally appeared on ForConstructionPros.com .

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The Making of a Leader: Construction Project Manager

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Project managers have certainly increased in their importance to their companies, the projects they work on and the construction industry at large. It is the project manager, commonly known simply as the PM, who must possess both knowledge of constructability issues, processes, and many of the same technical aspects of a project as their superintendent AND possess a firm hand on the documentation that supports the project.

It is the PM that often provides information from the field to the office; who oversees the financial side of the project; often acts as the go-between among the contractor, customer and suppliers; and is the back-up for the superintendent. In short, PMs must be multi-skilled, know how to read and interact with people, and have the “patience of Job” as they endure the many imperfect performances of those contributing to their project.

View of a Worker and architect watching some details on a constructionWhen a project is running behind schedule or over budget, it is often the PM who first feels the heat from upper management. When customers want a “live” body to voice their concerns to or lodge complaints with, it is often the PM who is at the receiving end of the communication. When many of their company project members are finished with their contribution to the project, it is the PM who is there until the “bloody end.”

For the larger specialty construction company or the general contractor the PM is a more-defined role that is part of the overall project team. In many cases PMs are college degreed and have purposely chosen the managing of construction projects as their career choice.

But for many smaller construction companies, of any specialty, the PM role might well be filled by the owner, a converted superintendent or by someone that performs both the superintendent and project manager function. I’ve commonly seen the same individual who estimated the job and sold the job to also act as the project PM (when you’re a smaller company everyone wears many “hats.”)

So then, how is a PM…made? Consider the required building blocks of an effective project manager.

Block #1: An eye for detail

One common thread I’ve witnessed over the past 30 years is that most PMs have a bit more detail orientation. It’s a good thing, too, as they are often required to read between the lines of facts, measurements, amounts and quantities. PMs must also have a close eye on contracts, understanding the potential snags and have enough knowledge to “know what they don’t know.”

Block #2: Ability to initiate

The PM must be quick to raise attention to developing issues or early returns from a poor decision. PMs do not need to be hyper-reactive, but they must be quick to correct, modify and not possess an attitude of “It ain’t my job!” PMs leadership is needed and welcomed by most effective field leaders because they recognize the PMs knowledge of the project components.

Block #3: Greater project knowledge

The PM must be the one of the team members most knowledgeable about the intricate details of the project. I have found that most PMs have a more natural bent to look through the “fine print” to spot any possible issues that would throw the project off course or something that a superintendent may have accidentally overlooked. This is not an ego issue; it’s one of necessity and even survival.

Many construction leaders quietly admit that the level of complete drawings and specifications might not be as complete a package “as it used to be” at the start of a project. Yet, the contractor is still accountable to build something that may not quite be 100% completed for drawings. It is the PM that will most often stay on top of engineering and architecture firms for needed revisions and completions.

Block #4: Adaptive communication skills

Though every construction leader needs effective communication skills it is the PM that might square off against the most diverse type of communicators. From interacting with their own project team members to design engineers, architects, city or county officials; to clients, client reps; and finally to the subtrade leaders to suppliers, the PM must possess a tool box of skills and be one flexible “son-of-a-gun.”

Block #5: Professional approach & presence

As if Blocks #1 through #4 weren’t enough, the PM must conduct himself or herself with the greatest of professionalism. From sending letters, submittals, responding to RFI’s, emails, and texts, the PM must project a professional image both in his approach to interacting with others as well as his presence while engaged.

Block #6: Hungry to learn

The best always want to know more. As the old saying goes, “You snooze, you lose!” The best PMs didn’t start off brilliant, but they continue to be hungry to learn new methods, tricks of the trade, better and faster processes to keep a project focused, on-time and at or under budget!

Developing project manager traits

Now, after laying out a few of the building blocks of an effective PM, let’s briefly address how you might begin to develop these traits and skills with your PMs.

1. Assess the PM’s strengths and OFIs. Before applying any training, before sending your PM to any workshop, and before you have them read any books on project management assess where they currently are compared with the six “blocks” presented earlier. Identify the project manager’s obvious strengths as well as those areas that provide the best of opportunities for improvement (OFI). Some of the “blocks” are not taught in college so you’ll need to address those growth needs for your organization.

2. “Rifle shot” your PM’s development. Based on the assessment results, consider targeted solutions for each “opportunity for improvement.” Some OFIs can be improved by attending a class on scheduling or a job costing software program your company uses. Another OFI might produce better results with the hiring of a “coach” or supporting the PM with a mentor. Scatter your development process and you risk scattered results — and not much of it will stick.

3. Match PM to “Project +1.” Assigning a PM to any project should always be reviewed for the complexity of the project, the chemistry of the project team, and the expectations and demands of the customer. However, after this assessment is made on the project the leaders should consider placing the PM on a project that is just slightly above their current level of knowledge and skill, thus the Project +1.

Always move to just stretch the PM, without placing him or her in a very obvious difficult project that he or she just does not have the skills or knowledge to lead. (Obviously, availability of what PMs are in the “bullpen” is also a consideration; unfortunately it all too often is the primary determining factor.)

4. Create a 90-day plan. This plan can be shorted or lengthened per the needs, experience and knowledge level of the PM. Hired a new PM? Create a 90-day plan that specifically identifies weekly learning points. Hired an experienced PM from another company? Create a 90-day plan to ensure that he is embracing and mastering your firm’s processes and requirements.

Both scenarios should include assigning a “coach” who meets with the PM weekly, even providing some testing at the end of the week to make sure retention is taking place. The sooner you spot those PMs who are not “connecting the dots” the sooner you can address needed improvements.

5. Be quick to correct; quick to redirect. This sounds almost too simple, but it’s often not part of a good training process. Your newly hired PM, younger or experienced, is going to make mistakes learning your systems. The best PMs want to know what they are doing, how they are doing and how they can be better. Don’t be nice…address needed corrections and redirect them to better techniques or knowledge.

6. Finally, maintain technical learning. There is much that has changed in just the past five years. Change is the new norm. Whether it is the science of construction, new software or just learning smarter ways of managing projects keep your PM’s mind turned into the wind for continued learning!

As contractors continue to find it difficult to hire the “perfect” employee, the search for talented project managers will be no different. Most contractors are finding that without a consistent commitment to education and training they will eventually build a PM focus that has less discipline, allows poor performance, lacks cutting-edge thinking and results in less profits.

The building of a project manager, like construction, is a combination of science and art. Begin today the science of this building project and identify those technical, process and procedural points that need to be mastered. Likewise, keep an open mind about those project managers who might display a more creative approach, one that respects the “non-negotiables” while looking for improvements that can make the project more profitable! 

 

This article originally appeared on ForConstructionPros.com

Source: The Making of a Leader: Construction Project Manager

Leadership