Quick question, why can’t construction be a field similar to that of any art? One filled with passion. I have heard that in other areas of the world, construction workers (or artisans as they might be called) are appreciated more in their community. Now it is easy to cast the blame on the consumer. But the real blame I believe should be on us, the lowly construction worker.
In the media, what are we know for, well cat calls and staring at women! Or else we are mindless hot hunks. People feel that we would steal from them, cheat them, and perhaps the worst, people feel we are uneducated. Well guess what, on the whole we are.
Contractors sometimes believe they are above blame in this issue. “At least I am not like that.” I believe this passive nature is what brought us to the place we are in today. There are many things we can do as individuals and as a group. What about demanding professionalism in our workforce. Better yet, what about educating those that work for and with us.
What does this mean? Initially it means time and money are out of pocket. But the good news is that I believe this stigma is reversible. In the long run, if we campaign, if we teach, and if we set a higher standard, the benefits will far out way the costs. Let us as business professionals set a standard and pull together and make something of what we have been given.
Focusing on what actually helps your company instead of hinder its growth is an extremely hard task, but ultimately that task which will allow your company to succeed. Now I am not talking about success in the form where you are just padding your pockets. Success in my mind is changing peoples lives. Not only my employees lives, but the lives of the customers we build and re-build for.
So how do I focus on what really matters in the company? First, I select and place my employees in the position they are trained for and gifted in. Second and the most difficult, releasing yourself from doing their job.
Selecting the right employees:
1. Energy- Select Individuals that increase your energy not decrease your will to live. It is not a secret that some personalities connect, and others clash. Team building is about not only learning how to work together, but placing people together that can work together.
2. Passion- Do the people you work with have a passion for what they are doing? This shows not only at work, but to those we are working for and with.
3. Talent- Have you ever worked with someone that had the first two but not the last. It can be difficult to have a draftsmen on the team that has no ability to draft. Either place these individuals in another aspect of the business, or do the right thing and let them get on with life.
4. Experience- Now this category in my mind is not a must, but it can help especially in a leadership position.
5. Teachable- Probably the most important trait in becoming a true leader, a desire to learn.
Releasing yourself from doing their job:
1. Correct placement = Correct Results.
2. Releasing is not forgetting, instituting benchmarks and incentives can be great motivators and progress aids.
3. Continuing training is everything. Seeing outside everyones expertise and heading in new directions is completely necessary.
Do your job. Paint a picture of a target so that first and foremost there is a destination. Then select the arrows which you will put in place so that the bullseye is the most dangerous place to dally in front of.
There are so many things to write about, I apologize if I have been jumping around.
I need to focus 
