Tips for making your next big hire. Attacking the skilled labor shortage problem. Misconceptions about women in the trades. Misconceptions about millennials in construction.  

Episode #70 of The Construction Leading Edge podcast from www.constructionleadingedge.com is a conversation with Human Resources expert Luiza Mills, VP of Human Resources for a large electrical contractor in New England.

Topics you'll learn about in this construction podcast:

• Advice for making your next big hire.
• Unique strategies for solving the skilled labor shortage.
• Common misconceptions about women in the trades, and what we can co about it.
• How lean manufacturing methods can help the skilled labor shortage.
• What it means to have "internal customers."
• How do you keep millennials from leaving your company?

 

How you can get in touch with Luiza Mills:

Luiza's email: lmills(at)iesc1.com

Interstate Electrical Services website: www.iesc1.com

 

Resources mentioned in this construction podcast:

25 Point Construction Business Checkup

Hacks and Secrets for Construction Business Owners

How Construction Project Leaders Can Put "Empowered Execution" to Work for Them.

Why do architects and engineers leave out so many details?  What can you do if there is conflict between contractors and designers?  How do you solve this age old problem?

This episode of The Construction Leading Edge podcast is a conversation with Spencer Fullerton, who has the unique experience of being a consulting engineer and a construction superintendent.

Topics you'll hear about in this construction podcast episode:

• Why design details can get missed, or left out intentionally.
• Who actually does a lot of the detailed design?
• Why is there often animosity between contractors and designers?
• Two statements you can make that will build trust.
• The problem with specifying execution details, and why specifying end results is better.
• Strategies you can use to make your interactions with designers smoother.
• The problem with the old RFI process.
• Advice you should heed if you're starting your career in design or construction.

Resources you might be interested in:

Construction Business Owner Hacks - Click here to learn some powerful strategies used by successful construction business owners.

Inspire Your Team to See the Vision & Do Great Work - Learn how the principle of "Empowered Execution" can help you.

How to contact Spencer - spencerfullerton10(at)gmail.com

Friends are for weekends. The difference between doing the work and running a business. How to make the transition from the field to the office.

These are a few of the lessons that Roy Garner, owner of Eco Construction Services shares on this construction podcast episode.

Here's what else you'll learn from this construction podcast:

- What you need to know if you're in commercial work and considering residential, or vice versa.

- The mindset changes you need to make to be a business owner.

- Some surprises that you should prepare for if you're going out on your own.

- How Roy made the transition from working in the field every day, to running work from the office.

- What being a member of the Construction Business Accelerator program has done for Roy and his business.

 

Resources mentioned in this construction podcast:

The Construction Business Accelerator program

The E-Myth Contractor: Why Most Contractors' Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It

 

How to contact Roy Garner:

Eco Construction Services website - www.ecoconstructionservices.com

Roy's email address - roy(at)ecoconstructionservices.com

Eco Construction Services Facebook page

Get control of your cash flow - Maximize revenue - Sell better to sell more - Maximize personal productivity - Increase crew productivity...

These are a few of the Top 10 Things you can do if you own or manage a construction business, to make this the best year ever.

Here are the Top 10 Ways to Make This the Best Year Ever:

#1. Get control of your cash flow

- Poor cash flow is not a problem...it's a symptom of other problems.

A few strategies to improve your cash flow include...

- Reduce "opportunity cost."

- Figure out "invoicing gymnastics" to speed up payments

- Eliminate "ticket starvation" to make sure you get paid for 100% of the work you do.

 

#2. Maximize revenue

- Your business is a revenue generating machine that turns days into dollars.

A few strategies that will help you maximize revenue include...

- Identify your key revenue producing activities

- Figure out who your key revenue producing employees are

- Eliminate, Automate and Delegate

- Operate with a "Right to Left" mentality 

 

#3. Sell better...to sell more

- Understand the psychology of selling.

- Learn how to talk to customers about THEM...and not YOU.

- Get over your mindset issues related to selling

- Put systems in place

Go listen to Episode 38 and Episode 61 for more on selling.

 

#4. Maximize personal productivity

- Only do what only you can do.

- Outsource, delegate, automate, and eliminate

 

#5. Increase crew productivity

- Over invest in planning your work

- Understand how to motivate your people

- Create systems and processes to help them operate at peak efficiency.

- Help them make you more money

 

#6. Recruit and hire to build your business

- Determine the right time to hire.

- Create a job description.

- Find qualified candidates.

- Know how to interview them and find out the right information.

- Figure out a compensation package.

- Training and on-boarding process so they succeed.

 

#7. Harness the power of effective delegation

- You need to build leaders to grow your business.

- Stop being a micro-manager...just stop it!

- Get past the mindset issues preventing you from delegating.

- Learn how to be "end result" focused, instead of "how to" focused.

 

#8. Master the art of handling conflict

- Unresolved conflict is a productivity killer, causes lots of good people to go work elsewhere, and is a leading cause of business failure.

 

#9. Sharpen your planning skills

- Lincoln said, "Give me 6 hours to chop down a tree and I'll spend the first 4 hours sharpening the axe."

- Get better at planning for strategic business decisions, hiring, safety, revenue, profit, staffing...everything.

- Planning is solving problems in the future, before they happen.

 

#10. Learn how to build systems

- A business consists of a lot of repetitive tasks that need a consistent process in order to get consistent results.

- Many business activities are about the transfer of information, and you need to build consistent systems for doing so.

- Systems for time tracking, change orders, sales, training, and invoicing, are all key to building your business.

 

The Good News:

 

First - These are all skills that you can learn.

 

Second - The Construction Business Accelerator is designed to help you with all of them.

 

Click here to learn how the Construction Business Accelerator can help you make THIS YEAR...

Your BEST YEAR EVER.

 

Failure is a figment of your imagination. Resistance is a force that's trying desperately to keep things the same.

Welcome to The Construction Leading Edge podcast from www.constructionleadingedge.com.  The construction podcast for construction business owners and leaders.

What you'll learn about in this construction podcast episode:

• Why failure is a figment of your imagination.
• How you should think about failure
• What "Resistance" is, and its sole mission.
• An impossible construction project from a few thousand years ago.
• What you should expect Resistance to sound like when you try to accomplish something significant in your life or business.

Resources mentioned in this construction podcast episode:

PROJECT LEADER BOOT CAMP - For superintendents, project managers and project leaders who want to get to the next level.

CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS ACCELERATOR  - If you want to grow or start a construction business, I want to help you.

COACHING PROGRAM - If you want accelerated results, individual accountability and a customized plan to solve the specific challenges in your business...

CLICK HERE TO SCHEDULE YOUR FREE 30 MINUTE STRATEGY CALL