Construction Genius

Resource Links: A free copy of my Kick-Ass Meeting Report (https://www.ericanderton.com/kickassmeetings) Let's Talk Shop Podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lets-talk-shop/id1462173868) Western Allied Mechanical Inc. Website (http://westernallied.com/) Sheet Metal & Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association Website (https://www.smacna.org/) The past two decades have witnessed major crises affecting the whole country - 9/11, the 2008 global financial crisis, and the most recent one being the COVID-19 pandemic. Business leaders are faced with the challenge to rise up and lead optimistically during this period of uncertainty over everything that's going on (which is not an easy feat) towards the future where things will be back to normal. In this episode, we have Angie Simon, President of Western Allied Mechanical. She shares with us how she is navigating through this crisis as a leader and how they are addressing the issues regarding the changes that they have to implement in a period like this. Our discussion is one that provides encouragement especially because it's evident how she is leading her company optimistically even in the midst of this crisis. If you're looking for that 1% inspiration to remain positive and lead optimistically, I highly recommend that you tune in to this episode. What's Discussed In This Episode: Angie's perspective on the three major crises [3:38] How varied age groups reacted to changes in the company due to the crisis [7:31] Struggles that Angie's company is facing in this crisis [8:07] Communication inside the company to address additional safety issues [9:15] Dealing with isolation woes [11:00] How the leadership is navigating their way through this crisis into the future [13:23] Observations regarding the remote work scheme [14:34] Changes in communication rhythms due to the crisis [15:50] The role of a company's core culture in a crisis [16:44] Navigating the crisis as a union contractor [18:01] The balance between empathy and the need for productivity [19:08] Framework for scenario planning of this crisis [20:31] What decisions were made during the crisis that prove useful in the future [22:02] Supporting and interacting with clients [23:02] The good things that are coming out of this crisis [24:04] Connecting with industry partners and competition [25:24] Cementing employee relationships in a time of crisis [26:45] What Angie has discovered about herself in this crisis [28:49] Shows Angie has watched during the lockdown [30:03] Alternative ways Angie has reached out and helped contractors in this crisis [31:43] Angie's pollyanna principle [33:32] About the Guest: Angie has led Western Allied Mechanical as President since 2009, and has been with the company for three decades. During this time, she has served as visionary, spokesperson and role model for the entire WAM team, and the industry in general. A proud supporter of women in the workplace, she has championed many programs aimed at creating opportunities for women to succeed in many sectors of the business. As a testament to this, 40% of WAM employees are women. In 2019, Angie became President of the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors National Association (SMACNA), furthering her influence in our industry. Connect with me on LinkedIn. For more podcast episodes, you may also visit my website. Tune in and subscribe to the Construction Genius: A Leadership Master-Class Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. Thank you for tuning in!

Resource Links: A free copy of my Kick-Ass Meeting Report (https://www.ericanderton.com/kickassmeetings) Book Recommendations: Who by Geoff Smart Traction by Gino Wickman Good to Great by Jim Collins Snowball by Warren Buffet With the average turnover rate being 38% to 40%, construction companies are experiencing a struggle of finding good talent in the industry resulting in company growth being put to a halt. Any successful company can say that success is a team effort and not just a one-man show. People are our most valuable assets but attracting the right talent does not just happen without strategies in place. In this episode I talk with Justin White, the President of K&D Landscaping. He shares how his company has managed to reduce the turnover rate to 18% by a shift in mindset that led to the mirroring of marketing and sales strategies that they use with clients. He provides concrete examples of tactics that worked for them and how they make sure that they don't just hire the right talent but keep them. The points discussed in this episode can serve as an eye-opener to construction business owners. If you are excited about getting the right talent but clueless on what steps to take to go about it, then this episode is definitely for you. What's Discussed In This Episode: What Justin's company is focusing on this year [3:06] How dilution of talent impacts company growth and client experience [3:36] Effective strategies to attract good talent [4:26] Applying the marketing mindset to attract talent [4:59] Marketing in the hiring perspective [6:14] Community outreach as a marketing strategy [9:03] Justin shares hiring methods that did not work out for them [11:46] Phone interviews [14:18] The hiring manager [17:04] 1st in-person interviews [19:12] 2nd in-person interviews [21:29] The screening process The 'hire slow' methodology [23:08] Use of assessments [24:53] Onboarding: The '90-day' period after the hire [27:18] What happens when you hire the wrong person [29:36] How to mitigate employees having negative leverage over the employer [33:12] The importance of getting in touch with applicants right away [35:52] Why employees should be top priority [38:30] Wrap-up of discussion [39:24] About the Guest: Justin White is the President of K&D Landscaping a full-service construction and maintenance landscape company located in Santa Cruz, California. Connect with me on LinkedIn. For more podcast episodes, you may also visit my website. Tune in and subscribe to the Construction Genius: A Leadership Master-Class Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. Thank you for tuning in!

Resource links: Free copy of Kick-ass meeting report (www.ericanderton.com/kickassmeetings) Have you ever been in a position where someone has leverage over you? They have the power to influence your decisions, often against your will. Employees having leverage is a struggle most business owners have faced, especially in the construction industry. You may not want to be confrontational about it, preferring to shrug it off. Unfortunately, this usually doesn't work and it can bring more harm, robbing you of the joy and the freedom of running your business. In today's podcast, I will give you examples of leverage and discuss the impacts negative leverage has on business owners and companies as a whole. I also seek to provide you with practical advice on how leverage situations can be avoided. If you are a business owner struggling in this area, may this podcast give you that 1% inspiration you need to face this problem head-on. What's Discussed in this Episode: A recount of my personal experience on negative leverage [1:06] How business owners are affected by an employee's leverage over them [3:01] The five examples of leverage [4:20] The impact of negative leverage on your company [17:28] Practical ways to avoid leverage situations [20:16] A challenge to business owners [23:17] Connect with me on LinkedIn. For more podcast episodes, you may also visit my website. Tune in and subscribe to the Construction Genius: A Leadership Master-Class Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. Thank you for tuning in!

Resource Links: A free copy of my Kick-Ass Meeting Report (https://www.ericanderton.com/kickassmeetings) Millennials are now the largest generational cohort in the workplace, and it's great to have them! They have the reputation of being lazy, and unwilling to communicate "man-to-man", but I think that's overblown. I know many Millennials who are extremely talented, and deeply committed to the construction industry, and I'm looking forward to seeing them lead the industry for the next three or four decades. In today's episode, we have construction lifer, Preston Hoopes, who talks about succeeding in a multi-generational environment through the combination of drive and humility. He also shares key insights that could help young people develop their careers. If you're a young professional looking to start a career in construction, or a Gen Xer or baby boomer curious to hear more about this Millennial, tune in to this episode now. What's Discussed In This Episode: The reputation of millennials in construction [02:30] How are millennials impacting the industry? [03:32] How Preston got into construction [04:56] Overcoming the struggles of being the CEO's son [07:08] How to motivate the younger generation [08:58] Differences in maturity and commitment [10:52] The rookie mistakes Preston made [13:51] What Preston looks for in a mentor [15:42] Stepping into a leadership role [16:33] Deciding to get an MBA and what it taught him [17:46] Challenges of being more people-focused [20:38] Handling a multi-generational team [21:45] The key difference of a high performing team [23:38] Managing long agendaless meetings [24:48] The challenges to developing leaders [26:13] How Preston checks his ego [28:38] The future of the construction industry [30:00] Preston's advice to young project engineers [32:37] The rotation system in their company [33:21] How to become a sales-oriented construction professional [34:32] Preston's favorite restaurant [35:22] About Our Guest: Preston Hoopes is an operations manager for Swinerton, a multi-billion dollar construction company. He followed in his father's footsteps into the construction business and faced the struggles of the expectations that came with his last name. Eventually, he was able to prove himself and become a successful leader. Connect with me on LinkedIn. For more podcast episodes, you may also visit my website. Tune in and subscribe to the Construction Genius: A Leadership Master-Class Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. Thank you for tuning in!

Resource Links: A free copy of my Kick-Ass Meeting Report (https://www.ericanderton.com/kickassmeetings) Andrew's Web Site: The Center for Executive Coaching (https://www.centerforexecutivecoaching.com/) Books: Coach!: The Crucial, Deceptively Simple Leadership Skill For Breakaway Performance, Andrew Neitlich With the coronavirus pandemic affecting our economy, a lot of businesses have found themselves unprepared. We may have not seen it coming, but when there are good times, there are also bad times. We may consider this as a lesson learned. However, things are just getting started and the industry needs leaders to rise up and take charge. Luckily, we have a mentor here to teach us. In this episode, Andrew and I have a deep conversation on how to become an effective leader in the construction industry. He gives us practical insights on leading during and through a crisis and preparing your company for the next one. Whether you're the business owner or part of the executive team, you are a leader of your organization. So tune in to this episode now. What's Discussed In This Episode: Why we're unprepared for a crisis [02:00] How Andrew helps companies prepare [03:10] Ego, results, and relationships in business [05:15] Maximizing cash flow [06:39] Good frameworks for scenario planning [08:18] Opportunities during the crisis [10:29] How employees should be treated during a crisis [13:50] Crisis as an opportunity to capture talent [15:14] Preparing for meetings during times of pressure [17:05] The importance of role-playing for improving impact [19:34] Characteristics of high performing leaders in times of crisis [22:57] How middle managers can rise up [25:04] Getting ready for the next crisis [29:42] Self-awareness and making a business independent [31:55] About Our Guest: Andrew Neitlich is the Director of the Center for Executive Coaching. He is the author of the new book, Coach!, which talks about creating a culture of coaching in your organization. Connect with me on LinkedIn. For more podcast episodes, you may also visit my website. Tune in and subscribe to the Construction Genius: A Leadership Master-Class Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. Thank you for tuning in!

Resource Links: A free copy of my Kick-Ass Meeting Report (https://www.ericanderton.com/kickassmeetings) 90 High-Performance Dashboard (https://www.ericanderton.com/90day) "Kick-Ass Meetings" e-book (https://www.ericanderton.com/kam) More on the E.A.R. leadership framework, watch this video: Grab Your E.A.R.! How to Master Leadership Communication (https://youtu.be/SmThNUWzo8A) Books: Man's Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, Carol Dweck True leaders rise up in challenging times. It's quite easy to feel anxious and helpless, especially as the world is facing an uncertain future. But turbulent times present opportunities that construction leaders should seize. It's difficult when you realize you have little control over the things happening and the impact of the coronavirus on the world. But there are still things you have control over, and those are the very things you should focus on now. In today's episode, you're going to hear a recording of a recent webinar I hosted on three ways construction leaders can stay calm and seize opportunities in turbulent times. If you're ready to take on the challenge we're facing right now, tune in to this episode. What's Discussed In This Episode: What is the purpose of these challenges? [06:04] What are things you have no control, some control, and total control? [09:01] Leadership lessons in the past and applying them now [11:13] Adopting a growth mindset and not a fixed mindset [13:37] Staying calm in the midst of a storm [17:15] Tips for controlling your emotions [19:41] The edge that makes a difference [22:51] My 90 day leadership dashboard [25:39] Cultivating and projecting optimism [28:44] The EAR (Encouragement, Accountability, Recognition) framework [32:08] Problem solving, building plans, and seizing opportunities [34:58] The meeting process to use during challenging times [35:42] Building an action plan [42:20] Connect with me on LinkedIn. For more podcast episodes, you may also visit my website. Tune in and subscribe to the Construction Genius: A Leadership Master-Class Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. Thank you for tuning in!

Resource Links: A free copy of my Kick-Ass Meeting Report (https://www.ericanderton.com/kickassmeetings) Original Joe's Italian Restaurant Website (https://www.sanjoseoriginaljoes.com/) Being in the construction business often involves working in the field for long hours. However, if you want to grow your business, there are many areas you need to work on that doesn't involve building projects. Scaling up a construction business is a process that takes time and a commitment to grow not just in terms of sales, but also relationships. In today's episode, we chat with Shone Freeman, who shares with us the sacrifices he has made to grow his custom framing business and the shift in his mindset from building projects to building people. If you're a company planning on taking your business to a larger scale, tune in to this episode now. What's Discussed In This Episode: What sets them apart? [02:22] What led Shone to choose to do custom homes? [03:11] Sacrifices and scaling up the business [04:14] Continuous development and learning [08:28] Managing relationships with general contractors and homeowners [10:13] The challenge in communication [12:09] The impact of a great mentor [13:13] The struggles of running a business [14:34] Structuring days to maximize leadership impact [16:33] Finding a sense of accomplishment in building people [18:36] Tips for growing your company [23:03] About Our Guest: Shone Freeman is the President of S.R. Freeman, a residential custom framing company out of the Bay Area. Being in business for the past 30 years, they have over 200 employees and make tens of millions of dollars in revenue annually. Connect with me on LinkedIn. For more podcast episodes, you may also visit my website. Tune in and subscribe to the Construction Genius: A Leadership Master-Class Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. Thank you for tuning in!

We're facing a unique circumstance this year as the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis has led to more people working from home and the shut down of school districts in the middle of the school year. For most parents, this means they're attempting to get their kids to do their schoolwork at home. This can be deeply challenging, so we will step away a bit from the general focus of our podcast and tackle a topic that I have some extensive background in. In today's episode, I'm going to give you some tips for homeschooling your kids to keep them productive as much as possible. My wife and I have been homeschooling our kids since 2009. While we're not perfect, we have some experience to share that you might find helpful. If you're looking for that 1% of inspiration to help you during this trying time, then this episode is right for you. What's Discussed in This Episode: Space: Giving each kid their own space for studying [03:00] Schedule: Having a regular schedule [04:12] Sports: Set plenty of time for physical activities or exercise [04:51] Sweats: Dress them in clothes that set their mindset for studying [05:43] Screens: Limit their screen time or time playing video games [06:30] Sweep: Give them extra chores [07:41] Spats: Be slow to anger when your kids fight [08:25] Sleep: Give them as much opportunity to sleep as possible [9:38] Spouse: Be on the same page as your spouse [10:26] Connect with me on LinkedIn. For more podcast episodes, you may also visit my website. Tune in and subscribe to the Construction Genius: A Leadership Master-Class Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. Thank you for tuning in!

Some employees don't have the guts to talk to their superiors about sensitive things that may or may not make a difference. On the other hand, some leaders make it impossible for employees to reach out by making themselves unapproachable—though at most times, unintended. It's imperative to understand that teamwork is all about communication. When communication stops, everything falls apart. Being someone of power in your business, you need to make sure that communication is flawless. In today's episode, I will discuss with you the dangers of speaking truth to power, benefits of speaking truth to power, and how senior leaders can encourage speaking truth to power. If your aim is to lead your team into a higher level of communication, then this episode is for you. What's Discussed In This Episode: Dangers of speaking truth to power [06:07] What will they think of me? [07:14] How to handle this kind of fear [07:54] Benefits of speaking truth to power [11:11] Living with a good conscience? [11:31] Will I be appreciated? [12:17] How senior leaders can encourage speaking truth to power [13:44] You like to be right. [15:20] How do you come across to others? [16:40] Am I worthy of speaking truth to power? [19:13] How to speak up the chains of command [25:22] Do your best to adapt [25:22] Connect with me on LinkedIn. For more podcast episodes, you may also visit my website. Tune in and subscribe to the Construction Genius: A Leadership Master-Class Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher.

Have you ever thought of transitioning your business over to new management in a way that you still have enough control to make a difference, but do less of the tasks that you do as an owner? An effective succession plan can be tricky. Thinking of how much blood, sweat and tears you've shed for your business to grow and to just hand it over to someone else is a tough decision to make. Knowing how to put a solid succession plan in place before you begin is crucial. In today's episode, Walt Stahl shares with us his thoughts, wins and struggles as he transitions his business to his A-Team, even gifting portions of the business to them. If you are thinking of creating a succession plan, then this episode is for you. What's Discussed In This Episode: How is Walt's company currently structured? [05:16] What action is Walt taking for the transition of his company? What is the underlying foundation of the value of his company? [08:19] How do you transition the company internally to your team? [09:55] Why is Walt gifting parts of his business? [12:10] What are the conflicts Walt has experienced with regards to gifting parts of his business? [12:54] What are the biggest challenges that Walt has encountered so far with this transition process? [16:23] How did Walt talk about the difference in ownership proportion with his team? [17:40] What is the first thing Walt had to do as he was putting this succession plan in place? [20:05] How did Walt decide who the next leader is? [21:47] Were assessments done to choose the next leader? [24:15] When do you go from observation to intervention mode? [25:50] When did he reach the point when he decided that it's time to transition the company to another leader? [27:23] How did he work on struggling to let go of his business? [30:34] What is that one thing that Walt is focused on to make the process as healthy as possible? [34:51] What is he doing to ensure that the transition will go as planned? [35:48] Should you be thinking of your succession plan today? [39:08] About our Guest: Walt Stahl is an experienced President with a demonstrated history of working in the management consulting industry. Skilled in Land Development, Plumbing, Value Engineering, Cost Management, and Contractors. A strong business development professional with an MPA focused in Public Administration from USC. The Stahl Companies has been a leading force in healthcare construction management for two decades, thanks to the guidance of its founder Walt Stahl. As the Chief Compliance Officer for OSHPD, Walt Stahl provided a critical link between the healthcare industry and government regulators. When Walt Stahl left OSHPD, he wanted to put the insider knowledge he had gained to good use and founded The Stahl Companies to help the industry he had faithfully served for 15 years. When he is not at work Walt Stahl enjoys spending time with his family. He also loves riding his Harley-Davidson Road King Classic in the state of Montana, indulging himself with what nature has to offer. Connect with me on LinkedIn. For more podcast episodes, you may also visit my website. Tune in and subscribe to the Construction Genius: A Leadership Master-Class Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. Thank you for tuning in!