Construction Brothers

This is repost of one of our old favorites.If you want to stand out in business, don’t be a whiner. It’s a natural human tendency, for sure. That’s why avoiding it will help you stand out from the crowd. Whining wastes time and strains relationships. The more you can suck it up and do the work when circumstances are tough, the better things will go for you and those around you. Check out the partners that make our show possible. Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

Today we're revisiting a conversation we had with Fouad Khalil in October of 2023. Fouad is the founder of and Principal at Modly, a modular construction consultancy that provides the building and real estate sector with market research, feasibility analysis and advisory services. Today he’s here to share some leadership insights.We jump right into the conversation today with some talk about liability. Tyler asks Fouad to repeat what he had explained in an earlier conversation.Fouad says that your insurance carrier will tell you…-Don’t say, “It will be done this way.”-Don’t get on the job site and direct other teams’ workers on how to do their job.When you do these things, you’re taking on liability.Eddie points out that general contractors get trained to shed liability. This leads to gray areas within the hand-off territory where information degradation occurs. Tyler mentions that some schools are unable to implement shop programs because of insurance costs.5:03 - Sweden and Building Robust TeamsFouad shares about his experience working on a project in Sweden. He recounts a conversation about potential leaks on structural wood components on the building. The answer about potential leaks was, “We’ll work on the solution together.”Fouad shares about the critical path and lead times. He talks about schedule compression and how every single step in the process can become critical. A shortage of screws can result in a whole project coming to a standstill. He mentions the insights he gained from the book Managing the Unexpected. This book focuses on high-reliability organizations like air-traffic control, NASA, etc. In manufacturing, you can burn through your cash in no time. Efficiency is everything. Fouad wanted to apply this knowledge in his clients’ projects.Fouad talks about the need for humility and honesty in regard to the planning fallacy. We underestimate. 20:36 - Key Lessons from the book We asked Fouad here today to discuss some of the lessons he learned from a book he mentioned to us recently. The book is Managing the Unexpected by Karl E. Weick and Kathleen M. Sutcliffe.Here are the five traits that the authors saw in high-reliability organizations:Operational sensitivityPreoccupation with failureReluctance to simplifyCommitment to resilienceDeference to expertiseWe expand upon each of these briefly. Fouad quotes Churchill: “Plans are useless, but planning is essential.” Eddie discusses the confusion he felt when his college coach told him to work at 90%. His point was to be deliberate and have a reserve. Maintain a buffer. Fouad explains that these principles apply to managing crews of any size. If you don’t manage thoughtfully in these respects, your best people are going to burn out. He gives examples about how to institute quiet times throughout the day when there will be no meetings. Eddie talks about creative use of red Solo cups in the office. 33:20 - Debriefing to Avoid Repetition of the Same FailuresTyler asks Fouad to explain how effective review of failures can ensure improved performance going forward. He talks about the importance of categorizing and analyzing the failures. He refers to various historical failures that were addressed thoughtfully. Eddie connects this to recognition of safety failures even if those don't lead to serious injuries. We also discuss how the principle plays out in relationships with contractors who try to downplay mess-ups. 43:04 - Recognizing the ExpertsFouad talks about the distribution of responsibility in specific situations to the people most capable of making the best decision. It’s not about staying loyal to a flow chart. If the lower-ranking person is in a better position to make the judgment, let them make the judgment. Then hand that authority back to the conventionally in-charge figure once the situation has been addressed. It’s about dynamic teams.One more time, here’s the book Fouad brought to our attention today: Managing the Unexpected.Find Fouad Online: LinkedIN Check out the partners that make our show possible.Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening

Despite Tyler’s apathy toward football, today Eddie is encouraging us with a football analogy: stay in the pocket. He explains that the quarterback who trusts his offensive line can examine his options while standing confidently within the pocket. When you’re looking to move the ball down the field, you might be tempted to run off to the side or run backward to an area that looks so peacefully empty. This almost always ends badly. Hang in there and keep surveying your options.Tyler translates this analogy to pickleball. When you’re tempted to slam it from the kitchen, it’s usually better to just keep it going. Step into the hardship. Stay in that pocket. Check out the partners that make our show possible.Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

Nick, an owner's rep for an automotive group, discusses the importance of collaboration in construction projects. He shares insights on paying more for the correct design professionals and the challenges of design delays. The podcast highlights the need for detailed plans, efficient communication, and investing in quality design for successful outcomes.

Eddie’s been reading The Comfort Crisis, and from that he brings us this insight: “Hunger is the best sauce.”He shares about his recent trip to the NASCC and an “exquisite” meal he had there. They didn’t go high-end, but it still tasted outstanding simply because they were so dang hungry. Hunger sharpens the olfactory senses. Doing without something can make you really appreciate it when it returns. If you’re going through a dry spell, Eddie encourages you to be okay with that. Consider how much you’ll appreciate things when the tide turns. Hunger is the best sauce.Check out the partners that make our show possible.Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

We start out today with some swag talk and a chat about some recent opportunities to meet listeners. (Note: Of course historicity is a word. Dictionary.com’s definition is “historical authenticity.”) 03:50 - The Panama Canal There’s so much to discuss on this massive construction project. First, though, we insist on a deep dive on our Keurig machine.Then we get to some specs: Parcel of land: 10 miles wide and 50 miles long85 feet elevation change from sea level to highest pointAvg. ship transit time: 8-10 hrs300,000,000 cubic yards of earth moved in project52 million gallons of water displaced for each transit (That’s about 742,857 bathtubfuls–roughly the amount of water that passes through Hoover Dam every 14 minutes)Cut the ocean-going distance from NY to LA from 13,000 miles to 5,200 milesSome calculations put the total construction fatalities at 500 lives for each mile of canal. (Total of around 25,600).  We discuss the history of Panamanian isthmus exploration by those who were interested in sea navigation. In 1513, Spanish explorer Balboa became the first European to realize that this area was a narrow isthmus b/t Atlantic and Pacific oceans. This eventually led to exploration for a navigable passage. Then in 1534, Charles V, the Holy Roman emperor, ordered a survey to determine if a route could be built. It is considered impossible. By 1881, France decided that indeed it was possible, so they began construction. That attempt led to more than 20,000 deaths–mostly from Caribbean islands such as Antigua, Barbados and Jamaica.13:06 - Lock History and the Labor ForceEddie runs us through the history of locks, which started in China and included some input from Leonardo DaVinci. Approximately 60,000 people were involved in the American construction project. White workers got the best jobs and the best lodging. Workers died at the incomprehensible rate of 500 for every mile of construction. Many of these deaths were due to disease, but many were also due to mudslides and a range of other predictable types of accidents. 19:09 - New Tools and Chief Engineers We discuss a couple of innovations that made this project possible: The track-shifter (Watch a video clip): huge crane-like machine could hoist a whole section of track–rails and ties–and swing it in either direction, to relocate it as much as 3 m at a time. It took less than a dozen men operating one day to move 1.6 km of track, a task requiring not less than 600 men.The dirt-spreader (See a pic): A car operated by compressed air, the dirt-spreader had steel "wings" on each side that could be raised and lowered to level off material left along the track by the unloader. Did the work of approximately 6000 men working by hand.Eddie lists the men who worked in the chief engineer role and the big money that they earned–more than any other public employee other than the president. The one who finally stuck around to finish the project was George Washington Goethals, who had no choice because he was assigned to this role as an Army general.  27:30 - Economic Impact and Other Takeaways We explore the economic impact of the canal. Shipping costs for goods that would have needed to pass south of South America immediately dropped by 31%. This leads to a discussion of the drought that has caused complications in the canal since last year. We touch on the huge impact caused when shipping lanes are shut down, including the recent bridge collapse in Baltimore.Tyler mentions the fact that automation has been in the works since even this era and we discuss the efforts that were made in regard to personnel management–allowing families to stay near the work sites and providing some of the workers with generous vacation time.Check out the partners that make our show possible.Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

(This is a re-air of an episode originally released last September.)Tyler’s been doing some training lately. Eddie has been both working out and listening to ultra-runner Nick Bare’s podcast.Nick talks about running a 230-mile ultra-marathon. Tyler and Eddie are not doing that.During COVID, Eddie was set to run a marathon that ended up being canceled. The Campbell family stepped up and set up a one-man race. When he hit 16 miles, he hit a wall. He was determined not to quit in front of his kids, so he focused on just finishing the next mile. Then the next mile. Then the next mile.We all hit those walls. Sometimes you simply can’t take the long view. You just need to focus on the very next step. Slowly you’ll gather momentum. Eventually you’ll realize that you’re just three miles out. Then two. Then one. Then you’re done. Just do the next mile.Check out the partners that make our show possible.  Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

00:00 - The Founding of GPRS Today we welcome Matt Aston. Matt is the founder of GPRS. Although that is an acronym for ground-penetrating radar systems, the company does much more than that these days. Matt started his company in 2001, and now they employ almost 800 people in 54 cities. We discuss the ground-penetrating radar equipment. Matt walks us through some basics about how this equipment uses magnetic variations to help users create a map of the underground infrastructure. When he was starting GPRS, most of his work involved taking readings in concrete–sensing rebar, anchors, etc. As time passed, they shifted toward working with utility contractors before excavations. Matt shares about his dad’s drilling and cutting business in Toledo and how a softball injury forced him to restructure his business. This led to substantial growth that led to a business he might have been interested in taking over. 06:08 - Building a Business on Young Technology, Equipment Overview Matt tells us about an early experience with the stress of the ground-penetrating radar business. On his way to the equipment-training session he was a little scared. On the way home, he was really scared. Eddie asks Matt to talk through ground-penetrating radar tools. He talks through the tools and the process that has enabled his team to reach a 99.87% accuracy record. It involves baby-buggy-like carts and converting screen data to the paint on the ground. A few GPR antennas, a couple for underground and one specifically for concrete. Then there are a few specialized tools, including the handheld wands and sewer cameras. The sewer cameras, along with a few other tools, enable the company to now provide leak-detection services. 15:33 - Training ProgramsMatt shares about his company’s training programs. Matt explains that they now have 3 full-time trainers. These veteran project managers conduct their training in a facility with a custom-built floor full of all kinds of wire, pipes, and conduit. They also have a simulated gas station complete with tanks. Tyler asks Matt to share about his company’s Trump Tower project in Chicago. This involved a demo and then some code upgrades. This required extensive time-consuming retrofits. He recounts a couple other incredibly ambitious projects. We discuss the increasing sensitivity and precision of the equipment involved. Matt shares about a time when he had to break some unfortunate news with the owners of a scientific facility where the concrete hadn’t been poured to the proper thickness.  29:50 - Unusual Projects and Big-City ProjectsTyler asks Matt to share about some of the unorthodox jobs they’ve been called to do. Matt shares a story about a mysterious old site where the client was looking for a large metal container. GPRS has even located a few murder victims. He’s not confirming that one of them was Jimmy Hoffa, but he’s not denying it either. Matt tells a few examples of the interesting variety of locations that this work takes his teams. He gives an example of one crew working in DC who was taken by the National Park Service to scan the lawn at the White House. 37:24 - Entrepreneurship Tyler asks Matt to talk about growing his business. Matt shares about early hires and the challenges of ensuring that the income exceeds the outflow. He discusses decisions that were especially influential, and he shares his thoughts about the role of the companies’ CEOs in both successes and failures. As your company grows, Matt says, your potential also grows.   Matt recounts the stages of growth and the points at which you sense shifts in your perception of the business and your role in it. He set some ambitious goals and has found that they’re achievable. He mentions the role that Toledo’s size played in setting his company on a path for growth.Eddie and Matt compare notes on business-growth rewards and challenges. Matt shares about an unsettling conversation he had with a contractor who wanted to avoid knowing in advance about underground elements because he made more money when his equipment damaged them and then he needed to repair them. They agree that it’s all about “meeting the need.” 59:13 - Matt’s Megaphone MessageWe are capable of so, so much more than we realize. The world around us makes it really easy to be average. If you just show up and do what you said you were going to, you’re already above average. But if you push yourself, you can move into that elite category. Find your why. You can be an elite performer. Find Matt on LinkedInCheck out the partners that make our show possible.Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening

It’s not worth it. You want to sleep at night.Manipulation sometimes comes in the form of straight-up lying, but it also sometimes comes in half-truths, intimidation. Sometimes it even comes in the form of donuts (although we won’t complain too hard about that one). Be a straight shooter. Not only will it keep you from being found out; it will also make life more pleasant for you. Word of mouth is big in the construction industry. Your reputation will precede you. Be the person who shows up when you say you’re going to show up. Take care of problems.  Check out the partners that make our show possible.Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening!

We start out today by considering placing bets on the Sawzall next door, which of course leads us to reflect on our experience with high school bookies. 02:25 - A Full House of SpecsTyler mentions that his first exposure to the Golden Gate Bridge was in the opening to Full House. Then we dive into some specs: The bridge’s span between towers is 4200 feet.The towers reach 746’ height above the water.Each tower weighs 22,000 tons.The total length of the bridge is 1.7 miles.80,000 miles of steel wire were used to –enough to wrap around the earth 3 times.  1 million rivetsWe discuss the old-school rivets and a condition that developed among riveters. When the primer paint came into contact with the still-hot rivets, they’d release fumes that led to an odd collection of symptoms. Eddie recalls his first trip over the bridge to Muir Woods, where the Ewok scenes in Star Wars were filmed. Tyler thought about taking a similar trip but lacked confidence in the range of his rented electric vehicle.   09:06 - Joseph StraussEddie leads us into a conversation about Joseph Strauss, who headed up the construction of the bridge. Tyler goes bleepy in his review of Strauss’s character. Strauss tended to be a little praise-hungry, tending to brush aside the contributions of others who made substantial contributions to the bridge’s design and construction. We discuss Strauss’s Renaissance-man range of interests and his death soon after the bridge’s completion. Eddie admires Strauss’s idea of creating a scale model of the bridge during the building process.  13:24 - Historical Comparisons, Objections, Divers, etc. We discuss the history of suspension bridges and the unique challenges of constructing a bridge over this particular waterway. Eddie recounts the history of interest in building a bridge that would save massive travel time. A drive around this bay at today’s travel speeds would take 3 hours. He lists the various parties that objected to the bridge’s construction–everything from environmentalists to citizens worried about the naval fleet being prevented from reaching the ocean. (And, of course, you can imagine how worked up the ferrymen were.)Tyler discusses the crucial contributions of the construction divers in those old-school diving suits. We discuss the tasks they completed and the risks they took. 29:00 - Safety Performance, Cables, and AI We express our amazement at the fact that only 11 people died during this project. Considering the safety standards of the day, that was pretty impressive–especially considering the fact that 10 of those deaths occurred in the same incident. That means that if that incident hadn’t occurred, there would have been only a single death in a project completed when some decision-makers considered it acceptable to have one death per million dollars spent on a project. We wonder if part of the reason for that safety was hard hats, which were required for the first time on this project. We review the specs related to the massive cables–up to 3 feet in diameter–that both support the bridge and allow it to flex. These big projects created necessities that mothered inventions. Eddie returns to the topic of naysayers and how we approach the decisions to tackle large projects. We ponder the cost-benefit analyses done with projects like this as they relate to environmental concerns. Tyler connects the learning that occurred and the travel patterns that shifted as a result of the Golden Gate Bridge. He links these considerations to our current perspective on AI. 32:50 - Destination StructuresWe discuss the cool feelings that come with the construction of projects that have enough of a presence in the national consciousness that people travel just to see them. Tyler says the Great Wall of China is one that he’d like to see. Eddie would like to go up in the St. Louis Arch and to see the Space Needle as well as the Taj Mahal. He’d also love to visit some ancient ones.  This prompts us to reflect a bit–thinking that we need to take the time to appreciate the way that people use the things we build. Appreciate the fact that you’re making a difference in people’s daily lives. If you’re interested in learning more about the Golden Gate Bridge and its construction, check out these sources: The RivetsVideo clips of the riveting process 1960s mini-documentary Pics of underwater workersCable picsPics of south tower “bathtub”History Channel Modern Marvels episodeCheck out the partners that make our show possible.Find Us Online: BrosPodcast.com - LinkedIn - Youtube - Instagram - Facebook - TikTok - Eddie's LinkedIn - Tyler's LinkedInIf you enjoy the podcast, please rate us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to us! Thanks for listening