What Is Your Must-do Role?

by marika_gabriel | 3 November 2023 11:00 am

[1]Do you know what winning effective construction company leaders do not do? They do not do! They spend much of their time primarily focusing their energy on the single most important must-do role (MDR), function, duty, and responsibility that provides the biggest return for their company. What role or function will make your company the most money, generate the highest revenue, produce perfect work, increase your equity, or produce the best possible results? Is it managing projects, scheduling crews, negotiating with subcontractors and suppliers, or reminding employees what to do every day? None of these roles is the number one function that will deliver the big long-term results you want.

Determine your MDR

To get you focused on performing the right role starts with determining the most important MDR required to produce the highest results for your company. Then, the company leader must make this their primary role and responsibility.

To achieve the company strategic vision and goals, the owner employs a group of professionals to run the business operations efficiently. This company management team comprises professionals accountable and responsible to build and coach a winning team; hire, manage, and train the best players available; develop winning strategies and game plans; handle all the player personnel requirements; manage the logistics, facilities, travel, and management details; develop a marketing and sales plan to maximize revenue; manage the finances; and produce a return on investment for shareholders.

What function or responsibility is the most important to the success of the company? Without proactive sales, there is not enough high margin revenue. Without professional accounting and finance, the money gets out of control. Without operational efficiency, the company will not deliver results. And without a winning game strategy, the company will not make any money. If the company does not make a financial return, the company will not have funds to attract and keep the best players to win. So, what is the most important function the owner needs to make sure that happens?

For a construction business, the MDR might be producing efficient quality workmanship; building a strong management team; winning lots of work; finding great people; or maintaining profit margins or safety; or finishing projects on time. What do you think is your top-priority MDR?

What results do you want?

In your company, the same question is relevant. What is the number 1 MDR that must effectively operate at the highest performance level to reach your company goals and achieve the results you want? To determine your MDR, first decide what overall results you want as a company:

• Growth
• Volume
• Equity
• High net profit
• Management team
• Estimating
• Employees
• Customers
• Project results
• Long-term investments
• Your role

Prioritize your MDR

Next, rank—in order of importance—the following functions and responsibilities you perceive are the highest priority activity your company must perform continually to achieve the best possible results and produce the highest return:

• Build an accountable management team.
• Manage people to achieve results.
• Develop and enforce company systems.
• Build a great place to work.
• Find, keep, and train great people.
• Build projects on time and on budget.
• Provide safe and effective production.
• Eliminate profit-fade.
• Produce quality workmanship.
• Professionally manage projects.
• Perform proactive field supervision.
• Maintain top subcontractors and suppliers.
• Innovate with cutting-edge technology.
• Prepare accurate estimates.
• Know and track your numbers.
• Implement professional financial management and controls.
• Be an industry or niche leader.
• Acquire high margin revenue.
• Be the lowest bidder to win work.
• Develop loyal customer relationships.

Rank these roles, activities, or functions in order of importance that would contribute the most to your company’s overall success. After you have ranked the most important one, whittle down the list to the top five that must be performed—no matter what. Now for the hard part. Reduce the list to your company’s top three roles that must be focused on first.

Commit to your MDR

If you are the company owner or president, select one or two of these top three roles, functions, and responsibilities you will be accountable and responsible for accomplishing as your top-priority MDR. To build, grow, and maintain a successful company, you must invest the most time performing these primary roles before you do any other activity or task as the leader. If you are another key manager in your company, do the same and select the top two roles you must primarily focus on to be the leader in this area of responsibility for your company.

How will you get everything else done?

When you do not focus on the top one or two roles that will deliver the highest return for your company, your business will never grow beyond mediocre and continue to produce below-average results. When you are personally out of control, make too many decisions for everyone else, and do not let go of low-priority activities you should not be doing, you will never have the time to do what you should be doing. Continue to do too much yourself and you will continue to produce the same results you are currently getting. Decide to let go, delegate, and hold people accountable to perform tasks you should not be doing, and your company will finally get moving toward the next level of success.

Now, what is your MDR, and what will you do to make it your top priority?

George Hedley, CPBC, is a certified professional construction BIZCOACH and top industry speaker. To get his free e-newsletter, start a personalized coaching program, attend his webinars and workshops, or get a discount at www.hardhatbizschool.com[2] online university for contractors, visit his website, www.hardhatbizcoach.com[3], watch videos on YouTube, or email gh@hardhatbizcoach.com.

Source URL: https://www.metalconstructionnews.com/articles/columns/what-is-your-must-do-role/

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