Anyone familiar would agree the U.S. metal building industry looks significantly different since the 1990s. From the influx of new competition to chaotic price swings, a new set of ground rules exist. To be successful in today’s markets we must not only become flexible but also willing to expand our insights and considerations beyond the norm. This includes transforming our organizations into learning entities, in which employees become knowledge workers. Critical reflection is integral to this learning paradigm. Reflection is an opportunity to contemplate our experiences, but also transform these experiences into competitive strategy Reflection is a valuable tool that can link the past, present and future.
Although each of us face challenges daily as we learn to cope with the latest curveball, have you taken a moment to reflect on what may lie ahead? What future challenges may exist for our industry? Have you considered your past challenges or defeats and linked these to future strategy? John Paul DeJoria, founder of John Paul Mitchell Systems, in a recent article stated, “Success unshared is failure.” How about failure unshared is failure? I think this represents well-rounded reflection. Remember it is easy to reflect on past success, but throwing our failures into the mix can enhance our ability to plan ahead for future challenges.
I was fortunate to have the opportunity to lead a Delphi panel of industry leaders in a research study. The purpose of the study was to discover how leaders in the U.S. metal building industry identify and manage change. The study also revealed challenges industry leaders believe our industry will face in the short (five to 10 years) and long-term (25 years plus). The panel identified more than 20 critical challenges. For brevity I will focus on two that I think share common ground- availability of skilled labor and new technology.
Availability of Skilled Labor
Every day, we read news headlines about high unemployment, but when was the last time you had an easy time filling a position with a qualified candidate? Perhaps you are not concerned about labor shortages and link the problem to the current economic environment. On the surface, most would agree there is disparity between the unemployment numbers and availability of skilled labor. In the U.S., we have high unemployment, but research suggests many jobs remain unfilled because of a lack of skilled workers.
Consider this 2012 report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
(BLS). Of particular interest, the BLS anticipates 54.8 million jobs created during 2010-2020, but tempers with the realization that more than half will come from openings created by retiring or industry exiting workers. Do your best workers have the most experience? Couple this with a 2011 survey by the Manufacturing Institute, and the skills shortage becomes evident. Key findings include that 75 percent surveyed identified a skilled labor shortage as a bottleneck to future expansion and growth, and more than 50 percent view the shortage as hindering their ability to meet customer demands. This creates a dilemma. As the economy continues to blossom how will you meet the growth demands? How will you bridge this gap? Here are a few considerations:
• Identify areas of potential weakness. Where is your company the most vulnerable or likely to suffer a skills shortage? Does one exist now?
• Reduce turnover. Encourage valuable employees to stay. Why start over? Give workers an incentive to remain with the company for the long term.
• Identify new recruits. This could range from internal career development, such as mentoring to external opportunities and alignment with colleges and industry associations.
New Technology
In the late 1990s I toured the now-former Bethlehem Steel facilities at Sparrows Point just outside Baltimore. I remember the ghost town feeling as we drove through the complex. What once took thousands was accomplished by a handful of skilled workers. Technology was at the epicenter of this paradigm. I left the tour pondering what was next for the steel industry. What changes will technology create?
Today, a quick perusal of trending news headlines quickly reveals the importance technology plays in each of our lives. From smart phones to the Internet, technology has become integral to how we function. Remember the days of the payphone? I often look at my cell phone and wonder how I survived without this device. Do you remember life before the fax machine? Today I use an Internet-based fax and cannot imagine relying on a desktop machine. For young people technology is the norm. I am mesmerized by how quickly even a toddler can pick up a tablet and begin playing a game or maneuvering the device. Is it in their DNA? Perhaps young people have an open-minded perspective for change and trying new things.
Another facet of technology is the insatiable need we all have for immediate gratification. Do you remember dial up Internet service? This was once all the rage. Today we press a button and expect the page to load immediately. Waiting is no longer an option. We immediately can put our finger on the pulse of our organizations with any kind of report imaginable. Organizations everywhere are becoming data mines or living sponges soaking up knowledge and identifying ways to use the data to gain a competitive advantage. A good example of this is the use of cloud-based customer relationship management (CRM) programs.
So what is the future of technology for the U.S. metal building industry? Likely we will see a continued trend in speed and efficiency. The answers are perhaps beyond our imaginations. Would you have guessed 10 years ago that a wearable device like the recently announced Google Glass was possible? How about the ability to ditch the spiral notebook or briefcase? Do you remember the last time you searched for that lost note or tidbit of info you jotted down during a meeting? Cloud-based technology removed these barriers and offers the ability to preserve data and more important access it anytime we have Internet. This, by the way, seems to be everywhere! Perhaps instead of using a crystal ball we should focus on how we can prepare our organizations for change and identify ways to harness technology. What is your organization doing to harness the power of technology? I encourage you to take an assessment of tools available now. You may be surprised.
Technology plays an important role in each of these areas:
• Learning-Does your organization promote learning and encourage an open-minded perspective? Is your organization ready for tomorrow? If not you need to identify why and create a plan to overcome this challenge. Put programs in place to prepare your workers. If you can even stay one step ahead of the curve you may give your company an edge
• Communication-Is communication a priority in your organization? Does your organization have assets and policies in place to streamline communication between stakeholders internally and externally? Are you taking full advantage of technological resources?
• Competitive advantage-Where is the link to competitive advantage? Do my people know how to transform knowledge into a sustainable advantage for the organization? Technology creates the foundation to achieve this transformation.
Parting Thoughts
Availability of skilled labor and new technology are but two potential roadblocks facing the U.S. metal building industry. Other challenges loom in the marketplace. Perhaps the most important take away is how we can prepare our organizations. Often we become entrenched in the now, especially during times of crises. This lack of reflection has the power to transform us from proactive to reactive leaders. During the last few years were you a proactive or reactive leader? More important, when was the last time you reflected on future challenges facing your company and industry? Is your organization ready?
George W. Rideout, D.B.A. is a principal for Evolution Strategists LLC, a Memphis, Tenn.- based change leadership consultancy. He has more than 17 years of experience in sales and management, and holds an MBA and numerous professional certifications, including the certified six-sigma black belt
(CSSBB). His research interests include change leadership, decision-making, multiple intelligences, systems and leadership studies. For more information, contact him at george.rideout@evolutionstrategists.com
