Ever feel like the more work you do yourself, the less you get done? Most construction business owners work far too hard for the return they get. They have too many details to handle and not enough time to focus on what generates the most revenue. See how you operate by taking this actual false test:
Does my business work without me?
- I make most of the day-to-day business decisions.
- I can’t find any accountable or responsible help.
- I approve most of the hiring, firing, purchasing, pricing, and sales.
- I like to be in control and in charge.
- It’s easier to do it myself than delegate or train.
- I work more hours than my managers.
- I feel guilty when I leave work early.
- I never seem to have enough time to do what I want to do.
- Customers call me about the most
important issues. - My people don’t make decisions without asking me.
- My business wouldn’t work without me.
How’d you do? Does your business operate effectively without you making all the decisions and handling all the critical tasks? Each true answer is an area for improvement and an indicator of what you must do differently to get better results. Your employees want to do great work, be accountable, and make good decisions, but something or someone is holding them back. Guess what—it might be you.
Are you getting a return on your energy?
As a business owner or manager, you need to achieve a significant return on your time investment. Every year, my company strived to complete $50 million in commercial construction. I didn’t have time to sweat the small stuff. However, to complete everything, you must be able to delegate tasks to others to do the work.
- What activity are you in charge of and should delegate?
- Reviewing and/or preparing estimates.
- Calling subcontractors and suppliers for quotes.
- Project management and job meetings.
- Scheduling crews and subcontractors.
- Negotiating contracts with customers.
- Awarding subcontracts and negotiating change orders.
- Coordinating and submitting shop drawings for approval.
- Purchasing materials, tools, and equipment.
- Approving bills, invoicing, and collecting money.
Look in the mirror!
You name it; if it must be done, you do it, often until the wee hours of the night. Ever realize the more you do, the less you accomplish? Doing everything for everyone stunts your company’s growth. Look at the activities you checked. Which areas can you let go of and delegate to others with proper training? Do you need to hire or promote an estimator, project manager, field operations supervisor, and an executive assistant?
Perhaps what’s holding your company back is you. Are you the problem because you attempt to make every decision, do too much yourself, and control everything and everybody? Or you won’t hire professional, talented, experienced, and in full-charge people? Take a hard look at your management style. Are you holding your people back from accepting responsibility and being accountable? When you make every decision for them, they won’t take responsibility. When you fix their problems, they aren’t responsible. When you control and lead every meeting, they can’t grow. When you make or approve every purchase, contract, and strategy, your people don’t have to think or be their best. When you don’t take the time to train, help, or manage them, they won’t improve.
Don’t control, let go
Think about the last time you took a vacation, and your people had to make decisions on their own. Isn’t it amazing how things get done without your constant input? When you operate in an environment of high control, you get low performance from your people. And when you trust people to do their best without your constant supervision, using a low-control approach, you achieve high performance. Many controlling and stressed-out business owners and managers often say to employees, “Please handle this, but just don’t make any decisions without checking with me first.” When you try to delegate like this, you really haven’t delegated or let go of any responsibility. You can’t be partially responsible. When you solve your people’s problems, they bring you more problems to solve. Are you wearing a sign around my neck that says, “Bring me your problems?” This makes you feel large and in charge while overall performance slides backwards.
If in doubt, delegate
When a project owner calls you about a field problem, do you immediately handle it yourself and get back to them right away? Try listening politely and then hand your customer over to your project manager or superintendent to address the situation. When it’s time to award a major subcontract or a large material purchase, do you get right into the middle of negotiations? Instead, ask your project manager to review all the bids, analyze the scope of work, discuss any questions they may have with you, and then have them award the order to the lowest qualified and responsible bidder.
When a superintendent or foreman asks you to call a problem subcontractor or supplier who isn’t performing on a job, do you make the call for them? When I received a similar request from a field superintendent or foreman, it is an indicator that I have a weak employee who can’t get subcontractors to perform without help from their supervisor. This is not acceptable. When you must make tough phone calls to them, you’re letting your people off the hook and not holding them accountable for their job responsibilities. By delegating and letting go, your results can be incredible: higher profit while doing less, more loyal customers, and employees who love to work for your company. You can create a great place to work where people can grow, take responsibility, and be accountable for meeting your company’s goals. To get started with delegating, email GH@Hardhatbizcoach.com to request your copy of an organizational chart. The only way to grow is to let go. What will you let go of?
George Hedley, CPBC is a certified professional construction business BIZCOACH, consultant, and popular speaker. He helps contractors build better businesses; grow, profit, and develop leaders; improve estimating and field production; and get their companies to work. He is the best-selling author of Get Your Construction Business To Always Make A Profit, available on Amazon.com. To schedule a free introductory coaching session, get his monthly Hardhat Hedlines BIZ-TIPS e-newsletter, download his templates and tools, or watch his webinars or online video courses at Hardhat BIZSCHOOL online university for contractors, visit HardhatBizcoach.com or e-mail GH@HardhatBizcoach.com.
