Get too comfortable in your business, and you’re likely to discover the same thing sleeping people and sleeping dogs learn. You get left behind. I would mention snoozing and losing, but you’ve already heard it.
One thing highly organized and effective construction business owners develop is a culture of continuous improvement.
We Call it Growth
For some construction business leaders, that means they want to engage more employees, bid on and get larger jobs, take on more jobs, or expand the types of services they offer.
Other contractors have a different type of growth goal in mind. These folks want to grow their leadership skills or build their knowledge base. They want to develop better-operating systems or create improved customer service techniques.
And some enjoy a mixture of both types of growth goals at various times and in diverse ways. None of these growth goals is wrong, and all have merit.
Continuous Improvement
The point is savvy construction contractors have a mindset of continuous improvement. That means they can’t become too comfortable with the status quo. In one way or another, these contractors are on growth paths. They implement strategies for continuously improving themselves and their businesses.
And they desire that their employees understand they have discernable paths for personal and professional growth.
Purposeful, Big, Giant Improvements
At times these big improvements come with the word New attached to the front of them – New:
· Operating system
· Location
· Division
· Branding
· Equipment
At other times they are introduced with words like Improved, Better, or More. For example, one improvement might be to hire a few more highly knowledgeable leaders.
Calculated, Tiny, Minor Improvements
These improvements are generated much like the personal improvements seen through daily visits to the gym. While they’re not dramatic in themselves, they can lead to stunning results.
One way to find and generate these minor improvements is to close meetings by always asking yourself and sometimes asking the team, “What are one or two things we can do differently next time to make [fill in the blank] better?”
Along that same line, make it a habit to close your day, week, month, and year asking what improvements should be made to enhance [fill in the blank.]
One useful method to create ongoing small improvements is to establish regular learning or training sessions for your various employees.
One last suggestion in this section is to ask your customers, clients, owners, general contractors, or others you serve this simple question, “How can we improve our services for you now or in the future?” You’ll see the value of this method when someone is generous enough to give you the “gold” of suggestions to improve your business.
Quick and Easy Improvements
There are some business improvements so simple we sometimes forget how powerful they can be. Here is a short listing of quick and easy ways to improve yourself or your business.
· Take a class
· Attend a convention
· Have a company retreat
· Clean and organize one or more spaces in your office
· Look for bottlenecks in your processes and take steps to remove them
· Volunteer together with your employees in the community
Forget the Business
Occasionally it is best if you forget the business to improve it. Really! I mean it!
· Enjoy a vacation
· Take up a new hobby or area of interest
· Read a book – just for the fun of it
· Learn a new skill – for the joy of it
Put it all aside for a short time so you can return to Running With the Big Dogs with renewed vigor!
The Profit Constructors provide Construction Accounting and Operational Accountability for small to medium Construction Contractors.
Our services allow you to organize your operations so you can
· Remain informed
· Avoid hassles
· Reduce risks
· Be future-ready
So you can Run With the Big Dogs!
Ready for action? Get in touch today to schedule a discovery call – this one’s on the house. New possibilities await. 866-629-7735
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