Masonry Magazine December 2015 Page. 60
CONTRACTOR TIP OF THE �
I By Damian Lang
If You Show Them You Care, They Will Follow You
To quote the great Vince Lombardi: "It the time to inspect the situation. Then qualities: empathy and self-awareness. is essential to understand that battles dramatically, at the one-year point from You might be able to handle one ofthose are primarily won in the hearts of men. John's hiring, the greatest revenue in�problems, but a leader who lacks both Men respond to leadership in a most re�crease from quarter to quarter became is in real trouble. John seemed incapa�markable way and, once you have won the greatest revenue drop, wiping out all ble of putting himself in other people's his heart, he will follow you anywhere." the successes from the previous months. positions. He blamed the revenue drop
This is absolutely true in sports as Bill didn't develop his company to as the poor work habits and lack of in�well as business. Both sports and busi�watch it wither away, so he started visiting telligence of Bill's employees. And, when ness are competitive; demand self-con�jobsitesto find indicators ofthe problems. Bill tried to make John understand that fidence; require team work; and use Bill talked to each of his foremen and he was missing the point, John's com�strategies to achieve success. And, like superintendents (SI) to get their opinions plete lack of self-awareness kept him in a sports team, leadership must reveal to on the company. The responses were ex�a defensive posture throughout the con�their players (or workers, in this case) tremely consistent. "I don't know what it versation. that the organization has their best inter�is, but I just don't trust John," explained Ironically, what started as a face-to�ests at heart -that he or she cares about one SI. face to get John to correct this lack of the members of the team, at all levels "Things aren't the same as they used to leadership skills and improve himself be�and at all times. be," said another. "I'm just a number here, came a resignation.
This quote from Lombardi sits on the and nothing I do is ever good enough." Several weeks later, Bill held his next desk of Bill, the owner of a successful Finally, Bill went to the jobsite of a interview for the GM position vacated by contracting company. Bill grew his com�long-term foreman, Fred, and talked di�John. Bill started the meeting by show�pany from scratch over several years. He rectly about the problems. ''The problem ing the Lombardi quote on his desk. They loved his people, and they expressed is," Fred explained, "I am working my spoke for an hour about the value of the their loyalty through their efforts, work ass off day in and day out, like always, people in the company, the role they habits and the company's undeniable and all I get every day is that we are not have played in the success, and the need success. The company was so success�getting enough work done. When you to make leadership a core value of the ful that, one day, Bill could no longer got here, the first thing you asked to�job. It was an hour before they started manage operations on his own. day was if I was hanging in there alright talking about operations and scheduling.
So, Bill decided to seek a general man�with the long drive to the jobsite every When the new GM came to his office ager (GM) to manage operations for him. day from home. I don't even think John on his first day, there was a plaque sitting After a long search, he found the perfect knows where I live." on his desk that read, "If you show them candidate who we will call John (to pro�It was apparent to Bill that, while John you care, they will follow you." tect the innocent, of course.) John was had a handle on the mechanics of the
Damian Lang owns and operates
educated, smart, could sell, and had the company (things like materials, product
four companies in Ohio. He is
drive. John was the real deal, the full knowledge, scheduling and operations),
the inventor of the Grout Hog-
package. he was lost when it came to handling
Grout Delivery System, Mud Hog
Bill hired John and announced the people. He had no empathy, no devotion,
mortarmixers, Hog Leg wall�
change to his people. It was not long no love, and no interest in the most im�
bracing system and several other
after that revenue grew substantially portant asset any company has ever or
labor-saving devices used in the
and the company was even more prof�will ever have -its people.
construction industry. He is the
itable than it had been under Bill's lead�With a handle on the mistakes, Bill
ership. However, several months into went to John to remedy the situation. Bill authorof the book called "RACE�
the first year, things started to change. liked John. He liked his drive, organiza�Rewarding And Challenging
There was less talking in the hallways, tional skills and knowledge. He went into Employees for Profits in Masonry."
less greetings and smiles from the office the conversation hoping to take correc�He writes for Masonry Magazine
staff, and a general uneasy hush about tive action and point John in the right di�each month and consults with many
jobsites, and meeting and conference rection. The conversation, unfortunately, of the leading contractors in the
rooms. Bill noticed this, but the financial turned out to reveal John's short com�
country.
reports were so fantastic, he didn't take ings in two of the most critical leadership
I All rights reserved,C 2015 Damian Lang, President of Lang Masonry Cootractors, Inc.,and EZ Grout Corp.
58 I MASONRY � December 2015 � www.masoncontractors.org The Voice of the Masonry Industry
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