I wish I had a magic formula or system for developing foremen, but there is no magic bullet. However, as a company we have trained thousands of foremen in basic supervisory skills and have helped numerous companies develop their organizations. Hopefully, the following insights will prove helpful in developing your field leadership.
This month we’ll get more specific by focusing on what ideally should be the three phases of the hiring process. You risk costly mistakes by taking shortcuts in the critical decision about who to put on your payroll.
The space this column takes up each month is set aside as part of the overall mission of Roofing Contractor to help you succeed in your roofing business. In February you were urged to take advantage of one of the industry’s premier educational events - the International Roofing Expo (IRE) held in conjunction with the National Roofing Contractors Association’s annual convention. I hereby claim one “I told you so” to those of you who missed out on attending.
There’s a strong opinion in the roofing industry that you have to get a lot of rain to get the calls you need to grow a business. That’s exactly the mindset of the storm chaser that goes from one rain-ravaged market to the next. I’m here to tell you that’s not true.
The Hispanic culture is, at its core, a non-trusting culture. We have learned not to trust people quickly. We come by this justly. If you have ever lived in Latin America, you will know what I mean.
There is a powerful conflict brewing between various parties over the science and economics of the personal fall protection industry today. The rising injury rates of those who have arrested falls utilizing ANSI-standard deceleration devices in conjunction with full body harnesses testify to the ongoing problems of providing verifiably adequate fall protection around the world.
Today, buyers are much more educated about roofing products and application methods. The Internet has altered the landscape to yield a new crop of roof-savvy consumers. Typically this works in favor of the seller, since the customer has done some homework in advance of the sales call.
If you choose not to fly, your career could suffer. Worse, you are saying no to a wonderful, available miracle of our time. In a single day, you can fly to any point on this planet. How cool is that?
The metal panels are rarely a source of moisture intrusion, unless there are openings from surface corrosion. Leaks in these systems predominantly occur at panel terminations and flashings. Therefore, it is important that the design and installation of the materials at these vulnerable points are properly completed.
Managing people is always a challenge, and most business owners and middle managers learn by trial and error. Unfortunately, this is not always the most efficient method of learning new skills. I am confident you may see yourself when reviewing the following list of common mistakes mangers make.