Why all construction business problems are people problems, with Eric Anderton

When you think of it, all business problems are people problems. And in the chaotic construction world where systematization is not a norm, it’s safe to say that people’s problems remain the biggest main challenge.

And to help us understand more about people’s problems, we have Eric Anderton on the podcast (listen here).

Eric is a leading construction leadership and strategic consultant, author, and keynote speaker behind Construction Genius, with over 25 years of experience in public speaking.

And he’s here to sit down and discuss why all business problems are people’s problems and how you should solve them.

Let’s dive in!

Symptoms of having people problems in construction

According to Eric, every construction company has three fundamental things they need to do: get work, build work, and get paid.

Having said all of that, your company can have the best equipment, technology, and processes, but if you don’t have the right people in the right positions in those three departments, you're not going to have long-term success.

That’s how crucial it is to find the right people.

Executing those three fundamental things mentioned above is every contractor’s biggest challenge. And all three of those are driven by people!

Now, what’s the symptom when your organization has people’s problems?

The answer is plain black and white: A symptom is when you have the wrong people in your company. But how would you know that?

Think of someone that you’ve had some trouble with. If he walks into the door and tells you he has another offer from a different company, and you're not even attempting to keep him around, that's already a sign. 

That tells you quite likely that you have the wrong person. And it would be best if you address it at some point.

Asking yourself, “How often do I think about firing this person?” is an excellent framework to pay attention to.

Repel, attract, retain 

So how do you repel the wrong people and attract the right ones to work for your company?

Eric shares some actionable steps you can apply in your hiring process.

1. Have a clear assessment. Conducting assessments allows you to gather data from your applicants. You can start by thoroughly checking their resume and if they can do what they say they can. 

2. Have an aggressive and clear interview process. Many companies make mistakes during this stage. Eric notes that some companies are begging people to come to work for them. 

If your goal is to repel the wrong people and attract the right ones, you have to think that you are the prize; that it’s a privilege to work for you. You should have a mindset that as a good company, you are growing, and as you grow, you won’t settle for anything less.

3. Be clear on the role and responsibilities that you’re looking to fill. The construction industry is already chaotic in itself, so having well-defined duties for your team will not only let them know what they should be doing but also tell them what kind of organization they're into.

4. Have a clear career path for everyone in your organization. Don’t allow those talents to waste by putting them in the same position for ages. Employee A can easily fill an executive position in the future. So, you have to think entrepreneurially as a company as well. 

How about expanding your business and tapping into the experience of your long-time employees? How about allowing people on your team to try different roles for a year or two to get to know the other parts of the business? 

Keeping them actively involved in different parts of your company is a great way to retain your rockstar employees.

Do you find this helpful? Head over to the full episode above, tune in from start to finish, and learn more about how you can grow your business by eliminating the biggest challenge of them all: people problem.

Additional Resources:

• Free online training workshop on how to run your construction business without you here
• Work with us to systematize your construction business here 
• Book a free consultation call here
• Visit our website here

Connect with Eric

• Grab a copy of his book Construction Genius here
• Check out his podcast here
• Visit his website here
• Find Eric on LinkedIn here

The Construction Leading Edge podcast helps construction business owners maximize their revenue, eliminate chaos, systematize their work, and win back their time. Follow us on your favorite podcasting platform so you never miss an episode!