First of a Kind: Managing to Accelerate Outcomes and Mitigate Risks
D. Brown Management
March 16, 2025
Special attention is required for all "First of a Kind" projects, job roles, processes, and tools. This is often overlooked, slowing down progress and creating unnecessary risks for contractors.
management risk
Problem Solving Capabilities: From 3 Months to 3 Minutes
D. Brown Management
March 16, 2025
The first step of solving a problem is identification of the root-cause(s). That capability ranges from taking 3 months to 3 minutes. Understanding these ranges is the foundation of organizational structure, development, and succession readiness.
development succession training
Management System Hierarchy Example
D. Brown Management
March 16, 2025
A management system has hierarchies from culture through to the individual steps in a procedure. These hierarchies must be integrated with strategic decisions, the organizational structure, and training to create a competitive advantage.
management
Intelligence Progression from Fluid to Crystallized
D. Brown Management
March 16, 2025
Understanding fluid versus crystallized intelligence is critical for hiring, training, organizational structures, workflows, and retirement planning.
retirement succession talent
Management System Improvements (4 Interlinked Phases)
D. Brown Management
March 9, 2025
Many improvements fall short of expectations because steps are skipped in the earlier phases. Following these four phases will result in faster overall adoption of the changes, better outcomes, and most importantly, development of the team.
management process value stream workflow
Progressive Questions for Interviews, Evaluations, and Development
D. Brown Management
March 9, 2025
Asking progressively higher-level questions helps assess capabilities while allowing you to stop before making the other person feel inadequate. These questions are valuable for development—answering them is like exercise for the brain.
interviews talent
Work Observations and Time Studies (Basic Overview)
D. Brown Management
February 15, 2025
Work observations and time studies are related but distinctly different. Both are incredibly powerful tools for management, process improvement, and talent development. Starter resources and use cases below.
lean management
Creating Potential and Delivered Value for Contractors
D. Brown Management
February 10, 2025
We are contractors and the contract is a tangible representation of potential value. That value is delivered when the right information, materials, and equipment come together at the right time in the hands of the right craftsperson for installation.
Alignment from Strategy to Execution
D. Brown Management
January 18, 2025
Misalignment between how projects are estimated and how they are built creates subpar outcomes at best and sometimes results in catastrophic failure. Alignment is not a task to be completed. It is an ongoing process starting at the top.
accounting estimating management planning strategy
Balancing Exploration and Exploitation
D. Brown Management
January 3, 2025
Exploitation involves choosing the best option based on current knowledge of the system which may be incomplete or misleading. Exploration involves testing new options that could lead to better future outcomes but drawing resources away from exploitation.
execution leadership planning