Increased Value by Lowering Variability

A construction business is capable of providing a very high return to the owners who have their capital at risk as well as the team members that work there.

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The leadership teams of contractors must constantly assess where the business is at in the growth cycle and whether their current strategy, structure, talent and management processes are ready for the next stage of growth.  

Leadership Tools: Increase Business Value by Lowering Variability. Sustainable Growth through Balanced Execution.

As a business is growing; especially with a strong leader in place it is easy to become what we call a hollow contractor.  A hollow contractor typically has performed extremely well in some years.  

What they are typically missing is a depth of talent at all levels supported by scalable processes and training that enables sustainable growth.   

  1. Get your market strategy right ensuring consistency through various economic cycles.
  2. Set up your organizational structure to support this market strategy.  Focus on the roles and capabilities that are necessary; not the people.  
  3. Know where your talent gaps are in both bodies and capabilities.  
  4. Aggressively fill those gaps through training, recruiting and when necessary by terminating.    

Only after this foundation is well under way should you focus on the next steps.  




Strategic Foundations: What Is Unlikely to Change?
Like construction projects, construction businesses are only as strong as their foundations. Build your strategies around things that are unlikely to change in the long-term (10+ years).
Bureaucracy (Stifling or Enabling)
Talent density versus the complexity of the construction business or project is what determines the level of bureaucracy required for sustainable growth.
Incentive Compensation for Contractors - Audience Questions: Edge Cases?
There will always be people in the organization working at the edges of your performance bell curve and that must be addressed with your incentive compensation program.