Issue 3 of 9: Relationships

Construction Ownership Transition Issue 3 of 9: How Strong are the Post-Transition Relationships with Customers, Employees, Vendors and Subcontractors?

D. Brown Management Profile Picture
Share

Construction businesses rely heavily upon a network of interconnected relationships for their sustainable growth.  

Succession: Ownership Transition Issues - Number 3 Relationships. Construction businesses rely heavily upon a network of interconnected relationships. Book: Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi.

These relationships are built on a foundation of trust over many years.  

  • Customers who know you will get the job done and do the right thing throughout the construction process, even when things go wrong.  
  • Employees who have seen how you have weathered the ups and downs of the business, including how fairly you have treated everyone even when there was no right answer.  
  • Vendors and subcontractors that are aligned with how your team works and will help you win critical projects.  
  • Financial partners, including the bank and surety and insurance companies that have confidence in how you manage through the inevitable ups and downs of the market.

Take a critical look at your post-transition management team and rate the quality of their relationships with each of these groups and down to the specific people.

Identify the gaps and develop a plan to close them.  

Never Eat Alone.


More from D. Brown Management
Leadership and Management of Details
Building a great contracting business requires the right balance of leadership and management. While it is possible to separate them the truth is that many of the top leaders are relentlessly disciplined managers.
The Leadership Vibrancy Curve
Leaders must navigate (1) the stages of contractor growth, (2) the phases of management team development, and (3) the arc of their own career and life. Maintaining the right levels of leadership vibrancy leads to sustainable scaling and succession.
Thriving with a Difficult Manager
In the ideal situation, everyone would have a great manager - both internally and externally. In the real world, we will all have to work for someone we consider a difficult manager. Learn to thrive in these situations.