By Sue Dyer
The podcast currently has 60 episodes available.
Number 1 in our Best of 2019 Countdown is Episode #11:Steve Jones, Trends Transforming Construction & the Impact on Our People. Steve’s episode is filled with insights he’s gained from his years in the industry and the research he has been involved with. He has such a unique perspective!
In this episode, Steve shares what he sees as the strategic trends in the industry. As you listen to this episode, think about what you or your company can do to use these trends to improve your project and maybe even your competitive advantage in 2020.
3 Emerging Construction Trends & Their Impact on Our People from Steve Jones
1) Industrialization. Projects and job sites will optimize towards the assembly of well-designed and pre-assembled components and less about construction. Expect an increase in modularization, prefabrication, big data, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and automated decision making
2) Emerging Technology. Laser scanning, modeling technology, integrated IT solutions, etc. will become the new way business is done and it is important to embrace early rather than looking only at short-term ROI.
3) Hiring & Retention. There is a talent war taking place making hiring and retention top priorities for leaders and organizations pursuing success in the coming years. Train staff appropriately, provide them with the tools they need to succeed, communicate the mission, and consider making technology competency training a part of the formal job evaluation process.
Introduction
Welcome to Episode 11 of the Construction Dream Team Podcast with your host Sue Dyer! This episode features guest Steve Jones, Senior Director of Industry Insights Research at Dodge Data & Analytics, where he focuses on emerging economic practice and technology trends that are transforming the global design and construction industry. Steve has given hundreds of speeches and writes many articles for industry publications including the popular Dodge Data & Analytics SmartMarket Reports. Steve is an expert in construction trends and has a unique vantage point towards the future of construction and how teams will continue evolving.
Steve Jones’ Career Journey
Steve’s career started in design in the mid-70s. By the mid-80s he was VP of a firm in Philadelphia and decided to attend the Executive MBA program at Wharton School of Business. Design was not known typically for its business acumen, but since everyone was working fulltime in the program, Steve appreciated the hard nose practical concepts as opposed to mere theory. This transformed his approach to dealing with prospects and clients and made him a knowledgeable advisor rather than treating projects as mere additions to his design portfolio. He asked important questions about what design meant for clients’ businesses – an exercise in constrained optimization which helped clients better understand design.
Jump forward to 1999, Steve was principal of a big AE firm when a buddy from Wharton called to inform Steve that he had taken a job at a software company called Primavera. Primavera’s headquarters were 8 minutes from Steve’s house and it was the perfect time to make a big change in the middle of the dot com boom. Primavera had some of the largest customers in the industry, quality control, exceptional developers, and a developed sales channel which made it an appealing fit. In 2001, they launched the first cloud collaboration platform for construction, which is now used by almost all large construction projects.
Steve now works for Dodge Data & Analytics where he focuses on emerging areas throughout the segmented and fragmented industry to glean valuable insights for optimization and forward momentum. His work tracks the work companies, projects, and teams are performing that reliably generates scalable, reliable, consistent benefits.
Strategic Trends in the Industry
Steve breaks strategic trends into two categories: projects, and the people/processes that support those projects.
Industrialization is expected to continue ramping up as job sites become more about the assembly of well-designed and pre-assembled components and less about construction. Expect an increase in modularization, prefabrication, big data, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and automated decision making. There will be big business opportunities as product manufacturers and software companies explore tools and systems that help people make better decisions. Construction will begin to catch up with the other big capital industries out there such as aviation.
The Impact of Strategic Trends on Industry People
Strategic trends will move focus to integration and collaboration as teams pull together and take a fresh look at who ought to do something instead of who has always been doing it; shifting to partnership and teamwork over adversarial relationships. How can we as a team make the process better instead of players safeguarding process components at the expense of overall team success? Bringing more LEAN processes into construction will assist this new team paradigm.
Technology skills will continue to be important, although human communication will still be necessary for understanding critical nuances. Machines can replace some manual human efforts which optimistically enhance the use of wisdom, experience, etc. When the computer replaced the typewriter, many feared they would lose their jobs, but jobs actually increased, just in new applications.
One important human element to focus on is the idea of emotional intelligence so that we are empowered to make smart decisions while creating new cultural norms for collaboration; moving away from the traditional adversarial approach which inherently reduces trust, issue resolution, and decision making effectiveness. Emotional intelligence is a skill that can be learned and important as industrialization replaces antiquated methodologies.
Defining Trends that will Impact How Teams Work together over the next Decade
How teams take advantage of amazing emerging resources to focus on how groups can better deal with the unavoidable and inherent risk/uncertainty of design and construction will be a huge deciding factor. Teams should consider strategies of risk mitigation that move away from the typical avoid-and-transfer approach to one of understand, embrace, and manage risk/uncertainty.
Predictive analytics will help teams make important decisions towards safety, risk, and development practices. There will be enough integration between technology solutions to support integrated IT workflows that take advantage of AI and machine learning to provide insightful input for decisions and process tweaks at the right times.
Teams will become collaborative units rather than groups of self-interested individuals. The basic tenants of LEAN can be used to articulate project goals leading to a shared culture and what is best for the project.
Examples of How Processes Might Play Out
Three studies came out about the best practices for managing risks; what contractors are doing in the field that helps. One of the top methods of identifying risk in advance, as demonstrated by the studies, is by hosting a specific-focused meeting with all key players to kick off a project that addresses risk. Individuals at this meeting have built projects before and come to the meeting with the top five things that they believe will create the most risk on the project. All people are heard, commonality and unique risks are shared, and after the meeting is over the team makes a commitment to addressing the risk elements brought to light and revisit their progress throughout the course of the entire project. This takes advantage of human interaction and collective knowledge; together we know more than any single individual.
Another study went out to 81 major owners (healthcare systems, corporations, government agencies) and asked them to look back over the last five years and identify the best project along with the most average project that took place. Questions such as how they contracted, organized teams, operated teams, etc., helped researched discover common threads. High team chemistry as a component on the project appeared in 72% of best projects but only 9% of typical projects. Team members committed to all of the same goals appeared on 83% of the best projects and only 16% of typical projects. Integration amongst team members (sharing information in a structured way) appeared on 59% of the best projects but only 9% on average ones. Timeliness of decision making appeared on 34% of the best projects and only 9% on typical ones.
These are specific areas that can be implemented on every project. On a company level, it is important not to hire anybody on the team that is not willing to collaborate or who can’t keep up technologically.
Advice for how teams can be more effective in the next decade
Become familiar with the principles of LEAN construction and how they apply. Host risk meetings and facilitate clear communication and concerns communicated across team members to understand diverse ideas/needs. Set a clear vision from owners of what success looks like; do not assume that on-time, on-budget is enough to make a project successful.
One study asked owners separate of delivery teams: how frequently are you satisfied with the performance of your team? Conversely, architects and contractors were asked: how frequently will your clients tell us they are satisfied?
There was a 3x factor between percentages that said owners were satisfied vs. teams delivering satisfaction. This demonstrates the disparity between perceptions and highlights the importance of defining what success is going to look like for a project upfront. Do not assume that success is equal across all stakeholders.
What can a leader (owner, designer, and contractor) do today to be ready for the trends coming?
Be ready to keep investing in technology. Laser scanning, modeling technology, etc. will become the new way business is done and it is important to embrace early rather than looking only at short-term ROI.
Actively and consciously invest in your people. There is a talent war going on that, in four different studies, shows the difficulty of hiring and retaining exceptional people. Hire well and invest to retain. Train staff appropriately, provide them with the tools they need to succeed, and consider making technology competency training a part of the formal job evaluation process. It is important to hold employees accountable for being able to function in our increasingly digital savvy universe.
Adopt a leadership culture that allows the organization to “fail successfully.” Create an environment where it is okay to take reasonably educated risks that can tolerate failure.
Practice LEAN principles: plan, do, check, adjust.
“Nothing would be done at all if one waited until one could do it so well that no one could find fault with it.” – John Henry Newman. Go ugly early and try things, especially with young employees.
As a leader, set a clear mission. This is the best motivator for younger people. What makes your organization unique? What connects people to your organization and mission? Leaders must show this as a priority. How is your mission making the world a better place and how are your employees contributing and appreciating that mission in order to get to a deeper level of engagement?
Steve’s Biggest Challenge
Earlier in Steve’s career, he was recruited to Burt Hill, a large AE firm, to make the office profitable. Three associates jointly ran the office and didn’t know about his hiring until he walked through the door. Each had been independently lobbying for his new position which created a hostile work environment because they wanted the job. Steve needed to make his presence work with the team, or somehow get rid of them (called “driving out the ambivalence” at Wharton). He committed to making it work, participated in various team building exercises, and worked with each of the individuals to let them know that he admired them, was not there to tell them what to do, reinforced the fact the firm had great projects and capabilities, and that his job was to make each of them successful. This tactic worked and the office grew within 3 years, hiring great new employees and earning excellent new projects.
Best Advice
Steve’s first job in an architectural firm, H2L2, encountered a conflict where he wasn’t sure how to handle it. He asked the project manager what to do and she responded “This is a people business. Pick up the phone.” Within 10 minutes the situation was resolved and the client was thrilled. Never forget the importance of people in this industry.
Resource for Listeners
Steve has an amazing free resource for all listeners that focused on Managing Uncertainty and Expectations in Building Design and Construction. This project planning guide will help owners and project teams think about risks as they begin building projects and plan to mitigate the uncertainties that are part of the design and construction process.
Download the Project Planning Guide for Owners and Project Teams PDF
Additional resources are the SmartMarket Reports on Construction.com.
Contact Steve Jones
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevejones9/
Steve loves to connect people that can help each other.
Parting advice
Quoting Norbert Young, Steve’s employer at McGraw Hill earlier in his career, “The ideal is the enemy of the good.” Just keep trying things. It is okay if it doesn’t work out perfectly. If it is better than yesterday and is a good thing to do, do it, and make it better the next day. Relentlessly keep moving forward. Your ability to manifest this is reliant on you and your connections with other people.
Get more of Construction Dream Team
Remember Construction Nation, dream teams don’t just happen; they are built one step at a time. Why not send out this episode to your entire team so they can learn with you? The more people you have helping, the faster you can build your construction dream team. New episodes drop every Monday morning at 4 a.m. PST. If you want updates on the latest Construction Dream Team episodes, please subscribe to our newsletter, iTunes, Stitcher, or your favorite podcasting platform.
Number 2 in our Best of 2019 Countdown is Episode #18: Shane Snow, Dream Teams. Shane is the author of Dream Teams, a book written after years of researching the top dream teams.
3 Invaluable Lessons from Shane Snow
This week, host Sue Dyer speaks with Shane Snow about what it takes to make a Dream Team and the psychology great leaders use to get their teams working with each other instead of against each other.
About Guest Shane Snow
Shane is the author of Dream Teams, a book written after years of researching the top dream teams. Shane believes that the best teams are more than the sum of their parts, but collaboration often falls short. Shane looks at teams through the lenses of history, neuroscience, psychology, and business. Shane is an award-winning journalist, entrepreneur, best-selling author, speaker, storyteller, Founder at Large in the media company Contently, board member of the Hatch Institute, and a Fellow at the Royal Society of the Arts.
Shane’s Journey to Becoming Author of Dream Teams
What Shane Views as the Greatest Strengths of a Leader
How to Create the Dream Team
Shane explains the three “ingredients” it takes to create a dream team:
How The Three “Ingredients” for Creating a Dream Team Work on a Large Project
Shane’s Advice to Project Leaders Who Want to Create a Dream Team
Have a shared purpose, everyone needs to know what they’re doing and why they’re there. Allow people to work in a way that allows them to do their best work. People need to be on board with your purpose and understand the difference between a cult and culture – both have a shared devotion to something. In a cult, you have to behave and think in a certain way or you are not part of the group. In a culture, you are asked to contribute something to the team so everyone can move forward to their shared purpose.
The Barriers to Dream Teams That Keep Them From Seeing Results
The Worst Challenge Shane Has Faced
Three challenging things happened to Shane at once - things at his company were getting hard, he was going through a divorce, and he got a cancer diagnosis. This time was humbling and made him realize that things in life will be hard and he needs to be more equipped to deal with them. He got through this time by letting other people help him.
The Best Advice Shane Has Ever Gotten
People are more important than stuff. His mother was always hitting things with the car, but his father would never say something mean, he would always worry about his mom. If people are the most important thing, you’ll think about teamwork differently.
A Little About Shane’s New Project
Shane has been traveling around the world for the last six months. He wants to live in other cultures to develop intellectual humility and to do new research for upcoming projects. He is exploring different immigrant communities in America for an upcoming television show.
Resources for Podcast Listeners
Shane’s Parting Advice
Develop this habit for intellectual humility - express that you’re willing to change your mind if you want others to change their minds. Ben Franklin would say, “I could be wrong, but I really think …..” By admitting he could be wrong, it made it safe for people to disagree with him and allowed him to save face if he did change his mind.
Contact Shane
Shane’s Website shanesnow.com
Shane’s LinkedIn Profile
Collective Wisdom Use this episode as a tool, send it out to your entire team and have a dialogue. The more people you have helping – the faster you can build your Construction Dream Team.
Don’t forget, we have started a Construction Dream Team LinkedIn Group. I know there are a lot of you out there on LinkedIn; please join Construction Dream Team LinkedIn. We are going to have conversations on there and invite our guests to answer questions and to listen to what you have to say and to listen and share concepts.
Remember…Construction Dream Team drops every Monday morning at 4 am PST. Please join us next week when Sue will interview another industry leader or expert about the people side of construction.
Number 3 in our Best of 2019 Countdown is Episode #7: John Martin on Meditation, Mindfulness, and Leadership. In this episode, John Martin, the former Director at San Francisco International Airport shares about how meditation and mindfulness helped him to create an extraordinary organization.
3 Key Takeaways for Leaders from this Episode
About John L. Martin
John L. Martin was Airport Director at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) from 1995-2016. His leadership leaves a legacy that lives on today. John was present as SFO underwent massive changes including a $3.5 billion dollar capital plan, the iconic International Terminal, and the BART extension into SFO.
One of John’s colleagues describes his impact as “truly rare to find a visionary in the public sector.” John led his organization to become exceptional. John Martin and Sue Dyer have been friends working closely together for 20 years.
How Did John Get Into Meditation?
John started his meditation practice in 2001 a few months before 9/11 as a way to deal with the stress faced as CEO and for a more balanced life outside of work.
Meditation practice is one of present awareness. Due to the tragedy of 9/11, SFO lost 40% of their customers and had to lay off 15% of their staff. Meditation helped John focus on facing challenges together with his team during that difficult time.
Incorporating Meditation into Leadership
A big part of meditation is becoming aware of the intentions guiding one’s actions. John incorporated basic intentions such as letting go of the past and future to focus on the present; the intention of kindness towards oneself and others; and focusing on caring, compassion, and exceptional outcomes to guide his leadership philosophy and approach.
Meditation in Practice
John would meditate after breakfast and at the end of each workday which looked to others as merely sitting quietly. Most people probably had no idea but might have noticed the benefits. This involves a sensation of “being in the body,” being present for the emotions and feelings at that moment and staying focused on the intentions of letting go, kindness and caring. There is a careful analysis of one’s reactions as you focus on ensuring actions are rooted in positive intentions as often as possible.
Meditation in Action
For the first 10 years as director, John wanted to be in control of everything – kind of like a superhero able to get everything done. The intention of letting go in the workplace involved letting go of excessive control to trust the staff more.
John supported this intention by creating teams of staff members to look at best practices for serving guests, safety/security, environmental leadership, and creating a great place to work. The team began creating a vision with plans and goals. John realized that the greatest wisdom is with the collective; not from one individual leader. Great leaders recognize the greatest wisdom comes from the team overall. This insight helped create an environment of deeper trust where creativity could begin to flourish.
Kindness in the Workplace
Taking the time to connect with employees helped foster kindness in the workplace at SFO. John would walk around the airport and make personal connections with the 1800 employees from every field and background. This demonstrated that leadership cared about how they viewed SFO as a place to work. Kindness as a value began to crop up as a talking point in staff meetings. When kindness is present in the workplace, there is a deeper understanding of what people can do to work exceptionally within their jobs while supporting fellow teammates to be exceptional. Kindness goes hand in hand with transparency when sharing information and a willingness to bring forward challenges/problems. The team binds together as they work towards the vision they’ve created.
How to Remain Mindful Under Pressure
Acknowledge any emotions you’re experiencing. This does not mean shying away from direct communication or harsh realities, but understanding where you stand on the issue at hand and acting with appropriate intention. Sometimes work challenges elicit strong reactions. John would occasionally take a break or go on a walk to let the steam out and feel it.
Making Difficult Decisions with Compassion
SFO had to let 150 people (10% of workforce) go after 9/11. John and leadership were clear on the issues at hand and provided services to support those displaced individuals looking for new jobs or transfers wherever possible. For the first few months, John didn’t want to take those actions, but after receiving “wake up!” as advice from a trusted coworker, he found a way to make the difficult decision but in a way that was still kind and caring. This approach helped establish trust so people could tell the truth on issues moving forward.
Biggest Challenges and How Intentions Helped
Letting go means recognizing and accepting the present circumstance as it is. It is not useful to get caught up being angry or pointing fingers and blame. After 9/11, SFO was in a difficult position. United Airlines filed for bankruptcy and Southwest Airlines closed operations. The airport needed to cut costs and increase international travel. It was leaderships’ responsibility to communicate this vision to employees. As this vision became standard practice, it demonstrated that it was possible to cut costs and grow revenue which attracted new business such as Virgin Airline’s San Francisco headquarters. It also proved that it was possible to work towards a vision without knowing exactly how to get there.
People started enjoying coming to work. Individual organizations melded into a universal team which created a sense of collaboration. Problem-solving became fun and creative solutions began to emerge. SFO became the first airport to provide innovate seating arrangements and high-end restroom finishes. They were the most successful airport in the country for sales in restaurants and shops, featured extraordinary artwork, and even built a yoga and meditation room. When people feel supported, heard, and work for a place they take pride in, they perform better. People want to be part of something exceptional.
Why John is a Believer in Partnering
John viewed attendance in Partnering sessions as a key role of being a leader. Leaders don’t do, leaders lead. By attending sessions as a leader, listening, supporting teamwork and open communication; these are key aspects of leadership. It sets the right tone, supports open communication and trust, shows a willingness to step in when there are problems, recognizes who is on board with the project, and by showing commitment and trust to the partnering process, others feel more supported.
Contractor organizations also began to have their top executives present at partnering sessions resulting in improved project outcomes. It is important to have every level of the organization involved in partnering.
John’s Most Challenging and Learning Opportunity
The crash of the Asiana was one of the most challenging times in John’s career as Airport Director. He recounts being home weeding his front yard when he received a text message about the crash. John changed clothes and drove down to the airport, seeing ambulances on the freeway. He felt great concern for what had happened. At the time, John knew little about what was going on. He expected to jump in immediately on an operational level but saw that the team was seamlessly working together to save lives and deal with the immediate crisis of that crash (not just operations staff but SF Police and Fire Departments, Federal Aviation Administration, TSA, FBI, Customs, Border Patrol, airline representatives, IT, finance, engineering, etc).
John felt deep gratitude and recognition of the great workplace that had been created to facilitate this trust and communication. His focus shifted to making sure pieces were in place to get the airport reopened as quickly as possible. John and airport officials had a press conference 4-5 hours after the wreck with 100+ reporters at the event. He didn’t know all the details, but knew being present and clear about what was going on would help all the viewers, concerned citizens, and passenger family members.
Afterward, SFO entered into a lessons learned phase. The aviation industry became safer and commercial crashes are now very rare in the U.S.
Listener Resources
Meditation: John suggests classes with hands-on learning from a teacher with supplemental reading is the best way to learn how to practice meditation. Just picking up a book and reading about meditation is not enough, a teacher is important.
Books:
Partner Your Project by Sue Dyer
Good To Great affiliate link) by Jim Collins (every member of management staff was required to read it at SFO) Kindle Audible Hardback
Award PDF
Magazine Cover PDF
John’s Parting Advice
Watch and pay attention to insights and aha moments! Let those in deeply and follow them.
Leaders don’t do, leaders lead – The less John did, he realized, the better things ran. John’s biggest mistakes came from acting on things not consistent with his own instinct.
Workplace environment really matters – Supporting a healthy workplace environment, open communication, and caring for employees is massively important.
Actions matter – Actions rooted in caring, kindness, and wisdom and that support creativity exceptional service/delivery, creating an exceptional airport for guests, passengers, environmental leadership, and workplace environment.
Beneath every action is an intention – Staying in touch with intentions, by checking and rechecking, builds a framework of understanding.
Partnering provides a model for understanding, behavior, bringing people together on construction projects, and as a leader leading the larger organization and airport community.
Be exceptional – Everyone wants to work for an organization that is exceptional.
Get in Contact with John Martin
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-l-martin-0bb47b107/
Dream teams don’t just happen, they are built one step at a time. We hope you’ll join us next Monday at 4 A.M. PST for the Construction Dream Team Podcast Best of 2019 Countdown Episode Number 4! Visit ConstructionDreamTeam.com to sign up for our newsletter and don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or Spotify!
Number 4 in our Best of 2019 Countdown is Episode #6: Tom Taylor. In this episode, Tom shares about how he didn’t believe in using a monthly Scorecard for projects but he was forced to do it on the projects he was working on. Then, after a few projects he saw that it was totally accurate and gave him a tool to steer his projects. Tom also shares how important measuring is to the success of any project
Tom Taylor’s Career Journey
Tom didn’t initially expect to end up in the construction industry. While pursuing a Mechanical Engineering degree at Michigan State, he worked an internship at a large general contractor. At the end of the 10 weeks, he fell in love with the teamwork, sense of accomplishment, the variety of people, and has been hooked ever since.
Tom started early as a superintendent and moved into project management in the Detroit area. The work he and his team did at that time focused on building schools; a rewarding experience that gave a sense of community contribution. Tom moved to California in 2005 and took a step backward from his Director/PM role in Michigan to learn what it means to build in California including seismic bracing, digging 70-foot holes, and more. Tom spent 6 years on the San Francisco General Hospital project and from there moved into overseeing the northern California operations at Webcor the last 2 years.
About Webcor Builders
Webcor Builders has been around over 50 years, founded in the San Francisco Bay Area. They are a self-performing GC with 750 salaried employees and over 1,000 tradespeople. Webcor employs the largest group of carpenters in California. Webcor is a superregional company able to build most things. They are part of Obayashi Corporation, a large international firm stationed in Japan that provides financial backing among other things. Webcor’s biggest competitive advantage according to Tom is their extraordinary people! They are proud of who they are, what they do, and focus on being a positive force in the community.
Tom’s Favorite Part of the Job
Collaborating with people on challenges and opportunities to produce exceptional outcomes is Tom’s favorite part of his job. He loves the process of brainstorming, asking questions, and getting different perspectives in order to form solutions that no one individual would have come up with on their own.
Tom’s Leadership Strengths
Tom says his biggest strength as a leader is his ability to support people to draw out the best in them. Asking tough questions, encouraging and challenging people in a way they feel supported and comfortable so that trust can be established. The acronym S.A.M. stands for setting direction, aligning resources, and motivating/inspiring. Motivation is important along with feedback; showing the person they are appreciated and that they add value.
Monthly Construction Scorecard
Five projects Tom has worked with at SFO have used the Construction Scorecard aligned with the process of Structured Collaborative Partnering. The correlation between the scorecard’s ability to predict how a project is going to perform has been astonishing. The Construction Scorecard has worked effectively with 5 completely different projects with different stakeholders, variables, and teams.
Download the Sample Construction Scorecard
How does the Construction Scorecard work?
It provides the opportunity on a monthly basis for a large portion of the team and stakeholders to score how the project is going and provide feedback on critical issues. It identifies key challenges and opportunities on a regular basis and is transparent. It holds people accountable and offers the space for safe and honest input. It is meritocratic and values the best ideas across the team and stakeholders.
Lessons Learned Using the Scorecard
One project at SFO was not doing well in terms of the budget and schedule which was reflected on the scorecard. When Tom and his team embraced the feedback from the scorecard, they were able to collectively make changes that have up to this point produced positive results and gotten the project back on track.
How Accountability Positively Affects a Team
Accountability empowers employees. It emboldens them and gives them a sense that their voice is heard. Accountability embraces the key components of building trust such as talking directly, transparency, delivering on results, and keeping commitments. People’s energy shifts from challenging, questioning, and doubting others to support: how they can help the other person be successful. It has resulted in a profound shift where people place their time and effort.
What kind of Projects can Benefit from the Construction Scorecard?
Any project can benefit! Some less complex projects may require less executive engagement, timing, and depth, but it is always helpful to start off with a rigorous and detailed process to make sure you’re assessing how the team is performing early-on. If a project starts off well with a plan and trust, it generally will go well throughout. You can scale back the Scorecard as the project proceeds, but it is a good investment of time throughout!
The worst challenge Tom has faced in his career.
Tom’s worst challenge occurred more than 20 years ago. They were building a new high school at an incredibly fast pace in Michigan with a 16-month timeframe for a 400,000 sq ft. school. Three weeks before the school was opened (the schedule could not be shifted), an elevator tech fell two stories from a ladder and was permanently disabled. Tom remembers being in the elevator with the EMT helping this gentleman out. It was a dark moment in Tom’s career that he has not forgotten. Tom relates this experience back to the usefulness of a Scorecard and how had the team dynamics been a bit different, perhaps this event could have turned out more fortunately.
Best advice ever received
Tom’s best advice ever received comes from his dad which is that you must ALWAYS have a positive attitude. As a leader, you must be able to walk into every day no matter how bleak things are and see a positive path forward. You must set the vision, explain to people where you’re going, and create enthusiasm as to how you’re going to get there — all of which requires a positive attitude.
Resource for Listeners
Thank You For Being Late (affiliate link) by Thomas Freidman. This book is an optimist’s guide to dealing with the rapid pace of change and how the world is changing faster than our ability to completely adapt and understand the previous version. It shares insightful statistics and teaches how to see change as an opportunity rather than a threat.
Get the book on Amazon! Kindle Audible Hardback
Tom Taylor’s contact info
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-taylor-8a232215/
Parting Advice
Be outstanding. The next time someone in the office asks you how your day is going, say OUTSTANDING! You’ll be shocked at the positive reaction you get.
Dream teams don’t just happen, they are built one step at a time. We hope you’ll join us next Monday at 4 A.M. PST for the Construction Dream Team Podcast Best of 2019 Countdown Episode Number 4! Visit ConstructionDreamTeam.com to sign up for our newsletter and don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or Spotify!
Number 5 in our Best of 2019 Countdown is Episode #2: Ivar Satero. What Sue loves about this episode is how Ivar shows us how having strong organizational values has helped him be assured that all of his people are working and solving problems in a way that is consistent with these values.
In this Episode 2 of the Construction Dream Team Podcast, host Sue Dyer interviews Ivar Satero, the director at San Francisco International Airport. Ivar became a director in July of 2016 and is now overseeing a $7 billion dollar construction program. Ivar has also held positions as chief operating officer and as deputy of design and construction for a $3.5 billion dollar Master Plan. He has learned a lot throughout his various tenures and has a lot of lessons to share.
Ivar Satero’s Journey To Becoming Director
Ivar has been with San Francisco International Airport (SFO) for over 24 years, the majority of that time involved with construction. He received work on a $3 billion dollar program in the 1990s to transform the airport. Ivar has worked on projects such as Air Train and the Regional Transit System.
After about 20 years in construction design, he got the job as Chief Operating Officer and has gained experience in a wide array of operational aspects at the SFO airport. Ivar has worked for a director named John Martin throughout his career which has opened up many doors and opportunities. John always thought of himself as a director and a developer, which prepared the airport for the future by putting together great teams even through hard times like the recession of 2007 and after 9/11 in 2001. Ivar also has a similar development background and looks towards the future to foresee continuous growth in preparing the facility. It has been a great journey.
On Airports Struggling With Large Programs
It helps to have a development background or a chief development officer – someone knowledgeable about development. It is important to build a team as a core success factor because it provides autonomous control and ownership over programs and their development/implementation. Anybody involved in team building needs leadership experience in order to maintain the determination to continue and push through, even when the economy changes and dips.
The best time to build things is during an economic downturn. During the Terminal 2 Project in 2007-2012, Ivar and his team were able to buy more capital – 30% more on a $400 million dollar project that otherwise would not have been available. This was a bold move considering the economic realities of the time period. Ivar believes it is critical to work hard to prepare for the future and the future needs of the facility or construction project. It places everything and everyone in a better place when the external variables change. A lot of other airports suspended their capital programs and have spent the last decade catching up and dealing with the rapid growth of air travel that they did not prepare for.
San Francisco International Airport’s Value-Driven Approach
Ivar states that partnering was a big help with the cultivation and implementation of SFO’s values. He and his team focused on developing a strong internal culture during the Terminal 2 Project. They had a 30-month time-frame to get it done, needed to do things differently, and had to keep together a core group of people who were able to prepare for the future.
When talking about what an exceptional project was like in the 90’s, we talked about delivery, budget, and schedule. We did not talk about exceptional outcomes. What makes a project outcome exceptional is that it factors in the stakeholders and other parts of the operation from success on Day 1 of opening to 40 years after opening. A cultural shift was needed for the Terminal 2 Project in order to move in a direction that fostered a partnering culture back in 2010. Collaboration, teamwork, and communication help build trust throughout an organization. We now have a well-defined organizational culture aligned with an extensive partnering program. This allows us to do great projects with exceptional outcomes.
SFO’s Core Values
SFO’s values align well with partnering. We are one team and need values each of us can get behind and act through our work. We treat all stakeholders with respect, communicate fully and openly, strive to be the best, are open to new ideas, committed to making SFO a great place to work, take pride in SFO, and all have the desire to contribute the SFO’s success and legacy.
We talk a lot about success and learn a lot from failures. We have found weaknesses which were liabilities initially that we were able to develop into strengths. SFO is a living organism that faces challenging incidences like the crash five years ago. We had no part in the cause of it but found an opportunity through this unfortunate incident to strengthen our safety operations. This added a core value of safety and security as the highest priority. We make sure our employees believe in our values and that their actions align with them – always reaching towards our number one initiative.
Worst Moments & How They Impacted Core Values
The aforementioned crash was the worst moment in our history, but at that time Ivar Satero was not acting director. As director, within the last 2-and-a-half years there was an incident where a worker lost his leg. This was a cause for action and a defining moment for our team which led to a new program around ground service equipment monitoring and maintenance.
We now have industry leading equipment and operations. The incident intensely refocused everyone’s attention on safety in every conceivable way. A partnership with a service provider stepped forward with a $12 million dollar investment to improve maintenance, staff training, and wages (due to high turnover prior). Our staff feels safer and more secure about all of our airfield operations and are proud of what we’ve accomplished and the role that they play. This incident brought us together and showed us that we are a team who can mutually solve problems rather than point blame and damage relationships. It’s not about punishment, but understanding and collaboration.
SFO’s values play out every day in the work we do.
What steps can project leaders take to create core values?
It all starts with communication; you need to get to know your partners and be transparent. Build trust, have difficult conversations. Work through solutions together, not on your own. Working through issues together builds trust and allows us to use our collective wisdom. A project solution might not be a stakeholder’s solution. Keep the stakeholders by your side during the process of formulating and implementing a solution. Sue Dyer has been a partnering facilitator at SFO which has helped us define aspects of this important process.
Structured Collaborative Partnering
You will not be successful with partnering if leadership does not see the importance of it. Ivar sits in partnering meets and lets his expectations be clear. The presidents and senior VPs are required to be present at these meetings to ensure that the values are acted out within their organizations. Leaders have a duty to bring the right people together under the right values for each project.
From a risk management perspective, the small investment in partnering has been instrumental in our outcomes. There are three levels of partnering: The CEO level, the core team (project management), and stakeholders. The results of partnering are undeniable. On a $7.2 billion dollar program, we are 65% bought-out and have $450 million left in reserves. We have not seen a slip in the schedule and have 0 claims-to-date.
International Partnering Institute
In order for partnering to work, it has to be broadly implemented and appreciated. Everyone can set up their programs for success through partnering; it has a great effect on big and small projects. International Partnering Institute (IPI) allows you to learn this process and starts by helping you understand your team. IPI is right for you no matter what, even when everything is stacked against you. It’s not just about a beautiful or functioning building/structure, it’s about the work put into it and the leadership. IPI is good for owners who want to implement significant projects effectively.
Ivar’s Best Advice Received
“Let your intellect gain supremacy over your emotions.” Move from punishment to partnership. It’s not about being angry because a timeline has slipped, it’s about getting together to do the hard work. Our hotel is a good example. It was 5 months behind schedule 8 months ago but is now opening on schedule.
Recommended Resources for Listeners
Good To Great (affiliate link) by Jim Collins Kindle Audible Hardback
The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People (affiliate link) by Stephen Covey Kindle Audible Hardback
SFO Values Poster Download
Parting advice
Redefine program success in a different “big ideas” type of way. Look beyond the implementation team alone and get to know stakeholders. Have full engagement, collaboration, and partnership among stakeholders. Involve the community and help make contractors feel like they are a part of something bigger. Redefining success is instrumental in bringing things to a more manageable framework rather than just trying to get through it.
Dream teams don’t just happen, they are built one step at a time. We hope you’ll join us next Monday at 4 A.M. PST for the Construction Dream Team Podcast Best of 2019 Countdown Episode Number 4! Visit ConstructionDreamTeam.com to sign up for our newsletter and don’t forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or Spotify!
3 Invaluable Lessons from Cliff Wong
This week, host Sue Dyer speaks with Cliff Wong, the President of PGH Wong Engineering. He has been around construction since his childhood. Cliff shares about his journey from that childhood in his den, working with the family business, to being a leader in the industry for project management.
Cliff’s Background and Journey to Becoming President of PGH Wong Engineering (02:29)
Growing up in the business, Cliff would work with his Dad and the rest of his family in what he calls the "den of excitement." He observed the engineering and construction business and worked from the ground up, from photocopying to design. Cliff had a number of opportunities to work in a variety of projects for the company.
Trends in Construction Management Services (06:45)
The Shifting Role and Responsibilities of the CM (09:49)
Cliff’s Strength as a Leader (17:56)
The Biggest Thing Cliff Learned Through Listening (19:16)
Discussions of resource issues surrounding the industry Seeking ways to be attractive to the next generation of engineers. The goal is to share how rewarding building infrastructure and facilities projects can be.
Cliff’s Greatest Career Challenge and Learning Opportunity (20:39)
He worked for 3 months on utilizing the wrong design thesis on a rail transit system. Cliff learned that the basis of design is fundamental, the foundational aspects of the design are crucial, experience matters, and humility is key.
The Very Best Advice Cliff Has Ever Received (23:40)
Don't constrain yourself. We often put ourselves in boxes, but don't totally constrain yourself with assumptions and roadblocks that might not actually be true.
Cliff’s Favorite Piece of Technology (24:45)
Resources for Listeners
The Triumph of Experience Paperback | Audible
Shoe Dog Paperback | Audible | Kindle
Contact Cliff
By Email
On LinkedIn
PGH Wong Engineering Website
Cliff’s Parting Advice (28:40)
Watch and observe traits from great construction managers in the industry. Look out for people that do things that you can't do, so you can build a complete team.
Construction Nation! Dream Teams don’t just happen they are built one step at a time. Why not send out this episode to your team, so they can help you. The more people you have helping – the faster you can build your Construction Dream Team.
Remember…Construction Dream Team drops every Monday morning at 4 am PST. Please join us next week when Sue will interview another industry leader or expert so you can learn how to create your Construction Dream Team! Please head on over to ConstructionDreamTeam.com to sign up for our newsletter and don’t forget to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or Spotify!
3 Invaluable Lessons from Ron Peckham
This week, host Sue Dyer speaks with Ron Peckham, the Aviation Practice Advisor for C&S Companies. Ron is a gifted leader. He has worked in the Aviation industry for 35 years, growing his practice from 9 people to 150. He's an incredible coach, mentor, and trainer helping people to build a foundation for commitment to a common vision and purpose. Join us as we talk about leadership in a time of disruption.
Ron’s Background and Journey to Leadership and an Advisory type role (03:19)
With a Civil Engineering background, he was focused on infrastructure projects. He was in charge of both design and construction management. He had numerous roles and opportunities for advancement into leadership and ultimately culminating becoming CEO/Chairman of the Board for the C&S Companies.
The Importance for Designers to Experience Construction (05:14)
The Secret to Massive Company Growth (06:46)
It's really all about "Team" and the idea that "No one can do it alone." Must have a vision for buy-in and alignment that the team can get behind.
Ron’s Insight as a Leader in a Time of Disruption (07:39)
Current Disruptions in the Industry (12:49)
Leading Amidst Rapid Change (18:40)
Ron’s Strength as a Leader (20:37)
An authentic caring for others. “People don’t care what you know until they know that you care.”
Ron’s Most Challenging Moments/Learning Opportunities (24:04)
The Very Best Advice Ron Has Ever Received (28:56)
Don't take yourself too seriously and have a sense of humor about yourself.
Resources for Listeners
Recommended Questions:
Contact Ron
Contact Ron by Email
Contact Ron on LinkedIn
Ron’s Parting Advice (33:08)
The choice is ours. Will we choose to live in the future or will we live in the past and fight against the change that is inevitable. If we want to be relevant, then we have to make friends with change.
Remember…Construction Dream Team drops every Monday morning at 4 am PST. Please join us next week when Sue will interview another industry leader or expert so you can learn how to create your Construction Dream Team!
Please head on over to ConstructionDreamTeam.com to sign up for our newsletter and don’t forget to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or Spotify!
3 Invaluable Lessons from David Hawkins
This week, host Sue Dyer speaks with David Hawkins, the COO for the Institute for Collaborative Working (ICW). He was awarded the International Standards Marker Award in 2017 by the British Standards Institution. This award was given for his outstanding work and inclusive approach to the field of collaborative business relationships. The ICW is the thought leader for collaborative working following the development of the unique CRAFT methodology based on the collective experience of the Institute’s Executive Knowledge Network. As a totally self-financing, multi-tiered membership organization the Institute provides practical guidance from extensive experience gained from working across relationships within the commercial, Government and academic arenas.
David’s Background and Journey to the Institute for Collaborative Working (02:27)
David started his work with Bechtel in the 60's in commercial and project management. He always had an interest in "what makes” people tick." In the 90's he became part of an organization called Partnership Sourcing which later became ICW. He conducted extensive research into the "failings" of partnership. That led to the development of the "Craft Life-Cycle Model."
What is the Institute for Collaborative Working (04:38)
The Development of ISO 44001 for Collaboration (07:01)
The Purpose for Developing the Standard (08:16)
The Process of the Collaborative ISO (09:48)
The Key Areas of Focus for ISO 44001 (11:27)
The Definition and Example of an Exit Strategy (17:04)
Who Do You Envision Using ISO 44001 (25:05)
Unique Differences Between Teams from Different Countries (31:17)
The Importance of Senior Leadership Buy-In (35:09)
It's a "No-Brainer." If your chief executive thinks collaboration is a waste of time, you are likely never able to get to a really fulfilling collaborative relationship.
David’s Greatest Career Challenge and Learning Opportunity (37:58)
The worst moment was working for a director who thought the only incentive for people was how much they got paid. "If a financial goal is the only reward, you get a distorted view of the world."
The Very Best Advice David Has Ever Received (40:23)
Resources for Listeners
David’s Favorite Piece of Technology (43:58)
Contact David
Contact David on LinkedIn
David’s Parting Advice (45:22)
Listen, don't talk so much. Most people want to share what they know, and if not, perhaps they aren't the best choice of partner.
Construction Nation! Dream Teams don’t just happen they are built one step at a time. Why not send out this episode to your team, so they can help you. The more people you have helping – the faster you can build your Construction Dream Team. Remember…Construction Dream Team drops every Monday morning at 4 am PST. Please join us next week when Sue will interview another industry leader or expert so you can learn how to create your Construction Dream Team! Please head on over to ConstructionDreamTeam.com to sign up for our newsletter and don’t forget to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or Spotify!
3 Invaluable Lessons from Stuart Seiden
This week, host Sue Dyer speaks with Stuart Seiden, who is a Principal at Avila & Seiden Architects. For about 17 years he was Capital Projects Manager in the County of Fresno. Stuart has a vast knowledge from a variety of projects and you won't want to miss his insight on the process of building a collaborative team.
Stuart’s Background and Career Journey (01:28)
Stuart's journey involved numerous events involving collaboration beginning when Stuart was four-years-old. His brother was born developmentally disabled and that inspired his collaborative nature of helping in the learning process with his brother. In college, he was intrigued by all the disciplines within the construction industry. He and his wife had diverse backgrounds and had to learn to meld those aspects. He has worked in a number of different industries over the years, each having informed his skill-set and knowledge for a variety of projects.
An Overview of Stuart’s Collaborative Selection Approach (09:35)
How Was the Collaborative Process Different from the Typical Process? (14:04)
A typical process is a regurgitation of what was provided in their proposal (project pictures, qualifications, how they are nice people), but didn't show who had the ability to use their creative knowledge for the particular project.
The Evaluation Criteria (15:15)
Results of the Evaluation Process (16:44)
Advice to Owners for Using the Scenario Approach (19:18)
Trends in Construction Specifications (21:30)
Advice for Engaging Specification Writers (23:31)
"Rely on them and get them involved early on in the project, so they can provide advice in a timely manner." They need to be a continuing member of the team.
Stuart’s Greatest Career Challenge and Learning Opportunity (24:45)
The worst moment was on a project moving a 911 system. There was a major problem with payments to the sub-contractors. Stuart learned that a partner on the project was diverting funds from the project for personal use.
The Very Best Advice Stuart Has Ever Received (29:22)
You really shouldn't put your nose in someone's business unless you know all sides of the story.
Resources for Listeners
Contact Stuart
Contact Stuart on LinkedIn
Stuart’s Parting Advice (33:18)
From the Leadership Freak Website:
Construction Nation! Dream Teams don’t just happen they are built one step at a time. Why not send out this episode to your team, so they can help you. Remember…Construction Dream Team drops every Monday morning at 4 am PST. Please join us next week when Sue will interview another industry leader or expert so you can learn how to create your Construction Dream Team!
Please head on over to ConstructionDreamTeam.com to sign up for our newsletter and don’t forget to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or Spotify!
3 Invaluable Lessons from Andrea Hoban
This week, host Sue Dyer speaks with Andrea Hoban, who is the Co-Founder and Head of Learning at Oji Life Lab. Andrea, with over 20 years of experience in leading large teams and building businesses. Her focus is on how you can use emotional intelligence to improve how you deal with your team. Join us today to learn about Andrea’s unique model in emotional intelligence.
Andrea’s Journey into Emotional Intelligence (02:10)
Andrea’s early career was spent managing teams and learning all the wrong lessons from leaders that possess certain skills or lack thereof. She had the opportunity to lead a function around enterprise training skills, and ultimately into mentoring and coaching where she learned that, “how we experience our own emotions really colors how we see the world."
A Brief Overview of Emotional Intelligence (EQ) (04:38)
EQ helps us recognize what we are feeling when we are feeling it because most of us have lost contact with a large variety of feelings. For example, recognizing the difference between disappointment and anger. EQ helps us understand the root causes of emotions by providing steps to understand emotions.
How Can Construction Teams Use Emotional Intelligence (12:57)
Andreas “Unique Model” for EQ (15:55)
How to Develop a “Toolkit of Strategies” (20:31)
Focus on the strategies that make us feel good and avoid those that we know don't work. Tune-in to what supports a shift to where we want to go. Whether it's positive self-talk or a reframing tool, it will help break the cycle of feelings.
What Happens When Your Entire Team Practices These Techniques? (22:20)
Advice on Learning More About EQ (26:16)
Why/How Andrea Became Involved with Emotional Intelligence (28:10)
Andrea had the opportunity to develop a strategy of training for a large corporation and that led to mentoring and coaching. When learning to be a coach for others, she discovered that you have to unpack your own baggage. The journey came from Andrea asking, "How do I help people build skills that make a large difference in the quality of their lives."
The Very Best Advice Andrea Has Ever Received (29:55)
Emotions matter. Understanding that emotions are information allows us to explore them with curiosity. We are less likely to judge ourselves or judge the emotions other people feel.
Resources for Listeners
Contact Andrea
By Email
On LinkedIn
Oji Life Lab Website
Andrea’s Parting Advice (34:41)
Name it to tame it! Write down the things we are feeling, several times a day. The more we start recognizing what we are feeling, the more we are able to deal with the emotions involved.
Construction Nation! Dream Teams don’t just happen they are built one step at a time. Why not send out this episode to your team, so they can help you. The more people you have helping – the faster you can build your Construction Dream Team.
Construction Dream Team drops every Monday morning at 4 am PST. Please join us next week when Sue will interview another industry leader or expert so you can learn how to create your Construction Dream Team! Please head on over to ConstructionDreamTeam.com to sign up for our newsletter and don’t forget to subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, or Spotify!
The podcast currently has 60 episodes available.