Former Florida Gator WR and now CEO of Leadership Surge, Alex Willis joins us for a conversation about construction leadership. Alex believes that though most construction professionals are masters of their craft they have never been equipped to lead. Enter Leadership Surge, Alex's company is on a mission to develop top frontline leaders in the trades.
If you enjoyed the podcast please like, share, or reach out with feedback!
Email us at [email protected]
Check out our YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/zO0T45txdoU
Follow us on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/laying-foundations
Check out Leadership Surge: https://www.leadershipsurge.com/
Alex talks about getting hurt at Florida University and choosing to give, and get over the sulking period because he could still contribute to his team by pouring into people even though he was not in the limelight.- Alex created tools and leadership skills and tied it to how you can apply it at home as well as on the jobsite
- To get team chemistry we have to find common ground
- Challenge our team to get to know other trades and their perspective so you know what they are going through
- Our industry is like a locker room where their is camaraderie, we have to do a better job at channeling that and becoming a team across the board that is consistent
The person in the field has to be your best trained leader
They are dealing with labor turnover, scheduling to make the job work, material delivery to the jobsiteTwo approaches to leadership in construction
One that is sold out and ongoing
One that is trying to patch their mess ups with bandaids
Our industry has the highest rate of suicide out of any other industry in America
We overuse the suck it up buttercup mentality
Inconsistency in pay
Support system is away when traveling
High pressure to get it doneSuicide in construction - is higher than the fatal 4 in OSHA
Live to see another dayOut of 70,000 thoughts a day, we have 56,000 negative thoughts
We have to learn to take a timeout and celebrate our wins
People in construction are terrible at slowing down and celebrating the goodInvest in yourself before you start the day so you mentally get your mind right (healthy routine)
Quiet time in the morning
Mediate
Workout
You can be too negative and too positive
Life's best moments are on the fringes - neutral thinking
Take the next right step - don’t focus on all the things out front that we have to accomplishOld school construction were beat down as students because they were told they were not good enough to go to college
Speak life into these guys and encourage them instead of being that negative you aren’t somebody attitude- The more vulnerable you are the more attractive you are to other people
- As a leader the people you are teaching and encouraging are your legacy
- “Discipline equals freedom”- Jocko Willink
- "Prepare for the moment"
- "You don’t get what you deserve you get what your ruthlessly commit to"