Are You Doing Your Job? Leadership

When you run a construction company it’s easy to get caught up in the happenings each day brings: an equipment issue here, a materials problem there, a cranky customer on the phone, and the opportunity to snare a new project popping onto the email. As important as these tasks may be however, don’t let them get in the way of your real responsibility: deciding where and how your company will win over the long haul. 

Where and How Can Your Company Win? 

When you boil it down, being strategic as a construction business owner means clearly identifying where and how you will compete and communicating that to everyone you work with. At Construction Business Owner, Lori J. Sullivan of BluePrint Growth Consulting underscores the importance of establishing a “scalable and repeatable” business development strategy: 

Every effective business development plan begins with an important leadership decision: Where will we compete?….Leadership must define:

• The markets and sectors the company will compete in
• The clients and buyer types it is best positioned to serve
• The project types and delivery methods it will pursue
• The geographic markets where it will focus
• These decisions create clarity across the organization.

Once leadership defines where the company will compete, the next step is defining how it will win….This requires…clear, actionable positioning.Leadership should align on:

• What differentiates the company from its competitors
• How projects are delivered
• The level of risk the company is willing to accept
• How pricing supports the company’s value proposition
• If these decisions are not clearly defined, teams are left competing on price or familiarity. A BD plan should clearly communicate not only where the company competes, but also how and why it wins.

Success: Everybody Rows In The Same Direction, Every Day

While it is your job as a business leader to set strategy, you cannot implement it on your own. That’s why it is also the job of leadership to consistently and clearly communicate the winning strategy, infusing it into all aspects of the business. Measurable goals, and focused responsibilities, are how strategy comes to life. As Sullivan points out, sustainable success occurs when every part of the business (and every player) is pulling in the same direction: 

• Business development focuses on the right opportunities.
• Marketing reinforces a consistent “Why us?” message.
• Pursuits are prioritized based on strategy and profitability.
• Pipeline data becomes more reliable.
• Sales and revenue forecasting improves.

Keep in mind that when done well, strategy is a unifier. You shouldn’t, for example, need a separate technology or safety strategy—technology and safety are integral parts of your whole. Eric Zichterman, founder of Freedom Forge Coaching, reminds us that a strategic approach to business is worth the effort, because it enables so much—more than we may even realize:  

In construction, “business strategy” is often reduced to discussions about margins, cash flow and scheduling. While those are critical, a true business strategy runs deeper. It shapes how a company leads its people, manages projects and plans for sustainable growth. It’s the blueprint that guides decisions, leadership practices and safety standards, turning individual actions into a unified culture….A construction company’s legacy isn’t just in the projects it completes, but in the people it develops, the families it supports and the communities it impacts. A strong strategy, reinforced by effective leadership, committed ownership, disciplined management and a deep commitment to safety, ensures your business leaves a lasting, positive mark.

Go, Go, Go…

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Get your business on a strategic growth path, starting right here:

Bonding Programs at Colonial Surety Company

In business since 1930, Colonial Surety Company is a leading direct seller and writer of surety bonds and insurance products across the USA. Colonial is rated “A Excellent” by A.M. Best Company and U.S. Treasury listed. Let’s connect today: Colonial Surety Company.