Helen Keller - Blind vs Vision

As a contracting business grows it becomes more important the team is aligned around a common vision and culture.

D. Brown Management Profile Picture
Share

This becomes even more critical if the company has more than one geographic location.  

Quote: The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision. Helen Keller.

A company’s vision is defined as the desired future position of the company.  

A company’s culture is defined as the behavioral norms of the group.  

More importantly as Rick Lochner points out - “The culture of any organization is shaped by the worst behavior the leader is willing to tolerate.”

Robin Dunbar’s research points to the average person being able to maintain about 150 stable relationships with team dynamics changing at certain sizes; approximately 5, 15, 50 and 150. 

Managing at each of these levels requires additional structure around communication and process.  This is required for operational effectiveness as well as aligning the team around what Cameron Harold describes as a Vivid Vision.  

At the project level it is nearly 100% about organizing information, material, equipment and labor to build things.  At the senior leadership level of a growing contractor it is nearly 100% about aligning the team around the right vision, mission, strategy and culture.




Competition - What Do You Really Know?
Contractors typically pay too much or too little attention to their competition. The best contractors strike the right balance spending most of their time focused on customers while being deliberate in knowing their competition.
Balancing Exploration and Exploitation
Exploitation involves choosing the best option based on current knowledge of the system which may be incomplete or misleading. Exploration involves testing new options that could lead to better future outcomes but drawing resources away from exploitation.
Responsibility, Results, and Compensation
If you want to grow your career, always seek additional responsibility while pushing your limits in every way to produce business results. The compensation will always follow.