Leadership and Management of Details

Building a great contracting business requires the right balance of leadership and management.

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“Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things.” - Peter Drucker

This quote or a variation often gets used to describe the difference between strategy and tactics; leadership and management.

Quote: The man in charge must concern himself with details. If he does not consider them important, neither will his subordinates. Yet the devil is in the details... Hyman G. Rickover

While it is possible to separate them the truth is that many of the top leaders are relentlessly disciplined managers.  Think:

Admiral Hyman G. Rickover who is considered the “Father of the Nuclear Navy” was a relentless and disciplined manager.  He oversaw every detail of building out then operating a nuclear submarine fleet with a record of zero reactor accidents.  

Contractors have to put together many thousands of parts coming from hundreds of suppliers and subcontractors across dozens of projects each year operating on very thin margins with tight cash flow and major safety risks.  

Disciplined management is a key to sustainable growth.

Improve your management processes




Management and Leadership (Similarities and Key Differences)
A growing contractor requires both great leadership (right direction) and great management (right actions). The creativity required to attract, motivate, develop, and retain people are where management and leadership intersect.
Diffusion of Innovations Curve - Leading Change
The contractors that dominate tomorrow’s market will be those that have built strong capabilities for identifying opportunities or problems and then rapidly making lasting changes throughout the organization.
Cascading Goal Setting and Management (Objectives and Key Results - OKRs)
Successful outcomes begin with goals being integrated across all parts of a construction business, including multi-company project teams. Management is what ultimately ensures these goals are regularly reviewed and adjusted to stay on track.