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CONSTRUCTION KNOWLEDGE BLOG

June 3, 2009

The Arrogance of Engineers
Filed under: People Skills — Tags: — nedpelger

I just read a story about an Engineer/Construction Supervisor who wanted to put some hot water solar panels on the roof of his house. Daniel Hall of Canton, Michigan went to the Township and got approval to put (3) 4′ x 8′ solar hot water panels on his roof. The Home Owner’s Association, then, rejected his application stating the renovation wouldn’t be aesthetically compatible with the rest of the neighborhood. His Township approval included a requirement that his HOA had to also approve.

The article continues: “I will fight,” Hall, 48, said. “I’m weighing my options at this point.” He may go to court or try to have the state legislators pass a law prohibiting Home Owner Associations from restricting solar panels.

Mr Hall has probably thought deeply about the technical merits of his proposed project. I’m sure he’s considered both the savings for his own utility bill and the benefits solar energy capture could provide for his neighbors and fellow countryman. I’m assuming he made the mistake that most engineers and technical people make, though, by focusing too much on the technical and not enough on the relational.

The project has to work, so I’m not advocating any shortcuts on the technical planning. Do what it takes to plan the work well. The arrogance part comes, though, when we expect that technical planning to automatically carry the day to approval. So often, we make the assumption that we are on strong technical ground, so everyone will rally around our technical brilliance.

The reality, though, requires us to work just as hard promoting our project by building relationships and creating strategies for effectively achieving agreement. We need to expand our definition of effectiveness to include not just technical mastery but also the consensus building it takes to get the work approved.

Maslow states, “He who is good with a hammer sees every problem as a nail.” We need to understand that most people aren’t going to appreciate the technical beauty of our solution. Further, more technical explanations aren’t going to win them to our viewpoint. We need to get out of our own skin and look at the issue from another person’s point of view, someone without our background and training.

If you have a challenging problem before you, I’m advocating you always consider the level of arrogance, particularly technical arrogance, that you are exhibiting. You will be more effective, you will more often win, if you strive to look from the point of view of others. The better you know the others, the more accurately you can understand their point of view.

CONSTRUCTION KNOWLEDGE BLOG

May 2, 2009

What's Your Legacy?
Filed under: People Skills — Tags: — nedpelger

The first Super Tips Newsletter went out and I got the note below from Jake Toews, my first boss in construction. He’s retired now, but still keeps his hand in the design and building game.

Ned,
I enjoyed your newsletter.  We both remember Bud Caldwell and his gift for training young people.  When I was a young, green project manager on a treatment plant in Tremont, Bud was the job super.  He taught by example.  He made tools in his shop to solve problems, he “suggested” alternatives when he saw a better way, but most of all he was patient – not like the lead character in your concluding joke!  Many folks at TAH were beneficiaries of Bud’s wisdom.  I had never seen the conversion chart done like that before.

Jake

The note made me smile, as I remembered Bud Caldwell. He was an old guy when I knew him, his lungs polluted by asbestosis. Yet his love for construction and his enthusiasm made him not seem old to me. He was vibrant. He liked that I wanted to learn and put in the effort to teach me.

If you’re an old hand in the business, do you look for younger folks with potential? Do you enjoy the two edged sword of learning and teaching? On the other hand, if you are a whippersnapper, do you seek out those experienced Construction Supervisors that seem willing to teach?

Not to put too fine a point on it, but we’ll all be worm food soon enough. Take some time to help others. Like the Boy Scouts always strive to leave a campsite a little nicer than how they found it, try to improve this profession that’s been good to you. Think Legacy.

CONSTRUCTION KNOWLEDGE BLOG

April 29, 2009

Begin with the End in Mind
Filed under: People Skills — Tags: — nedpelger

I’ve been speaking recently to a young friend who has just moved to Montana. He’s making some major life changes and trying to determine the man he wants to become. Do you still struggle with those questions? Or is that phase of your life settled and behind you? I hope it’s not.

Now I certainly don’t want to go back to being 25 years old and have nothing settled. I like knowing core beliefs and having a general direction. Yet I’m also glad that every day continues to challenge me to better understand truth. I discard old ideas that no longer pass the smell test and embrace new ones. Life long learning requires us to check our arrogance at the door and examine each experience anew.

As my young friend discussed planning, he expressed his responsibility to control his actions, his choices and ultimately his life. His past hadn’t included too much control in those areas and I loved hearing his desire to tackle the hard task. I know that true joy in life comes from the hard path (the road less followed), not the easy one.

I talked to him about the Steven Covey concept of Begin with the End in Mind. Covey teaches that everything is created twice. Anything that becomes must first be conceived. We humans get to be the conceivers.

As a simple example, a building must first be designed with plans and specs (the first creation). Then it gets built (the second creation).Even if a carpenter builds his own piece of furniture without putting a single pencil mark on paper, he still has the first creation in his mind, then builds the second creation.

We are responsible for this first creation. Learn to live your day, your week, your year first in your mind. Practice the art of considering options, planning, day dreaming and all other manner of first creation. Please don’t live a life just following the script of your parents, bad experiences, early decisions or any other thing. Realize that you have the responsibility to conceive of a future outcome that brings you joy, that maximizes who you could be, that helps others and helps you.

On the other hand, you can just take life as it comes without thinking too much. The mugshot below illustrates how I imagine that might work out for you.

strange_w_goatee

CONSTRUCTION KNOWLEDGE BLOG

March 26, 2009

Are You Living All In?
Filed under: People Skills — Tags: — nedpelger

My good friend, Architect Bob Hoffman invited me to a breakfast yesterday. Bob had arranged for Forrest Guth, one of the original members of Easy Company, 101st Airborne in WWII, to speak about his time in the service and particularly about serving under Major Dick Winters.

If you’ve read the Band of Brothers book, or seen the HBO mini-series (which has been broadcast more than 10 times), you’re familiar with Dick Winters. If not, I think of Dick Winters like Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain in the Civil War. Chamberlain just happened to be in the hottest spots in several key battles and acted well, amazingly well, in each instance. Similarly, Winters and Easy Company jumped into Normandy on D-Day and took out a German gun position that saved many lives. They also jumped into Arnham, Holland and fought in critical location during the Battle of the Buldge. Marching into Germany, they liberated both the Dachau concentration camp and Berchtesgaden, Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest. In short, they were called on to be in the toughest spots many times and continually proved themselves up to the task.

Bob Hoffman is a good friend of Major Winters and has given me the opportunity to speak with him a couple of times. Since Winters hails from Ephrata, PA and lived most of his life in Lebanon County, PA, he’s not just a hero but a local hero as well. When Dick signed a copy of Band of Brothers for me, he inscribed it with his motto for living:

  1. Walk straight
  2. Be positive
  3. Hang tough

I think that’s some of the best advice I’ve ever received.

Yesterday, though, I heard Forrest Guth, an 88 year old man, recounting his life. He joined the paratroopers because it paid $50 more per month. He stayed because he liked being with the best, he liked the challenge. When Forrest spoke of Dick Winters, his voice choked as he said, “He was tough when he had to be and kind when he had to be. He was religious, he didn’t really fit in with most of us.”

When Forrest was injured on his jump into Holland, he was waiting in a make-shift field hospitals for a doctor to move up to the front. When the doctor finally came to treat him, Forrest realized his family doctor from the little town of Fogelsville, PA was also going to be his doctor in Holland. He loved that wild coincidence.

Forrest fought through the Battle of the Buldge, for the first time really thinking that he was unlikely to make it back home. But of course, they held, Patton burst through and Forrest marched into Germany with the rest of Easy Company. Forrest came home and became an industrial arts teacher, a soft spoken man who, I’m sure, inspired many.

As I contemplated this old man, I thought of our current dilemmas. Are you taking the easy way or are you living all in? When you get to be an old man or old woman, will you be able to look back with joy at the times you really lived? Or will fear keep you from accomplishing anything beyond ordinary? I challenge you today to take the first step toward all in living.

CONSTRUCTION KNOWLEDGE BLOG

March 14, 2009

The Gift of Enthusiasm
Filed under: People Skills — Tags: — nedpelger

I got an email update from a friend of mine yesterday, a young woman finishing her teaching degree at American University in Washington, DC. Danielle wrote about how much she loves student teaching, how much she learns from the kids, how much effort and creativity she puts into connecting with the kids. She even blogs about it occasionally. The enthusiasm that poured out from this email filled me with joy.

If I read the above, I’d think, “Sure, another naive college kid who’s been given everything and has no real experience.” Yet Danielle doesn’t fit that mold. She’s lived through some serious challenges. She also paid her way through community college and managed to get accepted at American University. Now she works several jobs, gets excellent grades and continues to pay her own way, while having a great time. Danielle loves teaching and  it shows. She already has a couple of tentative job offers from elementary school principals and hasn’t even applied yet.

So what does the enthusiasm a college senior has for teaching (and for life), have to do with Construction Supervisors? We also work in an amazing industry. We get a chance to build things every day. We solve unique problems all the time. What’s your attitude about your job? Do you grit your teeth and endure? Or do you relish in all the challenges and fun of the jobsite?

I know it seems cool to be cynical, but that’s a bunch of hooey. Any fool can be cynical, any dope can mock and ridicule. Give yourself the gift of enthusiasm. Learn to enjoy the challenges of construction and express that enjoyment. Dereck and I often talk about how fortunate we are to be building the projects we build. The day goes much better when you learn to feel and  express that enthusiasm, both to yourself and others.

Give it a try, you’ll like it.

CONSTRUCTION KNOWLEDGE BLOG

March 5, 2009

A Terrorist No More
Filed under: People Skills,Uncategorized — Tags: — nedpelger

As you may recall, my first attempts at producing some ConstructionKnowledge.net instructional videos were described as terrorist quality level…without the exciting parts. Well, with the help from a couple of amazing video guys from the LCBC Church project that we’re building (Thanks Brian and Ryan), the video quality level has skyrocketed.

Please have a look at this video below and give it a YouTube rating (it only takes one second and they don’t hassle you or lead you to any other screens):

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUhWjv2Dli4]

Let me know what you think in the comment section below. I’ve got two other videos I’ll finish editing and will also be posting soon. I’m just at the point of putting a big push onto the ConstructionKnowledge.net site, to see if we can get more interaction and benefit. This will be fun…stay tuned.

CONSTRUCTION KNOWLEDGE BLOG

February 27, 2009

Please Do Me a Favor…
Filed under: People Skills — Tags: — nedpelger

The number of visitors to this blog has increased substantially in recent months, while the website traffic has been steady. I’m just completing my first three video training segments (that no longer resemble terrorist videos) that I’ll send out in the first edition of the Super Tips Newsletter. I’m hoping the Super Tips Newsletter and the videos will help many more people utilize this site.

One of the most useful, and fun, aspects of this site could be the Forum. It’s wonderful to connect with others that share an interest in construction, both to get suggestions for solving a problem and just to laugh. As an example, check out this Forum about “Old Timer’s Words of Wisdom” from ConstructionTalk.com. I’d really like to get that kind of interaction going on this site.

So here’s my favor request, please post a comment below to help me revise the Forum section:

  1. Which Forum sites do you use (if any) and what do you like about them?
  2. Should I try to simplify the Forum site to just a “General” heading for now, than expand it as demand leads?
  3. Do you have any suggestions for the Forum page?

I know you don’t like posting comments, but I’d really appreciate if you could give me some feedback here. It feels like now is the time to really push ConstructionKnowledge.net to the next level and making the Forum work is an essential part of that. I really appreciate your help.

CONSTRUCTION KNOWLEDGE BLOG

February 11, 2009

A Jeweler's Generosity
Filed under: People Skills — Tags: — nedpelger

I came across the story of John Harding, a 50 year old Construction Superintendent from Valencia, CA, this morning. He lost his residential superintendent job 18 months ago and hasn’t been able to find another. He stated, “It’s never taken me longer than two weeks to find another job”. Recently his unemployment benefits ended and he had to sell his work truck.

Knowing that Valentine’s Day was coming soon and wanting to find a nice present for his girlfriend, John wasn’t sure what to do. He found his answer in a Jeweler’s generosity. Apo Yessayan, owner of Classic Designs Jewelry, decided to give away 100 sterling silver diamond heart pendant necklaces to residents who lost a job or a home. The necklaces retail for up to $290 each and come in a gift-wrapped velvet box.

“We understand that the economy is hurting people in the community, and we are a part of the community. We want to help out, plain and simple,” Yessayan said. “It’s a way of saying thank you for supporting our local business and a small way of giving back.”

Harding continues to send out resumes and promote his handyman business. He says, “It takes a person with a generous heart to do something like this for people. I’ve never run into this situation before and to see someone going out of his way and sacrificing his own profit for other people makes me feel more upbeat.”

If you have the chance to help someone in these challenging times, take it.



CONSTRUCTION KNOWLEDGE BLOG

January 30, 2009

What You Know, What You Don't Know, What You Think
Filed under: People Skills — Tags: — nedpelger

I came across this article in which Warren Buffet was asked about the current fiscal stimulus being proposed, whether tax cuts would be better and all the uncertainty from economists. He responded by saying:

“The answer is nobody knows. The economists don’t know. All you know is you throw everything at it and whether it’s more effective if you’re fighting a fire to be concentrating the water flow on this part or that part. You’re going to use every weapon you have in fighting it. And people, they do not know exactly what the effects are. Economists like to talk about it, but in the end they’ve been very, very wrong and most of them in recent years on this. We don’t know the perfect answers on it. What we do know is to stand by and do nothing is a terrible mistake or to follow Hoover-like policies would be a mistake and we don’t know how effective in the short run we don’t know how effective this will be and how quickly things will right themselves. We do know over time the American machine works wonderfully and it will work wonderfully again.”

What’s instructive for Construction Supervisors is that Mr Buffet speaks mostly about what he doesn’t know. As we try to make good decisions on complex job site problems, we should consider the Colin Powell method. He asked subordinates three things:

  1. Tell me what you know.
  2. Tell me what you don’t know.
  3. Now…tell me what you think.

When problem solving, keep in mind that most of us do a poor job of keeping those three items clear in our head. They all swirl together and often lead us to make stupid decisions. Learn to break thoughts, advice and opinions into those three categories and you will see more truth. More truth improves every area of your life.

CONSTRUCTION KNOWLEDGE BLOG

January 20, 2009

Helping Others Through Competence
Filed under: People Skills — Tags: — nedpelger

It’s an exciting day to be an American. Regardless of your political leanings, you should be proud to see the smooth transition from one leader to the next. Like football players from opposing teams that hug after a game of pounding the snot out of each other, our politicians put their bruised egos aside and participate in this great American Democracy. The cooperation and honor shown in recent weeks truly stirs me.

President Obama has been saying that there is no place on Earth, except America, where his story could happen. That stirs me as well.

His Inauguration speech  will focus on our responsibility to help our country and our responsibility to help others. When I think about helping others, I recall one of my favorite C. S. Lewis quotes, “She’s the sort of woman who lives for others…you can tell the others by their hunted expression.”

I’ve seen so many people act like they were trying to help others, and often completely believe it, when their results were self-serving and worse. So why am I blathering on about all this on a ConstructionKnowledge blog?

The ConstructionKnowledge.net website promotes competence. If you choose responsibility, if you choose to try to help others, you will be much more effective with competence. I love to see competence coupled with integrity. I see it on the jobsite almost every day and it always brings me joy.

So if you wonder why I bother with all this stuff, that’s a big part of the answer.

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