I’m currently doing a home renovation. It’s giving me a chance to observe leadership in the construction industry. It’s really not all that different than leadership in any other professional job; the ingredients to success are mostly the same. But one thing that has become even more evident to me by watching this is how important it is for a leader to be willing to roll up the shirt sleeves and get your hands dirty.
If you were to stop by my house during a construction day, you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between the owner of the company and the workmen. That is, until you watch one of them turn around and talk with me about design plans and scheduling. That’s because the owner is someone who works just as hard as anyone else – ripping out kitchen islands, pulling off drywall, scraping off grout from the floor. It’s tremendously impressive….and makes me stop and wonder why more leaders don’t do this more often.
The value that comes out of the willingness to do the grunt work is tremendous. Some of the benefits, listed below, can be applied to all industries:
- Develops respect from workers – when workers know that you understand what they do, you gain something invaluable. It’s the reason why executives who “come up through the ranks” are so much more appreciated by their employees. It’s not because it makes you smarter, but having had the experience of walking in their shoes just makes it easier to connect. In sales we used to say that it was important to have “carried the #1 bag” which was our sales bag that contained customer files. There is nothing that can replace that experience.
- Ensures high standards – by actually working the job, the owner of the company can ensure that the job is done right. By working the job himself, he can make sure corners aren’t cut, the best materials are used, and that the craftsmen understand that no shortcuts are allowed. Transferring this to other industries, you can see how a thorough understanding of the job contributes to quality. If you’ve called on a customer, you understand the importance of service. You also know the difficulties that result when someone on the front line decides to take a shortcut….because you’ve had the experience of dealing with the fallout!
- Builds credibility with the customer – when a boss rolls up his/her shirtsleeves, it shows the customer that the highest level of the organization cares. Spending time on the job in the presence of the customer also provides a leader with direct feedback (positive and negative) about staff, the quality of work, and hints about how things can be improved. In a highly competitive world, such a conversation can help a leader discover ways to differentiate a company from others competing for the same customers.
In all best-in-class organizations, those at the top make a point of “working close to the customer”. Whether you’re an executive who schedules a few hours on the customer service phone line, a not-for-profit volunteer who spends time with the recipients of your organization’s services, or the superintendent of a school district who spends time in the schools, you are trying to do the same thing that the owner of my contractor’s company is doing. You’re keeping in touch with what your business is about, and not waiting to hear from someone else about how it’s going.
I knew when I started this blog that I’d find examples of great leadership in all facets of life. I haven’t had to look hard….and having my home torn up has certainly contributed to my resource of leadership stories!
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