Webinar on Why You Need to Get Out of the Construction Business

Overview: 

It doesn't matter whether you are construction buildings or roads; you need to get out of the construction business. No one is suggesting that you stop building things because that's what you do, but that's not your business. The real business you are in is what you do that provides value for clients. If you attempt to compete on construction activities, you will typically end up competing on price, which doesn't work for the contractor.

For example, in 2005, in the middle of a construction boom, Ken Simonson, AGC's chief economist, reported that 40% of contractors didn't make a profit. In the same year Forbes magazine reported the average return on investment for the construction industry was 9.7% compared to 16.9% for all U.S. industries. While these stats are specific to the U.S. market, they are representative of the world construction market. Contractors need to do something different! 

Daniel Pink wrote, "For business, it's no longer enough to create a product that's reasonably priced and adequately functional." Contractors must learn to differentiate their services by delivering superior value that meets the client's specific needs. His statement is true whether you participate in design-build or design-bid-build projects. In fact, one of Ted's road builder clients makes more than average fees by using the ideas discussed in this program. 

Why Should You Attend:

• Struggling to maintain profitability.
• Scrambling just to get work.
• Uncertain how to find and keep enough qualified craftspeople and managers.
• Or just frustrated with the state of the industry and uncertain what you can do about it.

Areas Covered in the Session:

• Improve performance and profitability through effective leadership.
• Improve collaboration across company lines by employing effective leadership skills.
• Create a process to not only improve current leadership but develop your future leaders.
• Create a process that taps the full potential of your most valuable asset - your people.
• Build an organization where everyone takes responsibility for results - no one is just putting in time.

Who Will Benefit:

• CEO's
• Operational managers
• CFO's
• Business development executives
• All managers

Speaker Profile:

Ted Garrison Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), has 25 years management experience constructing 10 million square feet of commercial buildings. Since 1996 Ted has served the construction industry as a consultant, author & speaker on construction management topics. In addition to his Civil Engineering degree and BA from Rutgers University, he has practical experience working in framing, trim, and survey crews. Most of his experience has been working with general contractors and developers in project man¬agement or senior executive positions in the development and construction of hotels, office buildings and parks, storage facilities, and public buildings. During his last construction project, he was the Director of Construction on the Pennsylvania Convention Cen¬ter in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania’s largest non-highway public works project in history. He is author of both Strategic Planning for Contractors and Strategic Thinking as well as the co-author of five books on marketing, customer service, & leadership as well as numerous construction industry magazine articles.