Letter From Rocky

Dear Contractor/Business Leader:

Hope you noticed that I addressed this to you as a Contractor and Business Leader, and there’s a reason for that. In the very difficult market that we all face at this time we need to be first and foremost a Leader and then a Contractor. What’s the difference?

Definition of a Contractor:

1. Company or person under contract: A company or person with a formal contract to do a specific job, supplying labor or materials as well as providing and overseeing staff if needed.

A building contractor
The contractors are handling the electrical wiring

Webster’s Dictionary:  Someone (a person or firm) who contracts to build things.

Definition of a Business Leader:

2. Leadership: The process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task.

A definition more inclusive of followers comes from Alan Keith of Genentech who said, "Leadership is ultimately about creating a way for people to contribute to making something extraordinary happen."

Now is the time to put your leadership skills to work! And if you don’t have the skills…get them. It doesn’t matter where you get them or how—reading, seminars, business schools, leadership training, and I could go on and on. But the bottom line is that if you only think of getting in the trenches and “working harder” what you will get is the direct effect of your physical hard work, and not other longer lasting benefits. What about the future of your company, employees, strategic direction?

Now is the time to rebuild, position yourself for the rebound of our economy. Here is a quote from Robert Schuller and the title of one of his books, “Tough times never last, tough people do.” What a great time to do the strategic planning for your company, make the tough decisions on a stronger identity and company culture. You now have very legitimate reasons to make unpopular changes in your company that will strengthen your company and set the stage for future growth and profits. I know that it’s very difficult to think this way when we feel like we’re in survival mode but it’s all the more important to take the time to think, plan, be contemplative, seek advice from the successful leaders you know.

As the leadership description above says, “the process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task”—step back and become the leader you need to be for your business. Influence others to do that which needs to be done to propel your business and its core values and its vision. I get enthused just writing this and thinking how I will continue to strive for this in my own business. Is it easy? Hell no, and nobody ever said it was.

Owning, managing, and leading a business is tough, and if it weren’t, there would be more people doing it. I’ve looked back over the 30 years I’ve run my business and when I look at my toughest times it’s been when I buried my head in the day to day operations and did not take the “thinking” time, the “leadership” time to set the course and lead. We can all climb the ladder and some can climb the ladder faster than others, the question is, ‘did we take the time to make sure the ladder is on the right wall?’  Stay strong, don’t give up, give yourself the credit to be able to think, plan, lead and the time to do it. You will all be proud of yourselves, your business and most of all seeing your employees achieve and grow.

Sincerely,

Rocky R. Geans
President
L.L. Geans Construction Co.