Turning your construction contracting company into a Lean Mean Communicating Machine is imperative. In the best of times, communicating well quenches fires, builds trust, and improves your bottom line.
In this COVID – 19 time, communicating well allows you and your construction business to stay in the game, maintain traction, and grow in ways you may not have thought of before.
Five communication basics
Keep everyone informed.
Be honest with all involved.
Encourage communication from others.
Use as many communication channels as necessary
Make sure people know you care about them
Keep everyone informed
Communicate often. If necessary, create a short checklist of those with whom you need to communicate on a daily or weekly basis. It can include individuals or groups.
Employees
Subs
General contractors
Building owners
Suppliers
Service providers
Association members
Fellow contractors
Others with whom you do business
Letting others know where you are, what you’re doing to help them, how you intend to proceed can ease their minds and make the path ahead smoother.
Keep in mind the TL;DR syndrome. Too Long; Didn’t Read is real. You’ve probably experienced it. Keep your messages readable. The same goes for your spoken words. Brief and to the point wins the day.
Be honest with all involved
Tell them what you know, what you don’t know, and where you’re getting your information.
You’re going to be faced with questions for which you don’t have a ready answer. That is fine. Say you don’t know. You can also suggest other places the information may be found. Or, say you’ll try to find out and get back with them.
Encourage communication from others
Be sure everyone with whom you’re communicating understands you’re willing to listen to them and will do your best to address their concerns. Now, more than ever, listen to what they have to say. Try to see things from the perspective of those with whom you’re communicating. What are their fears? What immediate problems are they dealing with? As much as possible, have and show your empathy for them.
And, remember to look for their nuggets of wisdom. You don’t know who will give you information that will help you understand an issue in a new and improved way.
Use as many communication channels as necessary
You already know the usual channels. Phone calls, texts, emails, and your company’s intranet are among them. And there are other tools available to you. The apps Slack, and Zoom are two that readily come to mind. There are others. For example, consider creating a hidden Facebook group just for the use of your employees.
Don’t think all the communication must begin on your end. When you’re invited to attend webinars, online conferences, or other virtual events take advantage of the offer.
Make sure people know you care about them
Simply put, communicate well and often with “your people.” And remember you’re not communicating if you’re not listening. As you write or speak, anticipate the “what does this really mean to me?” questions.
Information is essential, but people also need encouragement and inspiration. Give it to them. For example, send a quick message to a group or individual telling them how well they are doing. Provide motivation and reassurance.
Keeping it light
Lastly, here is something you may want to remember.
Question: What does a dolphin say when he’s confused?
Answer: Can you please be more Pacific? 😊
We desire to familiarize you with business concepts, which will make it easier for you to be a better commercial construction subcontractor through our blog posts. Some are new ways of looking at things, and others are refreshers. http://www.schulteandschulte.com/blog/
The Profit Constructors Provide Advisory Board Level counsel for small to medium commercial construction subcontractors.
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