Ladder of Success

Brad Herda is a business coach in Wisconsin.  He primarily specializes in the blue-collar industries - something we have in common - but has insights to share that anyone can benefit from.  Here we talk about what he has learned through his clients so far through 2020, what positives the COVID-19 crisis have shown us, how to manage time more efficiently, what the rest of the year could have in store, and more....

In 2009, when the book was written, the commercial real estate construction industry was a disaster full of built-in waste.  Even now in 2019 seventy-percent of all projects end over budget and/or behind schedule (for various reasons, not always the fault of the builder).  The buildingSMART Alliance estimates that up to fifty-percent of the process is consumed in waste.  Almost every project includes massive hidden taxes in the form of delays, cost overruns, poor quality, and work that has to be redone.Author (and consultant) Rex Miller was part of a team that observed and studied this phenomenon.  Listen as we discuss the findings that led to the book, how the industry has changed throughout the past decade, and what can still be done for continued improvement.  

My initial idea was to focus this on Federal construction projects, where the Request for Equitable Adjustment (REA) is a contractual option for the project manager,  After recording I realized that, not only Jeff Kozek's advice can apply to contract management in all projects, but that I also wished that I had possessed this knowledge years ago when I was acting as an Owners' Representative on large industrial plant constructions.Jeff Kozek and his company, Resolution Management Consultants, Inc., specialize in assisting clients through issues involving claims and disputes, making him a perfect guest to have for this topic. Thanks for listening.

Construction seems to be filled with problems - how many depends on who you ask.  On paper, studies say 70% of projects exceed the schedule.  As a finish tradesman, Eric Lussier, co-founder of Let's Fix Construction sees firsthand problems with project scheduling on a routine basis.He and I are going to skip that stat and focus on other issues he has seen in the industry.  We'll talk what's good with the construction industry and what could benefit from changes.  We discuss how promising employment and job security looks in the future of construction.  We break down stigmas that younger people may have about working in construction and trades, and then we cover how individuals and organizations can help better the industry.Eric is also the Vermont Chapter President of the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI), and Executor of Advancement at Precision Athletic Surfaces.

Over the past 12 years I have worked mainly with construction professionals, but there was a two-year stretch in there where I was a representative on simultaneous projects in which the owners were located in Europe.  Representatives act in the interests of the project owner, but contractors can also benefit from their presence.Steve Cooper, with Cooper Project Advisors in Oklahoma City, is one who specializes in the role of representing the owner during the construction process.  Rather than consider him as a competitor, I reached out to him for this podcast so that he can help shed some light on what project owners want and need, based on his 34 years of experience.Whether you're a project owner wanting to understand the benefits of the cost of hiring a representative, or a contractor wondering why the owner has a representative closely associated with a project, you can learn something from the following 20 minutes.Thanks for listening.As always, let me know via bailey@buffaloconsults.com if there is any particular topic you would like to hear some insights on.

Licensed social worker, college professor and consultant - Jessica Houston is the owner of Expecting Victory, a personal and professional development training company that provides proven tools and strategies for growth.She is also scheduled to speak at American Institute of Constructors' upcoming Constructor Conference.  The organization stresses personal and professional development as well as high ethical standards, so her message is very neatly aligned with AIC's mission.In this 15 minutes you will learn how she came to do what she does, what her struggles were in learning to be a leader, what she brings to the table with her "Exceptional Leadership" presentation, and how you can benefit from attending.  She also provides very practical advice for anyone looking to take a chance with development or launching of a new venture.

We're learning this one together.  Lean manufacturing is a topic that I know, but lean construction is one that I do not.  To solve that I reached out to an expert in the lean construction field, David MacNeel with On-Point Lean Consulting.0:43   - Goals of Lean Construction1:25   - How David Moved into Lean Construction3:45   - Discovering True Lean4:53   - Principles of Lean8:25   - Dealing with Initial Resistance9:54   - Real-World Examples12:35 - Using Lean to Improve Safety14:03 - How Can Lean Mitigate the Labor Shortage16:18 - Future of Lean in Construction18:53 - On-Point Lean Consulting 

It's not every day you get to interview someone who was a perfect success record over 39 years in the construction industry, who has also authored and published a book.Dr. Lana Coble's book can be found on Amazon.  Collaborative Risk Mitigation Through Construction Planning and Scheduling: Risk Does Not Have to be a Four-Letter Word1:30   - Why Write the Book?8:46   - Important Distinction Between Planning and Scheduling11:56 - Making the Book Relevant and Useful13:29 - The Risk Matrix16:22 - 39 Years of Project Success17:38 - Creating "Time Trust"20:57 - Using the Risk Matrix as a Marketing and Sales Tool24:52 - Service with American Institute of Constructors