Getting along and playing well with others is something we all learn at an early age. Those lessons don’t stop in kindergarten, they continue through your entire life as you meet and interact with new people, including strangers. I was in the grocery store checkout the other day unloading my filled-to-the-brim cart. The shopper behind me had two items, so I let her go ahead of me so that she wouldn’t have to wait. (I don’t know if she was in a hurry or not, but it didn’t matter.) I’m not looking for kudo or trying to set an example. This wasn’t a random act of kindness, it was just good sense. The shopper with two items was out of the store before I had finished unloading my items onto the conveyor belt.
But how do you find a way to work well with the people you may not meet but who still have an effect on your life? You know what I’m talking about. It’s the plumbing or electrical company that didn’t do the job right, but you have your crews ready to close up the walls. Or the plenum work isn’t finished on time, so your ceiling work is now delayed. How do you “play well” with that kind of person or company, especially when you may not be on the job at the same time? Many would say you’d go to the general contractor, but what if the GC is (part of) the problem?
We asked five seasoned wall and ceiling contractor members of the Association of the Wall and Ceiling Industry about this, and you’ll find their responses in the article that starts on page 30. Give it a read and let us know if you have had similar experiences and how they were handled.
Our next feature, which you will find on page 36, is titled “13 Changes to the Commercial Construction Bid Process That Should Happen Today.” I don’t think I need to go into detail about the subject matter because the title says it all. After you’ve read it, it’s another opportunity for you to voice your opinion. Do you agree? Do you have more to add?
Finally, the feature on page 42 examines how to know when enough is enough. If your company is growing, are you, the owner, growing with it, or is it out-growing you? If you find yourself thinking that you’re too busy to take your company to the next level, you may want to read this article first and read the rest of the magazine later.
As I said here and in previous issues, we’d love to hear from you. You, our readers, often offer valuable tips, comments, criticisms and story ideas that are often used to help us develop beneficial articles and products that will help you run a more successful business. You can reach me at [email protected], and you’ll also find me on social media with Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Let your voice be heard. I’m listening!
