Let’s begin with a basic principle and truth: there is a particular size for our business that’s right for each of us given God’s plan and purpose for our lives. God most definitely has a plan for your life.  We’re not by-products of random chance, but intentional creations of an all-wise God with a perfect plan for each of us. The size and scope of the work He has determined as part of that plan relies on His wisdom. Our task is to seek to understand and conform to His plan, since being in the center of God’s will yields the greatest possible fulfillment, peace, and contentment. As we move toward God’s plan, these blessings increase. Conversely, if we move away from God’s plan, we suffer loss.

Over the years, I have had friends and business owners who have often asked: “How large should I grow my business?” and “How can I be sure that the answer is truly God’s will?” These are fair questions that most of us wrestle with at one time or another… perhaps even now. They stir our deepest thoughts about our ultimate purpose through work and have very logical considerations.

So, how large is ‘large enough’ for you?

This question is loaded with spiritual and practical implications. By exploring them, perhaps we can gain vital insights into God’s plan for our lives. This can bring us peace as we gain a heightened awareness and appreciation of the uniqueness that we each possess as God’s children.

Obviously, there’s no “one-size fits all” answer to the question of how big the Lord would have us build His companies. As mostly small-to-midsized privately-held firms, we aren’t constrained by quarterly Wall Street expectations that drive large public corporations like General Electric. Because we’re all different, possessing unique packages of gifts, capabilities, and opportunities, we can’t say that any particular size or growth rate is ideal. As those who understand that we’ve been entrusted with God’s businesses for reasons beyond cash generation and shareholder return, we must instead look to His principles and seek to apply them to our individual situations.

The world would have us believe that those leading the largest companies are the most favored and worthy. They’re the subject of magazine covers and Harvard Business School case studies. Even if they’ve gone bankrupt multiple times before ‘hitting it big’ and lead lifestyles devoid of Christ’s love and truth, they are revered, fawned over, studied, and copied. The world is in for a real shock and a rude awakening. One day the truth will be known. God, the source of everything, demands our faithful obedience as His stewards. The world is in for a very big shock, indeed!

Unfortunately, so are many Christians who have adopted the world’s way of evaluating things. God isn’t a respecter of persons and shows no favoritism (Romans 2:11).

He is the One who included in His Word the admonition, “What is so special about you? What do you have that you were not given? And if it was given to you, how can you brag?” (1Corinthians 4:7). To the God of the unimaginably infinite universe, who is unbounded by time or space, a 100 billion dollar global corporation isn’t inherently more impressive than a 100 thousand dollar business serving a small community. His ways are so much higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:9) that we can know only “in part” (1Corinthians13:12) based on what He reveals to us (2Timothy 3:16). One thing we can know for sure, based on Christ’s teaching, is that God isn’t impressed with wealth or size (e.g., Luke 12:13-21 and Luke 16:19-31).

So, if ‘bigness’ isn’t a godly overarching goal, what is? Let’s consider other possibilities. God has established differing degrees of importance and value in the various relationships and responsibilities that comprise our lives. His Word provides basic instruction concerning the priority that each of these roles and relationships have. Thoughtfully considering how to understand and serve these fundamental priorities will help us answer the “how big?” question.

Further, if the business doesn’t grow at all, but we’re wise, trustworthy, and fruitful in our leadership, God’s purposes are still being met! As I’ve said, God isn’t impressed by the size of your business. The greatest business this world will ever see is just a rickety, wobbly, unsteady lemonade stand compared to His work in shaping and tending the universe for eternity!

The fact is that, after we take care of things that are more important to Him, God would have us work diligently to build the business to be as large as He wants it to be. How large might that be and what other considerations should we take into account?

One key input is our God-given abilities, gifts, and talents. There’s no doubt that it takes a very different mix of abilities to lead a large, widespread business than it does to operate a very small and intimate one. Trying to operate outside of our ability or gifting is extremely costly. Persisting in the pursuit of roles and activities that we’re really not designed for leads to tension, frustration, added stress and, all too often, failure. The inherent capabilities God has sovereignly given each of us are just right for the size and type of business that He has in mind.

For example, to build or lead a large company, one vital area of gifting is the ability to recruit and delegate well. Although recruiting others to join a company can be fairly straight-forward, delegation is very difficult for most top managers and, especially, founders. It’s such a common problem that it’s a classic MBA case study topic.

Companies often plateau based on the individual capabilities and expectations of the founder. Growing beyond this level takes continuous learning and a willingness to break with the past. Founders, who from the beginning held all authority, made all decisions, and solved all of the difficult problems, find themselves faced with needing others to shoulder large pieces of the overall responsibility, processes, and performance. Most entrepreneurs find this very challenging, if not impossible. In many businesses the bottleneck in growing the business isn’t the quality of the product, the available market, or funding capital… it’s the founder’s failure to develop a scalable business model and/or an unwillingness to release responsibility to others. At some point, in the life of nearly all companies, these factors define how large they can become.

One aspect of the recruiting issue is the quality and potential of the employees we target. Many of us aren’t really willing to hire those who are smarter, more talented, ambitious, or more skilled in specific areas than ourselves. It takes a very secure person to overcome this natural hesitancy and hire those able to take the company ‘to the next level.’ Usually, on a 10-point scale, 10’s tend to hire eights, and eights tend to hire sixes. Yet if God wants your company to grow substantially, He has probably given you an unshakable sense of peace and security coupled with the humility and risk tolerance necessary to hire ‘aces’ and invest in others. Teaching and mentoring gifts are often evident in those God calls to lead larger organizations.

A clue as to our tendency in these areas is found in the preference for working ‘on’ the business versus ‘in’ it. Comfort and enthusiasm for working ‘on’ the business tends to be higher in those equipped to operate larger companies, as is the tendency toward proactive, forward-looking leadership versus being satisfied with reactive, firefighting activity. To some degree these attributes can be developed. Still, when we’re under pressure, we tend to revert to our most natural design.

If we most enjoy a hands-on role in the creative or operations side of our business, it’s probably due to the specific gifts and talents God has ‘wired’ into us. The character playing Scottish Olympian, Eric Liddell, in Chariots of Fire, famously said: “God made me fast… and when I run, I feel His pleasure.” We’re most content doing what God has gifted us to do. We may be able to do other things fairly well, but our greatest joy and satisfaction come from doing what God designed us to do. As owners and CEOs, this means that we need to be honest with ourselves and build an organization that complements us so that our firm’s potential isn’t unnecessarily capped by our personal limitations.

Remember, in God’s eyes, size and financial success are not the most important metrics; faithful obedience is! Ultimately, this involves being who He made us to be and doing what He asks, in the place where He calls us. We have the God-given freedom to choose otherwise, and He will generally let us do so. But the things we accomplish outside of His plan for us won’t have the same eternal significance as those done within it, since they’re being done outside of His will.

The ‘bottom line’ is that size is not the bottom line. Living according to God’s priorities, and diligently using the gifts, talents, abilities, and opportunities He provides as we follow Him and allow Him to set healthy boundaries, is what pleases God. He calls relatively few of us to run extremely large businesses. He designs most of us to lead small enterprises, with many others falling somewhere in-between. We’re each a part of His Body. If we let Him dictate the individual pieces, we’ll all fit together just right. Of all the evils under the sun, one of the most insidious is the sin of comparison, envy, or coveting. God made each of us to be unique, and He doesn’t make mistakes.

And, don’t worry about your life. Don’t worry about having something to eat, drink, or wear. Isn’t life more than food or clothing? Look at the birds in the sky! They don’t plant or harvest. They don’t even store grain in barns. Yet our Father in heaven takes care of them. Aren’t we worth more than birds?  Can worry make you live longer? Why worry about clothes? Look how the wild flowers grow. They don’t work hard to make their clothes. God gives such beauty to everything that grows in the fields, even though it is here today and thrown into a fire tomorrow. He will surely do even more for us! Why do we have such little faith?  Don’t worry and ask ourselves, “Will we have anything to eat? Will we have anything to drink? Will we have any clothes to wear?” Only people who don’t know God are always worrying about such things. Our Father in heaven knows that we need all of these. But more than anything else, make it your life’s priority to put God’s work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well.  So, don’t worry about tomorrow. It will take care of itself. You have enough to worry about today.

So, how large is large enough? As large as He wants it to be will do just fine! Be blessed, excellent, trustworthy, and fruitful as who you’re called to be… and feel His pleasure!  It is my deepest desire that every reader of this article would know God through a personal relationship with His son Jesus Christ!

Jim is President of the Hard Facts – Soft Skills company.  He is a former Texas state trooper, entrepreneur, and corporate executive, and brings a uniquely powerful perspective and incredible resume to improving performance, productivity and profitability in organizations.  Jim has been coaching and mentoring leaders, professionals and business owners for many years. He has studied with the Leadership Coach Academy and he is an active member of the International Coach Federation.

To contact Jim, please call: (210) 494-HFSS (4377);
send an email to:  jims@hf-ss.com;
or go to the Hard Facts – Soft Skills website: www.hf-ss.com for more information.

Ever been on a jobsite and hear someone holler – “Bob, get me a bigger hammer”? We’ve all heard it or something very similar. It’s part of our caveman’s DNA.  We instinctively grab a bigger club, a longer pry bar, apply more pressure, more power, more force, and we can make it work.

Well, that may work when we are hanging iron, bending rebar, driving stakes, pulling wire, etc. – but it doesn’t work with Safety.  A Big Safety Manual and a Big Talk about safety don’t make you safer.

When I consult /interview midsize and smaller contractors and subs and we get to Safety, I usually know the answer to my questions before I ever ask them. Unfortunately, the dialogue usually goes like this:

(Me) Tell me about your Safety Program.

(Them) Well, we have one and Safety is a main priority in our company.

(Me) That’s fantastic. Can I see your Safety Manual and Safety Program records?

(Them) Sure – let me get it for you. (10 minutes later) Here it is. Sorry it took so long – somehow got misplaced.

(Me) Sure is big – lots of information – did you write it?

(Them) No – we got it off the internet.  (Another standard answer is, “I got it from my last employer” or some similar procurement process.)

(Me) Have you reviewed it to be 100 percent certain it meets OSHA standards for your company’s products and services and the geographic areas you serve?

(Them) No – the company we bought if from said on their website that it meets OSHA requirements.

(Me) Does every management and field employee have a copy of the manual, does everyone sign off  that they have read and understood your Safety Policies, and do you have records of all Safety meetings and jobsite toolbox talks?

(Them) Are you kidding – we don’t have time for that and these notebooks cost money. We do go over Safety in our meetings.

(Me) Who heads up your Safety Committee and what are the policies regarding training?

(Them) Well, Bob, our main Field Guy, I guess. When he was hired, we told him he was in charge of Safety.

(Me) When was your last Safety Meeting?

(Them) Well – I don’t know off hand. I’ll have to ask Bob, but I can assure you Safety is a high propriety of management.

And So It Goes…….

So what’s my point?

It’s better to have a “short and sweet safety” manual and program that meet the minimum OSHA requirements and standards – and use it – than a big ole fat one propping up one end of a shelf. I don’t care what management tells me about how safe they work.  If they don’t have timely, precise, and custom safety plans for their company, distribute them to employees, review them and preach safety in structured meetings, they are just kidding themselves. Not only is it just plain inept – it’s criminal. Being flippant about safety can cost lives. It can also put you behind bars and financially destroy all you have worked so hard to build.

So is Bigger Better in Safety? You decide what’s right for your operation, but I suggest competent knowledge of OSHA basics is much better than limited knowledge, and an understanding of that Big Ole Fat Safety Manual and weekly safety meetings of job specific subjects are better than that one Big Company Safety Meeting we hold ever so often as an afterthought.

Safety is a discipline to be practiced 24/7. Make it a BIG company priority.

Kent

Kent Leighton, Co-founder of Construction Connection, has more that 40 years of experience in the Real Estate Development & Construction Industry. Having owned a successful mid size General Contracting firm he understands the opportunities and trials of running a successful business enterprise.
Contact Kent at  kent@constructionconnection.com.

Read disclaimer and Copyright Information

Construction Connection provides these ToolBox Talks as a service to our members. Please visitwww.constructionconnection.com/blog to view additional safety resources. Need more talks? Contact us today safety@constructionconnection.com and we will create them for you for free. The tips and content of this bulletin are believed to true, correct and safe. Construction Connection accepts no legal responsibility for the correctness, sufficiency, or completeness of such information or suggestions contained within this document. See our blog for complete copyright and disclaimer information.

Maybe you are just trying to stand out, get noticed, or get a point across when you use all caps.  Is that acceptable?   The answer is occasionally or maybe for a word or two or for a title, but generally all caps can send the wrong message.

Let’s Get the Visual:          

Sample e-mails:

From: Suzanne Breistol [mailto:suzanne@constructionconnection.com]
Sent: Wednesday, April 18, 2012 1:00 P.M.
To: John
Subject: Meeting Follow-up

John,

Today’s meeting was informative and insightful.   I am looking forward to our next meeting on Tuesday, May 10, 2012 at 1 p.m. to learn more about your company’s employment needs.

Warm regards,

Suzanne

From: Suzanne Breistol [mailto:suzanne@constructionconnection.com]
Sent: Wednesday, April 18, 2012 1:00 P.M.
To: John
Subject:  MEETING FOLLOW-UP

JOHN,

TODAY’S MEETING WAS INFORMATIVE AND INSIGHTFUL.  I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO OUR NEXT MEETING ON TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2012 AT 1 P.M. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR COMPANY’S EMPLOYMENT NEEDS.

WARM REGARDS,

SUZANNE

Sample Profile:

MY PROFILE

SUZANNE BREISTOL

• 1114 CR 403
  MARBLE FALLS, TEXAS 78654 UNITED STATES
• PHONE:  877-545-4473
• SUZANNE@CONSTRUCTIONCONNECTION.COM

25 YEARS CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE:  FIELD, ADMINISTRATION, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, PARTNERING AND CURRENTLY CO-FOUNDER OF CONSTRUCTION CONNECTION, THE WORLD’S MOST RELEVANT INDUSTRY SITE FOR MATCHING TALENT AND OPPORTUNITIES IN THE INDUSTRY.

My Profile

Suzanne Breistol

• 1114 CR 403
  Marble Falls, Texas 78654 United States
• Phone:  877-545-4473
• suzanne@constructionconnection.com

25 years construction industry experience: field, administration, business development, partnering and currently co-founder of Construction Connection, the world’s most relevant industry site for matching talent and opportunities in the industry.

Job Postings:

SEEKING CONSTRUCTION SUPERINTENDENT IN TRI-COUNTY AREA OF SOUTHEAST FLORIDA FOR COMMERCIAL PROJECTS.

Seeking Construction Superintendent in tri-county area of Southeast Florida for commercial projects.

There may be reasons for you to use all caps when typing, but listen to the debate.

Technology is ever increasing in our industry.  Data entry for record tracking and e-mail correspondence, etc., are used in most jobs on a daily basis.   Progressive companies are seeking progressive individuals to join their teams.  Individuals who have the best communication skills, both written and verbal, are in demand despite the economy.  They make the company look professional to the outside world.  If individuals take the time to train on the basics, they will most likely take the time to train on whatever additional skills the company is requiring of them (such as specific software programs and technology products) and learn them faster than those who don’t.

Although perception is not always reality, in the case of someone using all caps versus someone that types using appropriate capitalization and grammar, perception will be that the individual is not computer literate, that he or she can’t type, or that he or she is lazy and doesn’t really care about his or her work product.

Are you unemployed or underemployed?   Do you want to have a leg up in getting a good job and keeping your next job?  Then work on your typing skills. There are many free tutorials right on line like http://www.typingweb.com/tutor/ and http://www.alfatyping.com/.  You also need to know the basics of standard office programs, such as Word, to compose documents, or spreadsheet programs, such as Excel, and you don’t have to use expensive Microsoft programs.  Download and use the free products from www.Openoffice.org .  These programs meet or exceed the Microsoft programs and are becoming the industry standard worldwide. Another option is to use the Google Apps products that are free to Google users. If you don’t have a Google e-mail address, get one.  It’s free and it opens up a totally new world of tools and services.

And on that subject – If you are still using AOL – stop today. It is like using a hand saw to build cabinets. AOL is old technology, inefficient, doesn’t support a lot of internet activities, and worst of all, brands the user as out of touch in today’s e-world.

Invest some time in yourself – get proficient on the keyboard. You will be amazed at what a difference it makes in life, how efficient your communication skills can become and the positive impact it can have on those who read your messages.

Remember – you cannot control the economy but you can control who you are in any economy. Training and education starts with you and a desire to be the best you can be.

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), small businesses:  represent 99.7 percent of all employer firms; employ half of all private sector employees; pay 44 percent of total U.S. private payroll; have generated 65 percent of net new jobs over the past 17 years; and create more than half of the nonfarm private GDP.

Being small has its advantages.  To advance the interests of small businesses, Congress has authorized several programs involving the government’s procurement process.  The programs seek to involve small business concerns (1) located in historically underutilized business zones (HUBZones), (2) owned by service-disabled veterans (SDVO), (3) owned by woman (WOSB), and (4) owned by other socially and economically disadvantaged individuals (Section 8(a) program participants).

By various statutes, the federal government as well as many state and local governments provide noncompetitive preferences for small businesses, typically in the form of “set-aside” programs.  In a set-aside program, a percentage of the public contract is designated specifically for contractors qualifying as small business concerns.  Certain business entities that fall below specified average employment and average annual revenue limitations may qualify as a small business concern.  Set-aside programs typically require a contractor bidding on a contract with a set-aside provision to ensure that a sufficient amount of the contracted work is performed by qualified small business concerns.

The SBA defines a “small business concern” as any business entity that (1) is organized for profit, (2) has a place of business in the United States, (3) makes a significant contribution to the U.S. economy through payment of taxes or use of American products, materials or labor, (4) is independently owned and operated, (5) is not dominant in its field, on a national basis, and (6) is no larger than SBA’s small business size standard for its industry.  A business concern is small if it is at or below a size standard.  Size standards can be based on either the small business concern’s average annual receipts, or its number of employees, or both.  In the construction industry, size standards are based on average annual receipts rather than by the number of employees.  To be considered a small business concern in the heavy construction industry, average annual receipts must be limited to $33.5 million.  For a specialty trade contractor to be considered a small business concern, the average annual receipts must be limited to $14.0 million.  Most federal agencies and many other political entities, such as state and local governments, use the size standards established by the SBA to procure goods and services from eligible small businesses.

Small business concerns that are eligible to compete for federal government set-aside construction projects sometimes work with larger contractors to secure the set-aside work.  Set-aside programs for small business concerns have specific requirements and limitations that must be closely followed in order to avoid problems.  For example, there are significant limitations in connection with small business “affiliations”, especially when the affiliated business is not itself a small business concern.  A small business concern and another business entity are considered affiliates of each other when one entity controls or has the power to control the other, or when a third party controls or has the power to control both business entities.  In determining whether an affiliation exists, the SBA considers factors such as common ownership, common management, previous ties or relationships with another small business concern, and contractual relationships. In determining the size of the small business concern, the SBA counts the small business concern’s receipts, employees, or other measure of size, together with all of its domestic and foreign affiliates, regardless of whether the affiliates are organized for profit.  Thus, a small business concern can find itself ineligible for a set-aside program if the combined size of the small business concern and its affiliate exceeds the maximum threshold for the solicitation involved.

Navigating the maze of government regulations related to small business concerns can be a daunting task.  Small business concerns should consider seeking legal representation to help ensure compliance with all applicable regulations and policies related to the Small Business Act, including preference programs.  Similarly, large businesses should consider seeking legal representation to help in matters relating to their small business subcontracting plans.  An experienced lawyer can help by providing the following services.

• Analyze a company’s compliance with the requirements for participation in small business programs.

• Structure companies to meet the requirements for participation in small business programs.

• Defend companies whose size or preference status has been challenged by their competitors.

• Monitor agency compliance with small business set-aside programs and challenge agency action which fails to comply.

• Assist companies in obtaining small business certification.

• Obtain a Certificate of Competency (COC) from the Small Business Administration after a contracting agency has determined initially that a company is not eligible for contract award.

• Pursue challenges of companies who seek to avail themselves of the benefits of small business programs but who fail to meet the applicable size or ownership standards.

• Appeal adverse size status determinations to the Small Business Administration’s Regional Offices and to the Washington, DC Office of Hearings & Appeals.

• Assist companies in meeting their small business subcontracting goals.

• Draft Joint Venture, Mentor/Protégé and other agreements.

Eugene J. Heady is a Partner in Smith, Currie & Hancock’s Atlanta office.  Smith, Currie & Hancock is a national law firm focusing on construction law, government contracts, environmental law, and commercial litigation.  Gene is a regular contributor to the Construction Connection Newsletter.  He has over 30 years of experience as a problem solver in the construction industry.  Following a successful career in the construction business, Gene began practicing law in 1996.  He represents and assists owners, general contractors, builders, subcontractors, suppliers, architects, engineers, designers, sureties, real estate developers, and manufacturers in avoiding and resolving disputes related to construction projects throughout the continental United States, Alaska and the Caribbean.  His work involves private, local, state and federal government contracts and commercial, industrial and institutional construction projects.  Gene literally grew up in the construction industry; his father was a successful electrical contractor.  Unlike most construction attorneys, Gene has hands-on experience.  Gene has worked with the tools, at the drafting table and at the helm of a construction company.  In 1981, Gene earned a B.S. degree in Engineering from the University of Hartford, majoring in Electrical Contracting.  Before law school, he worked in the electrical construction business as a project engineer, project manager, and construction business owner.  Gene is a prolific writer and has published numerous works related to the construction industry.  He is also a frequent lecturer on construction law topics.  Contact Gene at gjheady@smithcurrie.com or directly at 404-582-8055.

We live in the BEST country in the world!  We all have more than most, though we don’t always stop to count our blessings.  Many of us believe that “if a little is good, a lot more is better!”  When that’s applied to food portions… WATCH OUT!

Does size (when it comes to food portions) really matter?

We seem to live in a SUPER-SIZE food society.   However, McDonalds is not solely responsible for the PORTION DISTORTION that’s happened in our society.   Check out what coffee lovers can get at Starbucks, the ‘Trenta’, A QUART OF COFFEE! – Click Here

Do oversized portions lead to oversized people? 

It’s definitely a factor:

• Our dinner plates:  have grown 36% since 1960.
• The serving size in recipes:   has increased 42% since the 1930’s.
• The size of pre-packaged food in supermarkets:  increased 10 fold in the past decade.

So why are 2/3 of our population fat?

The truth is that our obesity explosion is complicated and has several factors.

• Sedentary lifestyles.
• Mega-sized portions of food.
• A legion of convenience and fast foods that is typically high in fat, sugar, sodium and calories.
• A multitude of so-called diet foods – ‘low fat/carb’ or ‘fat/calorie free’ (diet foods often backfire).

We all face similar problems.

People who work in the construction industry have challenges with eating healthy, their weight, AND portion distortion.

• Working long hours – resorting to convenience foods (likely large portion/high calorie content).
• Irregular meal times – too hungry, so a big portion looks good.
• Break truck food – no dainty finger foods here, ‘man-sized’ portions is the norm.
• Eating on the road with little time – so fast food becomes the best option (super-sized?).
• Entertaining clients at restaurants – focused on client, will choose better ‘next time.’
• Food at the office- grateful vendors or staff not likely to bring ‘munchkin’ or mini anything!

The SOLUTION is Portion Control BOOT CAMP!

Before you start boot camp, take the portion quiz on coffee and bagels, – http://bit.ly/IacufU ; http://bit.ly/IYlUN2

A great Portion Control BOOT CAMP guide is at the WebMD Health Eating Portion Size Plate.

Recalibrate your eye to what a ‘normal’ portion of food is!

-1 small baked or sweet potato = 1 computer mouse           -1 ½ oz cheese = 3 dice

-1 bagel (3-4 “in diameter) = 6 oz. can of tuna                      -3 oz chicken = a deck of cards

-1/2 cup ice cream = a light bulb                   2-inch square brownie = package of dental floss

-1 TBSP margarine, butter, dressing = a poker chip

WebMD portion control and size guide is great for your wallet or purse.

Let’s not blame, let’s gain knowledge!

Knowledge is power….empower yourself with what a ‘normal’ portion is!  Start with WebMD.

Consider a new slogan in place of the one at the beginning of the article… ‘LESS IS MORE’!

Eat and snack responsibly.…. Right-size instead of Supersize!

I think I’ve said this before… Change What Needs Changing…Not What’s Easy.

Nora Clemens has been a Nutrition Expert for over 30 years.  Her passion is working with people to help them achieve health and wellness through nutrition and fitness.  Nora prides herself in being able to design programs that meet each person’s unique nutrition and lifestyle needs by helping them overcome the obstacles that have previously stood in their way.

Construction Connection Profile Link: https://www.constructionconnection.com/natd/view/767

Austin, TX (PRWEB) April 26, 2012

Construction Connection announces the formation of their Partnership Program as part of the goal to become the most relevant online community and informational resource for the entire construction industry. ConstructionConnection.com seeks to promote businesses relevant to construction by working with top industry professionals to provide them a unique landing page within the Construction Connection domain.

As a member of the Partnership Program, companies can post articles to their unique web page on the Construction Connection web site, offering specific expertise and professional insight on topics relevant to the construction community. By contributing regular educational content, partner companies can boost their reputation as an industry expert and thought leader. Every Partner Page utilizes multiple custom-designed banners that can link back to pages in the company’s own web site, promoting partner companies with search engine optimization benefits. Construction Connection also posts articles written by partner companies, including the company’s logo and footer, to their site blog. Select article content is published via the Construction Connection newsletter, which is distributed to a rapidly growing network of over 35,000 subscribers.

“There are four pillars supporting Construction Connection’s goal of being the premier online community for the construction industry: networking, job matching, information sharing and education. We are excited about the Partnership Program because it not only offers premier construction-related educational material but also because it promotes collaborative sharing of information and resources that will benefit the entire construction community,” said Kent Leighton, co-founder Construction Connection. “We work only with leading industry professionals in our partnership program so that Construction Connection members can be sure they are receiving information from the best and most authoritative and reliable sources in the construction industry.”

Construction Connection was created out of a need for a more effective and streamlined way for construction industry professionals to get matched with the right industry jobs and with the right opportunities. The partners of Construction Connection, both industry professionals themselves, listened to both company and individuals’ dissatisfaction with the traditional job boards, the paid resume blasts, the overpriced resume services and overall lack of sympathy toward the individual candidate. We also listened to the dissatisfaction from companies who post jobs only to get many irrelevant results or having to purchase high priced ads to showcase their company. Construction Connection is a patent-pending, one-of-a-kind profile creating / match-making system. The system delivers effective results. Construction Connection saves you time, money and aggravation by matching people to people, people to companies, companies to people, and company to company.

To Compare Immaturity to Maturity Doesn’t There Have To Be A Standard?
If So, Now the Question Is, Which Standard Are We Going To Use?
Is Knowledge That Leads to Maturity and Wisdom the Same Thing?
If Not, What is Wisdom and Where Do Find It?

Your relationships can only be as fulfilling as your maturity allows. Are you trying to extend your youth … or your childhood? Immature adults usually create chaos in relationships and life.

Your life reflects your maturity. If you want to improve your success, your relationships, your health or your happiness, perhaps consider if you have really grown up – or if you have just grown older.

1. Your physical age indicates how many years your body has been alive.
2. Your social maturity compares your social development to your physical age.
3. Your intellectual quotient (IQ) compares your intelligence to your physical age.
4. Your emotional intelligence (EI or EQ) compares your emotional maturity to your physical age.

You can improve your physical health and your EQ, your social awareness and your maturity. Emotional maturity is difficult for children and for people stuck in childish consciousness … for example people who habitually complain, make excuses, justify mistakes and blame others.

Compare your behavior with people whom you consider to be emotionally immature and emotionally mature. Immature people often demand immediate gratification. They have trouble waiting. They may seem thoughtless, moody and impulsive. They often have chaotic relationships and finances.

Search for a sense of life that gives you a perspective of humanity, not only self-interest. This helps build emotional maturity and define worthwhile goals. If you enrich your own life and the lives of others, you can find a satisfaction and relief that seems to be reserved for the emotionally mature.

Did you get stuck somewhere along the way and stop growing up? Do you act like a child or a teenager in important parts of your life?

A key question, “How old do you behave in your relationships?” is best answered by people who know you well. Other useful questions to help assess maturity are:

1. Do you accept reality as it is?
2. Do you adapt to changing realities?
3. Do you solve your problems promptly?
4. Do you cope with losses and setbacks?
5. Do you take responsibility for your finances?
6. Do you live realistically, conscious of your mortality?
7. Do you accept your age and continue your development?
8. Do you concern yourself with social problems and solutions?
9. Do you feel good about your successes and enjoy your relationships?
10. Do you stay in integrity, despite temptations, compromises and conflicts?

Key Qualities of Emotional Maturity

Do you believe that you can learn and improve your emotional intelligence, or is it an inborn characteristic that you are stuck with? Can you identify, evaluate and manage your emotions?

Identify – can you feel and label your own emotions? Evaluate – can you assess the benefits and consequences of acting on your feelings? Manage – can you choose how you react when you feel emotional?

1. Self-control: accepts and controls passions, emotions, desires, choose what is right
2. Wisdom: understanding; insight; learns from experience; appropriate decisions; handle stress
3. Responsibility: accountable for own actions, finances; work habits and reliability
4. Independence: make decisions and observes consequences – to make better decisions
5. Self-esteem: inner fulfillment, enjoys life, experience oneself as a source of love

So What’s the Difference between Knowledge and Wisdom in becoming Mature?

There is a distinct difference between knowledge and wisdom. Most books contain knowledge of some sort. Not many contain much wisdom. Of those that contain some measure of wisdom, most contain what the Bible calls “worldly” wisdom.

There is a distinct difference between “worldly” wisdom and Godly wisdom. “Worldly” wisdom centers on the high-brow intellect of man. Its goal is to satisfy the mind, will and emotions of man. In contrast, “Godly” wisdom centers on the knowledge of God, His ways and His will. Both Proverbs 9:10 and Psalm 111:10 state: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”  The Amplified Bible clarifies “the fear of the Lord” as “the reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord.” The “fear of the Lord” is not a tense, nervous fright heightened by the thought of possibly being punished or killed. It is awesome respect, understanding and honor for God’s unlimited power, holiness and majesty.

Most institutions of learning are geared to teaching knowledge to students. In most cases, wisdom is not at all revealed. In fact, it is impossible for most of today’s schools and colleges to teach true wisdom to their students. Why? Because the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Today’s public institutions of education have kicked God out. When you remove the awesome respect, understanding and honor for God from the classroom you also eliminate true wisdom. Public schools are imparting knowledge (a task that seems to be getting more and more difficult since they kicked God out) and a measure of “worldly” wisdom. But, true wisdom is sorely lacking.

According to the Bible, God has a considerable amount of contempt for worldly wisdom. Here’s what Paul wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in First Corinthians: “Do not deceive yourselves. If any one of you thinks he is wise by the standards of this age, he should become a ‘fool’ so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: ‘He catches the wise in their craftiness’; and again, ‘The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.’“ (1 Corinthians 3:18-20)

If you are using the world’s standards, “the standards of this age,” as your standard for wisdom – throw it away. You would be better off to be considered a fool by the world. Coincidentally, when you reject the popular wisdom of the world for the true wisdom of God, the world will label you a fool.

When the wisdom of the world tells you the important things in life are fame, fortune and power – you would be better off to be considered a fool. When the “wisdom” of the world says it is foolish to live by the standards of sexual conduct prescribed in the Bible – choose to be a fool. When the wisdom of the world says there is “safe sex” outside marriage – choose to be a fool. When the wisdom of the world calls outright sin an acceptable “alternative lifestyle” – become a fool. When the wisdom of the world tells you that a fetus in the womb is not a person, that it is merely an inconvenient tissue mass – opt for the label of fool. “For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom.” (1 Corinthians 1:25)

Where Do I Find Wisdom?

The Good News from God’s Word is that God’s wisdom is available to any believer who would ask for it. The Lord promises He will provide wisdom to those who ask in James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.”

Is that remarkable, or what? The wisdom of the creator of the universe is available to you. We can ask God for wisdom and He won’t find fault with us. We don’t have to worry that He will tell us we haven’t been good enough today to receive His wisdom. He will give it generously without finding fault.

There is one notable stipulation to receiving God’s wisdom given in the next scripture: “But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.” (James 1:6-8)

Receiving wisdom is much like receiving anything else from God. Receiving requires faith on our part. “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” Hebrews 11:6

Let me close by saying, when we are uncertain about what to do we can ask God, in faith, and receive His perfect wisdom. When the storm of worldly wisdom is blowing, we have a rock-solid source of true wisdom we can anchor to; the Word of God.

Jim is President of the Hard Facts – Soft Skills company.  He is a former Texas state trooper, entrepreneur, and corporate executive, and brings a uniquely powerful perspective and incredible resume to improving performance, productivity and profitability in organizations.  Jim has been coaching and mentoring leaders, professionals and business owners for many years. He has studied with the Leadership Coach Academy and he is an active member of the International Coach Federation.  To contact Jim, please call: (210) 494-HFSS (4377); send an email to:  jims@hf-ss.com;  or go to the Hard Facts – Soft Skills website: www.hf-ss.com for more information

“They say that age kills the fire inside of a man.  He hears death coming, opens the door and says, come in, give me rest.  That is a pack of lies!!   I have enough fire in me to devour the world, so I fight!” (Zorba the Greek, 1965)

Today, many of us are faced with the continuing challenge of finding and keeping work.  It becomes increasingly difficult as some of us are in the last quarter of our careers.  For the veterans of this industry, take heart.  You not only have the patience, but the wisdom that comes only from years of experience.  That, coupled with extraordinary people skills and a positive attitude which comes from having “been there and done that,” makes us very valuable to the marketplace.  The key is to maintain the right perspective.  The steel edge of your will to win has been forged and strengthened by many years of battle.  Yet, we don’t make full use of it because we have allowed circumstances to skew our perspective and blur our vision.  This article will attempt to bring the proper perspective back into focus.

Let’s take a look at the marketplace itself.  When you really sit down and think it through, our industry has one of the longest transaction times of any industry.

From beginning to end, we are with our clients for months, or even years, before our contract (transaction) is fulfilled.   Compare this to buying a pair of shoes.  We walk in, try on a pair, perhaps have 15 minutes of interaction with a sales person, and complete the transaction.  In fact, with wireless communication, the internet and digital everything else, most transactions that take place in our lives today are done at light speed.

That sheer length of time for the complete transaction to take place in the construction world demands exceptional people skills and patience. Above all, it takes the will to run the long race and win.  Willpower, or by its other names–perseverance and determination- – is the key.  Willpower is a mind set.  It is the difference between winning and losing. We see it in sports, business, combat and everyday life.

What makes one quadriplegic overcome this tragic setback to become a writer and public speaker while another with the same affliction chooses to fade into the shadows of despair?   What makes one octogenarian run marathons while the other, equally fit, sits by a window all day waiting for the end to come.   Willpower is the difference –the will to view themselves as bigger than the situations or circumstances they face—hence, Winners’ Law #1:  Winners are Big.

Winners’ Law #1 Winners are Big”

“You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of that divine power that is within us. It is not just in some of us. It is in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.  As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” (from “A Return to Love” by Marianne Williamson)

You may think that being “big” has everything to do with a brash persona, over-the-top confidence, cockiness, or a certain air or swagger.  Being “big” has nothing to do with how we wish to make ourselves appear to be better or above others.

It has everything to do with how you appear to yourself in relation to the obstacles you face and the goals you pursue.

See yourself as bigger than any challenges you face. Winners win because they are big.

They always view themselves as larger than circumstances and bigger than issues, despite the certain apprehension and fear they feel.  Circumstances and issues are fleeting things. Winners know they are in the game to stay. It all comes from the inside–truly genuine–the real deal!

You must be the winner you need to be for yourself before you can become what others need or want you to be.

Dream Big…. Think Big….. Be BIG! (from The Winners Law Series by JPG)

We are all blessed with this indomitable divine spirit and it is inside us always.  Simply choose to use it!!

I know the naysayers, pragmatists, and pessimists will dismiss this in their reality.  The truth is that is why it is their reality.

Now take Winners’ Law #1 a step further.  The older we get, the more proof we have that, as long as we stay in the game, the better our chances of winning.  Somehow, as long as we keep swinging, things turn out okay in the long run.  This is called wisdom and it is something the world needs more of.

About twenty years ago, I worked with a great “seasoned” superintendent fifteen or so years my senior.  Every challenge he faced on the job site, or otherwise, was “no problem.”   He simply smiled and leaned right into it head first.  Nothing shook him.  He was a master at exercising his will (spirit).   It drove me crazy.  There I was, a junior exec, with nothing but questions.  I would say,” Bud,” (I called him Bud because that was his name) “How we gonna frame that?”  “Are we gonna make the deadline?”  “Will the doors be in on time?”  “Aren’t we gonna miss the second pour?”   Blah, blah blah!

He would just smile at me and say, “We’ll get it.”   One day he dropped a piece of paper on my desk with the following words:

I Can 

I Am

I Will

I Choose

I Know

I Love

I Create

I Enjoy

He told me he recites them to himself several times a day, especially when the challenge at hand seems a bit overwhelming.  (There’s that wisdom thing again.)  I committed them to memory even though I kept the piece of paper.  Over the years I hadn’t recited these words as often as I should have but, probably because of the impact he made on me, I could still summon them from memory at will.

Now that I am actually older than Bud was then, I find myself invoking that mantra more often.  This practice has come in especially handy as of late.   In October of last year, I underwent extensive spinal surgery and in two weeks I will go into surgery again for a full knee replacement.

Exercising my will regularly has helped tremendously in the recovery from my first surgery and will certainly propel me through the challenges of the next surgery.

The race is not over until you decide it’s over. And you will decide it’s over when you cross the finish line a winner!!!   Get ready.  The best is yet to come!

The bottom line is that to make it this far in this business, you are absolutely a winner.  Winners are big.

BE BIG.

Until next time….Gino

James P. Ginopoulos (Gino)

Owner
Great Patriot Construction Services

Let’s face it. The real estate industry is not known for its innovation. While there are some interesting ideas being executed and a few projects that maintain a high visibility among all of the buildings, communities and cities around the world, these represent a drop in the ocean. The real estate industry seems to be the only industry left without any game-changing breakthroughs. The time has come for change and, this time, change is coming from the bottom up.

Most changes have historically been pushed top-down, meaning that changes were initiated at the business/ownership level and tenants were not given much of a choice. More recently, we have seen the opposite taking place in many markets – it is customer demand that is shaping businesses, buildings and communities. The global “environmental awareness movement” is no longer the domain of tree-huggers, hippies and environmentalists. It is mainstream, which manifests itself in a plethora of services and products from battery-operated cars to energy- efficient shower heads.

Think about it – since the introduction of the iPhone, the roles have turned. It is now the people who demand how their environment is shaped and, with the resulting 24-hour economy, the delicate balance between work and play is at the forefront of the demands. Home equals work and work equals home.  Therefore, all of the environments are required to fit the work-life picture. If they don’t, the potential location for living or working is not considered.

The next generation of home owners, business owners and hospitality customers are standing at the door, waiting to get in and spend their money.  But their criteria have changed. They are standing in front of the door with their cell phones in their hands, checking the signal strength of the nearest WiFi access point. They are looking at the sprinkler systems and are online researching whether or not the water is recycled. They see the illumination and are wondering why the lights are turned on during full daylight. And, anything that is perceived as negative is Tweeted, Facebooked or Google Plussed with coordinates and pictures.

After all is said and done in this fast-paced world, the question of being too old inevitably surfaces – as a person, as a building, as a community. However, I don’t believe this to ever be the case.

Being old does not necessarily mean being obsolete. Staying current with the times and “grounded in reality” is not a matter of having every social media account possible; it is a matter of accepting and embracing change. It is the acceptance of the passing of time without the fear of irrelevance.

When technology is mentioned in connection with real estate, one of two images usually comes to mind: The first is one of spaceships attaching themselves to the side of the property at penthouse level, while a friendly electronic voice welcomes the vehicles’ occupants to the building of the future. The second picture is one of a property with so many screens and buttons that it is too complex to live or work in.

Both pictures are, obviously, wrong. But both pictures also have a commonality in the interconnected nature of all of the buildings’ systems. It is this commonality that is now becoming the pivotal point in real estate development, as well as in vintage building overhauling. What I am talking about is network connectivity.

The availability of network connectivity in any property, new or old, is what enables each and every part of what is important to the next generation of tenants. Property management systems can now be used intelligently to lower energy consumption and positively affect the environmental footprint of a structure. Property management uses networked systems to offer better service to the tenants and their guests. The tenants and guests themselves can influence their spending by analyzing their utility usage, giving them more control than ever over their homes and offices.

The commonality, once again, is the standardized IT network. When standard network connectivity is made available inside common areas, such as rest rooms, there is an immediate opportunity to serve the users better by having “smart appliances” use this network to give status to maintenance staff. Simple innovations report elevated levels of traffic in a specific restroom, a stall running out of paper, or a leaking faucet at one of the sinks. Strategically placed wireless access points are used to communicate with the maintenance staff for direct, on-the-spot service and, in some cases, preventive service.

With the right setup, the network can be turned into a value-added service to the tenants. It is not unthinkable to offer tenants a basic Internet connection as part of their lease agreements. Playing on the economies of scale, it may turn out to be more cost effective to share a properly sized connection with the tenants of the property, instead of everybody having his or her own. It is easy to see how this model can be turned into a profit center – in-house or outsourced.

If this sounds like a strange proposition, consider what your property would look like if everybody would get his or her own connections for power, water and sewer. The image that comes up seems rather absurd, but as far as internet is concerned, this is still the case. However, copper phone lines, with their limited capacity, are already brought to the tenant space and connections to the telco of choice are done centrally. There is no way around it. In a few short years, network connectivity will be part of the design, architecture and management of any property.

These are just a few of many scenarios where basic network connectivity offers amazing benefits that will spring new life into vintage real estate.

Taking a closer look at the benefits of smart buildings and communities will reveal some interesting facts about your property and your tenants. It will help leasing velocity and retention rates – and it all starts with network connectivity.

Cas Mollien is a veteran in the technology industry and a has a passion for the small and medium sized business. A technological Renaissance Man, For the past years, Cas has been involved with Connected Real Estate and is now focused on bringing network technology throughout buildings, communities and cities. Cas has adopted the moniker of @SmallBizCIO and is active at several social/business networks. He can be reached at CMollien@BazicBlue.com, followed on twitter.com/SmallBizCIO, and checked out at About.Me/CasMollien

Hiring Manager calls recruiter and asks for candidate with 2-4 years experience with a salary range of 45-55K and standard company benefits with details of qualifications required.  Recruiter sends top candidate for interview who is told by employer and recruiter that he will go through next steps toward an offer.  Recruiter is told to not send any further candidates.

Candidate goes through next steps as if all is on track towards a hire.

Who does the Hiring Manager ultimately hire?

Hiring Manager hires person with 20+ years experience part-time (25 -30 hours a week) on an hourly rate ($50/hour)  who came from an internal referral.

Age Discrimination – yes or no?

What if you knew this?

Case #2

Job- Senior Estimator – full division for commercial General Contractor, pay range 100-125K plus standard company benefits.  Computer software:  Excel, Word, On screen take-off,   Projects, both public and private in the 2-50 million range, hard bid and occasional negotiated/presentation design –build.

Candidate #1 – Senior Estimator with 30 years experience, locally based and most recently using excel, word, on-screen take-off.  Extensive experience in both public and private projects both hard bid and with doing presentations and negotiated design-build projects.  Top references, requesting salary of 125K plus benefits with previous salary range in the 125K range.

Candidate #2 – Senior Estimator with 15 years experience, locally based and most recently using excel, word, on-screen take-off.  Extensive experience in both public and private projects both hard bid and with doing presentations and negotiated design-build projects.  Top references, requesting salary of 125K plus benefits with previous salary range in the 125K range

Both candidates do exceptionally well through interview process, both have solid reference checks.  Candidate #2 is hired.

Age Discrimination – yes or no?

What if you knew this?

Case #3

100 million dollar statewide Forming Contractor ownership is seeking a Superintendent to oversee building of 8 story parking structure in metropolitan area as first project with future projects all within State and of similar scope.  They are paying 90-115K base salary, company truck, gas card and standard health/vacation benefits along with housing if projects beyond 100 mile radius of corporate office.

Candidate #1 –  41 years old, grew up in the concrete forming business.  Worked for past four years for a local 50 million dollar contractor with all projects within 100 mile radius of corporate office after his family owned business was sold to a national concrete forming contractor.  Projects experience mirrors the type of projects the company he is interviewing with.  No college degree.  Proficient computer skills. Salary request of minimum of 110K a year

Candidate #2 – 60 years old, grew up in the concrete forming business and worked there until he was 45 and company was sold also.  Worked for past seven years for a local 50 million dollar contractor with all projects throughout the state.  Projects experience mirrors the type of projects the company he is interviewing with.  4 year Construction Management degree.  Proficient computer skills.  Salary request of minimum of 100K a year

Company was leaning towards candidate #2 and liked the maturity and the fact that he had tremendous longevity with only three past employers in 40 years of consistent employment.  He was degreed and proficient with a computer.  He also was a certified safety trainer and had many other plusses.  Appeared to be the guy that everyone wanted to hire

Ownership hires candidate #1

Age Discrimination – Yes or no?

What if you knew this?