While you can’t pay bills with them, the real currency of business is relationships. They open doors and lead to opportunities that can pay off. The two primary business relationship types are internal and external. Internal...
When talking about good communicators, it’s common to think of orators making inspirational speeches. Historic speakers such as Winston Churchill, Eleanor Roosevelt, Martin Luther King Jr., Vince Lombardi and Gloria Steinem...
I don’t know any leaders that wear a cape, sport a utility belt with boomerangs or have a sidekick. But some of their feats rate right up there with Superman, Batman and Spiderman. Being a leader is not about dressing up...
Many of us feel like we are firefighters rather than contractors on a typical workday. We arrive in the morning with the intention of completing a to-do list, only to spend much of our time putting out others’ fires. Then...
The mastermind concept isn’t new. The term “mastermind” dates back to Napoleon Hill’s 1925 book, “The Law of Success.” Hill describes groups of peers helping one another solve their most challenging problems. While a peer...
Each of us has a unique personality. Looking at your employees, even though two individuals may have the same skills, experience and job title, their personalities are probably quite different. When it comes to your business...
The first thing most people Think when they hear “succession plan” is retirement, which is typically the catalyst that puts the succession planning in motion. While some business owners think it only applies to transferring...
When I ask an electrical contractor, “How do you market your company?” the usual answer is, “We have a website and use Facebook.” While a website and social media, in general, can be great platforms, it takes a lot more to...
I don’t know if it is a construction industry thing or a personality thing, but it seems like, as electrical contractors, we think we can do it all. The downside is that we can easily be consumed by low-value tasks that must...
As an experienced electrical contractor, you should always have some semblance of a business plan for the year ahead in January. But this month, try taking a different tack. We challenge you to write a pretend obituary...
In part 1 of this series, we surveyed the current condition of the construction industry in view of the increasing deficits of capable manpower and project managers that plague it unendingly. In part 2, we highlighted rewards...
The Cricket Valley power plant in Dover Plains, N.Y., promotes a highly efficient and environmentally responsible process that converts clean-burning natural gas into electricity. E-J Electric Installation Co. was responsible...
NECA’s president, Larry Beltramo, has a mission to further develop growth for the association and aid the electrical construction industry with the rapid transitions underway. As contractors navigate the changing tides of...
If you’re reading this, you’re probably an electrical contractor. You’ve poured thousands of dollars into your dream, from licensing and insurance rates to overhead and equipment costs. Your commitment is evident, but are...
“All politics is local,” said former Massachusetts congressman Tip O’Neill, who rose to the lofty position of Speaker of the House. Decades ago, when O’Neill was credited with the expression, someone could have made a similar...
Every electrical contractor agrees good project managers are hard to find. The first place contractors usually search for high-promise candidates is among the ranks of their best foremen. In part 1 of this series, we covered...
Staffing shortages have plagued the construction industry in recent years and are likely to continue for the foreseeable future. Part of this larger issue is a constant shortage of project managers (PMs). In boom times or...
Emergencies can occur anywhere at any time, including the workplace. Our immediate concerns, as they should be, are to minimize loss of life and property. But business operations will be affected as well. What can employers...
The latest report from USG Corp. and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce confirm what contractors have known for a long time: It is difficult to find skilled labor. The "Q1 2019 USG Corporation & U.S. Chamber of Commerce Commercial...
It might sound like newfangled science-fiction tech, but China has plans to build the world’s first space-based solar power station by 2050, according to an article in Forbes. The solar power station, owned by the state’s...
