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Giving Work Away for Free Doesn’t Sound Like a Very Good Plan

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The Benefit to Me is More Than Dollars and Cents

There’s a learning curve that goes with expanding my business from construction to include coaching and consulting.

After all, a coaching/consulting business isn’t the same as a construction business…or is it?

Several years ago, it occurred to me that most construction companies that I worked with knew how to build a building…but not a business. This became apparent when they would continually ask me how I did this or where I learned that. Or worse case when a construction company and customer ended up in court because something hadn’t gone as expected.

Then it happened, I got a wakeup call and realized that I needed to share this knowledge and experience with other construction companies and customers.

The problem is I’ve never been very good at teaching. It was always easier for me to just do it myself. Even though I didn’t realize it at the time, this is a pretty selfish attitude.

So, if I’m not naturally a teacher, how do I get these systems into the hands of the people who need them?

This is when I developed a downloadable proposal system, available online. It was complete with instructions for how to use it, templates, examples and a database. And what happened next…crickets.

What’s the deal? There’s definitely a need for better business systems in the construction industry. So, why aren’t people buying this inexpensive proposal system and taking control of their businesses?

Recently I have been in communication with a construction company that has shown interest in the proposal system. We’ve met a few times and discussed the system. I even did an example proposal of a project they are getting ready to start (at no cost) to compare to their system.

During our most recent meeting we discussed how my system could work for them. He asked some questions about some concerns he had.

If my system works so well for me, why wouldn’t it work the same for every other construction company out there?

That’s when I had an aha moment. It’s because they aren’t me.

So, I need to rethink this whole thing. Rather than me focusing on selling my system and teaching it others, I need to find out what they need and build them a system that works for them specifically.

I need to approach this more like doing a construction project. I wouldn’t build the same house for every customer. They’re all different. They have different needs and wants. Once I figure out what those are, I can build them the project of their dreams.

This is how I need to approach the coaching and consulting for construction companies. I need to find out what they need and build it for them.

This new thinking is going to require me to do some work in the beginning at no charge so that I can learn how to do this. Giving away work doesn’t sound like a very good plan…

But I think the long-term benefits to both me and them will be worth it in the end.

What Are the Benefits to Using a Coach or Consultant in Business?

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Not Nearly as Much If It Doesn’t Include Accountability as Part of the Process

Let’s start by answering the question, what is a coach or consultant?

That’s a really good question. If you ask five different people, I will bet you will get five different answers. As I’ve been working to help construction companies do better proposals with my proposal system, I’ve been asking myself this question.

So, what is the difference between a coach and consultant?

According to Wikipedia, coaching is a form of development in which an experienced person, supports a learner or client in achieving a specific personal or professional goal by providing training and guidance. Coaches use a range of communication skills to help clients shift their perspectives and thereby discover different approaches to achieve their goals.

A consultant, on the other hand, is a professional who provides advice and further purposeful activities in an area of specialization. Someone who advises on “how to modify, proceed in, or streamline a given process within a specific field. A consultant should be able to correctly diagnose and effectively transform a problem and apply information, resources and processes to create a workable and usable solution.

I see coaching as more teaching, training and implementing. It can include consulting, or it could be the next step after. It is more reliant on understanding the subject being coached.

I see a consultant as someone who evaluates a company’s processes and systems, assesses them, and offers ways to improve or new to replace the existing. Consulting is a valuable procedure, but a little more distant and less connected than coaching.

The biggest issue with either is the lack of follow through on the part of the receiver.

Around thirty years ago when I was in a business partnership, we had the construction thing figured out. We knew how to build. What we were struggling with was the business side of things.

After some discussion, we hired a consulting company…and it wasn’t cheap. It cost us $20,000 and in the early 90s for a small company, that was a lot of money. I could have bought a new truck.

They reviewed our business extensively and gave us a lot of new processes and procedures. It was great. The problem was that after the new wore off…we quit using them.

I’ve seen this happen over and over, both with company’s and individuals. We pay for some new training or program, and then gradually slide back into the old routines that we were trying to get away from.

The problem is a lack of accountability.

This is a bigger problem than just with business systems and training. It permeates our society. We want to do better, but what happens if we don’t…nothing. Sure, we may be disappointed, but that only hurts for a little bit and eventually becomes the norm.

How can we be more accountable?

What are the Critical Characteristics Needed to Accomplish Your Mission?

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Knowing Them and Articulating Them Are Two Completely Different Things

Last week I wrote about the importance of having a mission and why it matters. I shared that I’m going through the Business Made Simple University’s Mission Statement Made Simple with a friend. This week’s focus is determining the Key Characteristics needed to accomplish the mission.

These characteristics are things that you and anyone on your team need to have. They are distinguishing traits and qualities that are an integral part of accomplishing your mission. They are qualities that direct and motivate you and those around you to push forward toward a common goal.

If a team isn’t clear on the objective, the chances of winning aren’t very good.

A good example of this type of connection is Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. For several years we’ve led this class at our church. There are some words, actions or items that when shared or displayed in public will invoke a connected response from people you don’t even know. There is an immediate association with anyone who has gone through the class or is familiar with the program.

If we can’t explain our mission and communicate it clearly, we can’t expect to accomplish it. We will flounder in a fog with no direction.

Sharing characteristics with others ignites a connection that is immediately felt and hard to explain.

Like the mission, the characteristics need to be concise and memorable.

I have a list of core values that is the foundation of my life and businesses. I review them daily; the problem is that it needs to be narrowed down to a sharable list that will provide laser focus for achieving the mission.

Core values:

Values are the foundation; characteristics are the cornerstone.

Like the mission, the critical characteristics should be reviewed periodically, updated and improved as needed.

Current key characteristics:

  • Servant’s Heart – Focus on our purpose to help others find solutions for building their dreams.
  • Flexibly Rigid – Clarity of purpose with the ability to change directions as needed to serve that purpose.
  • Problem Solver – Driven to find solutions, whatever, whenever and wherever issues are encountered.

These characteristics need to encompass the core values and align with and support the mission –

John Clark http://galleries.vietnamsoldier.com/photo-gallery/avlb/

Bridge the gap between construction companies and customers. Construction companies struggle with a lack of business knowledge and customers don’t understand or know what to expect from the construction process. We help both achieve their dreams, by providing businesses with systems and training to make their companies more efficient and profitable while educating customers in what to expect throughout the entire construction process.

I’m concerned that the above characteristics are too vague and don’t provide a clear understanding of what is needed to carry out this mission. I feel them in my heart, but I need to communicate them clearly.

I will be working on this over the next several days and will let you know what I come up with.

Any thoughts or input you would like to share are appreciated.

How to Make Wise Business Decisions

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Having a DeLorean Time Machine Would be Helpful

I’ve been fighting more dragons than normal over the last few weeks. When speaking of dragons, I’m referring to the business difficulties and struggles that seem to come in herds or clans. (This is one name for a group of dragons)

Throughout my years of being in construction I have witnessed the gap between construction companies and customers. To narrow this gap construction companies need better business systems and customers need to have the process explained.

Narrowing this gap is the reason for Solution Building.

This onslaught of dragons is the culmination of the Timber Creek Construction production workload and trying to find time to build the business in coaching and consulting. This sense of overload has pushed me to consider what things on the long list should be given the priority spot.

As I have discussed this topic with different people one of the questions that continued to come up was…How important are your blog posts, currently, to moving things toward the goal? That is the question.

How important are these posts to you subscribers?

So –

If you read this post clear through, let me know in the comments below.

If you like getting these posts weekly, let me know in the comments below.

If there are things you like or dislike about my writing, subjects or post schedule, let me know in the comment below.

Focus is Hard When There’s No Revenue

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How to Determine When to Stop or Keep Going

What the heck am I supposed to be doing? Should I quit spending time trying to develop a coaching/consulting business? When there’s no revenue generated from it, the time spent working on it, takes time away from the current revenue generating construction.

I knew from researching, that it would take some time to develop this new business. I’ve been posting a weekly solution every week for almost four and a half years, that’s over 230 posts. During that time, I have attracted less than forty subscribers. Not to mention there is almost no interaction with the few subscribers that I have.

This raises questions. Is the content relative to our target audience? Maybe the low connection is a lack of writing ability? I started as a builder after all. Maybe it’s just a matter of how busy and overwhelmed everyone is? Maybe this isn’t the best format to reach them?

Uncertainty results in inaction.

I’ve always been a cautious person. I tend to overthink and analyze things to death. This process often leads to slow or no action. As I have considered whether to continue with the coaching/consulting, I’ve come to some conclusion. This was reached in part thanks to my wonderful Kingdom Builders Mastermind group and Andy Andrews book, The Travelers Gift, The Seven Decisions for Personal Success.

I include these seven decisions as part of my daily routine. After reviewing the input from the mastermind group, I realized these Seven Decisions paralleled the groups input and what I already knew.

Here are those Seven Decisions and how they pertain to this decision:

The Responsible Decision –

My success or failure is up to me. Where I am is no one’s fault but mine. Where I end up is no one’s fault but mine. I have control over what I will do and how I will move forward. My past cannot be changed. My future is my responsibility. The buck stops here.

The Certain Decision –

This is a tough one for me. I have spent too much time second guessing myself. My lack of certainty makes moving forward hard. How do I know if this is the right thing to do? I know this, because God has given me the knowledge of the need, the skills and experience to help others find solutions and a passionate heart for this task. I have a decided heart.

The Compassionate Decision –

Forgiveness has never been much of a problem for me, as it relates to others. I forgive easily which often results in people taking advantage of me. Where forgiveness is an issue…is forgiving myself. I get stuck in the rut of replaying all my mistakes, failures or lack of achievements. I can’t let my past dictate my future. I will greet each day with a forgiving spirt. I will forgive myself.

The Guided Decision –

When wondering what to do I seek direction from God and His Word, my friends and family, books, podcasts, blogs, etc. I’m constantly searching for wisdom. Too much of the time I’m seeking wisdom and not putting it into action. I’m looking forward to honest feedback from the mastermind group. I will seek wisdom.

The Joyful Decision –

My attitude is a choice. How I respond or react to a situation is a choice. These choices affect my outlook. I can approach things with a discouraged, depressed, ungrateful heart. Or I can remind myself how fortunate and blessed I am to have been given the insight and skills needed to lead others in way to build better businesses, construction projects and lives. I will choose to be happy.

The Active Decision –

Action is out of character for me. Concern that something done wrong will cause problems, leads to inaction. This inaction leads to nothing being done. Nothing being done helps no one. God is waiting for me to do something. Slow decisions lead to failure. Fear of failure keeps me from action. Just because a decision is made doesn’t mean it’s permanent. Failure only exists for the person who quits. I will not quit. I am a person of action.

The Persistent Decision –

Not quitting or giving up is the cornerstone to these decisions. It is the one decision, if removed, causes the whole thing to crumble. Many times, I’m tempted to quit. By persisting, my outcome, my success, is assured. In Jeremiah, God says, “I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future.” Failure only happens if I quit…I will not quit. I will persist without exception.

After running my coaching/consulting question through the filter of these Seven Decisions, I’ve determined that I will keep going.

What exactly this will turn out to be, remains to be seen. I want to know now, exactly what it’s is going to be, down to the smallest detail. I need to shift my focus from so far out, to the first next step. Writing this week’s solution is that first next step. We’ll give some thought to how to reach out to those who would benefit from our help in finding their solutions and take the first next step.