If you build it, they will come. –
Every new project is a Field of Dreams – an owner’s vision, supported by a team of professionals that makes it a reality. As a general contractor, it’s our responsibility to build the construction team by selecting players with the right skills to deliver the best results. In the world of baseball, we’re the general manager. But, we’re not Ray Kinsella in Field of Dreams where “players” materialize out of nowhere. Developing the right lineup for a project and then actively managing “in-game” scenarios is only possible if you have the right team members available to choose from.
How do you think and act like a general manager and build a team that can consistently win?
Ask any general contractor about their most common barrier to success, and many will tell you “finding and developing positive subcontractor partnerships”. Is there a secret to putting together the right team? Well, to start developing the right bench strength, general contractors need to start with a qualification program that attracts the right level of sophistication, size, and skill they need to compete.
Let’s look at another baseball movie…Moneyball; the story of the Oakland A’s GM employing computer generated analysis, called Sabermetrics, to make better roster decisions. Sabermetrics is the analysis of baseball statistics to make decisions and predictions about players’ performances. In baseball and construction, you need to build your team and your bench based on objective knowledge (data). By incorporating Sabermetrics into their player analysis, the Oakland A’s improved their operating results (overall wins) by identifying and analyzing statistics to understand player value and reduce certain risk, i.e. strikeouts, walks, and errors. In construction, a data-driven qualification and monitoring program will help you understand subcontractor value and performance equating to fewer change orders, fewer delays, and less rework – improving operating results for quality, cost, and schedule.
The most successful general managers and organizations develop a consistent framework of identification, selection, and evaluation of players. This occurs throughout the year; spring training, regular season, playoffs, and during winter meetings around “ The Hot Stove”. General contractors must take a similar approach to identify, analyze, and monitor performance of its subcontractors. In this series, we will outline and describe the four key elements of a qualification program that will attract the best subcontractor talent.
1. Put on your risk management ballcap
2. Develop and formalize a qualification process
3. Build out your bench
4. Create an ongoing measurement system
Build it, they will come.
For more information visit www.landsouth.com or call 904.273.6004
ABOUT LANDSOUTH CONSTRUCTION…BUILDING IDEAS
LandSouth Construction, the Southeast’s premier general contractor, specializing in multifamily, senior living, and mixed-use development, was named one of Engineering News Record’s Top 400. Since 1998, LandSouth has transformed ideas into best–in–class communities. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Fla. LandSouth has completed more than 25,000 multifamily units. For more information, call LandSouth’s Marketing Coordinator, Kaley Robinson, (904) 760-3188, or visit www.landsouth.com