Culture
First Principle – Thinking.
In everything we do: We Think before We Act. We ask ourselves: Is this the right thing to do? Is it ethical? Is it logical? Does it make sense? Is it what’s best for the organization? Is it in alignment with our company Vision, Mission, and Core Values? Is there a newer, better, or smarter way that I should be doing it? We are proactive thinkers, problem solvers, and strategists, not frantic, reactive, or dramatic. We Think First, then We Act.
Second Principle – Pursuit of the Exponentially Excellent Experience.
Each sector of our business provides an opportunity for us to offer a Unique Value Proposition that can give us an edge on the rest of the competitors in our industry. To achieve, and maintain, this edge we must constantly pursue the creation of a level of Excellence (customer, subcontractor, vendor, industry partner) that is Exponentially better than the Experience that any competition can provide. This is the type of service or product offering which absolutely WOWs people beyond their expectation. We self-evaluate to find Win/ Win Opportunities to add permanent value for our customers while also creating a more efficient, steadfast, and reliable business for ourselves. If we can consistently provide Triple X, then we find ourselves in a position where there is no competition.
Third Principle – Understanding the Cycle of Business.
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- Our Leaders Eat Last. The owners and leaders at every level of our business are here to serve, support, develop and grow our team and every member in it. Trust by Verification is an approach that creates accountability and respect between leaders and team members. We set the bar high and seek to provide a culture where excellence can thrive. This opportunity attracts the best and the best in turn attract more opportunities.
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- Our Team is here to Serve our Customers. Our customers are partners in our projects. The project is simply a conduit through which we serve and strengthen our customer relationships, rather than the customer being a sidebar, roadblock or obstacle between us and the project. We plan, perform, and communicate in a way that demonstrates Respect for this Partnership. Our Relationships grow stronger because of challenges, not despite them.
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- Our Customers Build our Business. Happy customers pay well and spread the good word. One positive customer review can do more good for a business than a dozen advertisements. Our business only thrives when customers are satisfied, and there is no other option.
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- Our Business Provides for our Leaders. Only when this business cycle comes full circle does it provide the resources, positive momentum, and fundamental strength that owners and leaders need to plan and grow. Every missed opportunity is a slip in the gear, but every click of the gear pushes the 100,000-ton flywheel a bit further and faster. If our business does not perform and produce consistent results today, then we will not have what it takes to get to the next level tomorrow.
Fourth Principle – Systematize the Process, Humanize the Exception.
A fundamentally sound business is built with a framework of systems, rules, and processes. We seek to find the best way to do a particular task, and then train and formalize that group of actions into an official process with a set of expectations that, when properly followed, has proven to provide the best and most reliable results. But our business is also about people and people are not robots. So, we understand that while we rely heavily on our systems and processes, we must take the time to uniquely address the exceptions with a personal touch. It provides insight into the system and feedback for improvements in ways we cannot often see from the outside, which allows us to constantly refine and build a better business. It is a culture that provides our people with both Freedom and Responsibility: The Freedom to act and respond freely within a system that respects the individual, but also the Responsibility to execute against a high level of expectations and produce consistent results. This way we are able to respect both the people and the process in a way that creates alignment within the system and draws them together, not divides them.
Fifth Principle – Nurture the Core.
The Core of our business is what brought us here today. Our core lines of business, our core people, our core processes, and our core customers are altogether what keeps the lights on and the seats warm. The core allows us to provide for ourselves and our families and serves as the foundation from which we can confidently reach for our goals. When the Core is not healthy, our entire business and future are in jeopardy. So, we balance our time between serving our core business and the pursuit of new opportunities. We divide our roles and play to our strengths and weaknesses so that as a team we stay well rounded, ready, willing, and able. We do whatever it takes to keep our own house in order first and keep our focus on managing our risk. We understand that while we live “in the hunt”, a bird in the hand is always worth two in the bush.
Vision, Mission, and Core Values. Explained
Vision Statement
Bringing Mastery – Achieving excellence and dominance in becoming a 100% master is an ongoing process where you never truly reach the end because you can ALWAYS be better and learn more.
back to – The construction industry is full of lackluster performers, so there is a real opportunity for us to give clients in the market more than they are currently getting from our competition.
the Craft. – EVERYONE in the organization is a craftsman, whether you work onsite, with people, or deep in the numbers. Focus and be the best you can be at your chosen role.
Mission Statement
We are a team – There are strengths in our differences, and the wider the range of characteristics we embrace, the more potential power we have.
of professional builders – No matter what our background or skill set, we are each qualified, respectful building professionals that have chosen this as a life-long career, not just a job.
dedicated to creating – We share common long-term business and career goals where work ethic, performance, and results matter regardless of the challenges we must overcome during the process.
an exceptional – Construction is one of the oldest professions, yet new tools and methods of doing things better give us continual opportunities to stand out from the crowd and gain an advantage.
WIN/ WIN experience – Each shared success strengthens our bonds and improves our long-term position as the most trusted resource in the market. We never lose focus on the importance of a quality product. It is what ultimately helps us provide the best overall experience for our client.
Our Core Values
Bold – We boldly seek out and pursue challenges and opportunities, doing what others won’t to achieve what others don’t.
Unique – We apply our individual and unique talents, knowledge, strengths and skills to set ourselves apart from the rest in valuable ways.
Integrity – Our integrity and strong moral principles guide every decision we make, to do what is right even when no one is watching.
Loyalty – We are loyal to our long-term relationships and follow through on our commitments.
Dependability – We are the punctual, engaged, and accountable professionals that our teammates, clients and community can depend on.
Education – Our commitment to continual improvement, training, and education and an open willingness to learn earns us a slight edge over our ever-advancing competition.
Respect – We show a deep respect for people, property, processes and our profession.
Synergy – Our commitment to working together as a united team creates true synergy allowing us to accomplish more together than we could on our own.
Understanding – We patiently listen to others to understand them first, then to be understood.
Neatness – Our neatness is our first defense in creating a safer, stronger, more efficient working environment that allows the beauty and quality of our finished product to shine through.
Ingenuity – We are positive, proactive, and constructive in our solutions-based approach to the problems, challenges and situations that we are bound to face.
Transparency – Our open, honest and transparent approach creates the environment of respect, dependability and trust that strong long-term relationships are built on.
Excellence – Our results driven culture demands putting in the time and going the extra mile to achieve excellence through accuracy, quality and execution in our ultimate pursuit to “WOW” our customers.
Diversity – Our widely diverse team of professional backgrounds and experiences is stronger and better equipped to handle challenges as they arise.
The Evolution of Success
POSITION – “Your Ticket on the Bus”
Evolution starts with DNA. It is in the fabric of who we are as individuals, teams, and the organization as a whole. Because DNA cannot be “learned”, we look for 3 critically important and inherent character traits before bringing new candidates “On the Bus” at Builders United. These character traits are important because they are:
#1) Necessary pre-requisites to personal success,
#2) Required in any position of leadership, prominence, or growth, and
#3) Critical components of a long term positive, healthy, and rewarding culture for EVERYONE.
We must create the environment that we desire. If you want positivity, be positive. If you want results, produce results. If you want excellence, be excellent. Set the bar high and then lead by example. WHO we are as individuals ultimately defines WHO we are as an organization, so the following traits are non-negotiable.
1. Proactive Attitude –
Integrity, Respect & Honesty | Kind & Supportive | Optimistic “Can Do” Attitude | Solutions-Based Mindset
To be successful at this stage you must approach everything you do in a manner that adds value and creates the best odds of producing positive results; no matter what the opportunity is or what obstacles lie ahead. Having a fundamentally strong, positive, and proactive attitude from the start will set you up to overcome challenges more easily and eventually produce strong, positive results in the end. Business itself is challenging enough, so we have no place for negativity, complacency, dishonesty, or destructive behavior.
2. Punctual Attendance –
Knowledgeable | Organized & Prepared | Punctual & Ready to Go | Attentive & Responsive | NO Excuses
To be successful at this stage you must live a professional’s lifestyle. This isn’t just a day job. Get up early, stay healthy and active, and be “on the spot” and “ready to go”. As professionals, we need to know our industry, roles, and individual responsibilities better than anyone, so we need to put in the extra time and upfront work to learn and understand, stay knowledgeable and up to date, and be organized, prepared, attentive, responsive, and professional with others in our company and within our industry. In the end there are no excuses.
3. Engaged Execution –
Strong Work Ethic | Thorough Effort | Solid Communication | Skill & Education | Teamwork & Leadership
To be successful at this stage you must be passionate about your chosen career and be dedicated to being the absolute best that you can be. It takes 100% commitment, determination, and perseverance to learn, grow and achieve your career goals. Since “we do not know, what we do not know”, an individual must constantly engage in the dirty work, communicate with anyone and everyone, ask questions, learn for themselves, educate others, and strive to succeed through teamwork and leadership at a high level that builds value for all and makes that individual indispensable in our organization.
PERFORMANCE – “Earning the Right Seat”
Once on board, our next focus is getting our people into the right seats. What are your strengths and weaknesses? What are your short term and long-term career goals and desires? Natural tenancies? How are you most likely to succeed in your current role? We fully believe that getting the right people in the right seat benefits both the company and its team members, and it is the only way to ensure both balance, long-term success, and satisfaction. Performance is a 3-part process where you must learn the rules to produce a quality result within the desired timeline. We evaluate and measure team member performance in 3 key ways:
4. Safe Practice –
Organized & Disciplined | Process Oriented | “Doing the Right Things Right” | Being and “Asset” vs “Liability”
To be successful at this stage you must first learn the ins and outs, details, and requirements of your daily work so that you can ensure that you are doing things correctly. Cutting corner and lackluster adherence to the rules create risk that has no place in the organization over the long term. So we must be organized, disciplined and invest our time and attention to learn, understand and apply ourselves. We must learn how to do the right things right, consider the impact of our actions, and follow the processes, policies and procedures that are in place. Moreover, we need to understand the tools for reporting and expectations of what quality results look like in order for us to achieve them. When we do this, we become an “Asset” that creates value for the organization, and not a “Liability” that creates unneeded risk.
5. Consistent Quality –
Thorough & Neat | Attention to Detail | Solid Follow Through | Results Driven | Craftsmanship in Every Role
To be successful at this stage you must produce a high-quality product that meets the expectations of the person on the receiving end. To do that requires complete understanding of the work at hand, intimate knowledge of the processes required to deliver on those expectations, and the attention to detail, commitment to follow through, and results driven mindset it takes to execute on those expectations. This process requires safe practice and cannot be short circuited. Learn what safe practice means, and then apply it to achieve the desired result.
6. Timely Completion –
Dedication & Commitment | Prioritize & Delegate | Time & Resource Management | Working Under Pressure
To be successful at this stage you must learn the safe practices of your role, produce quality product, and do it all within the desired timeline. If you do not follow the process you are less likely to produce a quality product, and when you deliver a substandard product, even on time, you are likely to return and do it again. Know your milestones and deadlines early on, manage your time and resources, and be ready for the final rush to meet your deadlines. This is commonly known as “the grind” or “the rate race”: Follow the process, produce the result, deliver on the deadline, and then start it all over again on Monday. A miserable place to be if you are not the personality type outlined in 1,2, and 3 above, and don’t have the future promise of 7,8, and 9 below. But, when you can do these three things consistently, then you’ve achieved success and performance in your role.
PROMOTION – “The Journey and the Destination”
And finally, it’s all about the drive. Can this bus full of people make it to their destination? Who are our leaders? Who is willing to get out and push? Where is the dead weight? Who is in it for the long haul? To get wherever we are going in life we need preparation, perseverance, and commitment. Those that “have it” reach new heights, and find renewed energy, focus, inspiration and challenge at each turn. For these people the possibilities in any chosen field are endless. We find proof of this in these 3 outcomes:
7. Satisfying Results –
Key Performance Indicators | Client Satisfaction | Risk/ Reward | Organizational Value | Personal Satisfaction
To be successful at this stage you must have a clear understanding of the expectations of your role and have some measures at your fingertips to guide you. Your Key Performance Indicators tell you what quality performance looks like. Sales and revenue, company profitability, client satisfaction metrics, and tools like Net Promotor Score all provide you with tangible information on how you and your team are performing. Did Safe Practice, Quality Product and Timely Completion produce Satisfying Results? Was all of this effort worth the reward? If the processes are built correctly and the organization is running efficiently, then the answer should be yes. When you achieve high scores, then the next question is, where do we Grow from here?
8. Synergistic Growth –
Focus on the Big Picture | Team Building | Leadership & Promotion | Creating Lifetime Value
To be successful at this stage you must embrace growth opportunities. This is when you find yourself shooting for the “Next Level” or at a “Break Thru” point. Working harder is not necessarily the answer but working smarter likely is. Take a step back and look at the big picture. How can you improve results? How can you cut waste? Seek more efficiency? Do more with a bit less? Add or upgrade your tools and education? Build a team to strengthen your core, share your knowledge, cover more ground, and create synergies. Train your replacement so that you can level up. Begin the cycle again, but each time at the next level, with renewed energy focus and inspiration. Fresh and ready to go.
9. Going the Extra Mile –
Creating Opportunity | Standing out from the Crowd | The Truth about “Luck” and “Hard Work”
To be successful at this stage you must understand that “Luck” is not usually just luck. What many mistake for “luck” is a combination of hard work and living the values and characteristics of 1, 2, and 3 above. It is always being “On”, present (both mentally and physically) and “Ready to Go” because it is just part of who you are. When you live in this way and truly love what you do then you find yourself inherently in “the right place at the right time” more often than not. The power of everything we’ve discussed above organically creates more opportunity, and because you are the type of person that sees the bright side of things and digs in, you naturally seize these opportunities to shine. There is a quote that says, “There are no traffic jams along the extra mile” and the reality is that consistently high performers are few and far between in this world. So, usually when you find yourself here, you also find that you are in complete control of your own destiny.