Construction Curiosities #51
“We” Need to Work Together
Hey! Happy Saturday! Matt here.
Welcome to the Construction Curiosities newsletter.
This was another massive week for the newsletter! We added 63 new folks and are knocking on the door of 900 subscribers!
Welcome to all the new faces and Thank You to everyone who has shared the Construction Yeti SubStack with a friend to help us reach the goal of 1000 subscribers in the first year.
Just 1 week to go!
Can you help us get there by sharing with someone you know who would benefit from receiving the Construction Curiosities Newsletter and CM Mentors Podcast in their inbox each week? (Or I wouldn’t be mad if you shared it all over social media)
This weekly Newsletter explores my Curiosities about the Construction Industry. It's meant to make you think, smile, and become a better, more thoughtful Construction Professional.
Summary
This week we will look at:
One Musing: “We” Need to Work Together
One LI Post: Banana Ball Innovations
One [Other] Newsletter: iPM
One Meme: Hey ChatGPT…
One Musing
The Construction Industry is AMAZING but it has major issues. Whether it be jobsite working conditions, mental health crisis/ burnout, or the everlasting and increasing labor shortage. I see so many people talking online about how “we” need to make significant changes in the construction industry.
Many people are talking about it, but fewer are doing anything about it.
I started this substack (newsletter & podcast) with the selfish intention of getting my own thoughts out there and writing more, BUT also to build a community and to give something back to the industry. Some days I wonder if what I am doing is just a waste of time or if people actually care. And then I’ll get a random LinkedIn message or email from someone saying how the Podcast or Newsletter has been great and is actively helping them navigate the industry. Or simply that they love the memes.
Either way, it’s those messages that keep me going.
I don’t say all this as a pat on the back but rather to set up a question based on this Aaron Witt quote that Matt Gorgolinski shared.
So many of us that are attempting to give back and help make a difference in the industry are going about it alone or in small groups.
How can “WE” as an industry collective create a more unified front to lead significant change? How can “WE” break down the silos and work together to do the industry better.
What does that look like to you?
Would you be willing to cross company lines and work together with competitors to make the industry a better place for the current workforce and the next generation coming in?
I’d love to hear your thoughts and opinions!
Please leave a comment or shoot me an email: matt@constructionyeti.com
Let’s find a way to work together to leave the industry in a better place than we received it.
One LI Post
Keeping with the baseball theme of last week, Jesse Cole (Owner of the Savannah Bananas) posted a great story this week about Innovation and pushing through failure to ultimately succeed in a glorious fashion.
Yes, the Centerfielder is jumping over the pitcher to throw the pitch.
Yes, this will likely be the only time in baseball history that a Centerfielder will make a fly ball out behind home plate. (you gotta watch the video)
No, this has nothing to do with Construction but I thought this lesson can be applied to any industry and complemented this week’s “Musing” nicely.
Especially this excerpt:
This again served as one of the greatest lessons I’ve learned with the Bananas. You have to be willing to get through the messy to get to the great. When you are innovating and doing things that haven’t been done before, it’s not going to be pretty at first. But if you see a greater vision where if it's done well, it’ll be great, it’s worth it to keep pushing through.
Check out the full LinkedIn Post: HERE
One [Other] Newsletter
This week Kyle Nitchen shared a very detailed breakdown on Last Planer Pull Planning in “The Influential Project Manager” newsletter.
I’d go on about it but just go read it. But only if you want to have a better scheduling and planning experience.
Check it out here: 13 Proven Strategies for Effective Last Planner Pull Planning
One Meme
I guess there’s some things ChatGPT just can’t do…
If you dig what we’re doing and want to support, you can do that in 2 ways:
I have a goal to hit 1000 subscribers on the Substack in the first year.
We have 124 to go in the next week.
Will we make it?
Can you help by sharing with a friend?
Consider upgrading to support Construction Yeti and get added perks.
Thanks again as always for your support by giving me your most precious resource. Your time and attention.
See you next week for the 1-year Celebration!
The system for competitors working together was set up many decades ago and it is called industry trade associations. There is an association for every single job or standing in the industry. For companies you have AGC, ABC, CMAA, AIA and a hundred more by trade, or standing like subcontractors. For individuals there are societies for estimators, auditors, engineers, designers, etc etc. I have seen incredible collaboration between dead on competitors who have joined ranks to the betterment of the industry. Want to join an association- hit a search engine and keywords like roofing and association and you'll find what you need.