FOUNDATION news A Newsletter for the Waterproofing and Structural Repair Industry APRIL, 2006 Inside F or almost a year the investors of Risk Management Development, LLC and the NAWSRC Insurance Task Force have been told that bringing an insurance program to the National Association of Waterproofing and Structural Repair Contractors, Inc. was like having a baby. We are down to the final pains of labor and delivery, and the birthday of the “baby” is almost here. The final pains of labor are mostly legal issues. An agreement is already in place between the investors, which includes a re- payment plan of capital invested to finance the feasibility study and associated costs to date. Agreements are being proposed between Mr. Jay Odice of Continued on page 2 START UP OF planSMART™ INSURANCE PROGRAM DELAYED SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS TO HOST ANNUAL CONVENTION SOUTHWESTERN ROUNDUP SOUTHWESTERN ROUNDUP SOUTHWESTERN ROUNDUP SOUTHWESTERN ROUNDUP SOUTHWESTERN ROUNDUP JULY 19-21, 2006 T his year our convention will be held in beautiful San Antonio, Texas. San Antonio is famous for the Alamo and River Walk. The Hilton Palacio del Rio, right on the River Walk, will be headquarters for our meeting. And, the Alamo is in walking distance from the hotel. A Southwestern theme will surround the meeting and education programs. Our Tex-Mex Fiesta Welcome Reception on Wednesday, July 19th will start the festivities. Join us at the Taco Bar for our Southwestern flavored hor d’oeuvres and Margarita Fountain. Help pick the winner for the “Best Dressed” Cowboy and Cowgirl Contest. This is the perfect fun start for our convention. On Thursday, morning we begin with a Continental Breakfast at the Dude Ranch and meeting with vendors at the General Store. Come see all of the new technologies and products for the waterproofing industry. Our Education Committee has come up with a DYNAMITE agenda for this important meeting. Our celebrated Non-Compete/ Geographic Specific Roundtables will be held from 9:00 a.m. until noon. Roundtables are where members meet as colleagues to discuss four aspects of our business--Sales, Advertising, Production, and Administration. And, because these Roundtables are occupied by people who are not in your sales market, members are more willing to share. Everyone always goes home from these sessions with something valuable. With the money saving ideas you hear at these Roundtables you may be able to pay for this meeting and becoming more productive. After lunch on your own, a Seminar will be presented on “Closed Crawl Spaces”. This innovative new concept will be presented from 1:30 until 3:30 p.m. Continued on page 2 Register by June 1, 2006 to be eligible for $200.00 Early Bird Registration Drawing Safety First . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 A Family Affair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Convention Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 European Preferred Language . . . . . . . . . . 13 Increasing Profits with Planning . . . . . . . . .14 What’s New in Taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Don‘t Hit that Send Button Yet . . . . . . . . . . 18
Transcript
11-800-245-6292
FOUNDATIONnewsA Newsletter for the Waterproofing
and Structural Repair IndustryAPRIL, 2006
Inside
For almost a year the investorsof Risk ManagementDevelopment, LLC and the
NAWSRC Insurance Task Forcehave been told that bringing aninsurance program to the NationalAssociation of Waterproofing andStructural Repair Contractors, Inc.was like having a baby. We aredown to the final pains of laborand delivery, and the birthday ofthe “baby” is almost here. The final pains of labor aremostly legal issues. An agreement isalready in place between theinvestors, which includes a re-payment plan of capital invested tofinance the feasibility study andassociated costs to date. Agreements are being proposedbetween Mr. Jay Odice of
This year our convention will be held in beautiful SanAntonio, Texas. San Antonio is famous for the Alamo andRiver Walk. The Hilton Palacio del Rio, right on the River
Walk, will be headquarters for our meeting. And, the Alamo is inwalking distance from the hotel.
A Southwestern theme will surround the meeting andeducation programs. Our Tex-Mex Fiesta Welcome Reception onWednesday, July 19th will start the festivities. Join us at the TacoBar for our Southwestern flavored hor d’oeuvres and MargaritaFountain. Help pick the winner for the “Best Dressed” Cowboyand Cowgirl Contest. This is the perfect fun start for ourconvention.
On Thursday, morning we begin with a Continental Breakfastat the Dude Ranch and meeting with vendors at the General Store.Come see all of the new technologies and products for thewaterproofing industry.
Our Education Committee has come up with a DYNAMITEagenda for this important meeting. Our celebrated Non-Compete/Geographic Specific Roundtables will be held from 9:00 a.m. untilnoon. Roundtables are where members meet as colleagues todiscuss four aspects of our business--Sales, Advertising,Production, and Administration. And, because these Roundtablesare occupied by people who are not in your sales market, membersare more willing to share. Everyone always goes home from thesesessions with something valuable. With the money saving ideasyou hear at these Roundtables you may be able to pay for thismeeting and becoming more productive.
After lunch on your own, a Seminar will be presented on“Closed Crawl Spaces”. This innovative new concept will bepresented from 1:30 until 3:30 p.m.
Don‘t Hit that Send Button Yet . . . . . . . . . . 18
2 WWW.NAWSRC.ORG
International Captive Alliance Group,LLC and the Trust. A SponsorshipAgreement between the NAWSRC andthe Trust is being reviewed. Besidethese important and necessaryagreements, attorneys are working on anAdvisory and Administrative ServicesAgreement, a Trust Agreement, and aShareholder Agreement. These itemsare all necessary and are taking time. However, these are not the mainreasons for the planSMART launchdelay. The members of the NAWSRChave created the biggest delay by notgetting their insurance loss runs intothe database of the insurance program.In order to present a complete pictureto insurance carriers, a widespreaddatabase needed to be created. Thisdatabase took into consideration allaspects of our members’ liability andworkers compensation insurance data,both the premiums paid for coverage aswell as the losses by individualcompanies. Without getting thisinformation to the Task Force in atimely manner insurance carriers couldnot determine whether or not ourindustry and our association was a goodrisk for an insurance program. The delay is compounded because weare now waiting to receive confirmationfrom Arch Insurance Company thatthey will act as an insurer for theProgram. Arch is looking for a memberaggregate insurance premium of$2,500,000.00 before proceeding withthe Program. It has taken time to make the best dealpossible for the association, but thattime is almost here. We expect theplanSMART™ Insurance Program ofthe NAWSRC Insurance Trust to be“born” and completely in place beforeour Annual Membership Meeting in SanAntonio, TX, on July 21, 2006. The pains of labor are long and slow.We will keep our members informed ofour progress through future issues ofthe Foundation News.
Continued from page 1 Testing for those attempting our
Certified Specialist Exams, will be heldfrom 3:45-5:45 p.m. Candidates forthese exams can attend a CertificationSeminar review on Wednesday, July19th from 1:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m.
The General Store will be openuntil 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Use thistime to visit with our vendors. Hearabout their new products. Don’t forgetto get your “Warrant” stamped by eachvendor you visit. When you havereceived a stamp from every vendor,you are eligible to be entered in adrawing for $200.00.
Thursday evening a new, funactivity is planned. From 7:00 until 9:00p.m. a Texas Poker Scavenger Hunt willbe held along the River Walk. Thisactivity is open to all family members.No skills are required and speed is notwhat determines the winning team. Joinus for this free activity and get to knowother members of the association asyou have a fun evening along the RiverWalk. Prizes will be awarded to thewinning team at the General Store.
Friday begins with a ContinentalBreakfast at the Dude Ranch and againmeeting with suppliers at the GeneralStore. This will be your final meetingwith suppliers so be sure to get your“Warrant” stamped to be eligible forthe vendor drawing.
Our Southwestern Roundupconcludes with the NAWSRC AnnualMeeting and our Chuck WagonLuncheon.
Our keynote speaker this year willbe Randy Snow. At the peak of ablossoming tennis career at the age of16, Randy Snow was injured in afarming accident, which left himparalyzed from the waist down. Sincethen he has gone on to be a Fortune1000 speaker and one of the mostsuccessful wheelchair athletes in history.Because of his achievements, hereceived the Paralympic torch fromPresident Bill Clinton in Washington,
Continued from page 1-Convention kicking off the Atlanta ParalympicGames in 1996.
Randy delivers a powerful messageof hope. Drawing from his personalbusiness experiences, Olympiccompetitions, and the principles helearned while embracing his spinal cordinjury, his programs provide practicalinformation in dealing with change. Hisaudience will leave with the necessaryattitude it takes to initiate, manage andthrive in today’ s world. They will wantto make change a way of life.
He has addressed audiences inprinting, food service, andmanufacturing, recreation, socialservices, sales, communications,banking, utilities, government,corrections, education, transportation,management, postal service andconstruction.
With honesty and energy, he hasexcited audiences across the countrywith his humor and determination. Hislife represents the idea of discoveringoptions and finding new opportunities.As Randy says, “We are responsible forour challenges.”
Randy Snow is a published author,past national MVP in sales, sits onmany committees and advisory boardsand is the president of NoXQs (noexcuse), Inc, an achievement company.
Plan on joining us in San Antoniofor this meeting. 2006 celebrates the25th Anniversary year of theAssociation. Make this year memorableby supporting the Association withyour attendance at the AnnualConvention. You will go away from themeetings with a wealth of information.
Our Association dues provide formeeting credits. Each year, eachmember company is awarded $400 inmeeting credits to encourageattendance at our meetings andeducation programs. Use your meetingcredits and become a winner in yourindustry.
Water Plus, Inc.Dba: American A-1 Waterproofing917 Preakness AvenueWayne, NJ 07470Phone: 973-942-7276Fax: 973-942-8337Website: www.americana1waterproofing.com
WE NEED YOURSUGGESTIONS
Todd Jackson, our World of Concrete/NAWSRC Liaison, needs your help.
If you are tired of the same WOCseminars, presented every year or if thereis a topic that you would like to hearpresented, please email your suggestionsto:
San Antonio captures the spirit of Texas. Now the eighth largest city in the United States, thecity has retained its sense of history and tradition, while carefully blending in cosmopolitanprogress. The city has always been a crossroads and a meeting place. Sounds and flavors of
Native Americans, Old Mexico, Germans, the Wild West, African-Americans and the Deep Southmingle and merge.
Texas History 101For history buffs, San Antonio is a mecca. Native Americans first lived along the San Antonio River, calling the area “Yanaguana,”which means “refreshing waters,” or “clear waters.” A band of Spanish explorers and missionaries came upon the river in 1691, andbecause it was the feast day of St. Anthony, they named the river “San Antonio.” The actual founding of the city came in 1718 byFather Antonio Olivares, when he established Mission San Antonio de Valero, which became permanently etched in the annals ofhistory in 1836 as The Alamo where 189 defenders held the old mission against some 4,000 Mexican troops for 13 days. The cry“Remember the Alamo” became the rallying point of the Texan revolution against Mexico. Located in the heart of downtown,today The Alamo is a shrine and museum. A tour of downtown San Antonio will uncover centuries of history, including:
· La Villita, one of the original settlements was comprised of Spanish soldiers and their families.· The Spanish Governor’s Palace, which was the seat of government when San Antonio was the capital of the Spanish
Province of Texas· The San Fernando Cathedral, whose construction was started in 1731 by Canary Islanders· The Jose Antonio Navarro State Historical Park, home of Navarro, a central figure in the formation of Texas· Market Square, the largest Mexican marketplace outside of Mexico· And the Steves Homestead, a mansion open to the public in the King William Historic District.
An Urban MasterpieceAmidst the daily hubbub of the busy metropolitan downtown, sequestered 20 feet below street level, lies one of San Antonio’sjewels - the Paseo del Rio. Better known as the “River Walk,” these cobblestone and flagstone paths border both sides of the SanAntonio River as it winds its way through the middle of the business district. The River Walk has multiple personalities - quiet andpark-like in some stretches, while other areas are full of activity with European-style sidewalk cafes, specialty boutiques, nightclubsand gleaming high-rise hotels. The River Walk stretches for approximately two-and-a-half miles from the Municipal Auditoriumand Conference Center on the north end to the King William Historic District on the south. Rio San Antonio Cruises, the river’sfloating transportation system, provides a novel method of sightseeing and people-watching in downtown San Antonio. Groups canalso dine aboard open-air cruisers as they wind their way along the scenic waterway. River taxis deliver visitors to Rivercenter, adazzling three-level glass shopping, dining and entertainment complex, and to the newly expanded Henry B. Gonzalez ConventionCenter.
San Antonio For KidsSan Antonio provides the picture-perfect setting for great family vacations, beginning with the San Antonio Children’s Museum,where kids are encouraged to explore a miniature version of the city. The Magik Theatre provides family, professional theater, inthe heart of downtown. The Downtown All-Around Playground at HemisFair Park and the newly renovated Milam Park (acrossfrom Market Square) provide excellent stops for kids to burn off excess energy. And don’t’ forget the Tower of the Americas,which offers a spectacular view of San Antonio from 750 feet above the ground.
Texas-sized FunSan Antonio is home to two major theme parks - Sea World San Antonio, the world’s largest marine life park, and Six Flags FiestaTexas, the town built just for fun! Sea World San Antonio combines fun with education and appreciation for some of the ocean’smost fascinating creatures through more than 25 shows, educational exhibits and rides.Six Flags Fiesta, Texas Theme Park is a non-stop celebration of San Antonio and South Texas. It’s created around four themedareas: the Mexican town of Los Festivales, the German village of Spassburg, the 1920 cowboy boom town of Crackaxle Canyon,and the small Texas town of Rockville during the golden age of rock’n’roll, which includes Fiesta Bay Boardwalk, a ’50s-’60sseaside boardwalk complete with a 90-foot Ferris wheel.
ASBESTOSUntil the 1970’s, many buildings in the United States
were constructed with asbestos. Before then, it wasn’tknown that asbestos was dangerous when inhaled. In theconstruction industry, exposure occurs when workersdisturb asbestos-containing materials while renovating ordemolishing buildings. Remember that many olderbuildings still contain asbestos. Youneed to know the dangers of asbestosand take the necessary steps to preventor limit your exposure.
Asbestos and asbestos-containingmaterials are used to resist heat becausethe asbestos fibers are incredibly strongand extremely resistant to heat.Asbestos is commonly used as anacoustic insulator and a thermalinsulator, as well as in fireproofing andbuilding materials. It is often found in ceiling tiles, pipeinsulation, fire-resistant drywall, floor tile, linoleum, andmastic. It is also sprayed on structural steel beams, incrawlspaces, and between walls.
Asbestos becomes hazardous only when it isdisturbed and the fibers become airborne. If anasbestos-containing substance is easily crumbled orpulverized with hand pressure, the material is called“friable.” Friable asbestos can become airborne and then
enter your lungs when you breathe. Friable substancesinclude the fibrous, fluffy, sprayed-on materials used ininsulation, fireproofing, and soundproofing. Non-friablematerials, such as floor tile and roofing felt, usually do notemit airborne fibers. The danger to you comes fromdrilling, cutting, sanding, or disturbing these asbestos-
containing materials.Although no safe level of exposure
has been determined, the longer you areexposed, the greater the risk becomes foryou to develop an asbestos-relateddisease. OSHA has determined thatemployee exposure to asbestos mustremain below the permissible exposurelimits (PELs). A competent personshould be designated to monitorexposure levels. Other duties of the
competent person include setting up the regulated area,limiting access to regulated areas, and displaying theappropriate warning signs.
Inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause serious diseasesof the lungs that may not appear until years after theexposure has occurred. To protect yourself, wear theappropriate respiratory protection and necessary personalprotective equipment. Never smoke, drink, chew tobacco,or apply cosmetics in regulated areas.
71-800-245-6292
8 WWW.NAWSRC.ORG
EMERGENCY POWER SUPPLY, Inc.
EPS SUMP PUMP GUARDIAN®
And The
EPS SUMP PUMP GUARDIAN PLUS®
BACKUP POWER SUPPLY UNITS
Actual size: 17.5” x 5.5” x 7.1” and 62 pounds – pictured with two optional add-on batteries
Easy to install, self contained unit with rechargeable, long life 48v batteries
Will automatically operate your sump pump hundreds of times
UL LISTED with advanced electronic engineering
Finally, a backup power supply for sump pumps that works!
Outstanding range of start up and run amps for 1/3HP, 1/2HP and 3/4HP pumps
HOURS OF ENERGY BACKUP FOR SUMP PUMPS
- Up to 5.7KW of stored power
EPS SUMP PUMP GUARDIAN® for 1/3HP and 1/2HP pumps - 1320W output – 20 run amps – 40 start up amps capacity
EPS SUMP PUMP GUARDIAN PLUS®
For 1/3Hp, 1/2HP and 3/4HP pumps - 1820W output - 40 run amps and 80 start up amp capacity
- will operate two 1/2HP sump pumps – indicated for all
Contact us today to get started with a great product
Today’s phones have optionsranging from cameras to MP3players.
HOT NEW TECHNOLOGY isrevolutionizing wirelesscommunications. Take the SonyEricsson Walkman phone, for example.It has an enhanced Walkman ACC/MP#media player, a 1.3 megapixel cameraand video phone, and Bluetooth
connectivity for connecting wirelessaccessories. It also features high-speeddata access; mobile multimediamessaging to send text, pictures andsound; megabass stereo headphones;e-mail client capability; a 1.8-inch colordisplay and fold-out keypad;downloadable polyphonic full-audio ringtones, graphics, games and Java 2.0support for application downloads. And,yes, you can talk on it, too. Whether you’re looking for a cellphone that is totally high-tech, or want astandard wireless phone without all thebells or whistles, be sure you take the
time to shop and compare themanufacturers and the technology. Withall the special deals today, you’ll alsowant to compare carriers for plans anddiscounts. In some cases, the carriers’rebates and discounts can substantiallyreduce the costs of the high-tech phones. To start comparison shopping, one ofyour best resources for information isConsumer Reports. You can log on toconsumerreports.org and, for a smallfee, access research on everything youneed to know about choosing a cellphone, cell-phone plan and much more.
Cell Phone TechnologyContinues to Grow
Business schools don’t talkabout family businesses. Yetat least 4.1 million businesses
in the United States today are familyowned and operated with a lot offamily involvement.
Another 12.3 million businesseshave some family involvement.These businesses account for 42percent of the gross domesticproduct.
“Very few family businessessurvive to the second generation, butthe third generation is even harder,”says Dennis Jaffe, Ph.D., foundingmember of the Aspen FamilyBusiness Group, professor atSaybrook Graduate School in SanFrancisco and author of “Working
With the Ones You Love: Building aSuccessful Business.” While 40percent of family businesses surviveto the second generation, only 15percent make it to the third. Andonly a minuscule 1 percent ever seethe fourth generation take up themanagement reins.
Why do they fail? “Two mainreasons: family issues overwhelm thebusiness, and family membersneglect renewal of the business,”Jaffe told Quality Service Contractormembers at the group’s PowerMeeting XXI, July 22-24 in SanFrancisco. While owning andmanaging any business can bedifficult, a family business has itsown set of challenges. And these
challenges multiply with everygeneration.Family Vs. Business
Family members workingtogether in a business must keepfamily and business issues separate,Jaffe says, and balance family andbusiness goals. “Set boundarieswithin the home for talking aboutthe business, and create a respectfulworking relationship when a familymember enters the business. This isespecially crucial for family memberswho may not get along.”
Families also must have a realisticview of the financial picture of thebusiness; it may not be able tosupport all of the family membersand their families.
Continued on page 17
A FAMILY AFFAIR
10 WWW.NAWSRC.ORG
2006 NAWSRC 25th ANNUAL CONVENTION
July 19-21, 2006, San Antonio, TX “Southwestern Roundup”
best Cowboy & Cowgirl Outfit) ************************************************************************************************************** Thursday 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Meet at the General Store with Suppliers July 20, 2006 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Continental Breakfast at the Dude Ranch 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Registration 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon Non-Compete Roundtables 12:00 noon – 1:30 p.m. Lunch on your own 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. Seminar – Closed Crawl Space 3:30 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. Break 3:45 p.m. – 5:45 p.m. Certification Testing 3:45 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Meet at the General Store with Suppliers Dinner on your own 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Scavenger Hunt ************************************************************************************************************* Friday 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m. Continental Breakfast at the Dude Ranch July 21, 2006 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Meet at the General Store with Suppliers 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Seminar – Randy Snow Keynote Speaker 12:00 noon - 2:00 p.m. NAWSRC Annual Membership Meeting & Chuck Wagon Luncheon Open to All Sheriffs Membership & Suppliers
111-800-245-6292
12 WWW.NAWSRC.ORG
131-800-245-6292
With the implementation ofthe Eurodollar underway inEurope these last few years,
the European Union is trying to findnew ways to standardize practices inEurope.The European Union Commissionershave announced that agreement hasbeen reached to adopt English as thepreferred language for Europeancommunications, rather than German,which was the other possibility.
As part of the negotiations, theBritish government conceded thatEnglish spelling had some room forimprovement and has accepted a five-year phased plan for what will beknown as EuroEnglish (Euro forshort).
In the first year, “s” will be usedinstead of the soft “c”. Sertainly, sivilservants will reseive this news with joy.Also, the hard “c” will be replacedwith “k”. Not only will this klear upkonfusion, but typewriters kan haveone less letter.
There will be growing publikenthusiasm in the sekond year, whenthe troublesome “ph” will be replacedby “f ”. This will make words like“fotograf ” 20 per sent shorter.
In the third year, publik akseptanseof the new spelling kan be Expektedto reach the stage where morekomplikated changes are possible.
Governments will enkorage theremoval of double letters, which havealways ben a deterent to akuratespeling. Also, al wil agre that the
horible mes of silent “e”s in thelanguag is disgrasful, and they wouldgo.
By the fourth year, peopl wil bereseptiv to steps such as replasing “th”by “z” and “w” by “ v”.
During ze fifz year, ze unesesary“o” kan be dropd from vordskontaining “ou”, and similar changesvud of kors be aplid to ozerkombinations of leters.
After zis fifz yer, ve vil hav a relisensibl riten styl. Zer vil be no mortrubls or difikultis and evrivun vil findit ezi tu understand ech ozer.
Ze drem ov a united urop vil finalikum tru. Und efter ze fifz yer, ve vil albe speking German like zey vunted inze forst plas.
European Union CommissionersAnnounce Preferred Language
By April Sloof
14 WWW.NAWSRC.ORG
Business 101
Increasing Profits With Proper Planning I’ve just completed a two-day visitwith an incredible contractor.
The company is not very large inrevenue — it did a little more than $5million in sales this past year — but itsprofits would easily be envied by manycontractors, no matter the size.
Looking deeper at the reasons fortheir prosperity, it was glaringly obvious.They control their expenses! How? Theanswer is even more simple … andobvious. They PLAN!
Each Monday morning they hold acompany-wide meeting that reviews andreminds each crew of their work schedulefor the week. In front of everyone, eachcrew provides their strategy to get theweek’s scheduled work completed.
Normally this type of meeting isattended by crew leaders, estimators,schedulers and owners. Not at thiscompany — everyone is there. In fact,members of each crew actually providethe strategy and execution plans for theweek.
The second obvious aspect ofplanning is what is needed for eachproject to be completed. Each morningeach crew meets to discuss what is neededfor that day. No truck leaves the yard untilevery truck and worker has exactly whatthey need to complete that day’s work. Atthe conclusion of each day the crew thenreconvenes to discuss what happenedduring that day of work and what will beneeded the following day. The crew leadertakes notes, if needed, on each meeting.
Now, many contractors hold meetingssuch as described in the previousparagraph. What then makes thiscontractor’s effort unique? Quite honestly,it is the amount of detailed thinking andplanning that takes place. Let me briefly
share some of the critical components ofsuccessful planning that is embraced bymy contractor friend.
First, the plan for the day’s project(s)is documented. Each day the crew leaderdocuments specifically what theparticulars for that day are, including:
· Material need· Labor need· Equipment/tools needThis is merely the beginning. Next, the
crew discusses:· What preparation is needed?· Who will complete the
preparation?· What is the method or process
that will be followed to executethe project?
· Confirmation of understandingof the prints or drawings
For many contractors, the previousquestions may appear to be overly simpleand assumed. My experience withcontractors, however, leads me to believethat the leaders may in fact raise thesesame questions, but they are most often
raised inside the leader’s head. Most crewleaders do not discuss this informationwith their crews. This is a tactical mistakethat leads to misunderstanding and awaste of workers’ time on the jobsite.
Another final effort that is practicedby contractors who are really on their “A-game” is the allowance of questions to beraised by the crew workers, the verypeople who will be executing the plan.Engaging your crew in the planning phaseof any project — no matter what the sizeof the project — will breed greaterattention to details, more focused energyon getting the needed results and actuallyreduce wasteful costs due to workers’ lackof knowledge or understanding about theproject needs.
In review let me outline what youneed to do to make planning more of apositive and effective tool and technique:
1. Document your plans for eachproject. (Don’t assume anything byanyone!)2. Engage the actual workers whowill be completing the scheduled workin the planning discussion.3. Ask the same questions for eachproject, such as:· What are the material,
equipment/tools and laborneeds?
· What preparation must beaccomplished prior to startingthe project?
· How can I best position my crewto complete the work in themost cost-effective and qualitymanner?
· What contact(s) must be madewith the client, other contractors,suppliers, etc.?
· Are our copies of drawings/prints complete? Any changesneeded?
4. Conduct a “postmortem” on eachproject. Discuss lessons learned andneeded adjustments for the nextproject.There really isn’t anything unusual or
extraordinary about the four-pointoutline. What is unusual and extraordinaryare the contractors who are disciplined topractice their planning effortsconsistently, no matter the size of theproject. Contractors cost themselvesgreatly when they pay little to no attentionto planning on smaller jobs. It is often thesmaller jobs that can cost you the most!
Planning is more than simplyscheduling future work. It is themethodical breakdown of everything thatwill be executed to complete the projectthat moves a contractor from average tosuperior. For my money, focus more onplanning and you will see greater returnfor every dollar spent!
“What is unusual and extraordinary are thecontractors who are disciplined to practice
their planning efforts consistently.”
By Brad Humphrey Concrete Concepts, February 2006
151-800-245-6292
Good News from the IRS If you can’t meet the April 17 filing deadline foryour 2005 tax return, you can get a six-monthextension. That’s new this year. Previously, automaticextensions gave you four extra months to file. Youthen had to give the IRS a reason if you needed twoadditional months. The new automatic six-monthextension gives you until October 16, 2006, to file your2005 tax return. Though the extension gives you moretime to file, it does not give you more time to paytaxes you still owe.Mileage rates announced for 2006
The standard mileage rates have changed again.The IRS increased the rates for the final four monthsof 2005, but has lowered them for 2006.
The rate for business driving is 44.5 cents per mile,and the rate for medical and moving expenses is 18cents a mile. The rate for charitable driving remains at14 cents a mile except for driving related to hurricanerecovery work. The 2006 mileage rate for charitabledriving related to the 2005 hurricanes is 32 cents amile for deduction purposes and 44.5 cents a mile forreimbursement purposes.Tax filing requirements simplified for smallemployers
The IRS hopes to reduce the tax filing burden forabout 950,000 small business this year. Employers withestimated annual employment liability of $1,000 or lesswill be able to file a new Form 944 once a year ratherthan filing Form 941 four times a year. Mostemployers who file Form 944 will be able to make asingle payment with their annual return.
The IRS mailed notification letters to eligible smallemployers for 2006. Those who did not receive a letterbut who believe they are eligible to file the new Form944 should call the IRS at 1-800-829-0115.
“Talk to family members andmake sure they want to be in thebusiness,” he says. “If they don’tthink of the business as a career,they shouldn’t stay in.”
This involves a change ofattitudes, he adds, about entering orstaying in the family business even ifyou don’t want to. Why forcesomeone to join the family plumbingor heating business if they don’t likeit? Is that family member reallyadding anything to the bottom line?Is “family duty” worth shrinkingprofits?
Another factor to consider isgenerational value shifts. “Eachgeneration may have different valuesand expectations about how thebusiness and money is used andmanaged,” Jaffe explains.
In the past, family businesseswere patriarchal, with leadershippassed to the oldest son at thefounder’s death. Business cycles wereslow and predictable, and the basicvalues of work remained the same.There also was an aura of secrecy asbusiness issues were never discusseddirectly.
Today, siblings, in-laws and“outsiders” work along side eachother, and succession can occur inthe prime of the founder’s life.There are changing values aboutwork, and women are much moreactive in the business.Communication of values and ideasis crucial for success.
Families also must make sure tokeep renewing the business so itdoes not stagnate. “Over time, thevirtues of the family business canbecome problems, making it difficultfor the business to develop andevolve,” Jaffe says.
These include:· Valuing loyalty over results
· Difficulty letting anyone go· Not confronting the founder
or each other· Focusing on internal
politics/power struggles rather thancustomers
· No new blood to shakethings up
· Orienting on past triumphsrather than future
· No long-range plan fordevelopment
· Little innovation in systemsor products
· Focusing on existing marketsand customers
· Employees lack ability tohandle new demands
The Key To SuccessOne hurdle to overcome is the
“psychology of the entrepreneur,”he adds, where the personality andstyle of the founder/ownerpermeates the business, leaving littleroom for others in the family tocontribute. The business is thecenter of the founder’s life, and he/she can’t let go of control.
The ideal is to move towardpartnership in management — ateam concept rather than individualcontrol, Jaffe explains. This wouldinclude family and nonfamilymembers to help infuse the companywith the challenges andopportunities that employees want.
“Heirs are not just entitled to thebenefits of the business,” he notes.“They must know how to fund thebusiness, take on risk andrecapitalize.”
To make these changes, thefamily needs to create a differentstyle of governance, a morestructured style to stay connectedacross generations, Jaffe says. Thestructure also will balance the
personal, family and organizationalconcerns.
The core elements of this newfamily governance structure are:
1. Information flow. Don’t keepeverything to yourself. “A lot offights and misunderstandings comefrom lack of communication aboutthe financials of the business,” Jaffeexplains.
2. Family councils. Get the familymembers together to discuss theissues. “Tasks include defining thecore purpose and values for thebusiness and wealth, and regulatesfamily involvement in the business,”he notes. An alternative would be aboard of directors.
3. Creating boundaries. Separatethe family issues from the businessissues.
4. Accountability. The business isthe asset of the whole family, andeveryone is responsible for ensuringthe profitability of that asset.
5. Agreements. As there are morepeople and assets in the business, thefamily needs agreements on howthings are done.
Another part of the governancestructure is the family charter, Jaffeadds, which can provide guidancethat anticipates tough issues, supportcontinuous development andeducation for family members, fosterharmony and resolve issues, providedirection about owners’expectations, and establish policiesand plans regarding family assets.
“We’re looking at families inbusiness, not just family businesses,”he notes. “The goal is to preservethe asset base and not just thebusiness. And to achieve successagainst the long odds, families mustlearn to communicate, collaborateand manage conflict.”
Continued from page 9
18 WWW.NAWSRC.ORG
Michael, a manager in a largeorganization, said hereceived an email from
Stacey, a team leader who reports tohim.
Stacey related that her project wasfalling behind because of Eric, anassociate on her team. She explainedthat Eric is a negative person and hehas been dragging his feet on doinghis part of the project. She added thatEric is disruptive, late for progressmeetings, and is always complainingabout his specific tasks on theproject.
“I’m crafting my email response toStacey,” Michael said to me. “Do youhave any suggestions for what Ishould put into my reply?”What Is Wrong With ThisPicture?
While I changed the names andaltered the circumstances slightly, thesituation above is real, it happens allthe time, and it is a very big problem.
The problem I am referring to isnot the one that Stacey is having withEric.
The bigger problem is thatMichael has acquired the habit ofusing email as his primary, and oftenonly, means for communicating withhis associates.
Email is a valuable tool. I do notknow what we would do withoutemail in our business. Email offersmany advantages and benefits.
Unfortunately, many people likeMichael have gotten into the badhabit of using email to address andsolve problems that should beaddressed and resolved in person orover the telephone.
Sensory Perceptions andIntelligence
Email technology is great, but it isquite limited in terms of being ableto convey correctly, completely, andclearly what we really mean, think,and want to communicate.
Email is also quite limited forpurposes of building relationshipsand addressing and resolving peopleproblems. When was the last time anemail solved a problem you orsomeone else was having with theattitude or actions of a co-worker?
We are still human beings. Wehave a multitude of sensorymechanisms that enable us tocommunicate, develop relationships,and work with one another effectivelyby using much more than just thewords we type onto the screen.
When we use email, we distanceourselves from the realities of thesituation. Email cuts off our sensoryskills. This limits our ability to gainintelligence, understand each other,and work together effectively.
Contrast what we learn in emailwith what we learn through actualobservation and personal contact.
You learn and understand anenormous amount about me andwhat I am thinking andrecommending just by the way I smileand look at you in a meeting. You tellme an enormous amount about mysuggestions by the way you shift inyour chair and lean forward toward oraway from the table.
While meeting in person may bethe best way to communicate, usingthe telephone is far superior to usingonly email. You can hear how urgentmy request is by the tone of myvoice. I know how happy you are bythe smile I sense in yourconversation. We both know howbusy we are if we talk fast and cutout the chitchat.Negative Effects of Email
Extensive use of email to theexclusion of using the telephone ormeeting in person is affecting ourbusinesses and it is not always good.
NOT SO FAST - DON’T HIT THATSEND BUTTON JUST YET
191-800-245-6292
A managing partner in anaccounting firm related that hispartners and associates have becomevery good at using email. However,they now have very poor hand-to-handinterpersonal skills and they arereluctant to meet in person. If they canavoid meeting face to face, they will,and they do.
This has affected the ability of theseindividuals to nurture clientrelationships and develop new business.The managing partner said that one ofhis partners was reluctant to take aprospective client to lunch because hedid not know what he would talk aboutfor an hour. Another individual wasuncomfortable going to campuses torecruit new hires and wondered whythe initial screening could not be doneentirely by email.
The expression, “if you do not useit, you will lose it,” is true. When we donot get out there in the public, meetand greet people, and press the flesh,our skills and comfort levels doing thisdiminish. When we are unsure ofourselves, we keep to ourselves.My Advice for Michael
My advice to Michael was thatrather than taking time to craft an emailresponse to Stacey he should just pickup the telephone and call her. Then if itsounds like the problem warrants it, heshould schedule time to meet with her,and possibly Eric as well, to resolve it.
I told Michael that no matter whatwas in the email he had received fromStacey or what he could write in hisemail response, there was much moreto learn and say about the situationthan either he or Stacey could conveyby email.
I related to him that one of themost revered leadership strengths ofAlexander the Great was thatAlexander met personally with peopleat the lowest ranks to gatherinformation, evaluate situations, anddevelop his campaigns and strategies.
Another great leader who alwayslikes to get out into the street and learnthings firsthand is Rudy Giuliani, theformer mayor of New York. He wrotein his book, Leadership, “Whenever Itried a case, either as a prosecutor or inprivate practice, I went to the scenewhere the events took place. It’sdangerous to rely on second-handdepictions. When you go to the scene,all manner of things can emerge aboutwhat actually took place.”The Moral of the Story
The moral of the story is that emailis good, but in person is much better,particularly in situations involvingleadership, teamwork, and otherinterpersonal relationships. If you wantto solve a problem or pursue anopportunity, particularly if theproblems or opportunities are big ones,then forget email and meet in person.
George, a participant in one of ourseminars made the comment, “no oneever solved a problem with email.”
This statement is not true. Manyproblems can be and are solved byemail.
That said, I agree 100% with thespirit of George’s remark. I say thatwith confidence because I was withGeorge, understood the context of thesituation, and I saw George’sexpression and nod when he made thecomment. I know exactly what Georgemeant, so I agree with him. I am notsure how I would have felt if I hadnever met George and he had justemailed me his remark.
• Complete the registration form.List each registrant and type ofregistration. Remember that you mayregister your spouse/guest for the fullconvention program or just purchase aluncheon ticket.• Enclose a check or charge cardauthorization for the total amountdue.• If you have meeting creditsremaining, you may apply it to thetotal cost.• • • • • EARLY BIRD REGISTRATIONBEFORE JUNE 1!
What do I do next?• Make your airline reservations.San Antonio International is 8 milesfrom the hotel, 20 min.drive. Super Shuttle - $8, Taxi - $15• Contact the Hilton Palacio delRio, 200 South Alamo Street, SanAntonio, TX 78205, ReservationsDept. at (210)222-1400 or (800) 445-8667. Identify yourself as NationalAssociation of Waterproofing &Structural Repair Contractors(NAWSRC). Room rate isSingles/Doubles: $129 / $139 perroom/night exclusive of tax.Additional Person: $20. Our specialroom rate and block expiresWednesday, June 21, 2006. Afterthat date, rooms are subject to thehotel’s availability at prevailingrates. www.palaciodelrio.hilton.com
What will you receive from NAWSRCHeadquarters?
• NAWSRC will mail you aconfirmation form listing yourregistration information.
CANCELLATION POLICYAll registration fees are considered finaland non-refundable after June 30, 2006.QUESTIONS?Call (800)245-6292 and ask for Lindax106.
