As the owner of this construction company, I know that decisions must be made daily. I chose to follow the Rotarian’s 4-way test. I am just celebrating my 8th anniversary in the club. What a simple code to follow. I am also an Eagle Scout, but that was so long ago. The scout oath and law still apply, but this is simple, elegant, and fresh.

1. Is it the truth?
2. Is it fair to all concerned?
3. Will it build better friendships?
4. Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

To make these decisions, I have empowered staff to use this test as a simple filter. As time passes and I surround myself with like-minded people, this form of rolling forward gains momentum and thrives. I have seen it work repeatedly, but it is like a chemistry experiment: If you add the wrong ingredients, heat is generated, and an explosion could be imminent.

Decentralizing decisions allows us to grow. Naturally, we would remain small and irrelevant if I had to make every decision. My vision is a healthy company that runs like clockwork. We try to direct the questions to the right person and trust that the decisions are well thought out and insightful. Occasionally, a project manager will take the least path of resistance: “I talked to Joe about it, and he said OK.” Well, that is no longer OK, I say, “My brain is busy right now. Let’s see what the team thinks”.

Avoiding Being My Own Worst Enemy

I am prone to shooting myself in the foot by uttering that single-syllable word. Yes. I would be much better off if I had only been spring-loaded to say NO. I think others read me like a book. To isolate me and protect our income stream, I have devised a hierarchy that does the right thing for the right reason. Benevolent to a point but stronger. I am learning, but in the interim, I still perform my own stunts (don’t get me wrong), but I use these folks to do my dirty work.

How The Pieces Fit Together

Making a company that hums along is a dream, typically a mirage or an illusion like “the grass is always greener…” To that end, an engaged owner is the key to a great company. Absentee owners who have general managers are like unicorns. I have no intention of backing off from my dream. Another way of saying that is: I still put in my 40-plus weekly. To that end, I try to keep myself aware of everything at a medium altitude and remain deeply committed to great results.

Living the 4-way test

The beautiful thing is that in becoming a Rotarian, nothing needed to change. The company was built that way, and I naturally behaved that way. Further, the clients who are a good fit get it naturally, too. It reminds me of a merry-go-round. One promising project leads to the next new client, another great project, and so on. May the good fortune of attracting great clients who understand what we are about continue to seek us out, and may we deal with everyone and everything in this healthy set of guidelines for what we think, say, or do.

Your comments are welcome. To ask questions or get more information about remodeling, click here to email me directly, or call 208-947-7261

If you or someone you know is considering remodeling or just wants to speak to a trustworthy remodeling contractor, please contact me. You’ll be glad you did.