Monday the sports world was abuzz with people with an opinion. The Packers lost because of Rodgers OR Lafleur. Whatever! As Daron K. Roberts, J.D. (someone worth following) says this is not about sports it is about leadership.

To all of you so confidently second guessing Sunday, saying “I would have.” get over yourself. If you have never been there, you don’t have any idea. If you have been there, you DO have an idea BUT you do not KNOW what you would have done in that moment. You do know what you did in the past but as we know from stocks. Past performance is no guarantee of future results

The goal is the best decision possible – with the information you have, and the experience you have, in the time you have in that moment.

Are there bad decisions or are there bad outcomes? IF the Packers win NOBODY is second guessing them. Victory = good decision. Loss = bad decision.

I was the co-pilot in a helicopter crash. The details don’t matter. I learned then there will always be people to criticize your actions. They could praise the effort and the outcome (we saved the aircraft and nobody died). They could just be quiet….

Until you are in THAT moment….you don’t know what you would do, so all those folks railing on the Packers, take a breath.

I didn’t pivot in 2020 and I am not going to in 2021.

Screw that! Full speed ahead. My direction is based on my vision and values. Those are unchanging.

Some of my behaviors might have changed (less dining out, different workout because the gym was closed, virtual delivery from a NEW studio with 3 cameras, 6 lights, a green screen and a switcher)

SAME FOCUS – SAME ME. SAME VISION – SAME VALUES

✔️I speak and consult to the construction industry on leadership and people….etc ..with the help of some great/smart people Dr. Lanny Hass, Steve Brooks to some great clients
✔️I live to have no regrets….etc…
✔️I spend quality time with family…etc – with the help of a a great wife and two kids who I will again go watch play college sports etc
✔️I exercise so I can eat Mrs. Fields etc and live to the fullest
✔️I play golf etc etc – Matt Doherty (who has a new book coming out on failing in leadership with forward by Michael Jordan) is going to help me focus on that one

Hey, I gotta be me. I will work, as always, to be a better version of me in 2021. You can too. It is worth it.

Pivot if you must….. but for me…. no buzzwords…

Well, yesterday was my birthday, not a big fan of my birthdays, we all have them, every year. Not a big deal….

I AM a big fan of living every year and minute to the fullest. I never go to bed angry. I live to have no regrets. I laugh a lot, am too profane, cry a little, admire excellence in anything and am my biggest critic. I don’t have a job – I found my calling. And being with my family today eating Mrs Fields is the only gift I want.

In honor of my day, here are some quotes to help you live big.

Enjoy yourself. It’s later than you think. ~Chinese Proverb

Dream as if you’ll live forever. Live as if you’ll die today. ~James Dean

And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years. ~Abraham Lincoln

If you were going to die soon and had only one phone call you could make, who would you call and what would you say? And why are you waiting? ~Stephen Levine

Life is what happens to us while we are making other plans. ~Allen Saunders, 1957

Stay thirsty….and all the best for a happy, prosperous and healthy 2021!

Gifts come in different forms…Got this one today!

From a client using my book for a book club. Made my day. I challenge you to pass it forward with praise and gratitude to someone supporting you

……I cannot tell you enough how much our team of almost 30 PMs, APMs, Supts and PEs are enjoying this.

We have 2 Ops calls per week for 30 minutes each with everyone calling in on MS Teams. In the past, we discussed new procedures or review existing procedures to improve them.

This is like a breath of fresh air for everyone.

The first 10 mins or so, a selected individual presents on the chapter by answering 6 questions and how it impacts them. We then watch your video presentation on the chapter and the last 10 or minutes, others share on the subject and past experiences.

It is really good and I have received so many positive words from the team that they are enjoying it. Thank for making this so easy. We look forward to seeing you in person…..

Made my day! Construction Leadership from A to Z was written to be user friendly

103 seconds of wisdom for your consideration…https://www.linkedin.com/posts/wallyadamchik_teamwork-trust-winningteam-activity-6744287977259708416-4N-c

Where do I fit into all this?

No, this is not some cosmic question I am considering…It is what employees wonder all the time.

Leaders share big picture vision/goals/results and think they have communicated and pat themselves on the back. Not so fast.

There is a CRITICAL next step of connecting employee behavior to those big picture results. You may assume that the equipment mechanic understands the oil change she just did contributes to the company making the revenue goal but don’t do that.

Connect the dots. Say something like – I appreciate you staying late on Thursday night to get that oil change done, that meant we could get that machine to the job on Friday so it could work over the weekend so we could finish that job early and get bonus dollars. It is exactly that kind of effort that helps us meet our goals. Thank You. etc

This extra step helps people feel connected to the cause and it matters.

If you have any people working remotely please read this.

Employee productivity is management’s top concern during the pandemic, but remote workers don’t see it the same way according to new research by Lucidspark.

75% of remote workers say leaders shouldn’t be concerned about productivity. They are not worried about production, they are getting the work done. There’s something more important for them.

The ability to ability to interact in a meaningful way is a top employee concern while working from home. Collaboration is the chief concern for remote workers. No water cooler conversations etc.

How about next time you are talking to a remote employee you ask two questions.

1) What is your biggest work related concern these days as you work from home?
2) What one thing can I do to help you be more successful these days?

Leaders set the example…pretty simple…here is a video to help with that concept.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKLGZJncyNI

What would you cry for?

The University of Notre Dame has a campaign asking what would you fight for? I ask, what would you cry for?

Here Dustin Johnson, having just won the Masters, finds himself in tears and at a total loss for words during the post-round interview.

We admire him for his commitment and passion but where is that in our own lives?

But Wally, he is a professional athlete and I am just a …….

There are no “just a……” unless you make it so. Where in your life do you so care much it brings you tears? I have seen employees being recognized at work and the emotions ran strong.

I have seen retirement ceremonies for employees where there was not a dry eye in the house.

This isn’t about tears it is about passion and commitment to something that matters so much.

As we enter the holidays….I know family matters, but what else.

What would you cry for today? Do you have it in your life and are you creating that place at work?

At the ripe old age of age 87, Michelangelo’s parting words were, “Ancora Imparo…Yet, I am learning”

What did YOU learn today by simply stepping outside your normal circle? What holds you back from being curious? The most common answer, once we look inside, is fear, and we don’t need any more of that these days! Be aware of your fear and fight it great curiosity!

I just talked with C.J. Stottuth and Justin Olson of Viewpoint and learned way more than I thought I knew about construction specific software.

Considering they support nearly 50% of the ENR 400/600 it was fascinating to get their take on industry trends. It was interesting to hear them, as tech providers, talk about the importance of LEAN and of leadership. I agree totally!

You must make progress on all fronts to advance your business.

This conversation grew from a casual meeting after I spoke at an Association leadership retreat. Too many people complain about the inability to connect/network/sell during the Pandemic. This will not get easier as we enter Winter. Lockdowns are being put in place again.

It has been too easy to do nothing but where will those untended relationships be when you need them next year?

Action Item! Schedule one meeting with someone not in your normal circle.