Welcome to episode 1 of the Nick Schiffer Podcast. I’ve got Mike Hume with me on this inaugural episode to tackle a great question pulled from a comment left on YouTube—“Do you guys like working together?”

Loaded question… here’s what we came up with. 

REALITY ISN’T ALWAYS PRETTY

I think some people look at NS Builders through a filter—a filter that softens the edges, highlighting the positives and erasing the negatives. It can create an illusion that we all get along perfectly and love working together every day on projects that come out amazing with never a hint of friction or pressure. That’s just unreal. And the flaws and ugly side of reality quickly become apparent when you remove the filter. 

I can honestly say we do respect each other—as craftsmen, as individuals, as friends—but we have differences of opinion at NS Builders. We get on each other’s nerves. We’re under extreme pressure at times and suffer the consequences of the stress that goes with this job. And sometimes that translates into taking out our frustration on someone else. However, just because we may feel justified in getting upset at someone or feeling the circumstances warranted the less-than-perfect behavior, it’s simply not a valid excuse or a free pass to do so. 

YOU DON’T HAVE TO LOVE EACH OTHER…

But you do have to like each other enough to work well on the team. Because that is what a construction crew is—a team. Each player is valuable. Each player has skills that another player may not possess. And each player has weaknesses. The key to success is learning how to use each person’s strengths and lessen the impact of their weaknesses. If you cultivate an atmosphere of mutual respect in the workplace, you’ll increase the likelihood that people will get along better. A crew that likes each other and can work cohesively is a crew that will get much more accomplished. And communication is at the heart of it all.  

When there’s a communication breakdown, things can go off the rails pretty fast. For example, you misunderstand a text and think someone is going off on you—when in reality—you completely read it wrong. Of course, if the sender understood the unwritten rules on NOT USING CAPS ON EVERY WORD, things might not have escalated (you know who you are). Or you gave direction to someone and assumed he understood what you wanted—it made perfect sense to you. However, he went in a different direction; it’s like he didn’t hear you at all. And then you get upset. And slightly paranoid. Is he blatantly ignoring me? Is there some issue going on I’m not aware of, and this is a passive-aggressive play?

You can waste a lot of valuable time on this sort of downward spiral when you don’t take the time to effectively communicate—have a real conversation and hash out all the details so that everyone involved is on the same page.   

HAVE THAT AWKWARD CONVERSATION

No one wants to sit down and have that awkward conversation: “Hey, is something going on? Did I do something to offend you? Are you no longer happy working here?” But sometimes, it’s necessary. You have to invest time finding out what is happening and why they reacted the way they did. Ask the questions and then listen—really listen. 

A great jumping-off point into honest conversations is employee reviews. I’m a huge fan of structured, written reviews—it puts it all out there in writing. This is your chance to explain in detail what you expect from an employee—what they are excelling at and where they need to improve. Be specific. It’s also an opportunity to find out how you can improve as the employer—how you can lead more effectively or implement additional training to help them improve.    

Working together day after day in an industry that is synonymous with stress, dependence on coffee, and the occasional sleepless night, you’ve got to put the focus on communication, respect, and maintaining friendships. I can honestly see how it has paid off for NS Builders. And it can do the same for you. 

It’s time to discover what NS Builders can intentionally craft for you! Contact us today to get started on your custom dream home. Together, we can make it happen. 

—Nick Schiffer