A few weeks back I visited my hometown, City of Mount Vernon, Washington. I sat down for a cup of coffee with my old construction boss, Mr. Hector Trujillo. We discussed what it takes to succeed in the construction business, despite an economic downturn, a recession and massive layoffs. He's been in the business since he was a teenager. And, he's weathered every downturn and in each of these he provides a host of lessons learned. However to distill our 60-minute conversation it boils down to this: know what's in an inch. What's In an Inch? Do you think it matters? Is it important to know your specialty? If you work in construction, the most important thing to know is that there are 16/16th in an inch. If you are the crew boss it is important to follow the trends and patterns of the industry to ensure your team is positioned properly. How to read blueprints, manage teams and simple math are some other basics. Of course if you are planning to be the boss, then understanding these … [Read more...]