Blog

Planning is a part of life. We all make plans every day -- for holiday celebrations, for dinner and a movie with friends, for a pick-up basketball game, for job advancement, for vacations and even for the rest of our lives. It's no exaggeration to say that planning...

It's a sure thing that you'll face your share of problems -- on your project, as well as in life. You may think of problems as The Enemy, but sometimes you can't avoid them, so you work to learn how to deal with them. First, don't let those problems on the job build...

What comes to mind when you think of training? How can you recognize future leaders on the job and help them grow to full potential? Webster’s Dictionary defines training this way: “The skill, knowledge, or experience acquired by one that is trained.” To me, that...

It’s ok to have fun… On one of my first civil projects I managed, the entire team knew we were going to hit hard rock. We had done our homework. We knew it was there, deep underground, just waiting to rear its ugly head. Late one morning my radio beeped. “Wolfpack,...

“In Pursuit of the Triple Lindy” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDMMYT3vkTk “Let the job talk to you. Listen; It will tell you how to build it.” My Dad “Let the job talk to you. Listen; It will tell you how to build it.” That was my Dad’s advice. I wondered what he...

A few years ago, while touring the Kearl Lake Project in Western Canada, I stood inside the bucket of this Komatsu PC800 with two colleagues - close friends. I couldn't help but think of the goals I had accomplished in my life - goals the size of this...

Goals and goal setting are the "life blood" of successful outcomes. Without goals, we tend to flounder and forge ahead with no real direction, commitment, or enthusiasm. Sure, we can get to the finish line of a project. We can complete the job and move on to the next...

Motivating a project Team starts with good planning. A well-planned project is a pleasure to work on. The entire team is always on the same page. Everyone knows their jobsand their sphere of responsibility. Operations are well organized and coordinated. Supervisors...

Monday… Monday…. Here we go. Get going. Let’s make this MONITOR MONDAY! Make a commitment this week, starting today, to monitor all of your operations. Focus on the major ones first. Then work your way down through the minor ones. Every operation counts. Time every...

Ok…. It’s TIME to get Motivated! It’s the start of a new week. You have goals – SMASH THEM! Starting a new operation – KILL IT! Make this your week. Now go out there and MAKE IT HAPPEN! An “overwhelming desire to improve” is the key ingredient in the recipe of...