From Our Clients

"Ted told our group the truth: the economy is bad, but that doesn't mean business has to be bad as well. He challenged our group to see the market differently and gave us renewed energy to approach our businesses with an innovative strategy. Thanks Ted."

- Phillip G. Rose, P.E., President, Roman Electric Co., Inc.

"Ted was a very energetic presenter. He made me feel confident I can make a difference in my future."

- Steve Brown, Superintendent, W.A. Klinger

"Ted completely changed my way of thinking about the industry, relationships, and managing projects."

- Jake Steele, Project Mgr., Russell Construction

"Different from normal lecture,  very interactive."

- Benjamin Verdon, Project Mgr., David Bear Inc.

"Ted did a good job of keeping everyone involved. Stimulating. Interesting. The right perspective."

- Charles Bracco, Modern Plumbing Industries

"Ted provides a common sense approach to distinguish your company from your competitors."

- Eric White, Proj. Mgr.., Estes Construction

"Good examples and reference to everyday business and personal activity. Just makes you stop and look and think."

- Brian Haessig, Proj. Mgr., Story Construction Co.

"Very compelling message on 'How to Minimize Risk.""

- George Verstraete, Branch Chief Contract Mgr., Oklahoma National Guard

"Ted generates a motivation to improve processes, question procedures and work to be a better leader. Great ROI!"

- Jim Hale, Eng. Mgr., Baker Group

"Good information presented in a manner you can understand."

- Shaun O'Tool, Regional Division Mgr., Northwest Steel Erection

"I look forward to a future talk from you. Keep up the good work!"

- Richard Bernardini, Pres.,Mid-Atlantic Chapter, CMAA

Management Programs

Ted’s management programs are based on Construction 3.0™ Strategies. They provide managers and executives within the construction industry a bold and thought provoking discussion on how to improve the construction industry. While his recommendations often go against conventional wisdom, his programs are based on proven real world strategies that work! They offer contractors practical steps they can put to immediate use to improve their company’s performance and profitability. Learn more about Construction 3.0™

The following management programs are some of Ted's most requested. They are available in a variety of formats, including convention breakouts, half-day and full-day programs. We often create customized programs to fit an organization's special requirements. We suggest you contact us to discuss your specific program needs in order maximize the impact and benefits delivered to your audience.

PDFWhy You Need to Get Out of the Construction Business - Industry in Turmoil and What You Can Do About It

This program is for you if you are:
  • struggling to maintain profitability.
  • scrambling just to get work.
  • having difficulty finding and keeping enough qualified craftspeople and managers.

Learn More

Obviously this program is not suggesting you stop building things because that’s what you do. The business you are in is what you do that provides value for your clients. This means you must define your value proposition and reframe your business around it. This is the only way you can address the series of interrelated challenges facing contractors today. However, crisis creates opportunity. Those companies that recognize and take advantage of the opportunities have a bright future. Gary Hamel and C. K. Prahalad wrote in their best-selling book Competing for the Future, “If a top management team cannot clearly articulate the five or six fundamental industry trends that most threaten its firm’s continued success, it is not in control of the firm’s destiny.” This program unravels the trends that are impacting the industry, but more importantly, it introduces nine business principles, collectively called Construction 3.0™, that industry managers and executive can implement that will allow their company to not only survive but thrive in today’s hypercompetitive marketplace.

Key takeaway points include the following:
  • Improve your ability to compete in the hypercompetitive construction industry
  • Build an organization that attracts top people and clients
  • Boost profitability by removing the obstacles to that goal
  • Position your company as a problem-solver, not a peddler, so you never have to compete on price again

PDFStop Telling Your Prospects You Are the Best Value…Prove It!

This program is for you if you are:
  • struggling to maintain profit margins when negotiating with clients.
  • making short lists but not getting the project award.
  • forced to compete for work from past clients.

Learn More

While price is always a factor, successful contractors determine what is most valuable to their clients then focus on maximizing that value instead of trying to be the cheapest. Peter Drucker said that marketing and innovation were two skills at which business must excel. By marketing he meant market research—finding out what the client needs. Innovation takes this information and creates a better solution, in essence, better value for the client. The Construction 3.0™ strategies and principles give you the tools to improve your company’s profitability by focusing on the client’s needs. However, offering the best value isn’t enough. We live in a skeptical society. People don’t trust the government; they don’t trust the press; and they certainly don’t trust contractors. To compete based on value, you must be able to prove your value proposition, or your prospects are likely to select the lowest price. It’s essential that all construction managers and executives grasp the critical concepts in this program to effectively compete in today’s hypercompetitive marketplace. Contractors that have implemented these practices have seen their profits double and even triple.

Key takeaway points include the following:
  • Strategies to better understand the client’s needs
  • Strategies to remove waste and increase value for all stakeholders
  • Strategies to increase your ability to deliver better solutions
  • Methods to achieve better collaboration

PDFHow Contractors Can Improve Profitability- Now!

You need to attend this program if you are:
  • in a hyper competitive marketplace and need to lower your labor costs.
  • frustrated with costly impacts to your bottom line that you feel helpless to control.
  • upset about waste that negatively impacts your project schedules.

Learn More

Well, you’re not alone! The construction industry is the only significant U.S. industry that hasn’t increased productivity during the past several decades. It’s estimated the amount of waste is between 30 and 40 percent, which is unsustainable. The good news is you can fix these problems. While most people understand it’s important to eliminate waste and increase the value delivered to the client, there is a great deal of misunderstanding about how this is accomplished. The nine principles of Construction 3.0™ reveal strategies that can immediately improve efficiency but also show how a change in philosophy will boost profitability. With unprecedented pressure on construction cost, no contractor can avoid implementing the practices discussed in this program if it wants to survive. This program shows managers and executives how to improve their company’s processes to increase productivity. In addition the program explains how contractors can add value through knowledge and experience in order to be more competitive even in a low bid system. One contractor following these strategies reported, “While volume is down, profits are up.” If you are forced to compete in the low bid award system then you must attend this program.

Key takeaway points include the following:
  • Gain tools that will produce immediate results
  • Develop a culture that stomps out waste
  • Create a value-based mentality that’s focused on not only finishing the project, but delivering the best result
  • Avoid missed schedules by effectively using the five-week look ahead to better manage your priorities

PDFFire All the Managers!

This program is for you if you are:
  • frustrated with the lack of initiative by your managers.
  • feeling you must be involved in every important decision.
  • struggling with problems that suddenly appear and threaten the success of your projects.

Learn more

Managers do things right; leaders do the right things. This distinction is critical because unless you are doing the right things, it doesn’t matter how well you do it you are wasting valuable resources. To compete in today’s hypercompetitive marketplace, successful companies must realign their efforts to meet new challenges. Construction 3.0™ leadership, unlike traditional leadership, offers a proven record of creating peak performance. Despite popular beliefs, effective leadership isn’t about greater controls or influencing and motivating others. Effective leadership is the ability to perceive existing conditions and align available resources to produce maximum results. Jim Collins in Good to Great called this putting “the right people on the bus in the right seats.” This program explains how to maximize performance throughout your organization by creating an effective leadership model based on alignment. In an environment where there is a shortage of qualified industry managers and leaders, it’s critical that companies identify their best current and future leaders and know how to develop their full potential. Construction 3.0™ leadership shows managers and executives how to improve their company leadership to improve performance and profitability.

Key takeaway points include the following:
  • Improve performance and profitability through effective leadership
  • Improve collaboration across company lines by employing effective leadership skills
  • Create a process to not only improve current leadership but develop your future leaders
  • Build an organization where everyone takes responsibility for results—no one is just putting in time

PDFHow High Performing Contractors Can Profitably Compete in the Low Bid Award System

You need to attend this program if you are:
  • puzzled by how to compete profitability in the low bid award system.
  • seeking answers on how to be more efficient and increase your productivity.
  • excited about the idea of improving your profitability in today’s hypercompetitive marketplace.

Learn more

Many contractors complain about the low bid system. Many are trying to change the procurement laws to allow best value. This program is based on the concepts developed by the Performance Based Studies Research Group at Arizona State University where Ted is a Research Associate and explains how contractors can change a low bid award into a best value project. This program explains how a high performance contractor can bid low and still maximize their profits by implementing best value concepts regardless of the client’s delivery system. The best value concepts have a proven track record after seventeen years of applying the concepts around the world. The process has created a record of 98% customer satisfaction while still allowing contractors to increase their profitability.

Key takeaway points include the following:
  • Identify and hire high performing people
  • Improve preplanning while identifying potential risks and their solutions
  • Create accountability and high performance through measurement

PDFRisk Management: Eliminate the Hidden Traps to Project Success

This program is for you if you are:
  • fearful of a large financial hit because of unanticipated project problems.
  • faced with confrontational issues or even litigation because of the consequences of some unresolved problems.
  • frustrated because too much of your time is spent on problems.

Learn more

The primary responsibility of the project manager in Construction 3.0™ Risk Management is minimizing project risk for the client, the designers, the subcontractors and the prime contractor. Unfortunately too many of today’s current industry practices actually increase project risk or threaten a company’s long-term stability. Construction 3.0™ Risk Management exposes today’s dangerous practices and reveals methodologies that reduce risk for all parties, thus creating a win-win situation. Reducing project risk is essential for maintaining both a healthy company and a healthy industry. Construction 3.0™ shows managers and executives from contractors, designers and owners how to work together to minimize project risk.

Key takeaway points include the following:
  • Identify potential risk with a weekly risk assessment report
  • Minimize risk by developing a project-wide approach to risk management
  • Assign risk to the entity best able to manage the risk
  • Deal with unresolved unknowns with an effective contingency plan

original site by jack out of the box designs inc. | © Copyright 2010 Ted Garrison | Site Map