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BUILDING PRODUCTS DIGEST is published monthly at 4500 Campus Dr., Ste. 480, Newport Beach, Ca. 92660-1872, (949) 852-1 990, FAX 949-852-0231 , www.building-products.com, by Cutler Publishing, Inc. (a California Corporation). lt is an independently owned publication for building products retailers and wholesale dislributors in 37 states East of the Rockies. Copyrigh@2006 by Cutler Publishing, Inc. Cover and entire contenls are fully protected and must not be reproduced in any manner without written permission. All Rights Reserved. Building Products Digest reserves the right to accept or reject any editorial or advertising matter, and assumes no liability for materials furnished to it.

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4 BurLrrxc Prooucrs Drcrsr Ocroeen 2006

ALAN

Do I really want to work here-or there?

There are those companies that seem to just turn over their staff and management on a regular basis. As a service provider to several such companies in our industry, where relationships are crucial, I know how difficult it can be to start over again every two or three years. However, I also think about those left behind working in such companies, and what they face.

When anyone with any tenure leaves a company, a knowledge bank leaves with them. When the whole staff turns over, well, you can imagine. I think the challenge of finding a good company to work for is really difficult today, as in most companies the only constant is change itself. Unfortunately, I am sure I am not alone in having made a couple of bad decisions with companies I have joined. In those cases, I just did not heed my gut feeling-or the warning bells flashing in front of me. Nothing was necessarily wrong with those companies. They were just not a fit for my talents or the way I do business.

I am often asked if I think someone would be a good fit for such and such company, but I have learned the hard way that what seems right today can quickly sour tomorrow and I would hate to help either a company or an employee make a wrong choice. I have never quite fathomed out whether working for a good company and a bad boss is bet- ter than working for a bad company and a good boss. I think the one oveniding issue I would consider today, apart from the money equation, would be "Can this organization be trusted?" That can only be gleaned from working at a company, or by really researching a company you want to join by asking the people who already work there. In the past, I have been guilty of not doing enough due diligence. I have also learned that the grass is not always greener somewhere else, and that for those extra dollars there was a price to be paid.

Trust is earned by saying what you mean and doing what you say. Simple theory, but unfortunately, in my last five years of corporate life before coming to this company, I did not see much of it. My experience in later years was that companies say one thing but do exactly the other. Our greatest asset is our people, they say, but at the first sign of trouble they lay them off or send their jobs overseas or to untrained workers elsewhere. They tell their staff to take risks and then nail them for doing so when they do not work out. As my last column suggested, they talk about stretch budgets, but then nail them when they are not reachedeven if the end results were still good. They talk about customer service, yet they will ship inferior product. not ship on time, or follow up when there is a problem. And to get the forecasted numbers all sorts of tricks are pulled. They tolerate individuals who I have seen drag whole departments down, and who do not espouse core values, yet keep them because they hit their numbers. As I write this today, one large company (not in this industry thankfully) has laid off 400 people by email-a sign of the times.

When dealing with individuals, the air in many companies is full of halftruths and lack of candor. The message changes constantly, and mixed messages are what leads to distrust and apathy. I have been fortunate to work with bosses whose every word or deed I could trust, and unfortunately have worked with bosses who could not be trusted. The difference in working atmosphere was quite clear. The difference in performance was markedly different as well. Getting trust from your employees is not rocket science. The key is saying what you mean and doing what you say with the utmost integrity.

To those looking for a different job, pick your new company with great care. When you interview, arrive early. Take note of the environment around you. Listen to how staff is handled or how calls are placed. Look for smiles as people pass through reception or head for the break room. The manner in which everyone acts is a clue as to how the whole company works. It is just like dating; compatibility is an essential part of whether you see that person again. It should be top of the list when deciding where you will be spending the better part of your waking day. In the end, it is not about money.

It is whether you believe you can fit in culturally, be yourself, and not pretend to be something you are not. Money is great, but I would prefer to earn less and be able to arrive each and every day with a smile on my face, and feeling appreciated. It took me an awful lot of pain to learn it, and in the end, I should have listened to mv sut!

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