Poor Com

(Continued from page 36) just can't seem to get together. The team may be "communicating" but understanding is not happening.

Tip oraw a picture

If a picture is worth a thousand words. why not draw a picture of how your team is organized? Who is doing what, how do people fit into the process? What is their role? Who has the authority to make which decisions? What is the decision making process? By drawing a picture and allowing team members to ask questions, you will begin to align expectations by agreeing on how things are supposed to (or need to) work. Doing this exercise should make it very clear where you have misaligned expectations, or misunderstanding, on roles, responsibilities and authority. Then, you can work to come to agreement.

Root Cause 3 Confusion

Where there's confusion, chaos will break out. Again, this can be over roles, responsibilities or processes. When people aren't sure what they are supposed to do, not only does the team lose productivity, there is chaos as people move around trying to figure out how things are supposed to work. This is true at all levels of a project. If a decision is made but no one understands how it is to be implemented. you end up rvith different people implementing different solutions-leading to chaos and what appears to be poor communication.

Tip Work to become a trusted leader

For a team to succeed. someone must be the leader. I see many teams without a clear leader and the teams seem to lack direction and clarity. People vie for power and position, and that never leads to success. Instead work to become a trusted leader. A leader by definition is someone who has followers. And follorving is 1007o voluntary. A trusted leader is someone who people follow because they trust him or her to lead the team to success. When people trust the leader, they feel they have a choice to be a part of the team. And the leader can offer clear direction, problem solving and decision making.

Root Cause 4 Loss of Momentum

When everyone is not in the boat, facing the same direction. and rorving torvard success, the project loses momentum. The more frustration, the more lost momentum. Frustration arises rvhen the team goes forward but keeps getting pulled back. Soon the project is behind schedule and communication switches to finger pointing. further decreasing momentum.

Tip Resolve issues quickly

Teams start out and gain momentum over time. When problems and issues arise it causes a loss of momentum. Horvever. if the problem or issue is resolved quickly. the momentum is only slightly diminished and the team continues to move fonvard and grow.

It is imperative that you have a clear process for quickly resolving issues. This process must be knorvn by all and used. One such process is to agree to disagree on an issue and then empower a new set of people to look at the issue so they can offer their ideas for resolution. Give these nerv people the porver to decide Then move on. Indecision is your enemy.

(Please turn to page 45)

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WHOLESALER Parr Lumber, Chino, Ca., held its annual golf tournament June 30 at the Tustin Ranch Golf Club, Tustin, Ca. (1) Jetf Stoll, Jerry Long, Tom Scott. (2) Pete Panella, Mike Davis, Shaun Flanagan, Lynn Ladenes. (3) Peter Ulloa, Carlos Smith. (4) Tom Miles,

Pam Winters, Gregg Brunette. (5) Tom Dowling, Janet Pimentel, Dominic Uamas, Rick Porter. (6) Joe DeRoest, Hank Homsveld. (7) Oscar Portillo, Robert Landeros, George Parden. (8) Jim Kaiser, Pat Bennett, Kirk Kreaner. (9) Richard Roy, David Palmer. (10) Jaime Valdovino Sr., Marco Acevedo, Jaime ValdoMno Jr.

I (11) Gorden Weins, Dave Surch. I (12) Pat Hawthorne, Bruce Keith,Bobby Byrd. (13) Dennis Ferguson, David Espinosa, Scoft Flanagan, Mike Jezak. (14) Robert Williams, Mark O'&ien. (15) Mark Zucker, Scott Pease. (16) Sergio Valenzuela, Louis Guttierez, Jorge Valenzuela, Alex Valenzuela. (17) Mike Parrella. (18) Earl & Sandy Robbins, Steve Batick.

Root Cause 5 Dissatisfaction

Research shows that when project teams look forward to going to their jobs (the level of job satisfaction is high), the project is highly likely to be on time and on budget. When teams dread going to work. the project is in deep trouble. When a project is not fun to be on and a sense of dread appears, communication between team members will be strained at best.

Tip suild in fun

Teams that have "fun" perform better. And you can build in the fun. It is important to take time to laugh and enjoy each other. I have seen teams that play golf, have barbecues, share a joke at the start of each meeting, and learn to fish together. These were top performing teams. So monitor your team's level of fun and work to ensure that your team is having fun together.

Root Cause 6 Lack of Commitment

When people aren't really committed to the success of your project you have "slack," like slack in a rope. You don't have a strong team focused on what it will take to succeed.

Inadequate resources can also cause slack. The team loses faith that they can achieve the project goals. Lack of communication is usually the result.

Tip Manage the level of stress

Some people are just along for the ride and are not really committed to the success of your project. This causes enormous stress on the other team members. Sometimes you can't do much to get rid of the lack of commitment, but you can monitor and manage the level of stress that the team encounters. Teams come together to accomplish something. There need to be celebrations along the way (perhaps at each milestone) of accomplishment.

Root Cause 2 Unconscious lncompetence

Inexperienced staff can face a very steep learning curve. Even one inexperienced person in a key role can cause havoc on your project. They just don't know what they don't know, so they focus on what is available to them: the specifications, contract, and drawings. They must learn how to resolve specific project problems as they occur. Often documentation becomes the

focus instead ofproblem solving.

Tip Se open to mentortng

Both experienced and inexperienced team members must be open to the possibility of sharing knowledge. Having a mentor can shorten the learning curve for new hires by decades. Too often new people are sent to do the grunt work or sent into a project like lambs to the slaughter. These are not effective ways to deal with people who need to learn. For those of you who are new, accept that others who have been around for some time have seen a few more things than you have. You don't need to know everything. Your job is to learn.

By knowing the root cause of Your communication problems you can vastly improve your chance for team success. The best way to uncover communication problems and their root cause is by conducting a monthly measurement on how well the team is communicating and working together.

- Sue Dyer is president of OrgMetrics, author of Partner Your Project, and cre' ator of the Construction Scorecard Program. She can be reached at (925) 449-8300 or via www.constructionscorecard.com.

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Richard Chapman has retired as national advertising director of Simpson Strong-Tie, Pleasanton, Ca.

Kevin Triphahn is new to the outside sales team at Braided Accents and Mountain Moulding & Millwork, Rathdrum,Id.

Jim Sargent has retired as mgr. of distribution accounts after nine years with The Collins Cos., Portland, Or., and 39 years in the industry.

Lara Stinger has taken over moulding sales at Medford Moulding Co., White City, Or., from Greg Applen, who will now focus on stiles and rails from a new laminating line.

Matt Yates has been promoted to Pacific Northwest regional mgr. for Capital Lumber, Phoenix, Az. C.J. Sigler is a new account mgr. in Healdsburg, Ca.

Phil Osbourne has retired as operations mgr. after 27 years rvith Taiga Building Products, Rocklin. Ca.

Brent Stinnett, ex-Plum Creek Timber Co., has been named v.p.resource management for Potlatch Corp., Spokane, Wa., replacing John Olson, who has retired.

Mark Goss, ex-Bluelinx, is the nerv laminated decking product sales mgr. at Filler King, Homedale, Id.

Martin A. White. c.e.o.. MDU Resources Group, has been elected to the board of directors at Plum Creek Timber Co., Seattle. Wa.

Mike Maehara is now handling import and export sales at Cedarsource Mfg. Co., Portland, Or.

Bob Shroeder has joined Pacific Woodtech, Burlington, Wa.. as v.p. -manufacturing operat ions. Mike St. John is the new v.p.sales and marketins.

Phil Brune, ex-L-P. has joined AllCoast Forest Products, Roseville. Ca.. as a builder specialist.

Frank de la Torre rvas promoted to national sales mgr. for Rapid Rack Industries. Cily of Industry, Ca.

Chuck Frerichs has been named store mgr. of 84 Lumber Co.. Chandler. Az.

Tom Taylor, executive v.p.-merchandising and marketing, Home Depot, rvill leave the company at the end of the year.

Frank de la Torre has been prcmoted to national sales mgr.-industrial division for Rapid Rack Industries. Inc., City of Industry. Ca.

Sue Magari. Pass & Seymour/Legrand. was promoted to v.p. of human resources for North America operations.

Cheryl A. Bachelder has been appointed to the True Value Co. board of directors.

Daniel B. Starr has been named v.p. of human resources and general counsel for Do it Best Corp., Fort Wayne, In. Kim Gonzalez has been promoted to communications mgr.

Juanita D. Duggan will become president and c.e.o. of the American Forest &. Paper Association, Washington, D.C., when W. Henson Moore retires in October.

Marcia Hannah, v.p. of marketing, and Rudy Lee, v.p. of strategic marketing, have retired from CertainTeed Corp., each after more than 30 years with the company's Roofing Products Group.

James T. Pendley, ex-Black & Decker, has joined Cooper Industries, in the newly created position of chief marketing officer.

Craig R. Stifller, ex-Industrial Applications, has been named chief operating officer of Homasote Co.

J.D. Saunders, v.p., Economy Lumber, Campbell, Ca., and his wife. Shannon. welcomed new daughter Annie Paige May 26.

Mark Downe and Bill Dupp have been hired as marketing consultants to increase sales volume at Mungus-Fungus Forest Products, Climax, Nv., according to co-owners Hugh Mungus and Freddy Fungus.

llews Briefs

(Continued from page 25 ) ily starts slipped 6.5Vo to a 1.486million pace regionally, starts were down lO.2Vo in the West permits slipped 4.37o

ACH Foam Technologies, Denver, Co., has acquired Allied Foam Products. Gainesville, Ga.

Eagle Roofing Products, Rialto, Ca., has begun construction of a 228,000-sq. ft. concrete roof tile plant in Central Florida ...

Aztx trimboards can now be painted in dark colors from Sherwin-Williams' Supe rPaint exterior paints with VinylSafe technoTogy that is warranted for 25 years

Werner Ladder Co. filed for Chapter l1 bankruptcy protection, but intends to continue normal operations.

Conrad Adds DC In ldaho

Conrad Forest Products, North Bend, Or., has opened its first distribution center in Idaho.

Conrad purchased the Craigmont, Id., site in May and began operations in mid-July, distributing lumber to Idaho and western Washington. The company has treating plants in Arbuckle. Ca.. and Rainier, Or., but has no plans to treat at the new location.

Until 2002, the site was home to a sawmill, opened by Channel Lumber in 1958 and sold in 1997 to U.S. Timber Co.