Homestead Post

As we continue exploring nuggets of wisdom from Daniel Coyle’s book The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups, let’s dive further into how leaders can build safety into their company culture to help employees feel heard and valued—which is key to motivating them to do their best work.

How to Build Safety (Part 2)   

1. Be painstaking in the hiring process.

Coyle explains the importance of not hastily hiring employees who lack the qualities you need and aren’t a good fit.

While it may take longer to find an ideal candidate, it’s worth the wait and extra work to hold out for the right person because toxic employees can poison a company culture quickly. And if you’ve slipped up and let in a toxic worker who’s bringing down your team, let them go. Ultimately, you’ll be doing the employee a favor because you’re freeing them to pursue opportunities that are a better fit.

2. Overdo thank-yous.

Demonstrating respect and gratitude in every aspect of work creates goodwill and strengthens relationships. Coyle explains that “thank you” fosters belonging, creating safety and connection.

It’s not silly to thank a team member for helping you—whether they’ve handed you a hammer or picked up supplies. Polite responses to show that you appreciate someone’s work and contributions helps them realize their worth and know their position in your company is safe.

3. Pick up trash.

Naturally, leaders must have authority. However, Coyle shares that leaders should not be above doing menial work when necessary to help their team. When a manager or owner empties wastebaskets, cleans out a truck’s cab, or does some other inglorious but necessary manual work, it sends the message that, “We’re in this together.”

Next in our series: Share Vulnerability. If you missed Building Safety: Part 1, read it now.

Please join us for free breakfasts and learning sessions at the New Holland Coffee Company from 7–8 a.m. on select Thursdays in February and March 2025. At each session, a Homestead Outdoor Product vendor will talk about new products, installation techniques, and more.

RSVP to reserve your seat! Hurry! Space is limited to 30 people per session.

Send an email to sales@homesteadoutdoorproducts.com or call 717-656-9596.

Join us!

Thursday, February 6
Superior™ Outdoor Products & PCA Products

Thursday, February 13
Evolve Stone

Thursday, February 27
Fiberon

Thursday, March 13
Keylink

Thursday, March 27
Wolf® Home Products

A SWOT analysis—an assessment of a company’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats—is more than marketing jargon. It’s a simple tool for identifying what your business has going for it and against it. Doing a SWOT exercise won’t magically solve major problems, but it will help you gauge the health of your business and give you useful insight so you can plan a bright future.

What might a SWOT reveal for a small contracting company?

• Strengths—Superior craftsmanship; specialized knowledge of decking; reliable, local suppliers
• Weaknesses—An overwhelming workload; less-than-ideal margins on certain projects
• Opportunities—A lot of homeowner interest in enhancing outdoor living spaces; new technology to make administrative tasks less time-consuming
• Threats—Lack of experienced workers for hire; supply chain unpredictability

Through a SWOT, you can identify factors that are in your control and the influences that are beyond your control. From there, you can begin to think about how to leverage your strengths and mitigate your weaknesses to seize opportunities and minimize threats.

The SWOT concept is nothing new or fancy. It’s a common-sense way to look objectively at your business and recognize its potential. The key is to not just identify your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats but also to take action on what you learn so your business can succeed.

In his book The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups author Daniel Coyle examines three skills that are essential for creating and maintaining a healthy company culture.

1. Build Safety
2. Share Vulnerability
3. Establish Purpose

In this article and several to follow, we’ll share some of Coyle’s nuggets of wisdom and some practical tips for how you can apply them in your company.

How to Build Safety (Part 1)   

Safety goes beyond OSHA requirements and protective equipment. It also involves making employees feel they are accepted, listened to, and valued so they can focus on their work. Key concepts that Coyle addresses include:

1. Spotlight your fallibility early on.

No one—including the boss—knows everything. Coyle encourages leaders to be up front about when they need help and to use phrases like:

• “I could be wrong.”
• “What do you think?”
• “What am I missing?”

Asking for employees’ input and feedback builds trust as well as helps solve issues. For example, inviting workers’ thoughts and acknowledging their expertise on the best way to tackle a tricky framing problem lets them know you respect their expertise.

For example, “Thanks, Bob. You’re right, I missed that we’ll need additional time for the demo.”

2. Preview future connections.

Give your team a sneak preview of where your company is headed and help them envision how they will fit into those goals. For instance, If you’re thinking of expanding into bathroom remodels, tell your employees. Explain what it could mean for them—such as promotion and skills development opportunities.

3. Make sure everyone has a voice.

It’s important to give all team members a chance to share their insights. And when using someone’s suggestion, give credit where credit is due.

Give every employee room to speak, either in 1:1 meetings or in group huddles. Job sites often aren’t ideal meeting settings because of all the distractions. Instead, consider using your shop, house, or an offsite location.

Next in our series: Stay tuned for more on safety!

Soon, 2024 will become history, and 2025 will move from the future to the present. As this year winds down, you’re likely thinking about ways to improve your business in the year ahead.

Find the key to unlocking greater success by proactively observing this past year. Here are four areas to assess:

• Supply chain: If you struggled to get materials on time, close gaps between when your customer signs your contract and when you order from your suppliers. Also, consider keeping frequently ordered materials
  in stock to avoid delays.
• Technology: Are manual administrative tasks consuming your time? Consider software tools to help you handle your accounting, manage projects, and communicate with workers and customers more efficiently.
• Project profitability: Review the profit margins of the jobs you completed this year and take note of which projects were most profitable. That exercise will help you decide where to focus your efforts in 2025.
• Customer communication: How quickly did you respond to requests for quotes? Were you proactive in letting customers know the status of their projects? Reflect on how your level of communication affected your customers’ satisfaction and your business’s reputation.

We wish you abundant success in the New Year!

Please join us in welcoming Shannon Davis to the Homestead Outdoor Products team!

Shannon has worked in the building products industry for six years. She has well-rounded expertise, including in-depth knowledge about our primary railing products.

Homestead Outdoor Products is under construction! We are rebuilding our facility to accommodate our growing team and to better serve you and your customers.

Our new facility will feature an expanded showroom with many products on display, directly built into our space so you can see materials in an actual installed environment. The showroom area will also have a consultation room where you can meet with your clients to discuss their projects privately.

We expect that construction will continue into the spring of 2025. In the interim, please keep a few things in mind:

• We are still here to serve you and your customers! Although we will not have a showroom until the work is completed, you can see products by contacting our sales team to schedule a time to visit us.
• Please allow a little extra lead time when placing orders to ensure we can meet your deadlines as we work from our temporary offices.
• During construction, we may experience short periods of Internet and phone service outages. If you leave a message, we will respond as soon as possible.
• We will be closed on Saturdays during the construction period.

Thank you for your patience and flexibility as we undergo this exciting change!

Stay tuned for our upcoming breakfast schedule! We will meet monthly at New Holland Coffee Co. from January through April.

Prepare to enjoy a FREE breakfast and get valuable product information, insights, and tips from knowledgeable vendor representatives. Watch your email and our next newsletter for details!

Part 6 in our series based on the book To Sell Is Human

In his book To Sell Is Human, author Daniel H. Pink talks about the importance of improvising—i.e., reacting to cues from the buyer during sales conversations. He equates the dynamic nature of sales to improvisational theater, where actors have minimal (if any) scripting, and they pivot their words and actions in response to what others say or do.

Tips for Leveraging Improv in Your Sales Efforts   

Pink suggests doing these three things during conversations with prospects:

1. Hear Offers
Actively listen for subtle hints of what the buyer really wants or is willing to accept. Even objections can be underlying offers you can act on. For example, if a customer says, “Your quote is too high,” there may still be an opportunity to close the deal if you can lower your price.

2. Say “Yes, and” not “Yes, but”
Responding to a buyer with “Yes, and” opens the sales conversation to positive possibilities. For instance, if a prospect asks if you can expedite a job that you can’t complete by the desired date, you might respond with, “Yes, and by the end of today, we will give you the estimated cost of adding more laborers to finish the work by your deadline.” Conversely, a reply beginning with “Yes, but” sets a tone of negativity and inflexibility.

3. Make Your Partner Look Good
Improv actors help each other perform their best. Likewise, a salesperson should help the buyer look good. Ensure that your prospect is heard and respected so they feel they’ve received a fair deal. You look good when you make your customer look good—and you’ll be more likely to maintain goodwill throughout the project. ”

Missed the earlier articles in this series? Catch up by reading Parts 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.

With Wolf® PRO Certification, you receive the training, tools, and support to become an expert in installing Wolf products and to build your reputation as a superior contractor.

• Training on product installation, specifications, care and maintenance, proper storage and handling
• Professional tips to help your business succeed
• Access to game-changing benefits, including:
  • › Extended Wolf PRO Labor Warranty
  • › Designation on the Wolf website to help you generate leads
  • › Purchase incentives
  • › Exclusive marketing tools
  • › Product literature and samples

Talk with your Wolf representative or visit the Wolf Home Products website for details! wolfhomeproducts.com/professionals/contractors/