Every business has a purpose . . . but if its team members aren’t aware of it or why it’s important, building a strong company culture becomes extremely difficult. Daniel Coyle’s book The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups shares insights about how to clarify purpose and leverage it for consistency and teamwork. Here are some take-aways to help contractors define their purpose and get everyone on the same page.

1. Build a short list of your top priorities.

What is most important for building your business? What do you care about most? Create a written list of your main priorities and share them with your team. If your employees don’t know what they’re aiming for, they’ll never hit the mark!

2. Be ultra-clear and reinforce your message.

Don’t just build your priorities list—talk about it in meetings and display it on posters to keep it top of mind. Re-evaluate your company’s purpose and values regularly. Ideally, ask your employees for their thoughts on how the company is (or is not) accomplishing the things it says it cares about.

3. Encourage proficiency and creativity.

The building trade requires proficiency skills, so it’s critical that workers follow rules of thumb consistently to do the job right. For example, they need to know how to read deck blueprints, measure precisely, and cut boards accurately. Creative skills are also essential because when the unpredictable happens workers need to adjust to the unique situation at hand.

Give your team not only the training and tools to equip them for typical on-the-job scenarios but also the autonomy to make their own decisions when they encounter the unexpected.

Next in our series: Establishing Purpose: Part 2. Did you miss our Building Safety and Share Vulnerability articles? Read them now:
Building Safety: Part 1
Building Safety: Part 2
Share Vulnerability: Part 1
Share Vunlerability: Part 2