We Captured the Enemy and We is Them

By Charles Vander Kooi

It has been said, You are what you eat. You are what you hire is more real. The staff which goes out daily to produce your sales is really the company. It is not only a case of how they perform the work, but how the customer perceives them.

The crew goes to the job site. Do they represent you and your philosophy, or are they free floating, projecting their own individual image? There are legitimate arguments for either hiring the inexperienced and training them yourself, or hiring experienced people immediately capable of producing. I really dont think it makes any difference as long as the new hire, regardless of experience, is absorbed into your organization, and it is not a case of you and your firm being absorbed and becoming a composite of what you hired.

I admit I am a fanatic on the so-called corporate culture. To have a firm represented by a staff which does not reflect its firms creed and philosophy is chaos, and a quick way to lose control. You have worked so hard and long. It would be a shame if people working for you do not represent you, do not understand what you want your firm to be. I dont care if you have just two others working for you. They need to be extensions of you, your ideas and your competence.

There is a way to accomplish this without smothering your staffs individuality, In fact, you can develop a firm or corporate culture that everyone buys into and, simultaneously harness the employees individuality to mutually benefit you and them.

How you and your firm appear to the world is up to you. Creating a corporate culture takes time, the focusing of your attention and energy, and a great deal of sincere enthusiasm. The effort will be worth it. Just ask the management of Northwest Airlines.

This all sounds well and good, but where are these people coming from?

Seminars offered by Charles Vander Kooi
Estimating & Bidding Balancing Estimating, Job Costing, and Accounting People Management

Charles Vander Kooi Biography:

Charles Vander Kooi has been involved in the construction industry for over 30 years, thirteen as an upper-management employee of companies and seventeen as a consultant. He has bed over a billion dollars in work over his career. As a private consultant, he has helped over 1,200 companies in their estimating/bidding systems and has lectured to over 70,000 contracting people nationally and internationally.

Constantly in demand, Mr. Vander Kooi speaks at an average of 100 Trade Shows and Conventions annually, teaching his philosophy across the U.S., Canada and Australia. His company consults with an average of 100 clients annually to assist in improving their performance.

He has authored eight books to the industry and his seminars are available on audiocassettes as well as videos.

Vander Kooi and Associates, Inc.
Phone: 303.697.6467, Fax: 303.697.6815

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