Rebuilding The Construction Industry
People tend to fear change because they(often subconsciously) see it as a loss of control. The larger the change from the norms they’re accustomed to, the more they feel like it’s a change happening to them, rather than for them. We spend a lot of our time in our lives devoted to learning how to do things the right way and the best way. So when one of those things evolves and seems new again it almost feels like a step backward, even though the change is actually a step forward.
ORIGINAL STORY: Link
Joseph Ryan is the founder and president of GRA (Galligan, Ryan & Associates); a company that is embracing advancements in technology with a vision to change the way the construction industry works. He isn’t afraid of change and has been working hard to help others not be afraid of it either. And he’s not just preaching the word of his own companies’ advancements in their industry, but also about his use of virtual assistants. The two seem to go hand-in-hand when it comes to growing just about any business, and construction is no different.
NO COMFORT ZONES ALLOWED
Joe’s company GRA has been a growing presence in commercial development for over 3 years now. Their vision is to leverage new tools and technology to bring people out of the field, and into a more structured, controlled environment. One that not only increases productivity, accuracy, and profits but also keeps people safe. The more often someone needs to step foot on a construction site to review a plan, approve something, talk to a foreman, etc, the more exposed they are to inclement weather and accidents.
Joe refers to what they do as utilizing 1’s and 0’s to communicate with technology to each other and take more aspects of the construction industry out of the field. This involves upgraded utilization of 3D modeling software and other prefab practices. The construction industry is about 30–40% productive, according to Joe. In any other business that would be greatly unacceptable. So why not change that? Why not evolve the way we design, produce and build one of the most important aspects of our society?
“COVID HAS CHANGED THE WAY WE LOOK AT WORK AND QUALITY OF LIFE. IT’S ALLOWED US TO SPEED UP THE VIRTUALIZATION OF PEOPLE IN WORK.”
Joe spent about 15 years in the building industry, realizing over time how many things were broken or just plain wrong. At the risk of sounding overly altruistic, he genuinely wanted to change and improve one of the oldest industries in the world, and leave a lasting positive impact. This is not unlike my own path to success with MyOutDesk.
I started as a realtor, and over time saw the need for a positive change in how companies find the right talent they need to grow their business. Another experience we share is the uphill battle of convincing everyone else that your vision truly is the future!
One of the biggest challenges Joe faced is educating everyone and convincing them to step outside of their comfort zones. What’s apparent to entrepreneurs like us but not to a lot of other people, is that it takes true innovation to drive change and improve things that have been long established. It reminds me of this famous quote from Henry Ford, “If I had asked the people what they want, they would have said a faster horse.” Instead, on his own, he invented the automobile.
EVOLVING TOGETHER
While Joe is revolutionizing the construction industry, he’s utilizing virtual assistants to get it done. One of his VA’s (virtual assistants) has been with the company for over 2 years. Since then they’ve hired several more, and couldn’t be more pleased. From the interview process, onboarding, and our way of keeping up with the VA’s, it’s been a resounding success for Joe and his team.
The entire experience just reaffirms Joe’s existing belief in changing things up to improve the way we do business. And these VA’s aren’t just doing the usual administrative assistant type stuff either; they’re creating packages, managing websites, streamlining marketing efforts, working on proposals, and other top-level tasks. We provided GRA with VA’s who already had the skillset and experience to fit such a specific industry. Joe and his team just shaped them into exactly what they needed and made them a part of the work-family.
“WE DON’T TREAT THEM AS EXTERNAL EMPLOYEES. THEY’RE PART OF OUR TIME, ON A DAILY BASIS. AN ABSOLUTELY INTEGRAL PART OF OUR TEAM.”
WORK SMARTER, NOT HARDER
There has never been a better time to embrace change in the professional world. Be it evolving the construction industry or remote work to fulfill staffing needs. You learn by experience, not fear. Don’t just do that thing because that’s the way you’ve always done it.
Challenge yourself to embrace change and watch it make your professional life better, in real-time. If change is difficult for you, then maybe it’s time to reach out and get help. You can use this link to request a one-on-one consultation with us, totally free of charge and pressure. Just talk to us about your business needs and concerns, and we’ll come up with a plan to help you, even if it’s just one virtual assistant to start.
