AMBASSADOR UPDATES
Hiring should be fair, simple, and focused on the work. The EEOC protects people from being judged on things that have nothing to do with job performance. Most interview slips come from curiosity or small talk, not bad intent. But even harmless moments can create real risk. Do: Ask About Job Ability Ask questions tied […]
A job interview is more than a conversation. It is a test of clarity, presence, and relational fit. When the camera stays off, both sides lose critical context. 1. Communication is more than words Eye contact, facial expressions, and posture all communicate as much as the answers themselves. Without video, interviewers are guessing at intent, […]
Hiring the right people isn’t just about checking resumes and asking a few good questions. It takes time—time you can’t afford to skip. Why? Because people are complex. No matter how great someone looks on paper or how well they answer in a single interview, there are things about them you will not fully understand […]
In construction, a rough sketch isn’t enough. You need detailed blueprints, clear specs, and precise tolerances. A wall that’s off by half an inch doesn’t just “kinda work”, it throws the whole structure out of alignment. Hiring is no different. Yet many leaders treat it like fitting a peg in a hole: “Does this person […]
It’s easy to look like a strong leader when things are smooth. Anyone can smile in the boardroom when profits are up and deadlines are ahead of schedule. But the real measure of leadership is found in the margins, when the pressure is high, the market shifts, and your people are stretched thin. In those […]
The Illusion of Knowing Someone Quickly It’s easy to feel confident about someone after a first meeting. Maybe they remind you of a top performer you’ve worked with before. Maybe they’re incredibly charismatic. Maybe they tell you exactly what you want to hear. But here’s the reality: you will never completely know people. That’s not […]
A pattern is showing up across construction companies.Some employees aren’t contributing to healthy culture; they’re consuming it. They enjoy the benefits of a strong environment but don’t protect or improve it. They expect clarity, stability, and camaraderie without doing the work to sustain it. In short, they act more like customers of culture than contributors […]
A few years ago, I watched a promising new hire unravel during onboarding. He was smart, motivated, and exactly the kind of talent the company needed. But his direct supervisor didn’t meet with him for three months. Three months. (this is when I realized we needed onboarding check-ins) By the time anyone realized what had […]
I have personally observed countless good people, well-intentioned and consummate building professionals, working at revered and prestigious construction companies, perform poor interviews that accomplish little risk mitigation and set everyone up for expensive lessons. I’ve been studying this problem with a painful intimacy, as a recruiter, for more than a decade. Sometimes we think that […]
Hiring isn’t about filling seats. It’s about understanding people, solving real problems, and recognizing how hiring connects to everything in your business. Most hiring processes fail because they’re built on rules or best practices rather than fundamental truths. If you start with first principles—the irreducible facts that govern hiring—you’ll make better, faster, and more effective […]
