Roofing work is difficult and often dirty. It also is rewarding, important and beautiful. How often do you find yourself looking up and admiring the incredible pieces of architecture protecting us? And for those of us lucky enough to be a part of the roofing industry, it's wonderful being able to recall the stories of the incredible people who made—and make—it happen.
The connection between leadership and vision is important. A company's vision is an external statement that concisely explains who you are as a company, embodying the heart and soul of why you are committed and passionate about what you do and who you want to be. It is short, to the point and full of powerful words—your words. It is a leadership statement.
As you find and articulate your company's stories, they shape the basis of your unique vision statement, and when a vision is crafted from your stories, it is powerful, memorable and impactful.
Leadership is about having a vision, knowing who you and your team members are, telling your stories and making connections. Managing is about getting the task at hand done. Both rely on an understanding that you cannot do it alone.
Lack of attention to the leadership factors that address who is doing the job leads to poor morale, job dissatisfaction and attention problems, which lead back to issues with metrics such as efficiency, turnover and profitability.
The roofing industry needs people who understand the difference between leading and managing matters. If you believe there is something missing in your organization, rather than creating another checklist, take a moment and ask yourself whether it is an issue of someone caring about the task at hand. If it is, think about why you care about the situation and with whom you will be sharing that story.
