This will be a unique year of discovery as we reflect on how we responded to the constantly changing events of 2020. With every step of caution that we layered as a protective measure, we created more and more distance from each other. Handshakes have been replaced by elbow bumps, and smiles of affirmation and empathy have been replaced with masked nods from six feet away. To thrive in 2021, we must find creative ways to reconnect and communicate better with each other.

Begin the Year Setting Goals for Success and Share Them

Many HCSS employees have adopted a model of setting goals that follow a philosophy described in “Management by Objectives” by Andy Grove. He believed that goals must have two components: first, a proper goal must describe what you will achieve (Objective), and second, you must describe how you are going to measure its achievement (Key Results).

Setting your objective communicates to your team that “this is where I am going,” and pinpoints what it is you want to achieve. When you create your objective, it should be short, inspirational, and challenging. Each objective should have 2 to 5 key results that measure and track its progress over time. These key results should be aggressive yet realistic (verifiable) and time-bound.

Andy believed that your goal is just an idea until you are able to establish clear and measurable criteria for reaching success. This formula for setting goals is as follows: “I will (Insert Your Objective) as measured by (this set of Key Results).” I encourage you to start your new year by making goals that are measurable and keep track of them daily so that you can tangibly see your goal becoming a success. Communicate with peers how you are doing, and ask for help when you need it.

This model was first laid out by the late professor Andy Grove in the 1970s. This Ted Talk by John Doerr goes into more detail:

Get the Help you Need When You Need it

All of your support resources are at the top of this website. It should be easy for you to reach HCSS when you need us. If you need any help, at any time, bookmark this page and all of our contact information will be the first thing you see at the top.

When I taught HeavyBid 101, I encouraged users, as a general rule, that if you can’t get the answer to your question within a few minutes, call HCSS Support. We are available to you every day, all the time. If you are more comfortable with online communication rather than using the phone, we have both a live chat and an email option where you can reach us quickly. If you need a more in-depth discussion about how you are using the software and what you would like to be doing with it, our Customer Success team is your liaison to getting you the improvement and transformation you are looking for.

We want you to succeed, and that includes letting us know how we can help you get there. Please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Use the Tools You Already Own

Many of your success stories have a common theme of overcoming adversity by focusing on repeatable processes that work for you. In doing so, communication between departments improves, and the tools you already own make you more purposeful and efficient with your time. For example, HeavyJob gives foremen the chance to communicate what they see every day to Engineers, Estimators, Supervisors, and Executives that might have to make a quick decision based on what occurs in the field. As a good math teacher would emphasize every day, show your work. HeavyJob gives the field a chance to prove they are doing the work, and it gives them the ability to make improvements to their work without waiting for external analysis. Expanding your use of features in HeavyJob will close the gap of miscommunication, improve your ability to see ahead of your cost, and reduce mistakes that would otherwise cost the company time and money. If you would like us to help you evaluate how you are using HCSS systems, an HCSS Assessment consultation would offer you clarity with using the software better.

We have been collecting success stories from your peers and would like to continue to hear how you are doing. Your good and bad experiences help us know that we are not alone on this journey to success. Here are some of the success stories we told last year from your peers:

• Follow Silver Star Construction, as they encourage innovation and verification to overcome the discomfort that comes as a natural reaction to change.
• Learn how Tri-City Groundbreakers is building their legacy by creating repeatable processes in HeavyBid.
• Read how Prus Construction engaged the HCSS Assessment Team to help them plan for growth over the next few years.
• Discover how Sierra Nevada Construction communicates productivity back to the office.
• Get tips on building confidence in your estimates at Kraemer North America
• See how Trendsetter Construction rescued their company from overwhelming rapid growth

If you’d like to tell your success story to me, I would love to share it. Reach out to me by email at daniel@hcss.com. Our community should be about helping others overcome the issues we faced so that we can raise the bar for construction, and grow together. If you want to interact with each other, I recommend using the HCSS Community Portal. Not only is it the place where you can find all your product downloads, but it is also an open forum where you can discuss any topic and engage with peers and experts.

Raise Your Hands if You are an HCSS User

The Annual HCSS Users Group Meeting always reminded us that we belong to a strong community of helpful industry leaders. Your show of support for each other is unmatched, and the relationships you build often result in strong mentorships between HCSS Users. I want to encourage you to reach out to each other in this odd time when isolation is the trend. Network and share how you’ve learned to overcome distance training, how your shop is able to work more efficiently and leaner, or maybe how your technology has helped keep your teams talking. Togetherness and communication will be your ticket to achieving your goals this year. You can begin by engaging regularly on the HCSS Community forums and finding other HCSS users in your area with this state-by-state map that we showed at ConExpo.