At a recent class, I was covering the basics of how to get paid for additional work orders. I followed up with an example hoping to emphasize the necessity of getting paid for your work.
A young fellow said, “I would not do that.” He told me he would not ask the customer for money upfront before he made any changes to the original contract.
Now it wasn’t so much what he said but how he said it that bothered me. He was sitting, chin down, arms tightly crossed, completely shutting off any possible communication between himself and me. There was no way anything I said would be allowed in.
That my friends, is painting yourself into a corner, especially when it comes to the subject of getting paid for your work.
When you acquire new information that pertains to your business, give yourself time to think it through. Snap decisions are frequently the result of ego before common sense. Let the idea breathe a little, look at all sides, give it some time to settle in. Then, after giving it a fair turn, you’ll see if the idea will work for you. Not all will – but you have to think it through first.
If that young fellow survives in business, he will probably spend far more on his education than necessary. Cardinal Rule #4 is: “Keep Your Ego In Your Pocket.” Learn all you can and don’t be in a hurry to dismiss new ideas.
The knowledge and experience Michael Stone gained in his 60+ years in construction has helped thousands of contractors improve their businesses and their lives. He is the author of the books Markup & Profit Revisited, Profitable Sales, and Estimating Construction Profitably, and is available for one-on-one consultations as needed.
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