The Official Publication of the Power & Communication Contractors Association 4thQuarter 2011 Also Inside • USDA Announces Rural Electric and Broadband Funding • Working in Winter Weather • 2012 Convention Preview • Year-End Product Showcase Are You a Helicopter Boss?
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4th Quarter 2011 Officer Directors Official Publication of the Power & Communication Contractors Association Board of Directors David Aubrey Okay Construction Robert Breeden ElectriCom, Inc. Tony Briggs Vermeer Manufacturing Ed Campbell Henkels & McCoy, Inc. James Dillahunty Henkels & McCoy, Inc. John Fluharty Mears Group, Inc. Matthew Gabrielse Gabe’s Construction Co., Inc. John Hale John Deere Jerrod Henschel Michels Corporation Kevin Mason ElectriCom, Inc. Robert Orr Sherman & Reilly, Inc. Larry Pribyl MP Nexlevel, LLC Rob Pribyl MP Nexlevel, LLC Brad Radichel Condux International Lindsley Thulin Michels Corporation Ron Tagliapietra Michels Corporation Matt Trawick Trawick Construction Co., Inc. Bryan Westerman MasTec, Inc. Publication Staff Publisher Timothy Wagner twagner@pccaweb.org Associate Publisher Cheryl Stratos stratosc@pccaweb.org Editor Michael Ancell mancell@pccaweb.org Advertising Sales Manager Stacy Bowdring sbowdring@pccaweb.org 1908 Mt. Vernon Avenue, 2nd Floor Alexandria, Virginia 22301 (800) 542-PCCA • www.pccaweb.org ©2011 Power & Communication Contractors Association President Larry Libla W & L Construction President-Elect Tommy Muse Aubrey Silvey Enterprises, Inc. 1st Vice President Glen Amerine Amerine Utilities Construction, Inc. 2nd Vice President Steve Sellenriek Sellenriek Construction Treasurer Timothy D. Killoren CCI Systems, Inc. Secretary Todd Myers Kenneth G. Myers Construction Duffs Announce Retirement 13 Past PCCA President and longtime association member Charley Duff recently announced his retirement from MasTec North America after 40 years with the company. Charley’s wife and longtime assistant, Janet, is retiring as well after 36 years with the company. Are You a Helicopter Boss? 17 By Kelley Chisholm Good managers do not hover over their employees. They involve their people in the decision-making process by teaching them how to make good decisions for the organization. Year-End Product Showcase 37 While walking through the exhibit area at the recent ICUEE show, PCCA staff noticed how many of our members developed marketing campaigns especially for ICUEE, promoting new equipment lines, new models, expanded services, etc. Our people put in a lot of work, and the campaigns were very impressive. To help them, as well as associate members who weren’t at ICUEE, further spread their message, PCCA presents a Year-End Product Showcase. RDUP News 7 PCCA Member News 14 2012 PCCA Convention 28 Safety Watch | by Phillip Metcalf 31 Safety News 32 Industry Calendar 54 Advertiser Index 54
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PCCA Journal|4th Quarter 2011 7 RDUP News RDUP News continued on page 8 Alaska Alaska Electric Energy Cooperative, Inc., $150,000,000. Convert resources to combined cycle, install a new aero derivative gas-fired turbine, and build new substations. Arkansas Mississippi County Electric Cooperative, Inc., $11,000,000. Build 34 miles of new distribution line, make improvements to 44 miles of existing distribution line, and make other system improvements. Includes $615,000 in smart grid projects. Craighead Electric Cooperative Corporation, $19,400,000. Build 85 miles of new distribution line and 5 miles of transmission line and make improvements to 273 miles of existing distribution line. $258,570 in smart grid projects. Colorado Gunnison County Electric Association, Inc., $7,113,000. Build 52 miles of new distribution line and make improvements to 7 miles of existing distribution line. $1,222,665 in smart grid projects. Highline Electric Association, $35,178,000. Build 133 miles of new distribution line and 2 miles of new transmission line, make improvements to 124 miles of existing distribution line and 29 miles of transmission line. $2,289,240 in smart grid projects. Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, Wyoming Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Inc., $132,987,000. Build 47 miles of new transmission line and two new substations, make improvements to 115 miles of existing transmission line and seven substation upgrades. $9,684,000 in smart grid projects. Florida Suwannee Valley Electric Association, $12,000,000. Build 279 miles of new distribution line, make improvements to 86 miles of existing distribution line, and make other system improvements. $440,000 in smart grid projects. Florida, Alabama PowerSouth Energy Cooperative, $108,686,000. Transmission facilities for 15 substations, 47 miles of line, upgrade 80 miles of line and 10 existing substations. Georgia Amicalola Electric Membership Corporation, $29,998,000. Build 218 miles of new distribution line, make improvements to 53 miles of existing distribution line, and make other system improvements. Includes $9,402,000 in smart grid projects. Oglethorpe Power Corporation, $492,610,000. Generation system improvement projects. Indiana Kankakee Valley Rural Electric Membership Assn., $16,700,000. Build 58 miles of distribution line, upgrade 85 miles of line, and make $157,000 in smart grid improvements. Tipmont Rural Electric Membership Corporation, $32,000,000. Build 117 miles of new distribution line, make improvements to 246 miles of existing distribution line. $4,155,895 in smart grid projects Iowa Humboldt County Rural Electric Cooperative, $2,600,000. Improve 12 miles of line, build 9 miles of distribution line, and make $25,000 in smart grid improvements. Butler County Rural Electric Cooperative, $1,600,000. Purchase and install Automated Metering Infrastructure. USDA Announces Funding to Improve Rural Electric Service On October 13, the U.S. Agriculture Department announced funding for rural electric cooperative utilities to improve distribution systems and smart grid technologies in 27 states. The announcement was made by Agriculture Under Secretary for Rural Development Dallas Tonsager during a speech to the National Rural Electric Association regional meeting in Denver, Colo. More than $2.1 billion in loans are provided by USDA’s Rural Utilities Service, a Rural Development Agency, to help rural electric utilities build and upgrade rural America’s electric infrastructure. These projects will fund more than $40 million in smart grid technologies and will build or improve nearly 6,000 miles of line. Funding for distribution cooperatives, which provide power to consumers, will benefit more than 38,000 rural businesses and residents. Funding is contingent upon the recipient meeting the terms of the loan agreement. Following is a complete list of projects funded.
PCCA Journal|4th Quarter 2011 8 Kentucky Taylor County Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation, $6,000,000. Build 58 miles of new distribution line, make improvements to 44 miles of existing distribution line, and make other system improvements. $261,612 in smart grid projects. Maine Swans Island Electric Cooperative, Inc., $813,000. Build 3 miles of new distribution line, make improvements to 4 miles of existing distribution line, and make other system improvements. Fox Islands Electric Cooperative, Inc., $950,000. Build 4 miles of new distribution line, make improvements to 8 miles of existing distribution line, and make other system improvements. $950,000 in smart grid projects. Minnesota Todd-Wadena Electric Cooperative, $4,011,000. Build 21 miles of new distribution line, make improvements to 44 miles of existing distribution line, and make other system improvements. $133,850 in smart grid projects. Missouri Macon Electric Cooperative, $10,000,000. Build 72 miles of new distribution line, make improvements to 25 miles of existing distribution line, and make other system improvements. Howell-Oregon Electric Cooperative, Inc., $23,000,000. Build 72 miles of new distribution line, make improvements to 376 miles of existing distribution line, and make other system improvements. $84,929 in smart grid projects. Pemiscot-Dunklin Electric Cooperative, $3,884,000. Build 8 miles of new distribution line. Tri-County Electric Cooperative Association, Inc., $7,110,000. Build 41 miles of new distribution line and make improvements to 39 miles of existing distribution line. Webster Electric Cooperative, $26,477,000. Build 121 miles of new distribution line, make improvements to 36 miles of existing distribution line, and make other system improvements. New Mexico Northern Rio Arriba Electric Cooperative, Inc., $2,456,000. Build 26 miles of new distribution line, make improvements to 9 miles of distribution line and make other system improvements. North Carolina Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation, $25,000,000. Build 248 miles of new distribution line, make improvements to 88 miles of existing distribution line and 9 miles of transmission line, and make other system improvements. North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation, $124,594,000. Capital additions and improvements to the Catawba Nuclear Stations Units 1 and 2. North Dakota, Minnesota Minnkota Power Cooperative, Inc., $37,000,000. Build 66 miles of transmission line and make other system improvements. $300,000 in smart grid projects. Ohio Carroll Electric Cooperative, Inc., $9,000,000. Build 18 miles of new distribution line, make improvements to 46 miles of existing distribution line, and make other system improvements. $881,200 in smart grid projects. Oklahoma East Central Oklahoma Electric Membership Cooperative, Inc., $13,000,000. Build 42 miles of new distribution line. Harmon Electric Association Inc., $6,550,000. Build 30 miles of new distribution line, make improvements to 28 miles of existing distribution line, and make other system improvements. Oklahoma, Texas Northfork Electric Cooperative, Inc., $12,000,000. Build 87 miles of new distribution line, make improvements to 58 miles of existing distribution line, and make other system improvements. Oregon Harney Electric Cooperative, Inc., $6,244,000. Build 12 miles of new distribution line. Umatilla Electric Cooperative Association, $15,000,000. Build 188 miles of new distribution line and 2 miles of transmission line, make improvements to 15 miles of existing distribution line and 6 miles of transmission line, and make other system improvements. $2,478,296 in smart grid projects. Pennsylvania Central Electric Cooperative, Inc., $20,000,000. Build 74 miles of new distribution line and make improvements to 129 miles of existing distribution line and 7 miles of transmission line. $745,700 in smart grid projects. Tennessee Caney Fork Electric Cooperative, Inc., $23,000,000. Build 131 miles of new distribution line, make improvements to 102 miles of existing distribution line, and make other system improvements. Texas Bailey County Electric Cooperative Association, $17,392,000. Build 66 miles of new distribution line, make improvements to 31 miles of existing distribution line, and make other system improvements. Deep East Texas Electric Cooperative, Inc., $64,441,000. Build 251 miles of new distribution line and 15 miles of transmission line and make improvements to 72 miles of existing distribution line. $9,970,000 in smart grid projects. Greenbelt Electric Cooperative, Inc., $7,500,000. Build 83 miles of new distribution line, make improvements to 37 miles of existing distribution line, and make other system improvements. Virginia Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative, $90,000,000. Build a 49.9 MW biomass generation facility. National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC), $499,000,000. Funds in the form of bonds will be used by CFC to furnish or improve electric service in rural areas. RDUP News Continued from page 7 RDUP News continued on page 10
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PCCA Journal|4th Quarter 2011 10 RDUP News Continued from page 8 Vermont Washington Electric Cooperative, Inc., $7,400,000. Build 15 miles of new distribution line, make improvements to 28 miles of existing distribution line, and make other system improvements. $1,003,365 in smart grid projects. West Virginia Harrison Rural Electrification Association, Inc., $3,000,000. Build 39 miles of new distribution line, make improvements to 18 miles of existing distribution line, and make other system improvements. $137,600 in smart grid projects. Wisconsin Jackson Electric Cooperative, $4,200,000. Build 45 miles of new distribution line, make improvements to 28 miles of existing distribution line, and make other system improvements. $186,600 in smart grid projects. Dunn Energy Cooperative, $7,000,000. Build 60 miles of new distribution line, make improvements to 76 miles of existing distribution line, and make other system improvements. $224,613 in smart grid projects. Wyoming Carbon Power & Light, Inc., $9,431,000. Build 51 miles of new distribution line, make improvements to 74 miles of existing distribution line, and make other system improvements. $370,460 in smart grid projects. Niobrara Electric Association, Inc., $1,500,000. Build 61 miles of new distribution line and make improvements to 48 miles of existing distribution line. $23,400 in smart grid projects. Colorado Eastern Slope Rural Telephone Association, Inc.—$18,725,000 to upgrade the existing fiber-to-the-node network. Idaho and Utah Albion Telephone Company—$17,075,000 in loan funds to install 453 miles of buried fiber optic cables throughout the proposed FTTP system. Illinois McNabb Telephone Company—$3,700,000 in loan funds to make system improvements, including constructing new FTTP facilities. Some 115 miles of buried fiber optic cable will be deployed to improve service to subscribers. Shawnee Telephone Company—$30,286,000 in loan funds to construct FTTP facilities, allowing Shawnee to provide voice and data services at speeds of up to 100 Mbps to residences and businesses. McDonough Telephone Cooperative, Inc.—$15,728,000 in funds to upgrade rural areas with FTTH technology. Approximately 766 miles of buried fiber cable will be deployed. Indiana Perry-Spencer Rural Telephone Cooperative, Inc.—$29,139,000 in loan funds to start the process of designing and building FTTP to enhance broadband services across the service area. USDA Funds Aimed at Expanding and Improving Broadband Services in Rural Areas In November, the USDA announced funding for telephone utilities to build, expand, and improve broadband in their rural service territories across 15 states. The announcement was made by USDA Rural Utilities Service Deputy Administrator Jessica Zufolo during an address at the annual meeting of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners in St. Louis, Mo. In Minnesota, Rural Development Broadband Loan Program funds will be used to extend Paul Bunyan Rural Telephone Cooperative’s existing fiber-to-the-home network to serve rural communities in North Central Minnesota. This project will offer advanced telecommunications services to more than 45,710 households and businesses. Paul Bunyan has been operating since 1952 and has been a telecommunications borrower with the Rural Utilities Service since 1953. In North Dakota, Rural Development funds will be used to expand Polar Communications Mutual Aid Corporation’s fiber-to-the-premises broadband system throughout 18 exchanges. The upgraded system will help meet current and future requirements for delivery of voice, video, and highspeed data to subscribers. In Indiana, Perry-Spencer Rural Telephone Cooperative Inc., (PSC) provides telecommunications services to 5,711 subscribers over approximately 1,148 square miles. This loan will enable PSC to start the process of designing and building fiber-to-the-premises broadband services across its service area. The following list of awardees will receive $410.7 million in funding, contingent upon the recipient meeting the terms of the agreement with USDA.
PCCA Journal|4th Quarter 2011 11 Iowa Mediapolis Telephone Company—$13,401,000 in loan funds to make system upgrades to the transport system and the network architecture from the existing copper DSL to FTTP broadband systems. Griswold Cooperative Telephone Company—$12,747,000 in loan funds to complete a system-wide FTTP network. La Porte City Telephone Company—$9,867,000 in loan funds to make system improvements, including installation of a FTTP broadband network. Some 297 miles of buried fiber optic cable will be deployed, enabling downstream data rates of up to 20 Mbps. Kansas The S & T Telephone Cooperative Association—$29,814,000 to implement a full FTTH design to allow the migration to 10-20 Mbps broadband speeds to all subscribers and to provide IPTV in the near future. Minnesota Paul Bunyan Rural Telephone Cooperative—$19,749,000 in loan funds to extend Paul Bunyan’s existing FTTH network to provide advanced telecommunications services to more than 45,710 households and businesses. New Mexico Roosevelt County Telephone Cooperative, Inc.—$12,358,000 to deploy new equipment and install FTTP equipment to enhance the broadband network. North Dakota BEK Communications Cooperative—$26,746,000 in loan funds to expand a FTTH broadband system. SRT Communications, Inc.—$24,832,000 in loan funds to install 2,143 miles of buried fiber optic cable and related equipment throughout the proposed FTTP system. Polar Communications Mutual Aid Corporation—$32,939,000 in loan funds to expand the FTTP broadband system. The upgraded system will help meet current and future requirements for delivery of voice, video, and high-speed data. Oklahoma Terral Telephone Company—$4,855,000 in loan funds to convert the existing copper network to a FTTH system and connect new subscribers. Project includes construction of more than 62 miles of fiber plant and the replacement of the existing softswitch and power plant. South Carolina Sandhill Telephone Cooperative, Inc.— $5,930,000 to provide for system improvements, including purchase of a new switch. Tennessee North Central Telephone Cooperative Corporation—$27,069,000 to upgrade portions of North Central’s outside plant and network infrastructure by deploying a FTTP network. Washington Inland Telephone Company—$24,823,000 in loan funds to expand Inland’s FTTP broadband system and connect new subscribers. The Toledo Telephone Co., Inc.—$18,091,000 in loan funds to install 292 miles of buried fiber optic cables and related equipment throughout the proposed FTTP system. Wisconsin Union Telephone Company—$13,308,000 in loan funds to deploy approximately 336 miles of fiber. Marquette-Adams Telephone Cooperative, Inc.—$19,781,000 in loan funds to complete a system-wide FTTP network, including more than 370 miles of new or modified buried fiber.
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PCCA Journal|4th Quarter 2011 13 Past PCCA President and longtime association member Charley Duff recently announced his retirement from MasTec North America after 40 years with the company. Charley’s wife and longtime assistant, Janet, is retiring as well after 36 years with the company. “Timing is everything,” Charley said, “and now is the time for Janet and I to spend more time together and have fun with our family and friends.” As PCCA president in 2002-2003, Charley guided the association through a very difficult time for the industry and helped us come out the other side a leaner, stronger group. The Duff’s 2002 Mid-Year Meeting at the Alyeska Resort in Girdwood, Alaska, was unquestionably a one-of-a-kind event at one of the world’s magnificent destinations. They followed up that trip with the 2003 Convention at Disney’s Grand Floridian, and folks who attended still tell tales of the Street Party on a backlot of MGM Studios. “We had been on the job for only a year or so when the bottom fell out of the industry, and things were looking mighty grim,” recalled PCCA Executive Vice President Tim Wagner. “But Charley and Janet were upbeat, encouraging, and full of great ideas to help steer us through the rough times. And, of course, they’re always great fun. We’ll be forever grateful for their guidance and their friendship.” Over the years, Charley worked as a lineman, foreman, splicer, installer, backhoe operator, project superintendent, and division manager for LP&H, which was bought out by Burnup & Sims, Inc. In 1994, Burnup & Sims merged with Church & Tower, Inc. and became MasTec, Inc., a leading end-to-end voice, video, data, and energy infrastructure solution provider. Charley has never changed companies in his entire career. “All of us have had situations where we were at the right place at the right time,” Charley said. “In my 40 years in our industry, I have had the good fortune to be at the right place at the right time on many occasions. Some of them were the day Bob Sellenriek hired me in 1971; when Jerry Hartman took me to my first PCCA meeting in Colorado in 1977; meeting Austin Shanfelter, a ‘cable guy’, at the Orlando convention in 1990; wearing an identical sports coat as Gary Akin at the Point Clear, Ala., convention in 1994 when Janet mistook him for me; deciding to join MasTec in 1994; and agreeing to work for Jim Wilde in 1999. Amazingly, these important dates all involve current or past PCCA members. Some of my best memories will be the good times we have spent at our meetings and in the business environment competing and/or working with other PCCA members.” “PCCA has been a great organization for our industry,” he continued. “I wish the association and its members nothing but success. It has been great knowing and working with the PCCA staff for so many years. Great job! Be assured, we will attend some of the conventions in the future.” Duffs Announce Retirement Austin Shanfelter, left, gives Charley a few pointers on retirement life. After decades of industry and association leadership, Charley and Janet Duff plan to relax and spend more time with family and friends.
PCCA Journal|4th Quarter 2011 14 Member News Sherman & Reilly has started a revolution, bringing an entirely new approach to overhead and underground power line installation. The result of 85 years of experience, the Sherman & Reilly revolution is making linemen’s jobs safer, their labor more efficient, and their equipment better utilized. “S&R is undergoing a transformation, combining 85 years of heritage with a renewed commitment to innovation and revolutionizing the products with which it serves the market,” company CEO Mike Dunn said. S&R products that carry the Revolution Series label include the T2608 Bullwheel Tensioner, U7500 Underground Bullwheel Puller, HPLW-1004 Multi-Drum Turret Puller, CP-50 Compact Puller, and Fastrap Universal Cross Arm Bracket. “S&R, after assessing the market, observing the users of its products, and examining 40 years of product records, developed an approach to new product design that emphasizes safety, efficiency, and ergonomics,” Dunn said. “Safe-Zone Cabs have become an integral part of new product design. It’s not only getting the operator off of the ground, it’s creating an operating environment that ensures the operator remains enclosed when the equipment is in operation. The only exception is through the use of the digital, wireless remote control.” The S&R Safe-Zone Cab is a signature feature of the series, and some configuration of the cab is found on every piece of equipment. The cab keeps operators secure, protected, and off the ground when the equipment is in use. The cabs are equipped with fully adjustable, ergonomic seats and full sets of controls, monitors, and gauges. The benefits include reduced operator fatigue, faster task completion, reduced risk of operator error, reduced risk of “touch potential” in energized environments, and improved communications due to the quieter environment. Revolution Series equipment also boasts a low center of gravity so as to improve on-the-road stability, intuitive electronic controls, hydraulically powered booms that are positioned by the operator using a joystick, video displays in the cab showing the view from boom-mounted cameras, and wireless remote controls. Booms on the machines have a nearly 180-degree positioning arc, which reduces the need for trailer re-positioning. “Our strategy and plan going forward is a continuation of what we’ve started: innovating safe and efficient products, modernizing our systems and processes, and delivering a great customer experience,” Dunn said. “It is a revolution.” Trawick Construction (a Quanta Services Company) is excited to announce that it has reached 1,000,000 safe work hours. Measurement of safe work hours is documented using the Occupational Health and Safety Administration reporting logs, which list all injuries and illnesses throughout the company. “The proactive attitudes our employees have towards our safety program is the principle reason for us reaching the 1,000,000 hour mark,” Trawick Construction Safety Director Phillip Metcalf said. “Their proactive participation fuels a safety-minded culture and keeps everyone involved in our safety processes.” Trawick Construction, headquartered in Chipley, Fla., is an awardwinning infrastructure contractor with projects across the United States. Sherman & Reilly Unveils the Revolution Series Trawick Achieves One Million Safe Work Hours
PCCA Journal|4th Quarter 2011 15 PCCA recently announced that Richard “Pitch” Picciotto, the highest-ranking firefighter to survive the World Trade Center collapse and the last fireman to escape the devastation, will be the keynote speaker at the 2012 PCCA Convention, March 9-14 at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country in San Antonio, Tex. Picciotto was on a stairwell between the sixth and seventh floors of the North Tower when it collapsed on September 11, 2001. An FDNY battalion commander, his is the harrowing true story of an American hero, a man who thought nothing of himself and gave nearly everything for others during one of our nation’s darkest hours. Picciotto tells an outspoken account of that indelible day, shaking and inspiring audiences to the core. On that morning, Picciotto answered the call heard around the world. In minutes he was at Ground Zero, acting boldly to save innocent lives as the towers began to burn—and then to buckle. Picciotto had fought a similar battle after the World Trade Center bombing by terrorists in 1993. Again inside the North Tower, where he found himself years earlier, burdened by an eerie sense of familiarity, he focused his concentration on the rescue efforts at hand. But it was there in the smoky stairwells that he heard and felt the South Tower collapse. He then made the call for firemen and rescue workers to evacuate, while he stayed behind with a skeleton team of men to assist a group of disabled and infirm civilians in their struggle to evacuate the inferno. And it was there in the rubble of the North Tower that Picciotto found himself buried for more than four hours after the building’s collapse. Picciotto and his men used their radios to send out Mayday calls until they made contact with a firefighter on the ground, and a search party was dispatched. When the light finally appeared about four stories above, he climbed upwards, reached the top, and saw the “unfathomable, mind-boggling destruction.” And even then, it was not until after he organized the rescue of the others that he walked across the rubble to safety. Picciotto’s book, Last Man Down, is a tribute to the 343 firefighters and 2,400 civilians who lay dead in the rubble that surrounded him on that day. And moreover, it is a heartfelt remembrance of a day of infamy and profound humanity. The book was an immediate New York Times bestseller upon its release in May 2002. www.aevenia.com • 218.284.9500 3030 24th Ave So. Moorhead, MN 56560 We are Aevenia, Inc., a premier energy and electrical construction company. We offer a powerful bundle of services and back it up with 40 years in the energy and electrical construction industry. Every day, we show our customers what it’s like to do business where trust, integrity, efficiency and quality are principal values. We are Aevenia. The way energy moves. trAnsmIssIon & dIstrIbutIon • dAtA communIcAtIons rEnEWAblEs • substAtIons • urbAn & rurAl tElEcom PoWEr PloWIng & trEnchIng • ElEctrIcAl contrActIng PCCA Enlists American Hero for 2012 Convention
PCCA Journal|4th Quarter 2011 17 By Kelley Chisholm Good managers do not hover over their employees. They involve their people in the decision-making process by teaching them how to make good decisions for the organization. Have you ever worked for someone who controlled everything you did, day in and day out, telling you what to do, how to do it, and when to do it? This boss was constantly checking in, making suggestions, and hovering above, even though you did not ask for nor need any help or support. These micromanagers can be referred to as “helicopter bosses,” a term coined from its counterpart phrase “helicopter parents.” According to Wikipedia, “Helicopter parent is a colloquial, early 21st-century term for a parent who pays extremely close attention to his or her child’s or children’s experiences and problems.” Helicopter parents often have very good intentions, but they have to control every aspect of their children’s lives to prevent them from failing. These parents hover over their kids, planning and monitoring their every move, without letting them figure out solutions to their problems on their own. Helicopter bosses treat their employees like these parents treat their children. These managers hover over their employees and make all of the decisions. Employees are not allowed to take risks or solve problems on their own. What this accomplishes is that employees are prevented from learning, developing, and growing. You are probably a helicopter boss if: • You do not trust others to perform work on their own. • You refuse to delegate anything because no one can do it as well or as fast as you can. • You are constantly checking in and hovering over your direct reports, even when they have not asked for your help. • You are burned out and lack work/life balance. Continued on page 18 Are You a Helicopter Boss?
PCCA Journal|4th Quarter 2011 18 • Your team suffers from low morale because you secondguess everything it does. • Your team has a high turnover rate. • Your team produces low-quality work and/or is not productive. • Your team is not profitable. • Your team lacks bench strength in terms of succession. If you are a helicopter boss and do not allow your employees to make at least some of their own decisions, you set yourself up to have a dissatisfied and unproductive workforce. Many of your talented employees will simply leave rather than put up with someone who constantly hovers and micromanages. Research indicates that one of the top reasons people leave companies is because of poor relationships with their managers. Replacing these employees can cost up to 2.5 times of their salaries, which takes a toll on the company’s bottom line. For a construction company to stay competitive and successful, employees must be trusted to do the best they can to live up to their fullest capabilities. Employees must not be held back by managers who feel compelled to control each decision and move their workers make. Years ago, managers got results by running a tight ship and keeping employees under their thumbs. However, employees today are no longer satisfied working in an environment where they have little input into their jobs. If they are not allowed to problem solve, learn from their mistakes, and make decisions about how they do their work, they will go elsewhere. This will certainly be true in the upcoming months as the economy begins to rebound and the talent wars resume. To succeed in constantly changing markets, construction companies must be flexible and adaptable. The typical construction project frequently requires fast-paced decisions made with confidence. Helicopter bosses hamper the speed of decisions, skills improvement in problem solving, and the development of self-confidence of their people. Organizations achieve success by empowering employees to perform at high levels and achieve goals and objectives without having a manager constantly checking everything they do. One of the best ways for a helicopter boss to stop micromanaging and start empowering is through delegation. However, before empowerment and delegation can start, there must be a culture of trust. Trust Me What exactly is trust? Webster’s Dictionary defines trust as “assured reliance on the character, ability, strength or truth of someone or something.” Put another way, trust means being able to place confidence in others without fear or misgivings. In any organization, trust must exist in both directions, where managers trust their employees and employees trust their managers in turn. To create a culture of trust, managers and employees alike should: • Establish integrity and honesty • Show respect • Listen to others and consider their ideas • Not withhold important information • Act and speak consistently • Eliminate fear • Treat everyone fairly • Focus on solutions, not on personalities Bonds of trust are formed when communication is honest and open and when people genuinely feel that they are being heard and valued. Trust is reciprocal, and one of the best ways to gain it is to show people that you trust them. While you may not necessarily agree with what others are thinking or saying, listening and empathy go a long way toward establishing a trusting environment. When managers treat their people as business partners and involve them in the decision-making process, those employees begin to trust and respect their managers in return, and they become more invested in doing their best for the organization. Another advantage to creating a culture of trust is that it boosts the morale and motivation of the workforce, which should lead to increased productivity and enhanced contributions to company goals. Empower Me Typical micromanagers often are stressed out because they spend so much time controlling others instead of focusing on more important priorities such as growing the business. In turn, instead of being able to think on their feet, micromanaged employees become entirely dependent upon their Are You a Helicopter Boss? Continued from page 17 Good managers do not problem solve for their employees, but instead coach them to solve problems on their own. Good managers trust their employees, and in turn that trust is reciprocated. By not micromanaging every aspect of their people’s jobs, good managers help employees develop and grow, which benefits the entire organization.
PCCA Journal|4th Quarter 2011 19 bosses and have no desire to improve. This places additional burdens on these managers. Once a manager starts truly trusting his or her people, it is much easier to empower these employees to make their own decisions on how to approach their work. These managers take on a role of coach, motivating and encouraging the team from the sidelines. They train and encourage their staff to follow the company’s strategy, rules, and game plan, to be part of a winning organization. Before managers decide to empower their employees with decision-making authority, they must establish a number of guidelines. • Managers must be committed to letting go of major decisions. Without this commitment, a culture of empowerment simply will not happen. The aim is not to license ill-equipped individuals to make decisions well out of their areas of competency, but rather to continuously stretch developing employees by increasing the magnitude of the decisions they are asked to make. • The company should examine all of its processes and determine where there is room for managers to let employees take part in the decision-making process. This includes creating procedures for establishing deadlines and reviewing any decisions made. • The organization needs to establish a clear chain of command for each area of the business, including who is ultimately accountable for decisions made. • The company must provide adequate training and should hold regular meetings to discuss what is working and what needs improvement. • Managers must be willing to let employees make some mistakes, especially in the beginning. Once managers start empowering their employees, they cannot go back to their old ways of making all of the decisions for them. They must back off and trust their employees, who in turn will take ownership and pride in their work. Clearly, this process works best when established early in the relationship of the manager and the employee. If a manager has a long history of operating as a helicopter boss, a decision to change methodology will not be immediately trusted by the manager’s people. Delegate to Me Effective delegation is one of the main ways to empower employees. As previously mentioned, delegation is all about trust. It allows employees to develop and use their skill sets to their full potential. However, delegation is one of the hardest things for a manager to do, particularly for those new to the management arena. Reasons people do not delegate include: • Lack of time to train others • Fear of mistakes • Inexperience on part of the delegator • Fear of losing control/surrendering authority • “I can do it better” mentality • “I may be replaced if others do it better” mentality Reasons people should delegate include: • Additional qualified resources yield more time for supervisors on other work • Better quality of work results when management is not spread so thin • Improved skill sets among employees as they develop and grow • Increased bench strength as successors are identified and trained • More ideas/new ideas are created when others are involved • Increased trust levels throughout the team • Enhanced decision-making skills of all employees • Heightened ownership and morale of team members Delegation is certainly about entrusting your authority to others, but it does not mean abdicating it. You remain ultimately responsible because you are the manager, so stay involved by letting your employees know you are willing to answer questions when needed. Test their understanding of the task by asking questions of them, but not to the point that the questions become an interrogation. Steps for delegating effectively include: • Identify the desired result, and ensure that the employees know what you want. • Determine the guidelines and deadlines for the work, and ensure employees have the authority to achieve them. • Provide the necessary resources to accomplish the work. • Hold employees accountable for the work assigned, and define the consequences for not completing it. • Monitor progress, and follow-up on a predetermined basis. • Reward all successes. • Debrief the process once the employee completes the tasks. These steps depend on clearly communicating the nature of the work, desired results, follow-up procedures, and accountability measures. Providing regular feedback at predetermined times is a great way to ensure that the employee will successfully complete the delegated work. When the manager is no longer hovering but is adhering to a reporting schedule, the employee not only expects these meetings but also feels encouraged by the continued support of manageContinued on page 20
PCCA Journal|4th Quarter 2011 20 ment (See Exhibit 1). How do you decide which tasks to delegate in your organization? One way is to look at the job responsibilities at each career level in your organization. For example, what tasks will an assistant project manager need to do once he or she becomes a project manager? What duties will a senior project manager take on when he or she rises to the executive level? For example, an executive manager can delegate the scheduling and cost analysis for a major project to a project manager. The executive manager certainly will want to monitor the progress of the delegated work at regular intervals, especially at the beginning of the project. The payoff is that the project manager learns new skills and the executive has more time to concentrate on other priorities. Another way to decide on what to delegate is to consider your own move up the corporate ladder. What activities did you do before you were promoted that you can assign to others? A good place to start is assigning meaningful work in which you have experience to facilitate the training and ensure that the work is done well. Say you are your company’s vice president of operations. As such, you probably travel considerably among international, national, and regional offices and/or attend meetings and conferences of various associations. Are there employees who can attend some of these meetings for you? This would be particularly beneficial to those people who have the potential to move up the career ladder in your company. Not only do they start meeting important contacts, but they also learn more about the industry overall, increasing the strength of the entire group. When you start delegating work to others, starting small is a good idea. Delegating in stages increases both the manager’s and employee’s comfort levels. Group together concepts and skills that build on each other so that employees gain experience in the basics before moving on to more complicated tasks. For example, as a manager, you are probably in charge of a variety of meetings each week. Instead of preparing the agendas or presenting reports, assign this to an employee who needs to improve his or her presentation skills. The employee gains valuable experience, and your time is freed up to concentrate on more pressing issues. Keep in mind that not all work can be delegated to others. For example, company owners cannot delegate the development of their overall vision, even though there must be a vision and that vision must be communicated clearly. Sensitive or confidential projects should not be handed over to inexperienced staff, nor should employee performance reviews, complex customer negotiations, or the hiring and career development of new people. However, most other work, at least varying degrees of it, can be delegated to others. Successful delegation of authority takes time but is worth the effort in the end to help employees develop a sense of accountability, succeed, and rise within the organization. Conclusion Good managers do not hover over their employees. They involve their people in the decision-making process by teaching them how to make good decisions for the organization. Good managers do not problem solve for their employees, but instead coach them to solve problems on their own. Good managers trust their employees, and in turn that trust is reciprocated. By not micromanaging every aspect of their people’s jobs, good managers help employees develop and grow, which benefits the entire organization. Kelley Chisholm is the editor of FMI Quarterly. She can be reached at (919) 785-9215 or kchisholm@fminet.com. Are You a Helicopter Boss? Continued from page 19 Exhibit 1: Micro Management vs. Delegation Micro Management Delegation Managers only assign simple, superficial or boring tasks, where employees are not expanding their skill sets. Managers assign work that is challenging and provides an opportunity for employees to grow and develop new skills. Employees must obtain approval for every decision. Employees have the authority to make decisions on their own. Managers give detailed directions and do not allow input from the employees. Employees are encouraged to come up with their own ways to deliver required results. Managers take back the work at the first hint of problems, and the employees are not allowed to problem solve or learn from the experience. Managers encourage the employees to find solutions to problems, thereby creating learning experience. Managers focus solely on trivial details and processes. Managers focus on employees performance and end results. Managers do not trust their employees. Employees are treated as business partners and are trusted.
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PCCA Journal|4th Quarter 2011 23 The Department of Commerce’s Economics and Statistics Administration (ESA) and National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) released a report in November, “Exploring the Digital Nation,” that analyzes broadband internet adoption in the U.S. Overall, approximately seven out of ten households in the U.S. subscribe to broadband service. The report finds a strong correlation between broadband adoption and socio-economic factors, such as income and education, but says these differences do not explain the entire broadband adoption gap that exists along racial, ethnic, and geographic lines. Even after accounting for socioeconomic differences, certain minority and rural households still lag in broadband adoption. The report analyzed data collected through an internet-use supplement to the Current Population Survey (CPS) of about 54,300 households conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau in October 2010. Earlier this year, NTIA released initial findings from the survey, showing that while virtually all demographic groups have increased adoption of broadband internet at home since the prior year, historic disparities among demographic groups remain. The newly issued report presents broadband adoption statistics after adjusting for various socio-economic differences. “Closing the broadband adoption gap is a priority because Americans increasingly need 21st century skills to succeed in today’s economy. [This] report provides a comprehensive, data-driven analysis of broadband adoption that will inform efforts to close the gap and promote America’s competitiveness in the global economy,” said Acting Deputy Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank. “To get a good job, you often need access to the internet and online skills. But nearly one in three American households do not subscribe to broadband service,” said NTIA Administrator Lawrence E. Strickling. “NTIA’s broadband grants program is helping to address this challenge by expanding public computer centers and providing Americans with the training needed to participate in the Internet economy. The lessons learned from these broadband projects and today’s report will help the larger community working to close the digital divide, and we encourage researchers to use the survey data for further analysis.” The principal findings of the report are: • Sixty-eight percent of American households used broadband internet in 2010, up from 64 percent in 2009. Only 3 percent of households relied on dial-up access to the Internet in 2010, down from five percent in 2009. Another 9 percent of households had people who accessed the internet only outside of the home. • All told, approximately 80 percent of American households had at least one internet user, whether inside or outside the home and regardless of technology type used to access the internet. • Cable modems and DSL were the leading broadband technologies for home internet adoption, with 32 percent and 23 percent of households, respectively, using these services. Differences in household broadband adoption: • Households with lower incomes and less education, as well as Blacks, Hispanics, people with disabilities, and rural residents, were less likely to have internet service at home. • Eighty-one percent of Asian households and 72 percent of White households had broadband at home, compared to 57 percent of Hispanic households and 55 percent of Black households. • Seventy percent of urban households had broadband at home, compared to 57 percent of rural households. Reasons for not subscribing to broadband at home: • The main reasons cited for not having internet access at home were a lack of interest or need (47 percent), the News Briefs News Briefs continued on page 24 Commerce Department Report Shows Broadband Adoption Rises but Digital Divide Persists
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