This Month's Features

+	Leadership Book Series
+	FMI's 360 Feedback
Leadership Videos Online
+	Introduction to the Leadership Institute
+	An In-depth Look at the Leadership Institute
+	Leadership Institute Testimonials

FMI's Executive Coaching

Just as the best athletes have coaches, strong leaders often have coaches as well. In tough times, the need for coaching is even greater. Our FMI coaches bring more than 100 years of combined coaching experience, coupled with specialized industry knowledge, that can help you through these turbulent times.

Click here to learn more about FMI's Executive Coaching.

What FMI Executive Coaching clients are saying:

• "When you have the ability to make change and improvement to someone who affects your business, affects the growth of team members and affects your image – can you afford not to complete something like this? My answer is no!"

• "I already have made a greater contribution to this company as a result of coaching – both from a performance and a supervisory standpoint. In working with my group of a dozen people, they have their subordinates as well; I think it’s important how the impact transcends my group."

The "Practical Tools for Exceptional Leaders" booklet series is designed to help you learn and apply best-of-class leadership principles in your life and within your organization.
Click here to purchase

A Letter From Ron Magnus, Managing Director

Prior to our long national recession, one of the greatest challenges facing leaders was finding top next-generation talent. This situation was likened to a “perfect storm” for the construction industry because of three factors that would transform the competitive landscape:

Industry image
Changing workforce demographics
Ineffective or non-existent recruiting, development and succession planning

Many construction leaders assume that the “perfect storm” has blown over since the recession. However, a close examination of the three factors above reveals a different story. The construction industry still faces an uphill climb in marketing itself as an appealing profession for young people, who often assume it is dirty, dangerous and low paying. Demographics are still a critical issue as the Baby Boom generation transitions out of senior roles in droves, leaving gaps that cannot be filled by the next generation. Finally, the recession has forced many companies to cut back on anything discretionary associated with talent development, which has had a major impact on recruiting, developing and succession planning.

Companies that ready themselves for the new perfect storm will be in a position to achieve considerable strategic advantage over less prepared companies. The only way to plan is to focus on intentionally developing talent through coaching, mentoring and creating a leadership culture.

Readers of this issue should ask themselves, “What is my organization doing to ready itself for The Perfect Storm?”

Ron Magnus

Recession-driven Derailment: Do not let your employees jump track

Ashley Sisk

Construction firms across the globe have recently experienced a series of layoffs, budget freezes, cost-reduction measures and consequent low morale because of the recession. Companies that have typically enjoyed an abundance of talent, jobs and funding are now finding difficulties in managing the turnaround of a company that is struggling. Ironically, many companies are experiencing some voluntary turnover from those employees who “survived” the layoffs. Other employees are experiencing derailment, finding little to no passion or enjoyment with their work as they did only a few months ago.

Many managers believe that those still employed at the firm after others have been let go would be grateful that they even have a job. However, evidence from this and other recessions suggests that many of these remaining employees feel overworked, threatened and vulnerable. In nearly all these cases, the opportunity for derailment emerges and morale suffers.

Read on to learn how enacting a proactive strategy to increase employee morale will keep your employees on track for long-term business success.

“So you want to be a trainer?” Advice to first-time trainers

Tim Treon

Training is a profession that requires individual passion, personal reflection, insight into various training techniques, knowledge of requirements of the position, both personal and of the trainees, and continuous improvement. Those who accept the challenge and have the desire to make a difference will find the rewards gratifying.

Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary (11th ed.) defines “train” as:

To form by instruction, discipline or drill.
To teach, so as to be fitted, qualified or proficient.
To direct the growth of.

One of these definitions may be a better fit for you than another, or you may have your own individual concept of what you want to accomplish through your trainer efforts. That being said, let us examine the following components that you need to consider in becoming a training professional:

Why?
What?

How?
Who?

When?
Where?

Read on to learn what it means to be a trainer and if it's right for you.