The Construction Leadership Podcast with Bradley Hartmann Bradley Hartmann

In episode 406 of the Construction Leadership Podcast, host Bradley Hartmann discusses leadership and persuasion techniques that can be applied in the construction industry. Hartmann shares a story about legendary track coach, Bill Bowerman, and how he persuaded his star athlete, Steve Prefontaine, to wear a new lightweight shoe design cobbled in the coach's garage. Bowerman focused on Prefontaine's desires to break records but also addressed his underlying beliefs about shoe safety. Using simple math, Bowerman quantified the potential weight savings of the new shoes and had Prefontaine physically experience carrying extra weight, changing his perspective in the process. 
 
Hartmann then draws on construction-specific examples featuring GAF and an innovative flexible gas pipe described in the book, The Dollarization Discipline, by Jeffrey Fox and Richard Gregory. Hartmann emphasizes the importance of understanding desires, beliefs, and behaviors when trying to influence change.  
 
 

This episode is brought to you by The Simple Sales Pipeline® —the most efficient way to organize and value any construction sales rep's roster of customers and prospects in under 30 minutes once every 30 days.
***
If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your feedback will help us on our mission to bring the construction community closer together.
If you have suggestions for improvements, topics you'd like the show to explore, or have recommendations for future guests, do not hesitate to contact us directly at info@bradleyhartmannandco.com.

Through 404 episodes of the Construction Leadership Podcast, host Bradley Hartmann has ended the show with his mantra-as-battle-cry: "You Are Owed Nothing. Deliver Value First." In episode 405, Hartmann shares its unlikely origin story for the first time as he emphasizes its practical utility through examples from listeners in different industries.   
 

This episode is brought to you by The Simple Sales Pipeline® —the most efficient way to organize and value any construction sales rep's roster of customers and prospects in under 30 minutes once every 30 days.
***
If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your feedback will help us on our mission to bring the construction community closer together.
If you have suggestions for improvements, topics you'd like the show to explore, or have recommendations for future guests, do not hesitate to contact us directly at info@bradleyhartmannandco.com.

In episode 404, Mark Weber of Builders FirstSource in Michigan hilariously and insightfully shares his experiences working at Taco Bell and in the electronic appliance retail business, highlighting the importance of upselling and learning to anticipate the the word 'no.' Mark emphasizes the significance of being a good mentee and the role humility has played in the trajectory of his lumber sales career. Mark’s success has been earned through his role as a reliable and proactive problem-solver for builders, always striving to be their go-to person for any issues that arise. His growth mindset is demonstrated through constant learning, from podcasts like SBCA's Lumber Connect and books like 'Extreme Ownership' by Jocko Willink.
 
Takeaways
•Offering customers options and alternatives shares control and increases the likelihood of a good fit between buyer and seller
•Surrendering to coaching and having a growth mindset can lead to success in sales and career development
•Be the go-to person for builders by proactively solving their problems and being reliable
•Continuously learn and expand your knowledge to better serve customers
•Recommended podcasts: SBCA's Lumber Connect and The Build Podcast
•Recommended book: 'Extreme Ownership' by Jocko Willink
•Social media can effectively showcase projects and build deeper relationships with clients
 
Chapters
00:00 From selling at Taco Bell to the electronics store in The 40-Year-Old Virgin
10:09 Becoming a good mentee
14:09 The will to to do what the other guy wouldn’t
24:25 The ROI of testimonials
29:15 The immense power of “Let me be your guy.”
32:24 On product category growth
39:08 Continuous learning
43:50 Utilizing social media in sales
 

This episode is brought to you by The Simple Sales Pipeline® —the most efficient way to organize and value any construction sales rep's roster of customers and prospects in under 30 minutes once every 30 days.
***
If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your feedback will help us on our mission to bring the construction community closer together.
If you have suggestions for improvements, topics you'd like the show to explore, or have recommendations for future guests, do not hesitate to contact us directly at info@bradleyhartmannandco.com.

In this replay episode, Bradley is joined by NBA Legend and Hall of Famer Bill Walton at the West Coast Lumber and Building Materials Association (WCLBMA) Annual Convention that was held October 19-21, 2022 in San Diego, CA. Bill discusses leadership lessons he learned from coaches, including John Wooden at UCLA, as well as lessons learned from reading books.  Walton also embraces our mantra at The Construction Leadership Podcast - You are Owed Nothing, Deliver Value First!
 
 

This episode is brought to you by The Simple Sales Pipeline® —the most efficient way to organize and value any construction sales rep's roster of customers and prospects in under 30 minutes once every 30 days.
***
If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your feedback will help us on our mission to bring the construction community closer together.
If you have suggestions for improvements, topics you'd like the show to explore, or have recommendations for future guests, do not hesitate to contact us directly at info@bradleyhartmannandco.com.

In episode 402, Randy Herrin and Bradley Hartmann discuss the topic of change management. They explore the importance of understanding human nature and the readiness capability of the organization when implementing change. They also discuss the need to set realistic expectations and invest the necessary time and effort for meaningful and lasting change. 

Randy shares leadership insights from two of her favorite books and discusses the role of 
offsite manufacturing. Herrin and Hartmann close with how to best remove—or intentionally add—friction to enable innovation in the construction industry.
Takeaways 
• Effective change management requires the understanding of three elements:
  1. Understanding human nature
  2. Understanding the capability of each individual department 
 3. Understanding overall organizational readiness to change  
• Realistic expectations and thoughtful storytelling speed meaningful change
• Understanding friction—where to remove it and where to intentionally add it—help speed change initiatives
Chapters 
00:00 Change in our industry is accelerating 
04:30 Understanding human nature, maturity, and organizational readiness for change
06:45 “Kill the Company” exercise 
11:36 Scaling the company through change 
16:26 Assessing maturity and capability for change by department  
21:08 Understanding and navigating around human inertia  
28:00 The source of four frictions 
33:45 Designing around constraints
 

This episode is brought to you by The Simple Sales Pipeline® —the most efficient way to organize and value any construction sales rep's roster of customers and prospects in under 30 minutes once every 30 days.
***
If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your feedback will help us on our mission to bring the construction community closer together.
If you have suggestions for improvements, topics you'd like the show to explore, or have recommendations for future guests, do not hesitate to contact us directly at info@bradleyhartmannandco.com.
 

In episode 401, host Bradley Hartmann shares his most personal story yet about a childhood event that changed his life. The story involves his father—a construction leader for four decades—a local card and comic retailer, and a professional baseball player named Kevin Maas. The event educated Bradley on value, pricing, power dynamics, the role emotions play in business, and certainly negotiation strategies an tactics. 

In the second half of the episode, Bradley sits down with his father to reflect back on 
negotiating Maas and other timeless negotiation principles.
 

This episode is brought to you by The Simple Sales Pipeline® —the most efficient way to organize and value any construction sales rep's roster of customers and prospects in under 30 minutes once every 30 days.
***
If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your feedback will help us on our mission to bring the construction community closer together.
If you have suggestions for improvements, topics you'd like the show to explore, or have recommendations for future guests, do not hesitate to contact us directly at info@bradleyhartmannandco.com.