Never had one lesson

1986 was a great year.

I was 9 years old.

One of the greatest movies ever made hit the big screen—Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.

Thirty years later, and I still find myself giggling at that movie.

Yesterday, I found myself in my own Ferris moment.

I was operating a skid steer, struggling with the controls, and all I could think of was Ferris playing the clarinet: “Never had one lesson.”

There was a trench that needed filling, and my team was busy, so I stepped in.

Watching a real operator, it looks effortless.

The reality?

It’s an art.

I fumbled. I stalled. I gained a whole new level of respect for my team.

But the respect goes both ways.

If I handed one of my guys a computer and asked them to build a spreadsheet, I imagine they’d look just like I did in that skid steer—fits and starts.

That’s the beauty of teamwork.

The more we work together, the more we appreciate each other’s strengths.

We all have our zones of genius.

The key is knowing when to step in, when to step back, and when to simply respect the craft.

Getting my hands dirty is one of the coolest parts of running a construction company.

I know the guys got a kick out of my "working".

But I also know the appreciate the real "work" I do...

Closing deals and getting us all paid.

Question: If you were the boss, would you operate the machine or would you delegate?