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"At EllisDon we rely on our people - pure and simple - and we give them the freedom to think hard about what our clients need to succeed, and all the authority they need to deliver this success in an atmosphere of mutual respect and trust."
Geoff Smith, President
Geoff's Blog
Why is Everyone So Calm? (The pessimistic view)
June 22, 2010 | 12:06
Everywhere I go, I don’t see construction people running around in a blind panic. I don’t see them jumping out of buildings. Are all these people crazy?
When Does ‘Reasonable Supervision’ Become ‘Big Brother’?
May 30, 2010 | 12:05
(An amended version of a recent company wide memo concerning internet access policies)
Venturing On To The Devil's Playground
May 16, 2010 | 12:05
The Lunacy, Or Wisdom, Of Growth Targets. You tell me.
The Curse Of A Strong Brand
April 18, 2010 | 12:04
I won’t repeat here all the reasons that Tiger Woods, EllisDon, and everyone else strives endlessly to build up a strong brand for themselves. It’s too boring; you know all this already.
Taking Life Lessons From The Astrology Pages
April 04, 2010 | 12:04
It seems that the universe is unfolding at about 8,000 miles per hour; not only is everything changing, but the pace of change is increasing.
Maybe it Doesn't Take Brains to be Smart
March 14, 2010 | 12:03
I’m always impressed that most people have thought seriously about what it takes to be successful, in business and in life.
An Unlimited Holiday Policy?
February 16, 2010 | 02:02
When I was in Calgary, a few eons ago, I hired a lot of people. When asked about EllisDon’s vacation policy, I’d sometimes say:
Haiti. It’s Time to Help
January 15, 2010 | 12:01
Many of you will remember that, several years ago, when a devastating Tsunami hit Indonesia, Malaysia, and India, the people at EllisDon responded immediately.
The Secret of Leadership: Who the Hell Knows?
November 15, 2009 | 12:11
Like everyone, we give it a lot of thought. We interviewed three ‘leadership development’ firms last year. Each one asked ‘How many leaders are you trying to develop? We said: ‘One thousand.’ They said ‘Seriously, you need to identify your top leadership candidates, invest heavily in them, and they will provide great leadership to everyone else.’ We said ‘We have one thousand employees, we want every one of them to maximize their leadership potential. Do you have a program for that?’ Silence.
The Fatal Attraction of Consensus Management
October 26, 2009 | 12:10
Everybody appears to think that management by consensus is the way to build a successful company. I get this advice from every possible direction. And who could disagree – you forge a consensus on your direction, strategy and every key issue, and then you have everyone pulling together with unified enthusiasm in the same direction. Who could argue with that?
Openess
October 06, 2009 | 12:10
This is just a simple blog about the second most important thing that I finally figured out about business.
A Subcontractor's Bill of Rights
September 28, 2009 | 12:09
At EllisDon, we really do understand how important Subcontractors are to our future. We recognize that without their loyalty, EllisDon cannot compete or ultimately survive.
A Builder’s Internet Community – But What’s The Business Model?
August 17, 2009 | 12:08
We have promised our clients, employees and anyone else who cares that we are going to open up EllisDon and offer everything we can to the construction community (making profits for the core business by building relationships and opportunities).
The War For Talent Resumes?
August 04, 2009 | 12:08
If the recession is over (already?), then I guess that means the War for Talent is back on.
The Next Big Threat/Opportunity
July 10, 2009 | 12:07
The construction industry is going to consolidate. It has to.
The Paradox of Business
June 22, 2009 | 12:06
Perhaps business leadership is the opposite of what it is generally supposed to be;
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