AGC’s Supervisory Training Program Gives Employers an Edge

The AGC’s Supervisory Training Program offers aspiring, as well as veteran, supervisors, an opportunity to develop new skill sets and enhance existing competencies.  Over the past several years, I’ve had the opportunity to facilitate STP Units across the United States and the common thread I find most gratifying is the thirst for knowledge that participants bring to class.  That desire is key to the success of STP graduates, which provides “value added” to their companies.  While each of the twelve Units contain vast amounts of solid, usable information there are two that I particularly enjoy and believe are the foundation upon which all the others should be built.  Unit 1: Leadership and Motivation stands at the core of successful supervision.  Without these competencies, the construction supervisor has little chance of long term success.  Our industry has changed – no longer do we have an endless workforce of men and women who come to the construction industry looking for a job.  In generations gone by, many supervisors ruled their employees – sometimes with fear, sometimes with disrespect and often with threats.  Today, the most successful construction firms engage, empower and value their greatest assets – the people who make it happen, everyday on every job site.  The ability to lead and motivate “your people” can be enhanced through a variety of relatively simple and straightforward concepts that are the basis of Unit 1. Awareness of  different  motivational factors and how each impact various generations within the workforce, is a key element.  Observation techniques that help you, the successful supervisor and leader, to understand which style of leadership is most suited to you and your team are often a breakthrough moment for class participants.  Mastering these “soft skills” goes a long way towards effectively implementing the more “task oriented skills” taught in many of the other STP units. On a similar note, Unit 2: Oral and Written Communication is a wealth of information for supervisors.  The ability to effectively communicate both up and down the management ladder is a critical step in successful leadership.  The fallacy that we all know how to communicate, either through words, actions or body language is discussed at great length in this unit.  The concept of “perception is reality” has been used with great success in many unit facilitations.  A key factor in long term improvement of participants’ communication skills lies in the commitment to review, practice and actively seek feedback from their peers regarding the skills discussed in class.  In each of the units, interaction and class participation is vital, the STP Units are not lectures.  They are not lessons to be taught from the front of the room, nor to be delivered as a laundry list of “what to do” and “how to do it” rather, the participants share challenges, experiences and successes they have had or seen on real life projects.  The facilitator uses these as learning opportunities to bring full circle the concepts and techniques each unit is designed to impart.  I believe in the benefit of the Supervisory Training Program.  It is an investment that we all must make, to ensure our continued success in the construction industry. Paul Flentge is the Safety Director for Pepper Construction Company and Chair of AGC’s Supervisory Training Committee. Paul regularly facilitates STP courses for AGC of America, AGC Chapters and the Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters.