Learning Objectives

Additional Information

Contact

Carrie Chard
Senior Director, Professional Development & Credentialing
Business Development, Programs & Industry Relations
Associated General Contractors of America
2300 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 400
Arlington, VA 22201
USA
Phone: (703) 837-5316
Fax: (703) 837-5402
http://www.agc.org

Module 1: Strategic & Financial Management

  • Discuss and analyze industry profiles to determine what makes a contractor different from other business owners.
  • Identify causes for contractor failure.
  • Evaluate a contractor's financial statements and key ratios.
  • Identify management responsibilities for implementing and monitoring controls.
  • Analyze financial reporting, both external and internal.
  • Discuss the difference between and benefit of using various financial institutions, such as banking, creditors and surety companies.
  • Discuss new financial requirements affecting privately owned contractors, including, financial controls, reporting, and corporate governance.

Module 2: Risk Management

  • Discuss the risk management process as it relates to the construction industry.
  • Examine construction delivery methods and risks involved.
  • Review required insurance coverage.
  • Discuss risk financing and cost implications.
  • Identify emerging risk and trends in the construction industry.

Module 3: Leadership

  • Define leadership and identify misconceptions of what makes an effective leader.
  • Discuss differences between leadership and management.
  • Identify different styles of leadership and discuss strategies to improve personal leadership styles.
  • Apply motivational techniques for team building.
  • Develop an action plan to strengthen leadership on a personal and company level and within the industry as a whole.

Module 4: Contract Dispute Resolution

  • Discuss contract disputes and implications on cost, time, and relationships.
  • Examine the differences between a problem and a dispute.
  • Participate in a mock mediation exercise.
  • Discuss litigation and arbitration models.
  • Recognize alternatives to litigation and the benefits.
  • Evaluate the mediation process and the benefits.

Module 5: Leading Change

  • Define four successful functions of business.
  • Examine the role of change and its impact on an organization.
  • Identify six steps of change.
  • Discuss the importance of successfully managing change.
  • Develop and analyze a plan for change.

Module 6: Construction Ethics

  • Discuss the relationship between ethical behavior and success of a construction firm.
  • Identify core values and codes of conduct within groups and organizations.
  • Define components of a successful organizational culture and its impact on ethics.
  • Identify ethical dilemmas in construction and apply practical skills to ethical situations.

Module 7: Fit to Lead

  • Discuss physical well-being and its relationship to personal behavior.
  • Identify the relationship between fitness and quality of life.
  • Recognize how improving fitness improves leadership qualities.

Module 8: Economic Outlook for the Construction Industry

  • Discuss the current economic state of the construction industry.
  • Examine economic changes in construction and the effect on material costs.
  • Examine data sources and statistics for tracking the industry's future.
  • Identify future trends and danger signs for the construction industry.

Module 9: Safety Management

  • Discuss safety management and the importance of benchmarking.
  • Examine the importance of safety staffing, training, and education.
  • Review cost and management strategies for claims.
  • Identify behavioral based safety and worker accountability.
  • Discuss safety as it applies to a subcontractor.
  • Identify EMR - Experience Modification Ratio.

Module 10: Reputation & Media Management

  • Explain the importance of working with the media to generate positive publicity for your company.
  • Examine techniques for controlling a news interview to generate positive coverage.
  • Learn techniques to participate in a news interview with confidence.
  • Develop the tools for creating a company crisis communication plan.

Module 11: Construction Productivity

  • Identify reasons for low job site productivity.
  • Assess impact of low job site productivity on the project contractor, craftsperson, project owner and designer.
  • Identify techniques for making the worker part of the overall project team.
  • Analyze models to measure, predict, and improve job site productivity.
  • Demonstrate ways to improve jobsite productivity via jobsite recordkeeping and reports.
  • Create short interval schedules and job schedules to increase field productivity.