Manchester Grand Hyatt - San Diego, Calif., September 29-30Many negotiators fail to realize that successful negotiating is a talent - a talent that can be improved by learning the right skills. Negotiating doesn't mean tricks and intimidation. The ability to successfully negotiate is a skill that can be learned. In this two-day course, participants will gain valuable working knowledge of negotiating and listening and how it will benefit their relationships, both personally and professionally. Learn more.

RIFs, Lay-Offs & Furloughs in Construction: Avoiding the Pitfalls” webinar will be held August 13, 2009 from 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM ET.   Construction HR professionals have been burdened with the responsibility of properly handling reductions-in-force (RIFs), lay-offs and furloughs, sometimes at a moment’s notice. These situations can be difficult to handle legally, practically and emotionally.

 Introducing the Subsubcontract, a ConsensusDOCS webinar, will be held on August 5, 2009 from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. ET.  This webinar will explain the new ConsensusDOCS 725, the industry’s first and only standard agreement designed specifically for use between a subcontractor and subsubcontractor.  The expert panel will discuss the unique benefits and challenges of using a simplified agreement.

Many contractors and managers fail to realize that the ability to successfully negotiate isn’t a product of luck or magic or even a specific talent. The ability to successfully negotiate is a skill that can be learned. In this two day seminar, Negotiating Skills for Contractors, participants will gain valuable working knowledge of negotiating and listening and how it will benefit their relationships, both personally and professionally.

The National Center for Construction Education & Research (NCCER) is again sponsoring its Careers in Construction Week to increase public awareness of the hard work and contributions of our nation’s craft professionals and increase young people’s interest in pursuing construction as a career.

Book ReviewTitle:  IT’S YOUR SHIPAuthor:  Captain D. Michael AbrashoffReviewed By: Robert BowenCaptain Abrashoff took over the USS Benfold.  The ship was in total disarray.  He took the ship from being the worst ship in the US Navy to being the “Best Damn Ship in the Navy”.  He did it by developing his own leadership skills to bring the entire crew to a level of excellence.    Before he took over the Benfold, retention of seamen at the end of their tour of duty was 2%.  After his tour on the Benfold, seaman retention was 98%.  The Navy now uses crew retention as a measure of command effectiveness.Of all of the management training books I have read, this is the best.  It was an absolute page turner.  Each successive chapter was filled with exciting events that took the reader right into the situation.  You felt like you were right there and walking in the shoes of Captain Abrashoff.A copy of the book has been given to every project manager, project engineer and superintendent in our company.  We use the material in our in-house leadership training program.  I also plan to include it in any future programs I do for AGC.We are all trying to grow our companies.  The lessons demonstrated on the USS Benfold relate very well in the construction industry.  Captain Abrashoff has raised the bar.  He said, “If you show me a company whose employees take ownership, I will show you one that beats the competition.”  He went on to explain that for us to develop effective teams, the most important things we can do are:      • Treating our people with respect and dignity      • Providing opportunities for them to impact the organization      • Listening to them      • Increasing their responsibilityHe went on to say when employees leave a company, 65% of the time they leave because of the manager.One of the extraordinary things he did was to send birthday cards to family members of his crew.  When his crew did a great job on board, he often sent cards of praise to family members.  On one occasion, he sent a card to the dad of a marginal crew member who had been part of a successful shipboard operation.  As it turns out, the boy had never received a compliment from his dad.  When the dad received the letter from the captain of the Benfold, he praised the boy for the first time in the kid’s life.  Naturally he thanked the Captain, but what a moving story.A leader’s optimism and pessimism are equally infectious.  An enthusiastic leader will beget an enthusiastic crew.  Tell your people how important they are.He talked about problem solving.  When a leader has performance issues, the problem is often “You.”  A leader has to ask the following questions:      • Did I articulate the goals?      • Did I provide adequate time and resources?      • Did I provide training?The story of the USS Benfold will be part of my management training for a long time to come.  We can all learn from Captain Abrashoff.Robert Bowen is the founder and owner of Bowen Engineering Corporation, a multi-market company specializing in water and wastewater treatment plants and energy utility construction. He is considered an authority on preplanning and leadership practices in construction.  Bowen Engineering has received four AGC Build America awards. Robert received his B.S. in Civil Engineering from Purdue University and was later bestowed an honorary Doctor of Engineering degree from his alma mater.  In 1994 he completed the Harvard Business School OPM Program. He and his wife, Terry, established the Bowen Foundation 13 years ago to provide scholarships to minority students in Indianapolis to help them pursue an education past high school.  About 300 students have received more than $750,000 in scholarships through this foundation.Due to his strong leadership skills and successes both in the industry and in his community, Mr. Bowen is a frequent instructor at AGC’s Leadership in Construction Workshop, Construction Project Manager Course, and Advanced Management Programs.

Attend the pilot course of the newest STP unit—Understanding and Managing Project Costs, fifth edition. In today’s competitive climate and uncertain economy, the role of the construction supervisor in project costs is more important than ever. STP Unit 6: Understanding and Managing Project Costs was revised with this in mind, providing early-career construction supervisors with the essential knowledge to manage costs on their projects. The fifth edition of Unit 6 will officially be released in October 2009, however we are providing a special pilot of this course complimentary for 30 individuals in Houston, Texas.

Federal contractors face a multifaceted and complex regulatory environment.The landscape is now more complicated thanks to new rules approved in 2008 requiring contractors to have a code of business ethics and compliance in place, an internal control system and new mandatory disclosure requirements. This publication is designed to provide federal contractors all the necessary tools they need to navigate these stringent requirements. Item No. 2060.Prices:Member: $75.00Non-Member: $112.50To order go to www.agc.org/bookstore or call 1-800-242-1767.

  A federally funded survey of registered apprenticeship sponsors found that they overwhelmingly “believe they are reaping a wide array of benefits from apprenticeship programs” and would recommend registered apprenticeship to others. The U.S. Department of Labor/Employment and Training Administration (ETA) funded the Urban Institute Center on Labor, Human Services, and Population’s March 2009 report “The Benefits and Challenges of Registered Apprenticeship: The Sponsors’ Perspective.” The report is based on a survey of employers that was conducted in spring 2007, before the apprenticeship regulations were revised in fall 2008.

Applications for are now being accepted for the Construction Users Roundtable’s 2009 Construction Industry Workforce Development Awards. The awards were developed seven years ago to give significant national and international recognition for extraordinary, exemplary, and innovative training and education programs that encourage individuals to pursue a career in the construction industry and/or enhance an individual’s construction skills. The deadline for applications is August 1, 2009.