Leadership in Only Four (Letter) Words

UCON Upfront: January 2022, by Mark Breslin, UCON CEO

Last year, UCON proposed and the Board approved an aggressive strategy including investments in growth, expansion of services and territory, and a redoubling of our commitment to our members and the industry. The Board then gave me my 2021 leadership pep talk. They outlined their expectations. What they would and would not tolerate. What my performance and that of my team should look like. What was at stake. And what opportunities we might realize. And they did it all in just Four Words: Don’t. F@#k. It. Up.

I am not sure if many people might understand the gravity of that short sentence outside the construction industry. Definitely not polite corporate communications. Unlikely to be embraced by HR or the faint of heart or word. Salty. Direct. No excuses. I did not ask for clarification.

They had damn good reason to provide those Four Words as a leadership directive.

Simply put, remarkable success and performance are harder to sustain when you are at the top of your game. UCON has grown to become the largest union-signatory heavy civil contractors association in the U.S. And one that still is there only for union contractors. We have built more union relationships, partnerships, and man hours than we ever imagined. We have earned the responsibility to represent hundreds of California contractors under one banner. And as we do that, we have to remember above all that the key word in UCON’s name is not “Contractors,” it is “United.” And that is what we cannot mess up no matter what.

So in reality, how do good leaders go about meeting that profane four-word challenge? How did UCON do it in 2021 and plan to do it again in 2022? Why did UCON have its most successful year ever in 2021? These are some thoughts, practices and reminders that you may find useful;

• Stay Awake: Leaders can never let success lull them into being complacent or taking anything for granted in any way.
• People First: With talent shortages pending for years to come, people and culture come before everything else.
• See It Through: Leaders have to set ambitious goals and report the results or metrics (even if they suck). Transparency drives accountability and performance.
• Listen: Leaders know that every voice matters. And if you don’t listen to your employees, clients, partners, or members, they will find someone else who will.
• Discretion: Just because you have an opportunity, you shouldn’t always take it because it is there.
• Trust Your Gut: Take the risk even when (especially when) others criticize, push back, or oppose you. Their lack of vision or boldness is on them.
• Values First: Make decisions with your values in mind. Values create purpose. Outcomes are the result, not the main thing.
• Invest: Relationships require time, tending, honesty, care, empathy, understanding, and effort. Just because it is construction doesn’t mean we cannot add these in.

So, when I shared the Board’s Four Word directive with my team, at first, they all laughed. But as we talked about it, they got a lot more serious. They got it.

It wasn’t a warning. It was a statement of trust. Of empowerment. Of ownership. Here—take this success and keep running with it. What my team needed to understand was that the price of all that trust and freedom was also the clear message. There is no middle ground here—either UCON will execute at the highest level, or you will likely fail and the industry will see it. And we will be 100% responsible for those outcomes, so don’t laugh at those words until the results are in.

In summary, I think that the Four Words are probably now a part of UCON’s lore and legacy. Passed down with humor from President to the next President and Board members on to me and my team. We have (you most of all) built something pretty awesome. And it continues to peak in performance from a membership, influence, education, labor man hours, legislative, political action, and member satisfaction and value standpoint. It is our privilege to build, grow and serve our contractor-led organization as it continues to hit new highs in every area. But be assured that for the industry, the membership, and you, we will keep in mind the four words and four-letter words that set the bar for UCON now and in the future.