On the Beat with Brian

On the Beat with Brian: Seeing is Believing

Fri, 19 Dec 2025 05:00:00 +0000

A colleague recently shared a story that made me laugh – and struck me as surprisingly profound.

She was driving her young son and his friends home from a sports event. One boy mentioned he had just moved into a split-level house. Another boy had never heard the term. No matter how everyone tried to explain it – stairs here, half-levels there – nothing clicked.

After a long pause, the confused kid finally said, “I guess I just have to see it.”

So at 10 o’clock at night, one boy gave the other a walkthrough of his new house, and suddenly it all made sense.

That moment resonated with me because I get it. Sometimes, you have to see it to believe it.

And honestly, that applies to much of what we are pushing toward at Loureiro.

On paper, our bold goal of reaching $300 million in revenue can look audacious. Our belief in design-build as a growth accelerator can sound conceptual. Our talk about collaboration across businesses can feel aspirational.

But when you see it – when the work comes to life in real projects, with real clients, real value, and real results – you understand it on a different level.

A perfect example? The Middletown municipality work, where design-build is not a theory, but a lived experience.

I’ve been struck by how often this work comes up in conversation. More than once, both Ian Kapura, General Superintendent for LCI, and Kurt Procherena, Vice President and Principal Engineer, have gone out of their way to share how much value they (and the client) are seeing from this cross-business partnership.

Engineers and contractors by nature see things differently. Yet rather than see that as a negative, both of them emphasized – independently and repeatedly – that the very differences in perspective are what make the work stronger.

Ian told me: “Design-build doesn’t work for Loureiro unless LEA and LCI work together. Smaller projects like these let us cut to the chase for the client, and bringing expertise from different backgrounds gives the project – and future work – a real advantage.”

He even highlighted a recent client meeting on a dam repair where their varied viewpoints helped diagnose issues, shape the repair direction, and anticipate future needs – a real-time illustration of collaboration elevating performance.

Kurt echoed that sentiment on more than one occasion: “When design and construction sit on the same side of the table, the solutions get sharper, not just faster. Trust grows, ideas improve, and the client gets something better than either team could deliver alone.”

These weren’t survey responses or scripted quotes. They were leaders leaning in to say, “This works, and it matters.”

Because seeing is believing. Seeing inspires confidence. Seeing accelerates belief. Seeing changes how you think about what’s possible.

So here are some quick asks as we close the year together:

Chase those “seeing is believing” moments. Take the things we’re planning on paper and help make them visible, tangible, and real. This includes participating in our AMP innovation program!
When you experience one of those moments – reflect. Recognize it. Share it. Celebrate it. Let it be a mind-and-heart connection to why your work matters.

Because I see these real-world examples every day. I see them in the collaborations clients talk about. I see them in our improving execution. I see them in how teams stretch to solve problems. And I especially see them in how people show up for each other.

So as we reach the end of 2025, let me say this plainly: Thank you.

Thank you for your grit, your stewardship, your curiosity, your care for clients, and your belief that this company can do big things.

With the holidays upon us, the greatest gift for me has been watching your work lift Loureiro forward. I couldn’t believe in this team more, because I see it every day.

As you gather with family and friends, I hope you find rest, perspective, and a few “seeing is believing” moments of your own.

From my family to yours, I wish you a very happy holiday – and a new year filled with momentum, inspiration, and continued proof of what this remarkable Loureiro team can do.

Brian

On the Beat with Brian: Building Our Talent from the Inside Out

Thu, 18 Sep 2025 04:00:00 +0000

Summer is one of my favorite seasons because it’s when our interns arrive – and with them comes a burst of curiosity and energy. They jump into projects, improve processes, and often impress us with how quickly they add value.

It’s common to hear comments such as: “I gave them something to work on, and they did it in five minutes!” or “They built a fillable form that changed how we do things.” Our interns show us, again and again, the power of fresh thinking.

In 2023, we launched our Internship Initiative, building direct connections with seven colleges and universities and forming a Talent Acquisition Committee to guide our efforts. This past summer, we welcomed 14 interns – fewer than the 22 we hosted in 2024, but no less impactful. In fact, the quality of the program and the contributions our interns made this summer were outstanding. But the smaller number is a setback, and I see it as a call to action for all of us. As we plan for our 2026 intern season, I’d love everyone to get involved in strengthening the program and making internships an even bigger cornerstone of how we grow.

Why does this matter so much? Because if you ask any CEO what keeps them up at night, access to qualified and talented people is always near the top of the list. All too often, the quick fix is to hire from the outside. While that sometimes makes sense, it can have all the pitfalls of speed dating – you don’t truly know someone until you’ve worked side by side.

That’s why I believe in flipping the usual mindset of looking outside first. Instead, we must build a controlled pipeline of culture-fit hires vs. screening unknown external hires. I believe that if we make this a collective effort, by the end of 2027 we will have built such a pipeline that the need for external hires will be all but eliminated.

Internships: Good for Them, Great for Us

The benefits for our interns are clear: they get hands-on experience, exposure to meaningful projects, and a launchpad for their careers. But the benefits for Loureiro are just as important:

Spotting future leaders before they’re even in the job market
Enriching our culture with fresh ideas, energy, and new perspectives
Strengthening our teams with people who already understand our values and ways of working
Growing mentors as well as mentees, because guiding an intern challenges us to teach, explain, and often see our work in new ways

And here’s where my speed dating analogy comes full circle. When an intern shines, we’re not making guesses about job offers based on a resume and an interview – we’ve seen them in action: their strengths, their drive, and their fit with our culture. And they know us, too. That’s a much stronger foundation for a lasting career – hopefully with us!

AMP and the Bigger Picture

Our focus on talent and growing from within connects directly to our new AMP It Up program. AMP is about giving people Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose – the space to stretch, try new things, and create real value. Internships are one of the clearest ways to bring that philosophy to life. We give young professionals the chance to test their skills, follow their curiosity, and make a meaningful contribution.

AMP and internships share the same belief: our greatest source of innovation and strength is already here, inside our people.

Building the Next Generation Together

Here’s what I’m asking of each of you:

Leaders: Look for ways to bring an intern onto your team next summer. Where could fresh energy and ideas make the biggest difference?
Everyone:
- When you’re working with an intern, invest in them. Teach, challenge, and learn from them too.
- Share your stories. Celebrate the ways interns are helping us grow.
- Grow your own talent: Don’t stop with interns. Look at yourself – where can you stretch, learn, and grow? Maybe it’s taking on a bigger role in a project, pursuing a certification, or carving out time to build a new skill. Or maybe it’s participating in AMP! Every effort strengthens you and, in turn, strengthens Loureiro.
- Help others grow (and grow yourself in the process): Coaching, mentoring, and sharing what you’re learning not only lifts others; it reinforces your own development as well.

Let’s work together to shape something enduring: an Internship Initiative and an overall approach to talent that strengthens our team and launches meaningful careers. It’s a shared commitment that will continue to multiply opportunity – fueling Loureiro’s growth while preparing the next generation to shine.

Because when we grow our people, we grow everything.

Looking for more inspiration? Head over to the “More Celebrations” section to see the spotlight on our 2025 interns!

On the Beat with Brian: AMP It Up

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 04:00:00 +0000

You may have heard the famous story from 3M: an employee trying to create a novel, stronger adhesive ended up inventing one that was weak – but reusable. That “failed” idea turned into the Post-it Note, one of 3M’s most iconic products.

Or maybe you’ve used Gmail, Google News, or Google Maps. ALL of those started as side projects at Google – built via a program that encouraged employees to use 20% of their time for innovation.

What do those stories have in common? They happened because 3M and Google gave employees space, as part of their “job,” to innovate and be creative. To take a step back from the day-to-day and ask: What if?

In our earliest days (when there were just 15 of us working out of half the first floor in the Plainville office), this kind of creative thinking happened all the time. Jeff and I would toss around ideas, someone would walk by and jump in, and before we knew it, we were trying something new. That’s how we started offering EH&S consulting services to Mosey’s Corned Beef on a monthly retainer. Or the time our accountant mentioned that BJFW might be going out of business, and we saw an opportunity. Two months later, we had welcomed two structural, two electrical, and four mechanical engineers to Loureiro and expanded into SMEP services. And I’ll never forget when we were weighing the cost of renting Geoprobe services. Someone said, “For that much, we could buy our own.” Two weeks later, we owned a Geoprobe 6610 – paid for almost entirely by that first job – and we put it to use for more than a decade.

As we have grown, I’ve seen how easy it is for that creative spark to get buried – under busy schedules, tight deadlines, and day-to-day execution. And it’s not because we lack talent; it’s because we haven’t consistently nurtured an environment where creative thinking is encouraged, supported, and acted upon. If we want to keep our edge – and grow geometrically – we need to be intentional about giving that spark room to breathe.

Innovation with Intention

We’ve set a bold goal: $300 million in revenue by 2034. We won’t get there by doing more of the same. We’ll get there by doing some things differently – smarter, faster, and more connected. Ingenuity has always been part of the Loureiro promise, but now it’s time to turn up the volume.

That’s why I’m thrilled to officially launch AMP It Up (AMP), our new idea incubator, designed to channel the curiosity, grit, and imagination that already lives inside this company.

This isn’t about disruption for disruption’s sake. It’s about structured innovation – creating space for our team members to explore ideas that align with where we’re headed and create real value for our clients, our company, and our future.

Why Now?

Some of you may remember we discussed launching something like this in the past. It didn’t quite take off, mostly because it lacked the structure and support it needed to thrive. It was informal, and the ideas funneled through just me.

This time, we’ve built something stronger, more strategic, and designed to scale. We’ve got:

A clear, shared vision and mission that we have built together
Support from our Board of Directors
A structured process with defined outcomes and space for experimentation

We’re ready now in a way we just weren’t before.

Is This for You?

Here’s the truth: this is not for everyone, and not all team members will want to take part in AMP. And that’s completely okay. But for those of you who see a process and think, we could do this better, or feel energized by solving tough problems, this is for you.

This is a critical part of the equation: you don’t have to be “the idea person” to play an important role in this effort. Innovation needs a range of entrepreneurial thinking and strengths. Whether you’re great at sparking ideas, figuring out what will work, or rolling up your sleeves to get it done – we need all of it.

How It Works

Here’s the simple version of the process:

Opt-In & Apply: Once per quarter, we’ll open applications. Apply solo or as a team. Share your idea and why it matters.
Kickoff: If accepted, you’ll join a kickoff session to align on expectations and explore what success could look like.
Dedicated Time: Up to two full days a month will be carved out for your AMP project.
AMP Jam: Every quarter, you’ll share progress, lessons learned, and what’s next. Some ideas may get greenlit for pilot testing.
Path to Action: The strongest ideas will move from concept to pilot to implementation – with leadership backing all the way.

We’ll boost our success by sharing regular updates and team wins – and by capturing your feedback to improve the program as we move forward.

Your Space to Shape What’s Next

AMP It Up is our chance to turn Loureiro’s entrepreneurial spirit into a powerful advantage – not just in what we deliver, but also in how we think, collaborate, and grow.

It’s about creating the space – and the structure – for innovation to thrive. The kind that drives engagement, team and customer loyalty, revenue, profit, and sustainable growth.

If this excites you – if it lights a spark – I hope you’ll raise your hand. Bring your ideas, your energy, and your strengths.

Big goals take bold thinking, and this team is more than ready. I can’t wait to see your creativity turn into fresh ideas, new opportunities, and bold impact.

On the Beat with Brian: Your Impact on Loureiro's Mission

Wed, 12 Mar 2025 04:00:00 +0000

You’ve probably heard me say this before, but I want to say it again in this first Pulse of the year – I’m really excited about where we’re headed as a company.

And more than anything, I want all of you to feel that same excitement. Because when we’re all connected to a shared vision – when we understand how our work fits into something bigger – we’re unstoppable.

But here’s what I’ve been hearing: not everyone is feeling that same level of connection to our mission and vision for Loureiro’s future. I’ve learned that some, and perhaps many of you are wondering, How do I fit into the mission? How does my work contribute to our success at that high level? I know it’s on me to close that gap – and ensure you not only know the answers to those questions, but also feel a deep connection to what we’re building together.

Our mission to reach $300MM in revenue by 2034 is:

Clear: No vague corporate speak. It’s a solid goal we can measure.
Attainable: Sure, it’s a big number. But big numbers shouldn’t scare us. From 1998 to 2006, we grew from $6MM to $34MM – a 5X jump – even while navigating challenges like 9/11, which drastically slowed down our work with a key customer: Pratt & Whitney. We made strategic moves during that time – creating a construction company, expanding into design/build remediation services – and we pulled it off. I have zero doubt we can do it again.
Actionable: We’re being intentional and focused across all efforts. From our business excellence work, to going after the right growth opportunities – we’re setting ourselves up for success.

Here’s where YOU come in – a company doesn’t achieve a goal like this just because we can all recite the words. It happens when those words become a catalyst, when they ignite something in each of us, and when we make them real in our own way. Success happens when our mission becomes personal – when we see ourselves in it, when we take ownership of it, and when we drive it forward together. The words are just the beginning; it’s what we do with them that fuels our future.

Understanding Your Unique Impact

There’s an old parable about a visitor who walks through a small town and asks different workers what they’re doing. One says, “I’m laying bricks.” Another says, “I’m mixing cement.” But then he asks a person sweeping the ground, and they reply, “I’m building a temple to God.” That person saw the bigger picture. They knew their work mattered.

That’s what I want for every single person at Loureiro. I want you to know – really know – how the work you do, day in and day out, is helping build something incredible for our team.

Next Steps

We’re planning tangible actions to build stronger connections between our mission and our work to help all team members understand how our daily contributions are making an impact.

Small group sessions: We’ll be bringing together groups of 10-12 people with some commonalities to have in-depth conversations about how your work contributes to the big picture – and how we can strengthen that connection.
More success story sharing: Instead of just saying “your work matters,” we’re committed to showcasing more real-world examples of how your efforts drive progress. Wins don’t have to be big to be meaningful – every contribution plays a role in our success, and we want to celebrate them and recognize each of our team members for their unique contributions.
We need your ideas! As leaders, we know it’s our responsibility to make sure everyone sees their impact, but we can’t do it alone. If you have ideas on how we can do this better, please speak up. (Spoiler alert: one of the small group sessions will be focused on idea sharing!) This is a team effort, and your feedback will help us get it right.

Clarity → Purpose → Progress

When we see the impact of our work, everything changes. Work isn’t just about showing up – it’s about belonging to something bigger. And when we feel that connection, we take more pride in what we do. We push ourselves to be better. And we grow – not just as a company, but as individuals.

We can hit our goal, and it’s going to take all of us – not just working hard, but truly understanding the role each of us plays in building something great together. When we all see how our work fits into the bigger picture, that’s when we’ll really make things happen – today, tomorrow – all the way through to the bright future I know is possible for Loureiro and this incredible team.

On the Beat with Brian

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Think about the times when you are so absorbed in what you're doing that the world around you fades away. That's the magic of “flow” – a concept Daniel Pink explores in his book “Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us.”

Pink says that while in flow, “people live so deeply in the moment, and feel so utterly in control, that their sense of time, place, and even self – melt away. They are autonomous, of course. But more than that, they are engaged.”

I’ve been thinking about that feeling a lot – particularly because of a big insight suggested in Pink’s book: more “flow” = higher engagement. To extrapolate that theory across Loureiro, the more we experience “flow,” the higher our engagement will be. There are countless studies that suggest higher levels of engagement result in higher performance – not only individually but also for the company as a whole.

As you know, our employee engagement scores in Loureiro’s annual survey have been essentially flat over the years – and our rating in this area is average at best. While Loureiro’s employee benefits and total compensation are industry-leading, our lackluster engagement scores tell me that we haven’t seized the tremendous opportunity to tap into what truly motivates team members.

Pink claims that the best forms of motivation are intrinsic – these are internal rewards that come from people feeling self-motivated because they're given the freedom to do the work they find fulfilling, challenging, and aligned with their skills and interests. Extrinsic motivation, on the other hand, is doing something to gain an external reward – with the most common being money.

HOW we enhance our intrinsic motivation throughout Loureiro won’t have just one “solution.” As we consider ideas, I think Pink is onto something with his focus on “flow” – and the key intrinsic motivators that make it happen – which he lists as Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose.

Here are my “Cliff Notes” based on Pink’s suggestions — a quick summary of actions we can take to inspire and chase our “flow” in the work we do at Loureiro.

Foster / Seek Autonomy

For People Leaders: Encourage team members to take ownership of their tasks and projects. Provide them with autonomy and freedom to make decisions, and delegate tasks to build independence and creativity. Many artists claim their best masterpieces are those where they have free latitude — versus the guardrails of commissioned pieces.

For All: Actively seek opportunities to independently manage aspects of your work. Embrace responsibility and decision-making to experience a greater sense of control.

Connect Our Work to a Larger Purpose

Interesting fact… Even though our Loureiro employee engagement survey score has been flat, we did experience a positive bump in our score in 2020. Personally, I think that’s because, like many teams, we galvanized around overcoming a shared and unprecedented challenge. BUT…we can make similar efforts to spark unification in the challenges we face today!

For People Leaders: Regularly discuss performance objectives and goals – in ways that are specific to your team and individuals. Celebrate milestones; share success stories; and use our Employee Recognition platform – spotlighting instances where contributions positively impacted a project, team, or company goal.

For All: Reflect on the broader impact you have on the team, the project at hand, and the customer experience. Seek out work that aligns with your personal values and passions – and contributes to one of the results we want to achieve at Loureiro.

Nurture Mastery

For People Leaders: Support continuous learning and skill development within the team. Provide opportunities for training and growth, allowing team members to master their skills and enhance expertise.

For All: Seek out challenges and learning opportunities that support your growth, especially in areas that you are passionate about.

My favorite aspect of “flow” is the ripple effect it creates. Your flow can inspire others to find their flow. Each ripple positively impacts team dynamics. Collaborative efforts become more productive, communication improves, and the shared sense of achievement strengthens team cohesion. Which, of course, leads to even more flow!

And speaking of collaboration, I’d like to wrap up each “On the Beat” with an open-ended question for each of you, so here’s the first one for 2024:

Have you ever been so immersed in your work that hours slip by unnoticed? What factors positively contributed to that experience?

Share your thoughts via Stories@Louriero.com. Our aim is to spotlight your insights in future editions of The Pulse and related communications.

So whether you call that satisfying experience “flow,” “locked in,” or “in the zone” – get after it! Embrace the challenge, harness your passion, and chase what lights you up.

On the Beat with Brian

Fri, 22 Dec 2023 05:00:00 +0000

One of my favorite insights on exceptional business performance is from Jim Collins, a speaker/consultant focused on business sustainability and growth. He says that "people" are not your most important success factor. "The right people are."

That advice is a mouthful because there’s a LOT that needs to go right in order to find (and nurture!) the “right people.” You need:

A great recruitment program with continual outreach
Effective networking strategies
Impactful two-way partnerships (industry and academia)
Strong brand awareness
Attractive growth opportunities to promote retention
And all the things we do to build a positive company culture!

We recently shared a memo with you containing early details about our refreshed efforts to attract top talent in 2024 and beyond – and the memo included an open invitation to join us in planning the path forward via the new Loureiro Talent Committee.

I wanted to spend some more time here on the topic to reinforce the fact that these efforts are aimed at our current and future team members – because both are essential for constructing a workforce that is well-rounded, adaptable, innovative, and capable of meeting present and future challenges. New team members bring fresh ideas, the latest skills, and up-to-date knowledge from recent education or experiences. Current team members contribute a wealth of industry knowledge, expertise, a deep understanding of our history and culture – and they can help balance innovation with practicality and efficiency.

I fully acknowledge that we have plenty of opportunities to bolster our recruitment and retention efforts at Loureiro – both in how we attract new talent and how we nurture the talent of our existing team. And that’s exactly what makes this path forward so exciting – we have an incredible opportunity to improve, make new connections, and try new things – and I’m confident these shared efforts will have a significant and positive impact on everything we do.

And those efforts, are in fact, shared. While everyone will contribute in different ways, we all play a role in how we attract, engage, and nurture the right people at Loureiro.

Here are some calls to action to consider in the year ahead:

Join the Loureiro Talent Committee: I’ll keep this one first, because the more voices we have at the planning table, the more creative and diverse we can be in our recruiting and talent development efforts.
Volunteer for Mentoring or Outreach Activities: Your experience and knowledge can make a significant impact on the growth and development of your colleagues – both new and existing. Mentoring also fosters a culture of continuous learning and collaboration. More on specific opportunities to come!
Participate in Networking Events: Building meaningful connections outside our immediate circles can bring in fresh perspectives and introductions to potential employees. We’re going to do a better job in 2024 of making sure you know about opportunities to attend conferences, workshops, or seminars beyond Connecticut to expand our network and bring in diverse voices.
Promote Our Company Brand: YOU are one of the best ambassadors for Loureiro! Share your positive experiences and the unique aspects of our company culture on professional platforms, social media, or in your personal networks. A strong company brand attracts, and your authentic endorsement is a powerful recruiting tool.
Explore Growth Opportunities Within Loureiro: Communicate with your leader(s) about your career aspirations and seek guidance on how you can contribute to and benefit from new growth opportunities and projects we have on the horizon.
Further Your Education: Whether through workshops, online courses, seminars, or investing the time and commitment to earn a bachelor’s or advanced degree, there are countless opportunities to expand your knowledge and skill set. Continuous learning is an element of our core values and not only enhances your individual capabilities but also contributes to the overall innovation and adaptability of our team.
Provide Feedback on Our Talent Efforts: Even if you aren’t a member of the Talent Committee, we welcome your insights on how to attract the right people to join our team – and build the right skills among our existing team.

To each of you, thank you for sharing your unique talents, your commitment, and everything you do to help us get it right for our customers and each other. We look forward to communicating more about this initiative with you in 2024 – and sharing even more stories about our growing team.

And speaking of “getting it right”…

I hope that each of you gets some time in this holiday season to reflect on what is right in your world and to celebrate that – and, of course, to spend quality time with the people who mean the most to you!

On the Beat with Brian

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 04:00:00 +0000

“Delegation” may not have the allure of some management or leadership “have-to’s,” but it sure can lead to “Ah-ha!” moments for people leaders when they discover that sharing responsibility can be a catalyst for achieving extraordinary results.

I’ve had many of those “Ah-ha!” moments myself over the course of my career – the most recent one coinciding with my August vacation, during which I was able to wholeheartedly embrace family time – thanks to the exceptional support from Dave Fiereck and Steve Diaz. They took on additional tasks and handled unexpected challenges – and in doing so, provided me with valuable insights into our operations and unveiled some opportunities for improvement.

But no matter how many times I witness the power of delegation, I still find that it’s one of the toughest leadership tools to put into practice. Because to delegate effectively, you have to let go of some common human barriers – lack of control, inability to trust, and fear of failure – to name a few.

I know I’m not alone in this struggle, so I wanted to spend a few minutes sharing thoughts about WHY delegation is such an important tool for our team at Loureiro, as well as some tips for embracing it and putting it to the most effective use.

First up…here’s why we need to make a collective effort to boost our delegation skills to do even MORE together:

MORE Team Productivity: Delegation allows people leaders to distribute tasks and responsibilities among team members according to their skills and strengths. When we’re given tasks that align with our abilities and interests, we’re naturally more motivated and productive. And this leads to higher overall individual engagement and team performance and efficiency.
MORE Skill Development: Delegating tasks offers team members opportunities to hone existing skills, develop new skills, and gain valuable experience. It promotes a culture of continuous learning throughout Loureiro – which definitely contributes to engagement and to our long-term growth and success.
MORE Innovation: Team members who feel trusted and empowered to take on new responsibilities are more likely to come up with new ideas and approaches.
MORE Perspectives: Delegating tasks to team members with different backgrounds and perspectives can lead to more creative problem-solving, a cornerstone for extraordinary outcomes.
MORE Growth Potential: Delegating tasks helps distribute the workload and prevents leaders from becoming the bottleneck in the decision-making process – allowing us to take action and seize new opportunities faster.

Even when we embrace the idea of delegation, it’s still a challenging task, because it requires striking a delicate balance between control, trust, and responsibility for team success. Here are a few tips and best practices I’ve learned over the years:

Know Your Team: Understanding the strengths, weaknesses, and preferences of your team members is crucial for effective delegation. Match tasks to their skills and interests to maximize their motivation and productivity.
Clearly Define Expectations: When delegating a task, be specific about your expectations. If you struggle with this as I do, try answering this question when delegating: “What does success look like to me?” or from Brené Brown's Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience “Paint Done.” Clarity helps prevent misunderstandings and ensures everyone is on the same page.
Set Deadlines: Set and agree upon a date and time for the delegated tasks, and get an active commitment from the person you are delegating to. Deadlines help keep everyone focused and accountable.
Provide Support and Resources: Ensure that those you are delegating to have access to the resources, information, and training they need to complete their delegated tasks successfully. Be available for guidance and support if they encounter challenges. Remember, you are delegating, not abdicating!
Trust Your Team: Trust your team members to deliver results and refrain from micromanaging. Give them the autonomy to make decisions and take ownership of their work – and above all, resist the urge to solve challenges for them. They might just amaze you with their innovation and unique approach to solving the problem!
Communicate Effectively: Maintain open lines of communication, and encourage your team to ask questions, seek clarification, and provide updates on their progress. Regular check-ins are not micromanaging; they help address issues promptly and improve outcomes.
Be Prepared for Mistakes: Understand that mistakes are a part of the learning process. Thomas Edison famously stated when inventing the light bulb, “I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.” Use each setback as an opportunity for growth and improvement. Offer constructive feedback and support to help them address any issues that need fixing.
Evaluate and Adjust: After delegating tasks, take the time to evaluate the outcomes. Analyze what worked well and what could be improved – and then use that input to increase future success.
Acknowledge and Appreciate: Recognize and appreciate the efforts and accomplishments of those you delegate to. Positive and specific feedback reinforces motivation and commitment.

David Allen, one of the world's most influential thinkers on personal productivity, famously said, “You can do anything, but not everything.”

The Loureiro team can do anything together, but no one team member can do everything. That’s why delegation isn't just a leadership tool; it’s a strategic mindset that can drive organizational opportunity and growth, while supporting a collaborative environment where every team member can shine.

So, while this article may seem to be just for people leaders, the call to action here is for all team members. If there’s a specific interest you’d like to pursue – or challenge you’d like to tackle – I encourage you to speak up to your manager. The communication needed for effective delegation must go both ways to be successful.

Here’s one more favorite quote on delegation for good measure:

"No one can whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra to play it."
– H.E. Luccock

We have an amazing “orchestra” at Loureiro, and the “symphony” we create together gets better and better – every day, every challenge, every project.

Play on, team!

On the Beat with Brian

Tue, 27 Jun 2023 04:00:00 +0000

“Gettin' good players is easy. Gettin' 'em to play together is the hard part.”

- Casey Stengel, American Major League Baseball right fielder and manager

You probably won’t find that quote on an inspirational poster – but it’s still a good one if you ask me. We’ve all heard (and maybe even used) the age-old expression “teamwork makes the dream work” – but it’s not always a walk in the park.

When you have a great team in place, there’s an opportunity to create magic and build something extraordinary together. But this magic doesn’t necessarily come easily – or happen overnight. Teamwork is hard work. Especially in a setting like ours at Loureiro, where we are constantly working together across businesses and functions – and on projects that are just as diverse as we are. And especially when you add in that we have success measures that include revenue growth and profitability and that these measures are internally reported to a company level and sometimes to a divisional level. There is an inherent sense of competition among our divisions and business units to deliver on big growth goals.These measures and our dynamic setting can be breeding grounds for competition.

But here’s the interesting thing… Teamwork and competition aren’t conflicting ideals in a workplace – or anywhere else for that matter. (Even though it may seem that way at first glance!)

Healthy competition is what we strive for as it is a powerful motivator, encouraging all of us to grow and push past our individual limits. As a quick example… How many of you have ever worked out with a gym “buddy?” or had someone in your life that you could always count on to tell you what you needed to hear, not what you wanted to hear? At the gym, chances are you pushed yourself a bit harder in the sessions with your buddy. And that person in your life probably subconsciously affected your behaviors to get something done that you did not want to do because you did not want to let them down – you did not want to have to say to them, “I know, I am just making an excuse”. Competition also inspires innovation and new ideas – which allows us to achieve more – not only for Loureiro, but also for the clients and industries we serve. Healthy competition is good!

However, when competition becomes unhealthy and becomes a me/you, a win/lose and it is internal to Loureiro, it makes collaboration very difficult and undermines success. It becomes a breeding ground for distrust, the killer of many companies! And similarly, when teamwork is the only focus, you sacrifice individual initiative, creativity, and all the good things that come from healthy competition.

So, it all comes down to balance – and paying attention to that balance. Because a competitive team who knows how to work collaboratively will achieve the most together.

I don’t have a list of specific asks to strike this “balance” – because that balance will look different based on the team and the project. But here are a few general suggestions that I think are a point in the right direction:

Lean into healthy competition. ALL of our businesses and divisions want to grow. This may promote a desire to outperform the other “teams” – but rather than that, focus on working together to achieve the growth of Loureiro as a whole. And when we do that, we’re learning new skills and developing our team relationships.
Support individual skills, initiative, ideas, and accomplishment. Going back to Casey Stengel – we are all good players! Every person at Loureiro has a unique set of skills and expertise that enhances our discussion, approach, and results. For us to be successful we must each bring those to bear and support our team members in doing the same. Nurture our diverse talent by sharing (and being open to) new ideas; setting stretch goals for team members; and providing candid feedback (including praise!) to each other.
Encourage innovation. Both teams and employees should feel safe pursuing new ideas – which can lead to better-than-expected results. Practice and encourage innovative thinking and creativity while prioritizing the security and stability of our organization. We will thrive when all of our team members feel free to share thoughts they believe can lead to greater success for a project or the company as a whole. We all play a part in setting the stage for this to happen.

The best teams are comprised of people who compete well, but still very much respect each other’s views – and they all contribute to shared goals. They know that for that right “balance” to happen, they have to work at it. Every project, every day.

And we are a great team at Loureiro. Let’s continue pushing and inspiring one another to give our best – and also seeking collaborative opportunities to put everyone’s skills and expertise to the best use.

Let's unleash our collective potential and make the impossible possible. When teamwork and healthy competition find harmony, we achieve greatness!