The Code: A Complete Guide
Do this and you are in the top 1%
The Code has four parts. The first three are about communication. The fourth is about how you treat everyone around you.
Tell The Truth
When you’re in construction, you really want to fudge things. If you tell a guy on Friday that you’re gonna start Monday, and something changes over the weekend and you’re not starting till Wednesday, you really have to call them and say we’re not starting till Wednesday.
I know it’s very hard. There’s a good chance they swap you out because they need to start Monday. But you have to do it regardless.
You’re gonna lose some people because of that. But overall it helps them run their business. And it builds something you can’t buy, trust.
Telling the truth is saying, I cannot start til Thursday at 10. And when they push back, you hold the line. I cannot start till then.
It’s really hard for the subcontractor. He really needs to keep that job. If he loses it, he’s got guys sitting there not doing anything. But you do it anyway.
Pick Up The Phone
The reason contractors don’t pick up the phone is they don’t want to give bad news. They’re waiting for the job to progress a little bit further so they can deliver good news.
But the point is, you give news. Good or bad. Like a SITREP (a situation report.)
You’re going to get a call from me or a builder, and you’re going to have nothing but bad news to give them. The rule is you pick up the phone anyway.
Because if you don’t make that rule, you’re going to trick yourself into being like, I don’t need to pick it up right now. I’m doing this thing.
We have these rules for a reason. They help you defeat the demons that get in your head.
Return All Calls
A lot of guys will trick themselves into being like, oh, I can’t pick it up right now. I’m doing this thing. OK, fine.
But then you have to return all missed calls. Return every missed call you have.
That catches the loophole. You’re playing into the psyche of the guy who does this. You’re building a system that’s stronger than your excuses.
Customers In All Directions
This one has evolved the most.
It started out like, hey, look, when you’re a subcontractor, you’re nobody’s better. Everybody’s kind of on you a little bit. But there’s one spot where you’re kind of the king. It’s who you buy material from. They want to take you to lunches. They want to take you on cruises and you can lord over them because you’re the decision maker.
Don’t do that.
Anytime you get the ability to be the guy, find a way to not be the guy. Stay subservient even when you could rest on your laurels.
But then it evolved further. All right, who else is my customer? Well, my employees. If they’re my customer, I’m gonna do everything I can to make sure they’re successful. That promotions are coming to them when they are ready. Not when I’m ready and they have to wait.
And then it evolved again. My wife is a customer. My kids are customers. What do they want? What matters to them? What is their self actualization? Where are they next?
Customers in all directions. It applies to builders, vendors, employees, your family. Even yourself.
That’s the code. Four things. Simple to understand. Deeper than they seem. Hard to live.
But if you can live it, you win.