Thought you might want to check out this ebay link to my book–”Get Paid for a Change!” Not so much because of the book, but because  there’s a new Coach Gary video there.  You can let your friends know about this link, because there’s a pretty good deal there for them, and they’ll learn about the FullContactTeam.com website. Here’s your link:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250490349406&ssPageName=ADME:L:LCA:US:1123

If it doesn’t turn into a hot link, you can always just copy and paste it into your browser

Coach Gary

The thought struck me the other day that one of the secrets to doing well as a PM is being willing to “go thru the hassle” that lots of people think it takes in order to get paid for all the little freebies we are asked to do. Some guys just throw in the towel, and think that it is too big of a hassle. Just do it, and keep the project moving, they say.

Actually, making sure you get paid for all the work on your project, not just the construction items your bid originally called for, is one of the smartest things you can do. And it has the best ROI of any other type of work you can do. Learning how to ask questions, write an RFI (request for information), will pay big bonuses for you, your career and your projects.

If you’d like me to do a short video on this, just let me know.

Coach Gary Micheloni
Full Contact Team
Full Contact Project Management

PM Lessons from “MJ”?

Staying Strong in 2009

Part 8

by “Coach” Gary Micheloni

I’m sure—in fact, absolutely guarantee it—that you never saw this kind of message coming your way before! If you did, go to www.FullContactTeam.com, drop me a note, and I’ll send you my $39.95 e-book for free. How’s that? Don’t think there’ll be too many takers…but, you never know!

Alright, alright—I hear you already, “Coach, what in the heck does “MJ”–Michael Jackson–have to do with construction? How could he possibly teach us any lessons? Or, maybe some others of you are saying, “Uh…Coach…you are aware of what’s happened to him, right?” Yeah, like Coach isn’t up on this stuff. I look at it this way: Michael had a heck of a change order come his way! Coach is fully up to speed, and that’s why I have this amazing bit of wisdom for you to chew on. Look out, now: fast ball comin’ right atcha! Here we go.

Let me begin with a disclaimer: whatever you might think about the man, Michael Jackson, you and I, along with the rest of the world, have to admit he was a talented entertainer, and just about everybody knew who he was. An important guy. High profile. So, you’d have to figure that his funeral would be the ultimate, high profile “project”. (Any lights coming on for you, yet?) Let’s look at that project.

As we watched the news, saw the spectacle, and heard the speculation, we knew that the whole thing would have to be big, timely, important…fill in your own description. But we did know some facts, and those facts were material to how the whole event played out. Let’s go thru those know, and consider how they might relate to your own projects—high or low profile, as the case may be.

Coach Gary says: “You don’t need to have the best plan. Just have a better plan than the other side.”

So…what did we know, as this thing unfurled (or unraveled—depending on your point of view)? We absolutely knew this:

· There had to be a funeral/burial/memorial

· That event had time constraints

· Penalties could occur for not acting in time

· Lots of people were interested in the event

· Thousands of people wanted to attend

· The event had to be held–somewhere—but it had to be held

· The event could have been small or large, private or public—a decision made by somebody

· There would be a cost for the event, because every event has some kind of cost

· Somebody would be responsible for payment of that cost

Okay. That short list will do for now. But, can I get you to agree that it’s a reasonable list, and gives us several possibilities to consider, all of which have time and money consequences? (If the light didn’t go on before—has it come on now? Aha!)

Typical on any project is this: somebody is in a hurry. In MJ’s case, his family and friends and business associates were in the biggest hurry. Lots of people wanted to attend his service. Where would it be held, and when? Guess what nobody ever—seriously—talked about? Who is going to pick up the tab for whatever anybody and everybody wants? Nobody talked about it then. Nothing was decided. Let’s “party” today and talk business tomorrow. We need to do this–now. The price tag was seen, but ignored, and the event was allowed to begin, anyway.

Nothing new here, Team. I think it was Aesop, couple of thousand years ago, who wrote the fable about the ant and the grasshopper. You ought to read it for your PM education. Coach’s summary: the ants took care of business, while the grasshopper fiddled away his time. The ants counted the cost. Mr. Grasshopper didn’t. The ants made it thru winter. Mr. Grasshopper only made it until winter.

In the strange case of MJ’s final performance (hey, he was there: brought over from the cemetery!): everybody wanted big and lavish. Right now. Everybody figured somebody else would take care of the bill. Lavish happened. Later, nobody wanted to pick up the check. If you’re surprised, raise your hand. I don’t see any hands in the air!

Now, tell me: have you ever seen this happen on one of your own projects? If you haven’t, you are new to the neighborhood. But welcome, anyway, ‘cause you are about to meet your neighbors. And, unlike the neighbors where you live, where you work they might not always seem so nice.

Coach Gary says: “There are ants and grasshoppers on every project. You take care of your own business first; we’ll take care of the grasshoppers later.”

What we all saw played out on a grand scale at the ceremony for Michael Jackson (about $4million, or so, I’ve heard) is evident on almost every construction project. Your GC/CM/Project Owner is in a hurry. Wants to get something different accomplished—right now—and would like you to take care of it for him. When this happens to you next time, you ought to ask yourself this question: “Do I really want to make this donation?” ‘Cause, if you don’t want to make it…take steps to get out of the way. Do it now!

It appears that, in the case before us, of all the people who were so high on the praises for MJ, many of whom make decent money, not many stepped up. Turns out that the citizens of Los Angeles are going to pick up the tab. And most of them weren’t even invited!

Coach Gary says, “Construction is all about the fundamentals. Do the basics. Do them over and over. And never make donations to causes you don’t support.”

Here’s the take-away, and you should send this to everyone you know who lives in Los Angeles, or is a project manager—anywhere: Have a written agreement as to who’s paying the bill for the latest change order, especially if it’s near your neighborhood.

Coach Gary says, “It’s easy to miss this stuff if you don’t know what to look for. Even the pioneers had scouts. You need a coach.”

Almost everyone needs a coach. The people of Los Angeles sure could have used one! Even Coach Gary has a coach! I actually have a few of them. Each has different specialties. If you really wanted to get good at project management and leadership, or with dramatically improving your business marketing by using video, I can help. Other coaches can do different things. At the very least, read this column and the rest of the magazine every month. You need this stuff! Mistakes are too expensive. Much less money out-of-pocket if you simply avoid them. I know!

In pro sports, one team will have several different types of coaches: head coach, assistant coach, quarterbacks coach, receivers coach, line coach, linebackers coach, and so on. And that’s just for football—done professionally. You see it now, don’t you?

The point here is that these times we are in call for getting some outside perspective from people who have been there before: people who know where they are going, and can show you how to get there, too. Tough times call for tough players and even tougher plays. Winning plays.

Still not convinced? I’ve got a free report or two for you that talk about this. Just go to the website at www.FullContactTeam.com , and you’ll find the special links there for Masonry Magazine readers.

Stick together. Be a team. Get a coach. Get some help. Get going!

Copyright 2009 Gary Micheloni

By the end of this month, we should finally have things working more like how we always hoped they would. You should begin seeing a bunch of video, regular blogs. Heck, some of the blogs will be video!

This is just a quick heads-up to let you know what to expect and when to expect it. Lots of good stuff coming your way, all designed to make you a much better project manager and leader. Ultimately, the design is to lead you into increased profits for your projects, your company, yourself, and even your country.

Maybe, just maybe, the country and its leaders can follow our lead. I know you can learn to run leaner, more efficient construction projects. I just hope that they can!

Thanks for dropping by,

Coach Gary

Just wanted to let my visitors know about our FREE Bronze Membership.  I am offering a Free 5 Part Course on RFI’s & Change Orders.  This is for all those Project Managers out there who want to finally learn the secrets of how to QUIT DOING ALL THAT EXTRA REQUESTED WORK FOR FREE.

There’s no reason why anyone should be doing any work for free just because it was an unexpected necessity during the course of a well thought out bid for a job.

As a Project Manager I’m sure you’ve already figured out that no matter how much you pre-evaluate all the possible scenarios of any job.  Something always comes into the picture you weren’t counting on and you always end up having to do those tasks without getting paid for it!  No matter how you split the hairs there, working for free just never works out to your financial benefit.  So let me show you how you can handle any and all of those situations and finally start getting paid for all those extra’s you’ve been doing for free.

Just so that you know I have the information you need to learn on how to overcome this “Working For Free” scenario.  I am offering the “Free 5 Part Course on RFI’s and Change Orders”.  Then once you figure out I know what I’m talking about and can help you put more money in your bank account.  It is my hope you’ll sign up with me as a “Silver Member”.

But if your not quite ready to take that leap yet but your still interested in seeing what I have to say then CLICK HERE to sign up as a Bronze Member and get access to some information that you can use right now and it’s all Free.

It’s easy and it’s Free to sign up as a Bronze Member.  Just go check it out, I don’t ask for any credit card information or a phone number.  Just your name and email and your on your way to putting more money in your bank account!

So once again CLICK HERE to sign up with me as a Bronze Member!

Thanks, and I look forward to getting to know you better soon! AND helping you get on your way to increasing your profits and reducing your stress!  Life is too good to be losing money all the time and stressing out about something you can easily change!

Coach Gary Micheloni

Well I’m assuming you’ve already been a Broze Member and now your seeing the value of getting coaching with me.  That I really do have the information you need to start increasing your profits!  I’ve been a Project Manager for over 20 years and I’ve been where you are!  Completely frustrated because a client is “ASKING” you to do something that was not in the original contract/bid for the job.  So just to keep the client happy you’ve been obliging the requests and just biting your lip.

Well, I’m here to tell you.  YOU DON”T HAVE TO DO THAT ANY MORE! Let me teach you how you can get your client’s to actually pay you for all those little things (sometimes big things) they ask for and those unexpected situations that come into play during the course of any job.

I’m not just some guy talking out his you know what.  I’ve actually been doing this my self as a Project Manager for more than 20 years now.  So I am actually speaking from experience of what I have put into practice.

By putting these techniques into practice, I finally started enjoying life more.  Not just because I was putting more money in my bank account.  But because it reduced my stress levels because I wasn’t working for free and because I was still staying on track with completion dates and my clients were even more satisfied with my job.

Why?  Because these techniques help the clients get a better understanding of exactly what’s going on, when it’s going on and why this or that is happening.  Not only that my employee’s sure did like that I wasn’t in a bad mood all the time because I was mad for whatever reason they weren’t sure of.  So company moral went up, employee performance improved and my profit margins grew!

Now as a Project Manager you can’t ask for more than that!  Well, except that you actually get through a job without any unexpected surprises you hadn’t already thought of.  Good luck with that by the way!

So now that you know I can really help you learn how to increase your profits, reduce your stress and help you improve your emplyee’s job performance.  What’s stopping you from signing up with me and letting me teach you all my hidden secrets to get to the point where you too are achieving all of that for yourself?

As a Silver Member, you get all the information and tools you need to achieve that for only $27 a month!  Now compared to priceless life long, career long information your gonna get in return for your $27 a month.  It’s a drop in the bucket and you’ll make that back in spades on the first job you start implementing my techniques.  And you’ll be thanking me all the way to the bank!  Oh yea, and I’m sure your spouse will be thanking me too when they see what a difference it makes in ya’lls private time when your not so pre-occupied with work and money.

So now that your ready to become a Silver Member and get started on improving life all around just CLICK HERE and your on your way!

Just in case you decided to go ahead and start out as a Siver Member.  Don’t worry the Free 5 Part Course on RFI’s and Change Order’s will be available to you.  But that’s not all you’ll get.  You’ll also get the 10 Part Course on “Using Pre-Construction Videos to Boost Profit Margins”, my audio’s on helping you that coordinate with 10 Part Course, the tools I use for every job that help you manage more effectively and communicate better with your clients and so much more!

So once again.  I am so glad you’ve decided to start improving your profit margins and so much more by becoming a Silver Member.  Just in case you missed the link earlier to sign up, that’s ok, just CLICK HERE and you’ll get signed up as a Silver Member right now!

Thanks agian, and I look forward to getting to know you better soon! AND helping you get on your way to increasing your profits and reducing your stress!  Life it too good to be losing money all the time and stressing out about something you can easily change!

Coach Gary Micheloni