


The Death of Expertise
by Simplar | Aug 17, 2023 | Business, Strategic & Project Planning, Business, Strategic and Project Planning, Business, Strategic and Project Planning, Project Selection, Project Selection, Project Selection, Weekly Construction Message
The Death of Expertise Thomas C Schleifer, Ph.D. The invention of the internet, powerful search engines, and the cellphone have made supposed experts of almost everyone. Some doctors are actually retiring early because they are tired of arguing with patients who use...
“Ya Puts Up Ya Money…Ya Takes Yer Cherce”
by Simplar | Aug 10, 2023 | Project Selection, Project Selection, Risk Management, Risk Management, Weekly Construction Message
“Ya Puts Up Ya Money…Ya Takes Yer Cherce” Thomas C Schleifer, Ph.D. So says Charles Dickens’ racetrack tout in his native cockney accent. This colorful character in Dickens’ 19th century novel describes construction contracting more accurately and concisely than all...
Tony the Temper
by Simplar | Jul 20, 2023 | Business Development, Business Development, Business, Strategic & Project Planning, Business, Strategic and Project Planning, Project Selection, Project Selection, Weekly Construction Message
Tony the Temper Thomas C Schleifer, Ph.D. Contractors and their senior executives don’t pull wire, pour concrete, drive nails, or dig holes. They don’t do the estimating, scheduling, or accounting for ongoing work. Once a contract is signed and a project is underway,...
Navigating Trends
by Simplar | Feb 23, 2023 | Built Environment, Business of Construction, Project Selection, Project Selection, Risk Management, Risk Management, Risk Management, Weekly Construction Message
Navigating Trends Thomas C Schleifer, Ph.D. I love this quote from a contractor who offered feedback on last week’s blog. “If we can’t do anything about trends, what are we supposed to do?” You have to love that. It reeks of the frustration that we contractors feel...
Size Matters
by Simplar | Mar 3, 2022 | Growth, Growth, Project Selection, Project Selection, Project Selection, Project Selection, Weekly Construction Message
SIZE MATTERS Warren Buffet once famously said: “I buy expensive suits… They just look cheap on me.” In this disrupted, unpredictable market of 2022, project selection may be the most important decision construction senior management will make. Last...