Translating Vision Into Operations

On today’s show we are talking about translating vision into execution. There are many companies that have an impressive company tag line. But when you ask employees and stakeholders about it, there is usually an awkward pause. What comes after that is often a disjointed statement. At our development company, we spent a lot of time thinking and refining what our business is about. We are real estate developers. All developers have a calculator that works pretty much the same. In order to generate a profit, you need income to be higher than expenses. You want to build the best product for the lowest possible cost. All of the usual things that maximize profit. For many developers, that means squeezing the subcontractors.  When I tour newly completed projects in the market, I’m stunned at how poorly things are built. I’m astounded at the low quality of finishes. But most of all, these brand new apartments in supposedly luxury buildings are truly awful. I see living rooms with columns that make the space virtually impossible to furnish. I see bedrooms that are so small you can’t fit anything but a bed and a single night table. You’re thinking of hosting friends for dinner? Maybe have dinner in a restaurant because there isn’t really a space to entertain. That’s what I see when I look at many brand new projects. So back to our company vision.  We thought long and hard. Our company exists to build communities that people feel compelled to call home.  So what does that really mean? How does that translate into what we actually do? Does it mean sacrificing profitability?  This vision is more than just a vision, I consider it a guiding principle.  ---------- Host: Victor Menasce email: podcast@victorjm.com