Flaky contractors

[Ruby Slippers]

I am expanding my business, and I am finding that about half the new contractors I'm hiring are reliable and solid, and the other half are flaky.

 

These flakes are starting to make a conservative out of bleeding heart me , because my patience for their BS is waning and I'm quickly tiring of it, it's obvious to me they are failing because they don't want to be helped or to help themselves, and the thought I am left with is "screw them and let them fend for themselves, then!"

 

I have a positive and encouraging (not critical) leadership style, and I will go quite a distance to empower people working for me to shine and do awesome work, but I am not going to let anyone take advantage of my good nature by throwing together shoddy work at the last minute or missing deadlines, then appealing to my softer side with lame excuses and complaints. I am working my butt off to grow this business and make it great, I am taking off, and I can't afford to be held down by dead weight.

 

I guess this thread is about growing up and learning to lead with heart when necessary, and brass balls when necessary.

 

Any advice from seasoned business owners and employers is appreciated.

[KikiW]

I am a fellow business owner, but we are still in infancy stage - just about to start looking for a real space, rather than continue out of my basement.

 

But I sympathize - my fiance is driven up the wall by the union guys he works with. He is from the south and has a very high work ethic, driven to improve his knowledge, happy to stay until the job is done and he is satisfied with the results. The VAST majority of people he works with are lazy jack@$$es who "work for break" - they come in just a little late having stopped for a coffee, fuss around for a bit, then start wrapping up what they are doing because break is in 15 minutes. come back late from break, fuss around some more, then start wrapping up for lunch. Come back late from lunch, rinse repeat until time to go home.

 

Not to mention the fact that none of them know what they are doing. He works in water treatment. The stories he's told me I am surprised the local residents have not gotten ILL from the stupid things they have done.

 

He can't STAND the laziness and excuses he hears. Luckily he is in line to take supervisor position and will be sending a bunch of the union guys out to paint fire hydrants and hire contractors who know what they are doing in.

[jean-luc sisko]

I have this experience as well.

 

Maybe contracting is key here. Sign a repair/servicing contract, outlining terms and expected levels of performance.

[CollectiveVelvet]

I own a services business as well. We rely heavily on contractors and after beginning this process I became bitter and jaded. I found exactly what you have-- excuses and let down. Give it a year and a half of solid contractor building until you have a solid group and some stand-bys, then take a breath.

[jean-luc sisko]

I am expanding my business, and I am finding that about half the new contractors I'm hiring are reliable and solid, and the other half are flaky.

 

These flakes are starting to make a conservative out of bleeding heart me , because my patience for their BS is waning and I'm quickly tiring of it, it's obvious to me they are failing because they don't want to be helped or to help themselves, and the thought I am left with is "screw them and let them fend for themselves, then!"

 

I have a positive and encouraging (not critical) leadership style, and I will go quite a distance to empower people working for me to shine and do awesome work, but I am not going to let anyone take advantage of my good nature by throwing together shoddy work at the last minute or missing deadlines, then appealing to my softer side with lame excuses and complaints. I am working my butt off to grow this business and make it great, I am taking off, and I can't afford to be held down by dead weight.

 

I guess this thread is about growing up and learning to lead with heart when necessary, and brass balls when necessary.

 

Any advice from seasoned business owners and employers is appreciated.

 

Be nice, but fair.

 

Tell them flat out that bad work will not be tolerated. If it is, then they should be encouraged to perform. If it continues, then they should be written up. If it continues further, sack them.

 

I supervise persons, and I generally am amiable to them, and empower them when needs be. But if they screw up, I'll be firm (even angry) and tell them they did ****. I think at the outset in any work, guidelines of acceptable performance need to be laid down.