The Five Minute Foreman – Book Review

I ran into the author, Mark Breslin, at a conference in February 2024. Well, to be more specific, we sat at the same table. I struck up a conversation, and the next 10 to 15 minutes were a back-and-forth about the construction industry – the crazy shortage we are facing, intentional messaging, recruitment and retention – essentially, many of the things I write/speak about he believes, too.

He was the keynote speaker, and he opened with much of what we discussed the night before. It’s nice to know there are others out there carrying the torch and fighting the good fight – especially since so many others are not.

Outside on one of the tables was a copy of his book, “The Five Minute Foreman.” I obtained a copy – and I am glad I did.

Right out of the gate he opens with a wanted ad for foremen in the construction industry. If you didn’t know any better, you’d believe it to be satire. Those of us in the biz, though, know many of its tenets are true. The point, however, is how we present the trades to others; how we sell our respective industry has significant ramifications.

And I’m inclined to agree.

In fact, I’d say we need an overhaul in how we do many things.

 

Introduction

The author opens up advocating for those of us in the construction industry to adopt intentionality and embrace self-improvement.

The reason? Because the industry has been resistant to change in just about every facet there is – self-improvement included.

For my part, it’s nice to see others who have influence say the same thing I’ve been touting for years now. It is my hope self-improvement becomes more mainstay in the coming years. In fact, I don’t know how it moves forward and doesn’t.

What I REALLY appreciate from the introduction the most, though, is how he doesn’t just argue for self-improvement – he also provides tangible action others can implement via the Five Minute Lessons.

The Five Minute Lessons are, as far as I’m concerned, exceptional. Not only are they bite-sized nuggets of improvement, but they are also practical and straightforward. They can be found in each chapter when the appropriate section comes up, and I think Breslin hit a home run, here.

“The process of constant improvement and self-education is something very common and very powerful in successful people and organizations. Just because construction as an industry has not pushed this as a priority doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pursue it yourself. It is about determination.” – Page 22

“Self-improvement is supposed to be uncomfortable at first. That’s why so many people don’t do it or seem negative when others try. But guess what? It’s not about them. And if they are not sincerely supporting your growth and goals, they are not worth listening to anyway.” – Page 26

Spot on.

 

1. The Ten Faces of The Fearless Foreman

 

You are more than “just” a foreman – you are a LEADER

 

This chapter details the ten faces and how they describe every foreman on the job. I won’t detail all of them here; instead, I suggest you purchase the book, support the mission, and internalize what you read.

I did have some favorites, though, and the first one was point number 3: The Big Money, Big Responsibility Leader. Breslin knows what I do, too: scores of foremen – and companies, I might add – do not realize just how important they really are. And, to drive the point home, he highlights the amount of money managed by many – ranging from 30 to 300 million and more.

“That’s more responsibility than 90% of white-collar business people will ever have in their lives. A top foreman will often make more independent decisions than most business college graduates working in some cubicle for a big corporation. A foreman lives on the high wire. He is a serious professional who calls the shots almost all the time.” – Page 33

Hear here – I second that. What’s more, despite the importance most foremen play, Breslin writes, “more than 95% of foreman report that they received ZERO professional leadership or management training.” – Page 35

I’m wrapping up 22 years in the industry myself, so I can say with confidence Breslin is right: we expect tremendous results from people and give them NO training AT ALL.

Rounding out the chapter, Breslin writes, “A professional is expected to be confident in both words and actions. A crew wants a confident foreman. But there is a fine line between someone who believes in himself and someone who is over-confident.” – Page 38

“The Enforcer does not exercise power just because he can. He uses it to keep people in line and to prevent them from doing stupid things. He is both feared and respected. A guy unable or unwilling to be the Enforcer is going to deal with a lot of complications while trying to be only the good guy.” – Page 40

Right again. I’ve run work for years; give someone an inch, and they will take a mile. You must be willing to take a stand – or others will walk all over you.

 

2. Professionalism, Safety, Integrity, and Quality

 

The industry is seeing an interesting shift

 

When people think of the construction industry, people do not think about professionalism, integrity, quality, or even safety – even though we’ve come a long way since OSHA. Often, people associate it with arrogance, pride, rough around the edges, hard to talk to people, and even inefficiency. Some of that is warranted; like the old jingle, I know a thing or two because I’ve seen a thing or two.

This is the first of several longer chapters, and I like Breslin’s take – especially this one.

Breslin describes a professional as,

“A professional is someone who lives up to the full potential of his or her capability and job title, no matter their level of education or the industry in which they work.” – Page 45

I really appreciate the emphasis he places on the truth that, as a construction professional, you are more than JUST an ironworker, electrician, pipefitter, etc. You ARE a business guy. No longer can you claim, “I’m just this, or that.” For my part, if more people embraced this line of thinking, we could change a lot – and I mean A LOT.

I also appreciated his take on distinguishing yourself from others when you run the work:

“I care about what the customer thinks. The person or company that hired your contractor – yeah, their opinion matters. Because you are a living, breathing, straight-up representation of the branding and professionalism of your contractor…When you’re dressed appropriately, you identify yourself as a leader, not just to your crew, but to the contractor and customer as well. You may not like it. You may not think it’s fair. But it’s reality.” – Page 52

Other parts I found engaging:

“If someone is unable to generate total commitment after I throw myself under the bus for them, they don’t belong on my team. It’s as simple as that.” – Page 66

“In the construction world today, more and more work is negotiated instead of bid. That means the relationship and reputation of the company have a real value. Poor quality erodes client confidence. This leads to a poor reputation, a weakened brand, bad word-of-mouth around the industry, and loss of leverage in the contractor-client relationship.” – Page 70

As a friend of mine is fond of saying, “I’m in the business of building relationships. When I build that friendship, solve their problems, and do it to the best I can – with quality at the front, a lot of work comes my way.”

 

“Many times, what appear to be people problems are actually system failures. The employee is doing what he or she can to make it work, but the system is failing. It’s easy to simply blame the employee for the problem and ignore the system failure. But top foreman need to constantly be on the lookout for ways to improve systems, not just accept them as-is.” – Page 72

“How you act with and respond to the customer has lasting effects. Quality, safety, and integrity are not just buzzwords – they are what the customer is expecting and paying for.” – Page 74

I personally know someone who started their business and won their first job because – get this – he answered the phone in a professional manner. Think how you respond to the customer doesn’t matter? Think again.

 

“Be open-minded and clear-eyed. Keep asking, ‘Why are we still doing things that way?'” – Page 79

I heartily agree. This chapter is a must for those who are serious about becoming better foremen.

 

3. Effective Communication for Loyalty and Results

 

Do you know how many people are poor at communication? A LOT

 

Under what we could call the old system, those in charge would yell all the time and expect things to get done. Slogans like, ‘The beatings will continue until morale improves” are born out of times like that as a testament.

Well, if you want your job to be easier overall – and to be clearly understood – this chapter is for you. Breslin unpacks how important communication is, how it can help you, and gives us tips on how to improve ours.

“Communication dictates performance. Powerful and effective communication is all about using the right words in the right way at the right time. Every situation is different. Again, it’s not just what you say to your crew, it’s how and when you say it.” – Page 84

If you feel like you do not have the right words or ability, there are lessons he has crafted to help. Moreover, think about how frustrated you’ve been when someone didn’t clearly communicate something to you. What happened? Did anything go wrong? Were you blamed? Did you think that person could have been clearer with what they were expecting, wanted, and needed?

Yeah, I thought so, too.

Use that experience to motivate you to be a better communicator. The better you are, the more people will appreciate it.

“We already covered honesty in action in a few places in the book, but when applied to communication it is absolutely critical. Why? Because one failure is always going to be remembered and trust is always going to be in question…When communicating, do not bend, fold, or mutilate the truth.” = Page 86

 

One of my favorite Five Minute Lessons is in this chapter, too: Listening for Results. You can read more in The 4 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader, but I believe one of the critical and key components of a leader is listening to understand rather than to respond. It’s the reason why people talk over one another so often; we want to respond – not understand.

Breslin gives tips to be an effective listener, including:

“Don’t text, type, read, or multi-task while trying to listen. You are telling the other person he is not important.”

“Don’t start thinking about what you are going to say when the other person is done talking – concentrate and really listen to him.”

“Give the person your undivided attention.”

“Look the person in the eyes.” – Page 88

 

Communication isn’t just clear direction and listening; it’s actually much more. For example, Breslin writes, “We teach our children how important it is to say ‘thank you.’ But then sometimes we act like children and think we don’t have to say it at all.” – Page 92

Louder for those in the back, please.

Why is thank you so important?

“I found out a long time ago that a sincere thank-you never gets forgotten. Most people take others for granted, so the person who makes the small extra effort gets a huge benefit for being thoughtful.” – Page 93

Gratitude goes a LOOOOOOOOOONG way.

On the heels of gratitude is another novel concept: admitting when you are wrong and saying “I’m sorry.”

Let’s face it – no one wants to admit it. Breslin writes:

“Let’s get this straight right from the start. There are a lot of times in life when we should say that we are sorry but we don’t. The challenge is not really about when to say it – it’s just two words, after all. We almost always know when we should say it. For a foreman, the hard part is knowing it’s okay to say it in the first place…Most people do not want to go through the discomfort and embarrassment of an apology. But I’ll tell you a secret: If you are wrong, everyone already knows it.” – Pages 95, 96

Do you want to be a better foreman, superintendent, project manager, safety manager, husband, father, wife, mother – a better human being, overall?

Learn to say sorry. IT HAS MASSIVE IMPLICATIONS.

 

I’m pleased to see Breslin talk about asking for help – and this has broader applicability, given the growing emphasis on mental health in the construction industry. Far too many of us have hang-ups when it comes to asking for help.

He writes, “A lot of guys learn early on in life that asking for help is the same as admitting that you are weak. This is not true. It’s counterproductive and based in feelings of insecurity…Finally, it is worth thinking about the consequences of not asking for help. Most people I know who have trouble in their personal or work life should have asked for help a long time ago – and in most every case, they have friends, family, or co-workers who would have rallied for them without question.” – Pages 101, 102

 

Again, if you want to be a better tradesman or woman, a better person, or improve who you are overall, this chapter has some GREAT ADVICE. As far as I’m concerned, this chapter is golden.

 

4. Improving Motivation and Performance

 

“Leadership is the art of getting someone to do something you want done because he wants to do it.”

– Dwight Eisenhower

 

People come to work daily, and I suspect we all know the reason: to get paid. People need money to pay bills, to live, and because they have to. The sooner we are honest about it, the better.

What this chapter deals with is motivating those who work with you to do the best they can where they are at – with what they’ve got. Those who are in the field, however, know this isn’t as easy as it sounds.

Breslin is aware of this, too. It’s why he writes, “Motivation is an extremely important part of your job as a foreman.” – Page 112

“In a national survey by William M. Mercer Inc., a quarter of workers surveyed said they could do 50% more work. On average, almost all workers reported that they could do at least a little more work. That’s a lot of lost productivity and money. Clearly these employees have another gear that is not being engaged.” – Page 114

If you can motivate others – influencing and inspiring them – you can help more than the job; you can help them, both at work and in their personal life.

“How long does it take to hear about it when you mess something up in this industry? Ten seconds? But how long might you wait to get the praise or recognition you deserve for a job well done? Years, perhaps. More likely, forever.” – Page 115

On the heels of the above, he also advocates praise for efforts, too:

“Giving an employee or your team credit doesn’t always have to be about the outcome. When you see someone really trying hard, he too may be deserving of recognition.” – page 118

Amen to that.

 

One of my favorite quotes in the whole book comes from this chapter:

“Be sincere. Construction guys have the most powerful B.S. detectors in the world. They know when someone’s trying to get over on them.” – Page 121

Entire BOOKS could be written about that statement! For my part, I believe most in the industry – contractors, especially – do not truly understand this. If they did, ALL of their training would be done by someone who is genuine, authentic, and connects with those they are teaching. You cannot BUY the respect that’s earned.

 

“If you do not reach them, you cannot teach them.”

– Mandolen Mull

 

One more point worth mentioning: People place limits on themselves – and more often than not, they are LOW.

“Another important way to motivate people is to push them beyond their self-imposed limits to show them they can do a lot more than they thought they could – to help them set a new bar of performance for themselves…My goal as a leader is to make sure that everyone who works for me does things they didn’t think they were capable of.” – Page 122

Mark Breslin has hit it out of the park, once again.

 

5. Teaching, Coaching, and Discipline for Accountability

 

 

Why is it that we know “practice makes perfect,” and we teach our kids when they fail to get up and try again – yet when it comes to the job site, we are quick to beat someone down if they ask yet another question, or make another mistake, or even if they aren’t learning as fast as we’d like? And, stemming from this, why don’t we take a long look in the mirror, evaluate our criticisms, and make the necessary adjustments?

“Repetition is an important learning tool…The enemy of learning is impatience.” – Page 132

“Don’t criticize just to make people feel bad. Ask them what they did wrong. Ask them what they should have done. Most importantly, ask them what they are going to do next time.” – Page 134

I’ll second that.

Ask yourself: Why am I criticizing in the first place – to vent, or to correct? The answer will speak volumes.

Moreover, you think that because you are “just” a foreman, you are dealing with the project – Breslin takes dynamite to that assumption:

“A foreman always ends up dealing with employees who are having personal problems. Money problems. Relationship problems. Drug and alcohol problems. Performance problems. Attendance problems. Attitude problems. If you lead long enough, you will experience them all…How do you know when to cut slack and when to crack the whip? It’s a judgment call every time.” – Page 136

It’s TOUGH to be a foreman, a lot tougher than most people understand, realize, or admit. Situational leadership is your best friend, here.

Oh, and by the way, when dealing with employees, there is this gem:

“When you have to criticize any employee for something he did – or didn’t do – try to do it in a private setting. You don’t need to humiliate him in public.” – Page 144

Yet again, Breslin is dropping pearls of wisdom – if we’d only stop to pick them up.

 

Lastly, recognize that as a foreman, you will have to deal with difficult and contentious situations:

“In order to promote accountability and performance, many times a foreman has to make difficult or unpleasant decisions,” and after going over some of the more prominent excuses, he continues; “None of these are very good excuses for not doing what you have to do. Because most of the time when you are making decisions regarding people, time is not your friend. Procrastination ends up causing you more stress and grief. Avoidance just makes it much more painful when you finally have to deal with it.” – Page 146

Indeed. Ripping the bandaid off early and in one swift motion is almost always preferable. Put another way, running toward conflict is the best resolution measure out there. Another great chapter, here.

 

6. Goal Setting for Production and Profit

 

 

I talk A LOT about goals here; there is the yearly series – where at least 5 goals are set and reviewed monthly – and then there are the ones I talk about on the podcast. If you are not setting goals, you are just existing – and that’s no way to live.

Breslin agrees, writing, “Goals are essential to life. Without goals, it is hard for individuals and organizations to orient themselves toward the future.” – Page 150

We are in agreement, here. He continues:

“Why? Goals create a specific and visible measurement. For people who really want to accomplish something, goals are the only way to go…So if all this is true, then how come over 90% of the foremen I work with don’t communicate goals to their employees?” – Page 150

I’ll take a crack at it: Back in chapter 1, we read that over 95% of ALL foremen reported receiving no professional training – NONE. While goal setting is often a personal endeavor, it also extends to the professional and, therefore, could – and should – be included in training, much like documentation.

What’s more, goal setting has the added benefit of bringing those working with you to the forefront:

“The importance is not really in what the crew says but in the fact that you asked them for their thoughts in the first place. It’s all about ownership and people being directly involved in the plan from the beginning. You are creating accountability for them to meet their own expectations.” – Page 157

Well said. 👏

 

7. Building Teams and Relationships

 

 

Team building has been all the buzz for quite some time in the business world; retreats, exercises, and events designed to bring people together and build a bond seem to multiply. And, while we cannot directly compare office environments to the field, we should think along the lines of how to at least foster better environments.

Breslin has some thoughts, writing, “Your job as a leader is the create an environment that fosters cooperation, connection, and support.” – Page 160

“If they are going to bond, your team has to trust your leadership. If they are going to buy into each other, they all have to buy in to you first.” – page 161

Then, “the first step in building a strong team is to make sure everyone is on the same page and working from the same playbook.” – Page 165

What, you may ask, is that same playbook? Well, last chapter, Breslin talks about the importance of setting goals. It’s how you get everyone on the same page. You can establish goals. It creates buy-in. It helps you communicate better – which in turn allows others to buy-in to you, making things run smoother overall – like a well-oiled machine.

Lastly, when you do experience dry spots in the system – kinks in the flow of things, look at what’s really going on:

“The point is, you usually can’t resolve a conflict by looking at the symptoms. You have to find and deal with the root causes.” – Page 169

It’s worth mentioning again that one of the absolute best things you can do is to RUN TO conflict. Take care of it, ASAP.

 

8. Mentoring and Knowledge Transfer

 

You HAVE to invest in the next generation

 

A short chapter – but only in content, not importance.

Those of us who have paid attention see what has, and continues to, unfold: recruitment decline, generational divide, lack of empathy, and general disregard for mentoring/passing things down.

The result? The industry is venturing into unchartered waters, from what I can tell. I’ve never seen so many challenges all at once – and the total disregard (or, if you prefer, taking the trades for granted) is very alarming.

Breslin notes that:

“If you’re like me, you didn’t get to where you are in life without someone mentoring you. It is part of your career legacy to pass this on to younger people who are coming up in the business…Unfortunately, mentoring is at risk in our industry. I speak to thousands of leaders every year – contractors, CEOs, union leaders, foremen, and journeymen.” – Page 172

And while almost every hand goes up when asked if they were mentored, most stay down when asked if they are mentoring.

That. Is. Telling.

“Ask an older guy why he doesn’t mentor, and he’ll say, ‘The kids today don’t want to be mentored.’ Ask those ‘kids’ – the young guys in the industry – and they respond, ‘The older guys don’t want to teach us because they see us as a threat to their jobs.’ Or, ‘They think mentoring mentoring means yelling at us.'” – Page 173

As someone who looks older (thanks gray hair in the beard), I’ve listened to how the “young kids” are far more than I’d care to reiterate.

As an apprentice instructor for over 15 years now, I hear the apprentices say the above EVERY year.

I’VE HEARD EACH SO MANY TIMES IT MAKES MY HEAD SPIN. We HAVE to do better. Where will the next generation come from? Who will support the trade – never mind the pensions – once the older guys are retired? And, how are the younger people supposed to learn?

 

Concluding the chapter, Breslin says that:

“With many young people coming into the industry, there is a great need for what I call generational knowledge transfer. This is not just mentoring – as in helping someone to succeed. This is the traditional passing down of information that those with the most experience and time served can provide to those on their way up.” – Page 177

Can you hear it? There is a chorus singing Hallelujah right now.

I’d only add that despite whatever excuses you may offer up, as someone who is supposed to be older, wiser, more mature, experienced, and seasoned, perhaps you need to hear that it is your responsibility to teach. It’s your responsibility to reach. It’s your responsibility to remember what it was like when you were their age, fussing about the same thing. You may not like to hear it, but it’s true.

There is nothing new under the sun, after all.

 

The Final Word and Bottom Line

 

 

The shortest chapter in the whole book gives the reader a fantastic send-off and hopefully inspires them to take what they’ve read, implement it in their own profession, and help create a better industry as a whole.

“Construction is a rough, challenging, and sometimes brutal business. There is no room for those unwilling or unable in our leadership ranks. This kind of environment breeds a special kind of leader and competitor…This takes self-awareness. It takes empathy and compassion. It takes intuition. It takes drive and determination. It takes focus on yourself and others….In giving a little bit of time to the process of self-improvement, you not only own the title ‘professional’ but also have the opportunity to perhaps be a better person.” – Page 182

 

I could not concur any more than I already do. Well said – and done – Mr. Breslin.

 

Conclusion

 

 

To wrap things up, I have a question: What is your story? What will you do with the resources you’ve been entrusted with – squander them and flounder, or take this as a sign you should put your best foot forward, pursue excellence, and change what you can?

For my part, the Five Minute Lessons are worth the purchase of the book alone. And should you want/need to purchase a copy, you can find it here. This book is well worth it and should be on every skilled professional’s bookshelf.

Determine to be a better foreman – five minutes at a time.