To kick off the November issue of SBC Magazine, SBCA’s new President, Rick Parrino, writes about the relationships he’s built both on the national level and in his local market. He’s put a lot of hard work into establishing valuable connections with building inspectors, fire officials and lawmakers in Iowa, as well as his Congressional delegation in Washington, DC. Now that another election cycle is over, I’m sure Rick will go back to work reaching out and educating the newly elected officials in his state.
As I think about the relationships Rick has made, I can’t help but think of the relationships I’ve made through my involvement with the SBCA. I’ve had the opportunity to get to know a lot of great people from all over the country. Some of these people are component manufacturers, some are suppliers and some are SBCA staff. It’s been very rewarding working together on the various BCMC Build jobsites, at the SBCA Board meetings or on the conference calls that continually pop up in my Outlook calendar.
Occasionally members of SBCA will find themselves at odds with one another on an issue they feel strongly about. It can range from the perception of an unfair benefit provided to a competitor, to a supplier member that is testing the limits of an association policy. People often get fired up in these circumstances and react quickly to situations that are fluid in nature. I love seeing the passion people possess for industry issues, but worry about how quickly an issue can spiral downward given how connected we are via email and other technologies.
I’m reminded of an instance when I first joined the Executive Committee. We were having an issue with a supplier member and my inbox was filling up with forwards and replies. As I read through the correspondence my blood began to boil, and out of instinct I hit the reply button and began to type. Three pages later I thought of Herm Edwards’ bit on ESPN, ‘Don’t Press Send!’ I reread what I had written and decided I would wait until the next day to send it. The next morning, I read it again and decided an abbreviated version was a better idea.
In this case, waiting to reply allowed me time to think more about the relationship I have with this individual and to consider the issue from his perspective. I know him fairly well from attending many SBCA dinners together and working on various BCMC tasks over the years. I respect him and trusted our relationship enough not to let my emotions get the best of me with a hastily sent email. Email is a great tool, but it sometimes makes communication too easy. Oftentimes, it’s best to pick up the phone and talk one-on-one or get everyone together on a conference call to work out issues, particularly emotional ones. As Rick points out in his message, he doesn’t always see eye-to-eye with his building inspectors, but that doesn’t mean the discussion can’t be valuable or that it damages the relationships he has built.
As issues arise, I constantly remind myself relationships take years to develop and can be damaged in an instance with ill-chosen words. I trust there will always be a solution that leaves our personal relationships intact. I’m grateful for all the relationships I’ve developed with all the people active with SBCA and all the people that will become engaged as our industry thrives in the years to come.
Speaking of relationships, kudos to the National Framers Council safety committee for completing Phase 1 of its FrameSAFE™ Safety Manual Template. Take a look at Kenny Shifflet’s Framer Viewpoint to gain a better understanding of why component manufacturers should be excited about the efforts of SBCA’s newest council.