Speaking and Training Programs

For organizing and business development programs it is suggested that students or attendees receive Organize or Die books or CDs two weeks prior to the program to accelerate their learning curve. For Survival of the Fittest programs aimed at apprentices and rank and file, distribution of the book or CDs should occur at or after the program to reinforce the lessons and curriculum.

Supercharging Field Productivity: 10 Ways to Boost Field Performance

This program examines specific methods and ideas for improving field productivity and performance. These cover motivation, communication, planning and related strategies that contractors, unions, project managers and foremen can all utilize to increase performance and competitiveness. The program provides take-away ideas and strategies that can be put to work immediately. (1-1.5 hours)

Survival of the Fittest: Motivation, Responsibility & Rewards

This presentation focuses on the key roles that must be played by the union; the contractors and perhaps most of all, the rank and file workers. Primary challenges covered include the realization that the good old days do not exist any longer and cooperative and strategic initiatives must be agreed upon and acted on. The focus for rank and file is attitudes and behaviors. Skills are simply not enough any more; it is about who you are as well as what you can do. A complete analysis of necessary skills, attitudes and behaviors is included. For integrated audiences of contractors, union members, apprentices or any one sub-set. Special programs for training centers and apprentices are combined with the Survival of the Fittest book and workbook curriculum. (Minimum of 2 hours up to 1000+)

Alpha Dogs: Leading & Managing in the Construction Industry

This presentation provides a strategic look at leveraging an increase in quality and capacity of field leadership in the construction industry. It focuses on “alpha leader” characteristics and analyzes today’s challenges and tomorrow’s generational leadership gap. Material includes historical note of the most long lasting business enterprises still in existence (over 1000 years); the dismal state of management in business in general and construction in specific and specific recommendations on how labor and management can not only take these challenges head on, but leverage them into greater market share and control of their own destiny. Tough love plus hard nosed advice. (1-2  hours. Groups to 1000+)

Partners at the Crossroads

This seminar closely analyzes labor and management’s mutual needs and the business approach that must be taken from a marketing; operations; collective bargaining; training; and financing standpoint. This is especially effective for L-M groups looking to start or revitalize their joint initiatives. For associations, joint labor-management groups and similar. (1-2 hours to 1000)

Marketing the Union Construction Industry: 3 Essential Campaigns

This program covers the three critical areas of marketing that labor and management must engage in for the future including:

1. External Marketing for Recruitment of New Workforce Talent in Generation X & Y.
2. Internal Marketing to the Rank and File to Promote Accountability, Growth and Change.
3. External Marketing Aimed and End-users of Construction Services for Great Marketshare Union Density.

This program provides practical strategic guidelines that can be implemented immediately by unions, contractors, training programs and labor-management organizations. (1-1.5 hours)

Bridging the Divide: Building a Construction Workforce of Boomers, X-ers and Generation "Why?"

The largest change in demographic composition of the American workforce is beginning to take place now and will continue for the next fifteen years. Are you ready? Most companies from Fortune 500 to mom and pop are struggling to understand the challenges of building and managing and multi-generational workforce.

This presentation contrasts Mark Breslin's traditional Booker viewpoints, attitudes, work ethic and construction insight with that of Jordan Bammer, a young, smart, critical thinking, techno savvy, Generation Y who thinks Mark and his generation are from the Stone Age. This fast paced, humorous, and insightful point-counterpoint presentation separates stereotypes from strategy. Focuses on managing generational differences; recruitment and motivation of Gen X & Y; and necessary changes and compromises required of all parties as we move to Bridge the Divide to stay competitive and relevant. (1-1.5 hours)

"The Top Ten's" Business Lessons for Labor-Management

Outside the bubble of our industry, traditions, and business model who can we learn from to grow market share and opportunity? This program answers that question. Taking critical lessons from the Top Ten Most Admired Companies* in the US, this program examines how these business principles can be applied to labor and management at a local, regional and national level. What do GE, Google, Starbucks and Procter and Gamble have to offer in the way of business strategy for our industry? Plenty. You do not become a nationally recognized Top Ten unless you are doing something that others can learn from. This program is relevant, timely, and 100% outcome focused. It educates, provokes and leaves every listener examining how they do business with their partners and within their own operations. Keynote: 1-1.5 hrs.
* (as identified by a national survey commissioned by Fortune Magazine of over 3000 business leaders in the United States)

THE CUTTING EDGE: RECRUITMENT & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Now more than ever the construction industry will be challenged to find, develop and retain quality candidates for a career. This needs to be done in brutal competition with every other industry in North America. Learn what cutting edge strategies and best practices are being used both inside and outside of our industry. Adapt the best methods of reaching the new base of Generation X & Y candidates. And perhaps most important, take a hard look at your workplace culture to see if you are properly positioned to be the company or union "career destination" in comparison with the multitude of other opportunities. The mutual interests of contractors, owners and unions is the nucleus of the presentation. Also included is a look at the difficulty of balancing supply, demand, attribution, union politics and demographic trends.

Key content:

• demographic generational curve with projections on attrition
• implications of average apprentice at 27 years old instead of 18-21
• key elements of workplace motivation and retention
• respective roles of end user, contractor and union in process; current process is disjointed and non-aligned
• operational and political obstacles to success
• cross industry analysis of competition for 18-35 year old profile
  • strategies being used by Fortune 500 manufacturing, energy, transportation, law-enforcement and similar
  • strategies being used by military
  • strategies being used in conjunction with new media / web
  • best practices within labor-management across Breslin Strategies client base (all major International unions and dozens of L-M organizations)

Program Duration:1-1.5 Hours
Keynote Address or Workshop

Organize or Die

This program is a very bold and realistic look at current union market share; strategies that need to be immediately implemented; operational and political obstacles to change and best business practices used by other successful organizations. Tailored to labor or management audiences from keynote to seminar format. (1-3 hours up to 1000+)

Apprenticeship Train the Trainer Program

The course is for apprentice Directors and Instructors who are actively seeking to implement some training on work ethic, productivity, attitudes and workplace values. Using the Survival of the Fittest curriculum (click here for more information) , this course shows how to use to best utilize the materials to address;

• peer to peer accountability
• work ethic development
• generational workplace challenges
• shaping workforce attitudes and behaviors
• leadership development

(5-6.5 hours. Groups to 300)

Contractor On-Site Multi-Craft Tune-Up (Large Industrial / Commercial Projects)

This program was developed at the request of large construction end-users and owners. It is a presentation that connects the dots for rank and file members on-site of major projects where generally hundreds to thousands of craft workers are employed. The dots to be connected include productivity – work ethic – responsibility – cost control and the elimination of the “entitlement” mentality. Particularly on major industrial jobs there is a tendency to take both the owner and their employment status for granted. Major improvements in performance as usually available and warranted. This program is focused on bringing that message home. (For groups of 500 minimum to 5000+)

Rank & File Industry Night

Generally sponsored by a Labor-Management coalition of organizations this is the largest of the programs offered by Breslin Strategies. These are multi-craft evening programs of 1.5 hours aimed at large numbers of rank and file leaders from a city or region. A combination of contractors and union leaders invite foremen, superintendents, key journeyman and all apprentices (mandatory) to attend to hear a message defining their role in the competitive mix. These programs use local market share data, economic information and real-life “close-to-home” examples to convey an urgent need for cooperation, productivity and end-user value. Some program sponsors have also included spouses to further emphasize that family financial security depends on rank and file attitudes, skills and work ethic. These programs start at 500 attendees and can range up to 5000. A low-cost dinner (sandwiches / sodas)  combined with a convention center or stadium facility has been a standard approach by sponsors. A Survival of the Fittest Book or CD is distributed at the conclusion to reinforce the message. These are truly designed to begin change across many unions and thousands of field leaders in a region.

Top Down Organizing & Business Development

The training program is the basic primer for effective top-down organizing. It provides practical strategies and tactics and well as a foundation for analyzing the time and cost benefits of the top-down approach. Covers extensive case studies on what has worked and how. One of the most popular Breslin Strategies programs. For organizers, business agents and union staff. (3-5 hours up to approximately 400)

Advanced Strategies and Tactics for Business Development

This is a more advanced hands-on program for organizers and agents engaged in top down organizing. Rather than focusing on the basics, this program assumes that the participants understand and are in agreement with the principles and approach. As such, the focus is on developing extensive tools and strategies to execute. Requires a laptop for every two attendees. (6-7 hours limited to 100)

Apprenticeship and Training: A Foundation for Market Recovery

This program outlines how to use the training programs, resources and staff to increase market share. Long ignored as an asset in this area, it is the most visible, tangible and valuable return on investment for prospective contractors and end-users. For Training Directors, Coordinators, Organizers, Business Managers and Trustees. (2+ hours to 500+)

The Business Plan

This is a customized program for labor unions seeking to reinvent their business model. Change is difficult to begin with but without a plan it is almost impossible. The Business Plan takes participants through a strategic process of determining what they need to do; how to get it done; and how to measure the results. This is a customized program requiring up-front interviews of Business Managers, International Reps, Labor-Management executives and or contractors. For union or management audiences. (2+ hours to 1000)

Courageous Leadership

This is a program for union leaders only. Union leaders are facing very difficult choices these days in trying to balance competitive market conditions with member needs with contractor needs with their own union politics. How can union leaders initiate necessary change and keep all these key factors in balance? How do you do the right thing by everyone and keep from starting a political firestorm? How do you get management thinking and acting in accordance with your needs as well? These any many other questions are answered. For Business Managers, Building Trades organizations and similar (1-2 hours to 500+)

Critical Trends for Labor & Management

This program looks at four critical trends affecting our industry sure to impact us even more profoundly in the future. It is a wake-up call that looks at the most vital and immediate changes coming (whether we like it or not) including consolidation and mergers; generational changes in rank and file attitudes and behaviors; joint labor-management business development and more. Keynote format for joint labor management or associations. (1-1.5 hours to 1000+)

Change & Goals: Can, Can't or Won't

According to Franklin Covey and Harris Interactive surveys, your team would say that they are focused on your organization's most important objectives less than 50% of their working day. Only 14% or about 1 in 7 believes that the team they work on is doing all it can do to contribute to organizational success. And less than half (44%) can even identify your goals.

As a result, when it comes to implementation and execution strategies, your union, association or company is very likely underperforming. This program looks at change and goals and the primary obstacles that stand in their way.

It examines those in your organization who "Can"; the drivers, innovators and passionately committed. The "Can't"; who don't have the direction, resources, training or structure - yet. And the "Won't" who choose inertia and the path of least effort. Labor and management have more good ideas than they can deal with. The real challenge is how to strategically implement and face down the barriers (both obvious and hidden) that prevent mutual progress. (1.5 - 3 hours)

Service Summary

• Labor Management Committee Presentations & Seminars
• Local, Regional and International Union Conferences
• Specialized Building Trades, Executive Boards & Delegate Programs
• Communications, Sales and Marketing Programs & Training
• Facilitation & Strategic Planning Services
• Organizer & Agent Business Development Training
• Small Group Targeting & Action Plan Programs
• Leadership Development Training
• CEO Coaching

Note: Programs from 40 participants (Intensive Role Playing and Skill Development) to 5000 (State, Regional and International Conferences). Programs ranging from 1 hour keynote speeches to full training programs.