Billionaire Smarts: Shrinking the Communication Gap

The Billion Dollar Questions

According to the 2010 Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index, the Top Ten most disabling workplace injuries amounted to more than $52 billion dollars in direct U.S. workers compensation costs.

More than $1B each week! And that's just in direct costs. The indirect costs involved in jobsite deaths and injuries often far exceed the direct costs. And the indirect costs are absorbed by the employer. They take a bite right off the bottom line.

Maintaining a safe jobsite - for everyone - not only makes good moral and ethical sense, it helps you be profitable.

Ah yes, the P-word.
The almighty dollar.
It plays a part here too.
It always does.

So what can you start doing today to make your job safer, more productive, and more profitable?

Let's chip away at the communication barrier. Let's start with a simple way to say, "How's it goin'?" en Español.

Every journey begins with a single step. This one begins with two syllables.

¿Qué tal?
(kay TAHL)

"kay" like the month of May.
"TAHL" like saying "all" with a T in front of it.

That's it.

These could be the two most valuable syllables you've said in a long time.

Now when you're walking the job, look the Spanish-speaker in the eye and say it casually. More than likely they'll be stunned because you've been ignoring them for years.

Bill Heuer at The Countertop Factory noticed a change. "When I just started saying 'good morning' and 'How's it going?' in Spanish, the dynamics of our relationship changed. They knew I was making an effort and they appreciated it."

Taking steps to shrink the communication barrier - It's the smart thing to do. You don't have to be as smart as Charlie Munger - Warren Buffett's billionaire right hand man at Berkshire Hathaway. But it may help to start thinking like him, at least in respect to his view on death.

Charlie Munger's strongest ambition is to not die. Your strongest ambition is to thrive in a down market and not have anyone die on your jobsite.

Bradley Hartmann is el presidente and founder of Red Angle - a Spanish language training firm focused exclusively on the construction industry. He can be reached at bradley@redanglespanish.com and www.redanglespanish.com.