We all know 2020 was a challenging year to say the least. Dow Smith, President of Dow Smith Company, shares what he learned in 2020 and how he plans to use his new insights for the better in 2021.

As I closed the books on 2020 and prepared for a prosperous 2021, I began reflecting on what I have learned and relearned from a very challenging year. I think I did more relearning, so I have reranked my lessons learned. They are:

1. Where there is structure there is freedom. This is a phrase I coined a few years ago and it has proven to be true as I try to navigate through this pandemic. The times and moments when I have experienced the most freedom (and benefits and joy) are when someone has provided the leadership, preparation and plan. But the plan has provided room for adjustments. The plan has provided room for “organic” conversations or events to evolve. This is not meant to be used as an excuse for legalistic micromanagement. There is a fine line between wise leadership and being a control freak. Usually, the structure is meant to achieve some form of vision.

2.  “If you’ve got to eat a turd, don’t nibble at it.” Not all decisions that I made last year were good ones. Some were just outright mistakes. Accept what went wrong and move on with the business of correcting it as soon as possible.

3. Where there is no structure, there is chaos. The times and moments when I have experienced frustration have been where there has been no plan or preparation. The approach of “Let’s just show up and see what happens” can be risky. What should be accomplished in a few minutes takes hours. Or nothing at all gets accomplished. Or the wrong thing gets accomplished. And then you have to start all over—with some structure.

4. Science and Faith make great partners. Not everybody is going to agree with that statement. And that is fine. That tension has sure been seen this past year. But from my perspective, both are needed. While some may view science and faith as being in opposition to one another, I believe they are two sides of the same coin. In a blog on corechristianity.com, Timothy W. Massaro writes, “God’s handiwork bears the signs of design and dignity, the world is full of wonder. Another reason for a belief in God is that the life-oriented properties of nature must have existed originally for the world to exist at all.”

5. Old dogs can learn new tricks.  I have learned more this past year than I have the previous 10 years combined. I believe I am here to build and nurture, but also to learn and improve. In 2021, I want to be a better servant, husband, father and leader. I want to challenge our company to continue to step outside of our comfort zones and take on projects that cause us to grow. I wish the same for you.

6. Sometimes ignorance makes it much worse. My worst decisions were the ones made in haste without enough information. Proverbs 18:13 states, “If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.” If we don’t have the answer, we won’t pretend we do. We are blessed to work with specialists on every step of each project. 

7. Leadership cannot be delegated. Harry Truman had a sign on his desk that read, “The buck stops here.” Truman took office near the end of World War II and made what could be argued was one of the most difficult decisions any president has ever had to make. After serving as vice president to Franklin D. Roosevelt, Truman succeeded FDR upon his death in 1945. After taking the Oath of Office, Truman told reporters, “Boys, if you ever pray, pray for me now. I don't know if you fellas ever had a load of hay fall on you, but when they told me what happened yesterday, I felt like the moon, the stars, and all the planets had fallen on me.” But Truman, who didn’t have a vice president during his first term, knew that leadership, as well as the tough decisions that come with it, couldn’t be passed to anyone else. He once said, “The President cannot duck hard problems. He cannot pass the buck.” 

8. The longer you wait to make the hard decisions, the more difficult it becomes. Forgive me for quoting two presidents in one blog, but it seems appropriate for this one. Theodore Roosevelt once said, “In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.”  

9. Laugh at yourself. We take the relationships with our clients very seriously. We know that we’ve been given a great responsibility to serve every time we start a new project. But we also make sure to have fun, and to not take ourselves too seriously. To demonstrate my sense of humor, I wanted to tell you something funny about the construction business…but I’m still working on it. (Sorry – dad joke.)

10. Sometimes ignorance is bliss. In short, this means that if you don’t know about something, it’s impossible to worry about it. It’s a phrase that was coined by the English poet Thomas Gray in his Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College. Of course, Gray was not extolling the virtues of ignorance, but rather reminiscing about his younger days when he wasn’t expected to know so much. As people—and companies—grow, there is a higher expectation of what we should know. Even still, there are things that are out of our hands, and it’s best for us to stay focused on the things we can control.

11. Never ask anybody to do something that I am not willing to do myself. Being a football fan, the best coaches I’ve ever seen have never asked their players to do things they weren’t willing to do themselves. This one isn’t necessarily about skill, but leadership and effort. I have to lead by example when it comes to the amount of effort I put in every day. And, like my favorite coaches, I know I have to rely on others who can do particular jobs better than I can.

12. Bad personnel decisions are very expensive and good personnel decisions are rewarding. There’s a saying among carpenters: Measure twice, cut once. Taking the time to get the measurement right before cutting can save you time and money in the long run. The same is true when it comes to hiring. Just like cutting the perfectly measured piece of wood, I carefully consider each role on our team and make sure we’ve got the right fit anytime we hire or promote someone. When they slide into place, the rewards always exceed my expectations. 

13. Good work is the best marketing tool. We believe in marketing at Dow Smith Company. (You’re reading this blog, right?) But no piece of marketing can top the value of a job well done. This year, we completed a 27,196-square-foot building for Murfreesboro Medical Clinic. As we celebrated the success of that project, we reflected on the fact that our relationship with MMC began more than 10 years ago when they needed a walk-in clinic in the Kroger on Lascassas Pike. Doing a good job on that first project played a key role in MMC hiring us for what became a watershed moment in our company’s history.

14. I am either selling or de-selling. Nothing we do is stagnant or sedentary. We’re either moving forward or backwards. Setbacks are acceptable, but not for long. What we do every day matters. Our clients and our prospective clients are always watching.

15. It’s okay not to be the smartest person in the room. I don’t have to have all of the answers as long as I hire people who do. The smartest thing any of us can do is staff our weaknesses and surround ourselves with smarter people. 

16. My reputation is only as good as my last job. This one is simple. We’ve done a lot of exciting and noteworthy projects at Dow Smith Company, but the most important project is the one we’re working on right now.  

17. Never miss a chance to celebrate. We hit some major milestones in 2020. Even with the obstacles that accompanied COVID-19, we achieved even bigger and better things. After a year like this, it’s important to celebrate before moving on to the next thing. Not celebrating these accomplishments would be doing a disservice to everyone who worked so hard to make them happen.

18. Strong people cry. To love something or someone means being willing to risk losing them. As the stakes of life and business get higher, so do the rewards, but so does the potential for loss.  

19. All healing begins with awareness and awareness brings immediate improvement. Mourning losses doesn’t make us weak. It actually makes us even stronger and better prepared to fight for our dreams. It has been said that when something is observed, it can be changed. When we truly monitor our own behavior, we’re more capable of improving it. By regularly examining processes and practices, we’re able to make minor tweaks or major changes, depending upon which is needed.  

20. You have to accept the “new man” price for five years before you can be paid for what you are worth. This was a lesson I learned from Frank Crosslin of Crosslin Building Supply as he opened my first credit account. It has turned out to be quite true. We all know that we have gifts and talents to offer the world, but first we have to prove ourselves to the world. When Dow Smith Company opened in 1992, we were every bit as dedicated to our craft as we are today. We operated then as we do today, with the desire to do what is best and right for our clients. But we were the new kids on the block, eager to get to work. Over the years, as we’ve built hundreds of projects, we have also built a solid reputation. We know that hiring the lowest bidder is a terrible idea, (I wrote a blog about that here) but that doesn’t mean you’re going to pay an arm and a leg for your facility’s construction. Choosing a commercial building contractor with high standards doesn’t always come with a high price tag. It just means that after 28 years of experience, we will not settle for second best…and we don’t think you should either.

21. Self-care is not being selfish. HALT has a renewed meaning to me. When I am hungry, angry, lonely and/or tired, it is in my best interest and those around me for me to step back and address those needs immediately. Sabbath is pretty important. When I force myself to rest, things go better. Having fun on a regular basis is vital. Exercise is replenishing.

Bonus: There’s a big difference between solitude and isolation. I struggle with isolation to a fault. I am an introvert by nature, but the mantra “be self-sufficient and independent” is a lie. Scripture on how Jesus moved from solitude to community works well for me. He often withdrew regularly for solitude and prayer. But most of the time he was in the trenches. If this year has taught me anything, it’s that we need each other.