Creating a New Position and Role Within Your Contracting Company: A Comprehensive Guide

Creating a New Position Within Your Contracting Company: A Comprehensive Guide

As a contractor, the process of expanding your company is both exciting and daunting. Introducing a new position within your company is a pivotal step that signals growth, innovation, and a forward-thinking approach. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process of creating a new position within your contracting company, helping you minimize growing pains and ensuring that your entire organization thrives together.

The Importance of Thoughtful Position Creation

Before diving into the logistics, it’s crucial to understand the importance of careful planning when introducing a new position. Jerry Aliberti, owner of Pro-Accel, emphasizes that many contractors make the mistake of hurriedly promoting an existing team member without adequate preparation. This often leads to inefficiencies, frustrations, and a less-than-optimal outcome for the new role and the company as a whole.

Step 1: Conducting Thorough Research

Understand the Role’s Requirements

The first step in creating a new position is to thoroughly understand the roles and responsibilities it entails. What specific skills, knowledge, and emotional intelligence are required? Here’s how to get started:

1. Internet Research: Begin with a detailed web search to gather general information about the role. Look for job descriptions, case studies, and industry insights.

2. Consult Your Network: Speak with other contractors who have successfully created similar positions. Their firsthand experiences can provide invaluable insights and practical tips.

3. Hire an Expert: Consider engaging a professional consultant like Jerry Aliberti, who can offer tailored advice and strategies for your unique business needs.

For more about building a high-performing team that can bring you to the next level, click here.

Forecasting Future Needs

In addition to understanding the current requirements, it’s equally important to anticipate how the role will evolve. Consider the following:

1. Future Growth: Envision how the role might change as your company scales over the next five years. What additional responsibilities might arise? This is a VERY IMPORTANT step and most HR professionals and owners don't consider this step.

2. Skill Adaptation: Identify the skills and competencies that will be crucial in the future. This foresight ensures that you’re not only hiring for today but also for the company's future.

Step 2: Identifying and Bridging Skill Gaps

Promoting from Within

Promoting internally is often advantageous as it boosts employee morale and fosters loyalty. However, it’s important to recognize and address any skill gaps:

1. Evaluation: Assess the skills of your internal candidates relative to the new role’s requirements.

2. Training Programs: Implement training programs to bridge these gaps. Consider options such as:

  - Mentorship: Pair the promoted individual with a seasoned mentor within the company.

  - External Coaching: Hire professional coaches to provide specialized training.

  - Luncheons and Workshops: Organize regular learning sessions to facilitate continuous development.

In Jerry’s opinion, internal promotions, coupled with thorough training, significantly enhance team cohesion and performance.

Step 3: Redefining Supervisory Roles

Evaluating Supervisor Responsibilities

A new position invariably impacts the roles and responsibilities of existing supervisors. It’s vital to reevaluate and adjust these roles to ensure smooth integration:

1. Responsibility Downshift: Identify tasks that can be delegated to the new position, allowing supervisors to focus on higher-level strategic goals.

2. Alignment with Vision: Make sure the redefined roles align with your company’s long-term vision. This forward-thinking approach ensures that your leadership team is evolving with the company.

Supervisory Growth

As Jerry points out, the creation of a new role should catalyze growth across all leadership positions. For example, if you’re introducing a Senior Project Manager (PM), consider the following:

1. Project Executive Path: Prepare to eventually introduce a Project Executive role as the company expands.

2. Clear Reporting Lines: Establish clear reporting structures to ensure efficiency and accountability. If you’re directly supervising the new Senior PM, strategize on how to evolve your role to support the company’s growth.

Step 4: Integrating the New Position

Communication and Transition Planning

Effective communication and a well-planned transition are critical to the successful integration of a new position:

1. Communicate Clearly: Transparently share the objectives and benefits of the new role with your team. This helps manage expectations and garners collective support.

2. Transition Plan: Develop a robust transition plan that outlines the steps, timelines, and key milestones. Ensure all stakeholders are on the same page.

Performance Metrics

Establish clear performance metrics to evaluate the success of the new position. Consider the following:

1. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Define KPIs that align with the role’s objectives and responsibilities.

2. Regular Reviews: Conduct regular performance reviews to provide feedback, recognize achievements, and identify areas for improvement.

Step 5: Continuous Evaluation and Adaptation

The introduction of a new position is an ongoing process that requires constant evaluation and adaptation. Here’s how to ensure continuous improvement:

1. Feedback Loop: Establish a robust feedback mechanism to gather insights from the individual in the new role, their supervisors, and other team members.

2. Adjust Strategies: Be prepared to adjust your strategies based on the feedback received. Flexibility is key to successfully navigating the complexities of organizational growth.

Case Study: Introducing a Senior Project Manager Role

To illustrate these steps, let’s consider an example from Jerry Aliberti’s podcast.

Scenario: Promoting a Project Manager to Senior PM

A contracting company is growing and decides to introduce its first Senior Project Manager (PM). Here’s how they implement the aforementioned steps:

1. Research and Define the Role:

  - Conduct thorough research to understand the skills, responsibilities, and emotional intelligence required.

  - Speak with industry peers and hire a consultant to gain deeper insights.

2. Identify Skill Gaps and Plan Training:

  - Evaluate potential internal candidates and identify their skill gaps.

  - Organize a comprehensive training program, including mentorship and external coaching.

3. Redefine Supervisory Roles:

  - Assess the responsibilities of the supervisors who will interface with the new Senior PM.

  - Delegate lower-priority tasks to the new Senior PM and redefine the supervisors’ focus areas to align with long-term goals.

4. Implement Communication and Transition Planning:

  - Clearly communicate the objectives and benefits of the new role to the entire team.

  - Develop a detailed transition plan that includes timelines, key milestones, and responsibilities.

5. Establish Performance Metrics:

  - Define KPIs for the new Senior PM role.

  - Schedule regular performance reviews to provide feedback and ensure alignment with company goals.

6. Evaluate and Adapt:

  - Create a feedback loop to gather insights and make necessary adjustments.

  - Remain flexible and continuously adapt strategies based on feedback and evolving business needs.

The company’s thoughtful approach ensures a smooth transition, thereby enhancing its overall efficiency and accelerating its growth.

Creating a new position within your contracting company is a critical step in your growth journey. By conducting thorough research, understanding the future needs, identifying and bridging skill gaps, redefining supervisory roles, and ensuring continuous evaluation, you can seamlessly integrate the new role and foster a thriving organizational environment.

If you're looking for more expert advice and personalized strategies, consider reaching out to professionals like Jerry Aliberti and set up a Free consultation at jerry@pro-accel.com

With the right guidance and a well-executed plan, your company will be well on its way to achieving new heights of success.