Your Remodeling Company Will Be Better When Women Are Part of the Team

Men and women work differently. Combining the two styles helps you benefit from both.

By Paul Winans

Remodeling and construction typically have employed primarily men. After all, the classic image of a carpenter is a stud in work boots and a tool belt.

However, that is not the way things will be in the future and not necessarily the best for a remodeling business. Why?

I read an article by Claire Cain Miller about how women govern differently than men. Here are some of the points Miller made:

• Women are more collaborative than men. That is probably because women tend to listen better.
• Women interrupt people less. They pay more attention to non-verbal communication than men, getting a better idea of what is being communicated.
• Women build coalitions and reach consensus more quickly than men. In the long run it is less about “who” had the idea and more about “what” is going to get done. So what does this mean for your remodeling company?

Having worked closely with my wife, Nina, for 29 years in our remodeling business, here is what I noticed:

• Nina had a more objective relationship with our business than I did. That gave her the ability to see what really mattered in the long run, not just right now. Consequently better decisions were made than if I made them on my own.
• Our points of view were very different. The result was a regular series of dialogues. For example, we met outside the office once a week to share perspectives and provide one another with advice. Yes, I founded the business, but in running it we were equals.
• Because we were responsible for different aspects of the business, we would meet as two professionals who happened to work at the same company, not as husband and wife. That objectivity made it easier for each of us to hear what the other had to say. Doing this made it more likely that I would listen better to our employees, as they deserved to be interacted with respectfully, too. Our company generally had three to four women and six to seven men, with the ratio varying over time. My life as a remodeler was better the more women there were in our company.

The key to you making that so is to treat all those in your company and who your company works for with respect, regardless of their sex.

Keep in mind that most buying decisions about remodeling are made by women. If your potential clients see your company employing both women and men, that makes your company the best choice.