by Mike Dilts, CEO

Every day, as I visit our jobsites, walk the halls of our offices, and talk with the men and women who dedicate their careers to Shiel Sexton Company, I am reminded of the commitment our people have to their craft. I don’t see a lot of nine-to-fivers. I see people who are dedicated to building great things. They carry it with them. Many years ago, economist and businessman Peter Drucker said, “culture eats strategy for breakfast.” I have come to appreciate that line more and more recently.

As I witness some of our people who accomplish great success, move mountains to ensure our projects get done successfully, I often wonder why. Why were they able to be successful? Why were they able to achieve things that may seem impossible? While I would love to attribute their success to great strategy, taking full credit, it’s not that simple or easy. The reality is that there is an innate cultural motivation. It’s the willingness to do whatever it takes to ensure success. It’s a commitment to their co-workers and themselves to do their part.

Just a few years ago Shiel Sexton became an employee-owned company. As the ESOP program has grown, I have watched this dedication grow. People aren’t just working for a company, they are working for our company. The cultural personal pride of ownership has made people relentless. They expect more of themselves. They expect more of each other. They expect more out of Shiel Sexton.

Our clients’ demands and our projects aren’t easy. We build the toughest projects. So each time I observe people who thrive on solving problems, overcoming difficult challenges, setting a high-bar of expectation, it occurs to me that we build for people who expect more. The essence of Shiel Sexton is delivering on a promise of high expectations. This cultural commitment drives our company. This is what we do. It’s what defines our company and truly makes Shiel Sexton special to me.

The SCOOP | March 2016 | More from this Issue