Discover High Performance Precast

Precast concrete is a high performance material that integrates easily with other systems and inherently provides the versatility, efficiency and resiliency needed to meet the multi-hazard requirements and long-term demands of high performance structures.

Choosing precast concrete during the design build process can provide a multitude of architectural, construction and design benefits. Whether you are designing commercial structures, residential structures, parking garages or another type of structure, consider precast concrete as your building material of choice.

Versatility
Precast concrete provides excellent versatility in aesthetics, structural design, and use. Precast concrete provides a number of architectural benefits. It comes in almost any color, form, and texture, and can also be veneered or embedded with natural materials. It can also be utilized as the primary structural system saving material, time, and money. Precast concrete can also provide greater open spans by reducing the number of interior columns thereby increasing flexibility in the use of the floor space.

Efficiency
Precast concrete provides efficiency in use of materials, construction, and operation. Precast concrete is the fastest building system available and minimizes negative effects at the project site. Precast also provides a very thermally efficient and almost maintenance free envelope that helps reduce overall life-cycle costs. Precast concrete has been used in a variety of projects focused on sustainable design due in part to its efficiency benefits.

Resiliency
Precast inherently provides a high level of resiliency which protects against multiple hazards such as fire, severe storms, explosions, and even earthquakes. Precast also does not contain any VOCs or provide a food source for mold which helps maintain a healthy indoor environment. It is also a great sound insulator and can help maintain more uniform indoor temperatures thereby improving occupant comfort.

~ Information provided courtesy of PCI.

Training a Team of Leaders

What happens when you train an entire company to be leaders? That’s what Mid-States aims to find out.

The company currently has 10 people enrolled in leadership training based on John Maxwell’s The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, led by Jeremy Olivotti, Vice President of Preconstruction.  Olivotti is certified by Maxwell to teach the program.

John Maxwell is the top leadership expert in the world. He has written more than 70 books and spoken to millions of people on the subject of leadership and what it takes to become a great leader. One of the things Maxwell is known for saying is “people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

The Mid-States group meets once each week and training lasts for 11 weeks. After the first introduction week, it covers two chapters of the book at each session. The goal is for everyone to not only understand what good leadership is, but also to empower them to become great leaders.

“The dream is to have every employee go through it,” Olivotti said.

Leadership skills are useful at work, home and in all aspects of life. Really, the course will help members of the Mid-States team develop not just into leaders, but the type of leaders people want to follow.

“We’re learning that the more we grow our people, the more fulfilled they are,” Olivotti said. “The better they are at home, the better they are at work. It’s contagious.”

The training offers a common language in which to discuss leadership. The laws help people identify deficiencies, discuss them and, ultimately, correct them, making for a more positive company culture.

Olivotti is a firm believer that people want leaders who believe in them and want to help them achieve their goals. This training program will help create that kind of leader here at Mid-States. Among some of Olivotti’s favorite chapters to study are: The Law of Respect, The Law of Picture (people do what people see) and The Law of Victory (leaders find a way for the team to win).

“Leadership is defined as influence,” Olivotti said. “Nothing more and nothing less. We want to give our people opportunities to influence people in a positive way.”

The training sessions also allow the team to get to know teammates they might not get to interact with on a day-to-day basis and incorporates plenty of participation. The group is very candid in discussions, leading to insightful, open, and productive dialogue.

Now, you can’t have a company full of leaders and no followers, so the course also teaches participants how to be better followers. Through the training, participants learn to understand what other leaders are trying to accomplish and help them understand what they need to do to support these leaders.

Some of us will lead at work. Some of us will lead at home. Some of us will lead our kid’s soccer team. The important thing is we all lead by example.