Madison Steury
Ohio native and CEO of ECS Construction, Steve Holley recently took a break from his busy day to map out the foundation of communication in the workplace. As a CEO, he interacts with people from the business world on a daily basis, making him more than qualified for this interview. Mr. Steve Holley goes through the importance of effective communication in a business environment. He breaks down the vital roles that verbal and written skills play in the execution of a successful business. During this interview, Mr. Holley answered questions on criteria ranging from his professional history to his writing advice and how communication played a crucial role through it all.
What is your professional history (include your timeline and roles)?
Mr. Holley: “I went to school for construction management. I then worked as a foreman and worked up to a supervisor position which led to me becoming a project manager before I eventually went out on my own. I now own my own construction company.”
What writing advice do you have for professional writers?
Mr. Holley: “The biggest lesson I’ve learned is not to become too proud to admit that you need help with certain areas. There are sometimes that I needed help with something, but I was too proud to admit that I needed help and I ended up doing the project wrong. The same applies to writing. You always need people to help you review your writing so don’t be too proud to ask for help.”
What is one pet peeve when it comes to professional writing?
Mr. Holley: “Professional writing bores me. Everyone tries to be too professional thinking that they need extra information than is necessary. They turn a simple response into a four-page essay. They put extra fluff into the reports that is unnecessary.”
What type of business reports do you read and/or compose on a regular basis?
Mr. Holley: “Profit and loss and expansion reports for the banks if we want to increase cash flow or line of credit. If we work in an area that we are new at I like to have reports about the area and where certain lines are.”
What writing suggestions do you have to make those types of reports successful?
Mr. Holley: “Besides just cutting out the unimportant information, just people being honest. It goes back to the resume aspect where people fill it with fluff and add extra information or make it like their job is better than it was. Make the report so that it has less of [extra information] and more so people will pay attention. It also makes it more enjoyable for them since you make it feel like they do not waste their time.”
What speaking advice do you have for professional communicators?
Mr. Holley: “Make sure you pay attention and give ideas. Engage in the conversation whether you’re the one speaking or the one listening. The biggest lesson in business is that you don’t know everything about everything and being available to use other peoples ideas.”
When you listen to other’s ideas and have effective communication it will help you go a long way in making sure that you are successful.
Name one aspect you wish you had known about business communication before your professional career.
Mr. Holley: “I wish I would’ve taken more of an HR class on how to communicate with people outside my work field. In the construction field, there is much talk that is not professional, and I handle those guys every day. Sometimes it is hard to go back and forth between being on the job and being in a meeting. While sometimes when stepping into a professional environment I can shoot myself in the foot because of my mouth. I messed up in the past because of that. I guess I just would’ve like to know more about how to be more professional during meetings. Not being professional can mess the outcome up when trying to get bids.”
After assessing the Burning Glass list of Baseline Skills (2016), which skills not in the top 5 would you move into the top 5… and why?
Mr. Holley: “Planning and keeping a calendar for communicating and keeping myself organized. So, I guess that would be time management. It is so important that you make sure you are on time for meetings or even to be on certain job sites with the guys. One lesson I have come to learn is that people count on you to arrive somewhere when you say so. And it gives a bad image if you aren’t on time. If I’m not on time then I’m wasting their time and that I do not want to do, especially with my workers. I need them to work in order for my company to be successful. Keeping a calendar, on my phone and in my office, helps me the most because I always have it with me. Every time I go into my office, I can see what I have on my day. [The top 5 skills] all tie together, and all are necessary to be successful in a professional environment.”
What team skills do you feel young professionals need the most?
Mr. Holley: “Experience and learning how to ask questions to learn more about their field. People coming out of college think that they have a degree and they know certain information. When they get into the real world, they realize that they don’t know as much and it’s different from college classes. People don’t want to look stupid by asking questions but that makes them learn more.”
Having a good work ethic is critical. People want to do the bare minimum and be their own bosses someday but that’s not how it works. I got here by working hard and not letting obstacles get in my way. People need to work hard and have the drive to get where they want to be
Key Takeaways
Throughout my conversation with Mr. Holley, it became clear that the information shared was insightful. As a future business professional, myself, the advice shared with me had impact and I plan on taking it with me as I grow in my career field. He said that it is important to ask questions when uncertainties arise. That is the quickest and fastest way to learn. Mr. Holley also highlighted that it is all right to not know the answer. As a student, it is harder to admit that you do not know something. As a result, we tend to keep to ourselves; thus, the statement that struck the most was to not be too prideful to admit when you do not know something. Being an effective communicator in the office entails asking questions and not being afraid to do so.
Mr. Holley also reiterated the importance of being clear and concise when writing or speaking to other people in the workplace. Adding extra information into a report or speech makes it more difficult to pick out the objective and the important information following it. Making sure that the report stays brief saves the author and reader time. Not adding extra information into a speech saves people from losing interest. In my conversation with Mr. Holley, it became clear that adequate business writers are able to distinguish between important information and information that can be left out. Distinguishing between the two help make you a more effective communicator to others within the organization.
Mr. Steve Holley Biography
Steve Holley grew up in Ohio and he attended Sinclair University in Dayton, Ohio. There he received his degree in construction management. After graduating from college, Mr. Holley held three different positions before starting his own concrete company, ECS Construction. Since then, he gained the necessary knowledge to run and manage a successful business.
Mr. Holley’s Website: http://ecsconstruction.net/
Madison Steury is a student in The Romain College of Business at the University of Southern Indiana. She studies to obtain a degree in both accounting and finance. Madison includes herself with missions over in Haiti and continues to help raise awareness for the Haitian people. After graduating in May of 2022 Madison plans on going home to help run her family business as an accountant. Click here to view her google site.
