LMC is off to the races in Charlotte
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – “Start Your Engines” is the theme of the 2023 LMC Annual — the forest products, lumber, and building material buying group’s largest event of the year, which kicked off here this morning.
The theme’s slogan ties into this year’s location - Charlotte, North Carolina - which is home of NASCAR headquarters, the NASCAR Hall of Fame, and the Charlotte Motor Speedway.
It’s also a tip of the racing helmet to LMC’s dealer members getting off to a fast start as many enter the industry’s busy spring and summer seasons.
Representation from about 60% of LMC’s dealer membership base is expected to be in attendance at the Charlotte Convention Center where the Annual takes place through March 10. Based in Wayne, Pa., LMC’s membership includes more than 1,400 dealer locations in the United States and the Bahamas.
This event also features about 300 suppliers looking to discuss products, solutions, and innovations with LMC dealers.
Education is another major component of the Annual with multiple LBM-focused sessions being held throughout the day.
A morning session featuring Tony Misura and Dena Cordova-Jack of the Misura Group drilled down into attracting the right talent and building a solid team. For the first time in history, there are four generations participating in the country's workforce. And each generation has different needs.
For example, while Generation X tends to work independently and is not a fan of micromanagement, Millennials want to be the next CEOs of companies. But according to Cordova-Jack, Millennials sometimes need to be pointed in the right direction.
“Career pathing is extremely important to Millennials,” Cordova-Jack, vice president of the Misura Group, said. “They have lofty career goals but sometimes need guidance on their career path.”
Then there’s Generation Z, which will ask hundreds of questions about their job and career path, she said.
When looking to attract talent and build the right team, executives and owners need to be ready to meet the expectations and traits of different employee generations.
Misura asked a room full of dealer members if they were facing the problem of having “truck drivers coming out of their seams.” They said they weren’t. Attracting and retaining drivers remains a challenge for some.
Misura likened the current hiring climate to a grizzly bear attack.
“The grizzly bear is the micro-dynamics of hiring in today’s market,” said Misura, the founder of the Misura Group, which specializes in recruiting top-tier talent for companies.
“There are two open jobs and one available worker for the rest of your life and it’s not changing,” Misura told the audience. Since no human can outrun a grizzly bear, the current market must be embraced for what it is, and it must be managed.
Misura also told the audience that the Federal Trade Commission is preparing to do away with non-compete clauses. (A topic that is also this week’s poll question at HBSDealer.)
“How many LBM people will just walk?” Misura asked while likening the proposed change to NFL free agency.
Additionally, as companies put together a team of “gems,” Misura reminded dealers that they can polish their existing talent “into a diamond.”
In other cases, companies might have to be more flexible when hiring. This includes placing more females in management positions or perhaps hiring ex-convicts and recovering substance abuse users who want and need work.
“Be kind to people that others are not being kind to,” Misura said. “Create a safe place for people within your industry space who don’t feel safe.”
