Resicom CEO, John Fairclough, will once again be reaching out to fellow entrepreneurs, business owners, and students alike when he presents at UIC in Chicago.

Fairclough will be presenting to instructor James Downing’s Family Business Management class. The class will cover the difficulties of turning a small family business into an institutionalized company while maintaining stability throughout generations, a topic that Fairclough can relate to very well. Having started his own business, Resicom, ten years ago in the basement of his in-laws’ home, he has experienced the challenging task of expanding a small, family run business into a successful nationwide organization.

Fairclough will present on September 22nd, 2010 at 9am in room 216 of Taft Hall.

What makes Resicom different?

Every company has a distinct culture- the history, the creativity, the ingenuity behind what keeps the company growing and moving forward. We call these legendary stories.

Thanks, in part to Resicom, my brother and I have been able to buy a beautiful home.  The company is about consistency.  Consistency with what we offer clients, but also consistency with employees.  Resicom believes in offering a level of stability to technicians that normally aren’t used to having consistent incomes that can be counted upon.  Resicom doesn’t hire technicians just in the busy season, only to lay them off in the slower months.  I don’t know many other companies in the trades industry that offer salary positions to employees.  But because of this stability offered, I’ve been able to purchase a home, enjoy vacations, and experience a quality of life that I have worked hard to achieve.   I would like to think that I have grown up with Resicom, and I look forward to many more prosperous years.

It should be normal for companies to help its employees fulfill their need to give back to the community.

Let’s face it.  We call it work because it’s time spent away from family, friends and personal interests.  But what if you can find a job for which you have passion, interest and inspiration?  Suddenly, achieving a work/life balance becomes more feasible.  Now factor in the company’s responsibilities to help you find fulfillment in addition to your daily responsibilities.  Companies which provide their employees outlets for community involvement, social interaction and volunteer opportunities report a greater morale among their workforce.  Companies are recognizing that promoting these endeavors is more than a self-serving PR boost.   Such activities encourage employees to engage in interaction that perhaps they wouldn’t have considered finding on their own, but once involved find incredibly rewarding.  Skills are often developed and hidden talents even rise to the surface that perhaps aren’t utilized during the flow of a normal workday.  People who have never had the opportunity to participate in a leadership role may find they are in fact quite savvy at organizing a volunteer activity for the department. People who are shy often emerge from their comfort zone when interacting with co-workers in a non-work environment. 

Companies need to think beyond the structured team building activities of picnics or retreats.  Though enjoyable and a tried and true component of employee interaction, it doesn’t necessarily provide the same sense of satisfaction that comes from participating in altruistic activities.  When employees work side by side at volunteer efforts, a relaxed and easy camaraderie emerges.   A company recently hosted a picnic.  But this picnic had a twist.  The guests of honor weren’t the employees, but underprivileged children right before back to school.  Employees played games with the children, prepared their food, and sent each smiling face home with a backpacks filled with supplies for the new school year.  The response amongst employees?  ”One of the best company picnics I’ve ever attended.”   

What makes Resicom different?

Every company has a distinct culture- the history, the creativity, the ingenuity behind what keeps the company growing and moving forward. We call these legendary stories.

Resicom has had countless family-oriented gatherings outside work with some of the best food you have ever eaten.   I think the people of Resicom truly enjoy each other’s company.   These gatherings don’t have the feel that it’s an obligation;  more work really disguised as a picnic.  One fun occasion that comes to mind is when the owner of the company invited everyone down to his farm for a family friendly weekend.  We had organized games, campfires, scavenger hunt, canoeing and ATV races.  These activities helped us really get to know one another outside of work.  The teams that worked together and found out each others strengths and weaknesses seemed to do better- not just that weekend during competitive games, but also back in the office on Monday.   Of course, I’ll never forget that weekend as the one where my brother flew off the back of the ATV and was sore for a week!

Certain roles carry levels of authority – like a parent, manager, or president. This authority is one dimensional, and can be easily disregarded. Unlike power, authority is typically “given” and carries rules in a way that does not ensure buy-in.

Power or influence is earned. It is three dimensional, connecting the mind, body, and soul. People will go through walls for powerful leaders. It’s important to understand power does not come from an authoritative title, a relationship with business leadership, nor the amount of money one makes.

Consider a parent that smokes that is telling his teenage child not to smoke. Although the parent has authority, they will not have much power in this situation. The interesting thing about power is it usually develops by reducing self defeating activities. Consider the difference in power that a parent that does not smoke versus the parent that does.  All three dimensions of power are vulnerable.

Attitude. One who seeks power must maintain control over their attitude and cannot be a victim of their insecurities. They must overcome them. A few examples of violations include avoiding conflict, being controlled by a fear, and not taking making the tough decisions when required.

Body Language. Their physical presence must have a calming effect on others. The must be able to accept difficult information and remain in control. This is easily violated when someone becomes sunken, animated, violent, and/or intimidating.

Interconnections. The people you aim to follow must trust you, believe you care about them, and believe in your abilities. These make up the soul of relationships. Violations typically develop through poor communication. When one’s actions may appear to put pressure on one of the three interconnections, the decisions made must be properly communicated.

If your authority level is not matched by the level of your influence, your team will be disengaged.

I hope you internalize what I have shared here and apply it to boost your influence.

On August 18^th, 2010, PRSM LIVE brought together some of the nations top retailers and suppliers for an eventful day of industry networking and learning. The keynote speaker for the event was Justin Doak, presenting on Navigating Sustainable Industry Benchmarks.

Resicom sponsor and attendees, represented by CEO John Fairclough (pictured on the far right) and national business developer Marty Durkin (pictured second to left) had the opportunity to meet with keynote speaker Justin Doak and PRSM Presdient Paul Walsh.  Doak discussed the importance of sustainability and how to use leaders in the industry to measure, plan, and achieve success.

The Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies (IES) Advisory Council at the University of Illinois Chicago is committed to sharing wisdom, credibility, networks, and resources to the members of their network.

Resicom CEO, John Fairclough, was recently asked to join the IES Advisory Council. Fairclough’s three-year term includes attending formal meetings of the council, serving as an advisor to the executive director, and participating in IES events and programs.

A successful entrepreneur of a facility maintenance company, Fairclough is constantly looking for new ways to reach entrepreneurs. Fairclough believes that clear communication and learning from experience are necessary to succeed in any industry.  Passionate about empowering others and assisting future business leaders, Fairclough actively volunteers his time as advisor and mentor for various networking and entrepreneurial advisor boards.

DePaul University’s Colemam Entrepeneur Center is hosting a business symposium entitled “Breakthroughs”.  Held at the Metropolitan Club in Chicago, October 28, invited speakers have been asked to present a 20-minute experience share.

Resicom CEO, John Fairclough will join a group of 18 accomplished business owners and industry leaders.  All speakers will share personal stories of a time when they had their back to the wall, and how their response to the situation propelled either a personal or professional breakthrough/ achievement.

Fairclough recently published a similar account entitled “The Moment I Thought We Might Not Make It” as part of a collection of entrepreneur stories for Sometimes You Have to Look Over the Edge and Not Blink featured on About.com.   Fairclough is the founder and president of Resicom, a national facility maintenance provider that believes in the bold pursuit of what normal should be.

What makes Resicom different?

Every company has a distinct culture- the history, the creativity, the ingenuity behind what keeps the company growing and moving forward. We call these legendary stories.

We asked our employees to share in their own words what makes Resicom unique.

“Resicom harnesses cutting edge technology to its fullest potential. Resicom doesn’t shy away from incorporating technology in a variety of useful ways. The entire office is completely Mac Based. IPhones are issued to both office staff and field technicians so that video and photos can be sent to clients to verify project status or completion. This has also enabled Resicom’s Kansas City branch to go completely green. By running the entire satellite office via iPhone’s email, documents do not need to be printed and are instead updated via web based project management software. The iPad can be used to receive real time project signatures for technician sign-off sheets onsite. Video clips are created and uploaded on the web to train technicians and clarify procedures on upcoming, onsite projects. It’s cool to show clients our cutting-edge project management tools and how we create project scopes and action plans that look nothing like anyone else in the industry’s.”

What makes Resicom different?

Every company has a distinct culture- the history, the creativity, the ingenuity behind what keeps the company growing and moving forward. We call these legendary stories.

We asked our employees to share in their own words what makes Resicom unique.

“Resicom is a pretty big operation but at its heart, it still has a small company feel. I feel I can still meet and interact with the CEO. I’m able to go to him with feedback of what’s happening in our company. Not only does he appreciate it, he invites it. Resicom is small enough to be able to go to the CEO with feedback. He set up mentoring meetings and in these he would come up with solutions for me. Being as busy as he is, that really means a lot to know that he takes the time to do something like that when he doesn’t have to.”

What makes Resicom different?

Every company has a distinct culture- the history, the creativity, the ingenuity behind what keeps the company growing and moving forward. We call these legendary stories.

We asked our employees to share in their own words what makes Resicom unique.

“It is refreshing to work for a company dedicated to bringing its staff together to create an environment where employees are given the proper tools to reach their maximum potential. The constant emphasis on learning and developing as an individual and as a team is one of Resicom’s strongest assets.

It’s one thing to say you are committed to growing people’s careers and development. But there needs to be something concrete in that statement. The Emerging Leaders Program was created to tap potential future leaders within the company. This group was given direct access to the CEO of the company, John Fairclough. Members of the group are able to learn from his insight and experience. John shared his thoughts and knowledge on company history along with his outlook and vision for Resicom’s future. John empowered the emerging leaders to take on company initiatives and projects. This provided the proper tools and structure for the group members to see themselves as true entrepreneurs within Resicom, building the business. John challenges the emerging leaders to think and act as not just employees but entrepreneurs within their own roles in Resicom.”

What makes Resicom different?

Every company has a distinct culture- the history, the creativity, the ingenuity behind what keeps the company growing and moving forward. We call these legendary stories.

We asked our employees to share in their own words what makes Resicom unique.

“The Director of Operations and I had a rather heated discussion regarding a pending project. Sometimes sales and operations don’t necessarily agree on how projects should be completed, (classic Yin/Yang). Resicom always encourages clear and courageous communication- that it is the only way to build trust. We were both comfortable enough with one another and this expectation to voice our somewhat rigid opinions. Even though we were both passionate about our position, we knew we could speak openly and honestly. Two weeks later when we were in the same city, we were at Cog Hill bonding over a few buckets of golf balls; and the client awarded the project the very next day.”

What makes Resicom different?

Every company has a distinct culture- the history, the creativity, the ingenuity behind what keeps the company growing and moving forward. We call these legendary stories.

We asked our employees to share in their own words what makes Resicom unique.

“Resicom is a environment where a group of type A personalities can thrive and flourish, without imparting physical harm to one another! Resicom’s CEO has surrounded himself with a wide variety of Type A personalities. The good news is, we are all driven to succeed, and have a degree of competitiveness amongst ourselves. Traditionally, Type A’s don’t function well as a team. Individuals don’t recognize that the same traits they possess, are what make other Type A’s tick. These traits that we pride ourselves upon are sometimes seem as a negative in others. The goal at Resicom has been to to channel this Type A energy into something useful, which is what we at Resicom do best. We strive to communicate with one another in a clear and courageous way. Within 10 years, these type A’s will exceed a multi-million dollar organization, personality traits and all.”

Resicom is committed to getting better at the things that matter to us.  We call it the bold pursuit of what normal should be.   It should be normal that a company can create opportunities for the employees that help build our business.

Open Position :: Dispatcher

The Dispatcher role in Operations is responsible for logistics coordination of all in-house resources including manpower, fleet, warehouse and stock.  This role reports directly to the Director of Operations.

Ideal candidate skill set

• Solid understanding of work scope within trades industry
• General knowledge base of various trades disciplines
• Familiarity with state labor laws
• Communicates well within different levels of organization
• Excels at relationship management and conflict resolution
• Ability to produce multi-media technician training resources
• Ability to coach technicians and promote development
• Demonstrates company culture, policy and procedure
• Thrives within and produces exemplary results in high pressure situations

Dispatcher is responsible for holding technician team accountable and tracking performance.  Dispatcher KPIs include revenue per technician, capital management and  project expediting.

Interested candidates should send resume and cover letter to likemindedpeople@resicomonline.com.  No phone calls please.