A former Secret Service agent and interrogator shows how to unlock elite communication strategies to lead fearlessly, resolve conflicts and inspire teams.
Evy Poumpouras is clued into the high-pressure world of construction. The former Secret Service special agent, who often assumed the role of interrogator in providing protection services, has family and friends in the business and is an expert on human behavior.
Poumpouras will deliver the keynote address on April 2 at BUILD25: AWCI’s Convention + Expo, March 31-
April 3, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Her subject, “Words Are Your Most Powerful Weapon: Communication from Inside the Secret Service,” can help all to be better communicators.
But why wait? We got access to Poumpouras ahead of BUILD25, and we learned she is unconventional. While she offers strategies for crushing challenges and living life fearlessly, Poumpouras demands being honest and true to others. One of her key strategies is to show empathy and speak clearly. “Your message should be concise, simple to understand and executable,” she says, as you’ll soon see below.
Poumpouras, who has led mission-critical criminal investigations, interrogations and undercover Secret Service assignments, is a woman of few words. Here’s what she had to say.
Keys to Effective Communication
What are the key elements that make up effective communication in high-stress environments such as construction? And how can these elements help wall and ceiling teams—both top management and field leaders—improve their interactions?
EP: When you are in high-stress situations, you tend to be cognitively and emotionally overloaded. The best thing to do is listen up and talk less. Find out what is going on. Ask questions.
You’re saying we should gather as much information as possible about our crews and our projects?
EP: This gives you time to think, process and regulate yourself before speaking to others.
EP: Make sure you have a good funnel for communication to flow. Are people getting your message and, most importantly, are they understanding it? Consistently check in and ask if they understand. Offer to explain again. And repeat, repeat, repeat—not in a condescending way, but to make sure the message lands.
You’re saying we need to relate to others.
EP: Talk to people in a way that makes sense to them.
Communicating with Stakeholders
Construction projects involve collaborating with diverse stakeholders—general contractors, architects, suppliers, other trades and sometimes building owners. What can help wall and ceiling contractors to navigate potential conflicts among such a diverse array of people?
EP: Make sure you are relaying information clearly to people. Kindness is clarity. Your message should be concise, simple to understand and executable for others. Check in with them to see if they need anything.
Be kind. Be clear. Got it. What else?
EP: Conflict will happen; there is no question. But it is something you should not be afraid to address. People are so averse to it. They think it needs to be ugly or a yelling match. It is about addressing people and finding solutions without getting overly emotional or taking it personally.
Interrogate or Interview?
You were a member of the United States Secret Service, and you worked as an interrogator on many assignments. You have said that you really functioned more as an “interviewer” than interrogator, so tell us how we can be good interviewers. What does it take to read people and draw out helpful information from them?
EP: Strong interviewers are good listeners. They are collectors of intelligence so that they can make good sound decisions. It’s not about being right and getting people to see your point of view, or to convince others. Sometimes leaders think that conveys strength. It doesn’t.
Are we looking for certain nonverbal cues in these situations?
EP: No. I would focus on your cues rather than other people’s. Are you frontally aligned when speaking to people? Do you have open posture? Do you appear welcoming and approachable? Are you making good eye contact? Because your nonverbal cues will impact other people’s behavior in addition to how much they reveal or hide from you.
You’re underscoring the importance of being self-aware. That’s not easy to do with so many personalities out there. How can we adapt our communication styles to influence individuals with different backgrounds, priorities and levels of authority?
EP: Listen to the person you are speaking with. Pay attention to what they care about. Most importantly, focus on them. What do they want to discuss? What is going on in their head? What are their values and beliefs?
So often, we get locked into our agenda that we don’t absorb the person across from us. Build genuine rapport rather than focusing on you and what you want to get out of your conversation.
Gaining Trust
What strategies do you recommend for gaining trust quickly among others?
EP: Be genuine and don’t give people nonsense. If they feel you are selling them something or trying to persuade or convince them to do something they don’t want to do, it is going to backfire. Also, discard the idea that you need to “gain trust quickly.” People will give you trust on their own terms. It’s not something you can force.
Noted. Good communication can’t be rushed.
Now, let’s switch to talking about how to motivate others. What are the most critical communication skills to develop for construction leaders to inspire their teams and drive innovation?
EP: As a leader, it all starts with you. How do you carry yourself? How are you to work with? Are you competent? Are you warm and approachable to others? The inspiration starts with your behavior and mental attitude. You set the example by showing others. Also, if there are some workers who are dragging the team down or hurting the energy of the group, as a leader it is something you must address.
There must be some pitfalls to avoid when addressing those who might be “dragging the team down.” Is construction prone to certain communications pitfalls?
EP: I have had a great deal of exposure to the industry through family and friends. And there have been two main pitfalls I have seen.
One is yelling at workers and talking to them aggressively. The thinking is, “The more I yell, the better they will understand.” That’s not the case. Nobody likes to be spoken to that way; it kills trust and respect.
What is the second pitfall?
EP: The second is not addressing poor work performance. When you don’t address this with individuals, you send a message to everyone else that you don’t care about the quality of the work being done.
Okay, hold people accountable for their work, but no scolding—good points. However, construction projects are stressful. The effort to meet budgets and deadlines gets intense. So, we might expect to see some flair ups on the job site. IS this where we might we need to cultivate greater emotional intelligence?
Emotional intelligence is just self-regulation—meaning, How good are you at governing yourself? Do you have a strong governor and regulator, or do you easily get emotional, swayed and impacted by others and the environment? If you can stay steady and centered regardless of what is happening around you, it will speak volumes to your strength and character as a leader.
Greater Safety Awareness
Finally, a question about safety. From your experience, what techniques could improve clarity on the job site, reduce misunderstandings and engender greater safety awareness?
Consistently remind people of what they need to know when it comes to safety. Have a morning or weekly meeting, reminding everyone of the safety standards. Put up visuals that people can see. It’s this continual repetition that will let workers know that you are serious when it comes to safety.
This has been very helpful, Evy. Thank you for sharing your experience and insights.
Mark L. Johnson writes regularly about the wall and ceiling industry. You can reach him at linkedin.com/in/markjohnsoncommunications.
For more than 12 years, Evy Poumpouras served as a Secret Service special agent responsible for protecting the world’s most high-value assets. Poumpouras was a member of the Presidential Protective Division for President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. She also protected Presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush. In addition to safeguarding heads of state, Poumpouras worked complex criminal investigations, operated undercover and was an interrogator for the agency’s elite polygraph unit, specially trained in the art of lie detection, human behavior and cognitive influence.
