Pillars of Success

Do it safely, right, on time, and on budget. Through our diversified services, teamwork approach and total commitment to quality, C. A. Murren offers the highest levels of industrial site development performance. Comprised of dedicated hands-on professionals, we are committed to excellence – delivering the utmost in safety, efficiency and productivity.

Our formula for success is based on 4 pillars:

  • Safety
  • Quality
  • Production
  • Training and Development

The foundation for it all is our unique culture. The 30 “Fundamentals” that follow describe the daily practices that make the culture come to life. They’re what set us apart from other companies and what drive our extraordinary success.

We call it “The Murren Way”


  1. Act with Integrity – Demonstrate an unwavering commitment to doing the right thing in every action you take and in every decision you make, even when no one’s looking. Always tell the truth. If you make a mistake, own up to it, apologize, and make it right. Be impeccable with your word.
  2. Make Quality Personal – Take pride in the quality of everything you touch and everything you do. Always ask yourself, “Is this my best work?” Double check your work and get things right. Everything you touch has your signature and makes a statement about you. Make sure it’s a statement of excellence.
  3. Think Safe, Work Safe – Know and practice the safety procedures for your job. Watch out for the safety of your teammates as well, for you are your brother’s keeper. Never take shortcuts that compromise your safety or that of your teammates.
  4. Be A Fanatic About Response Time – People expect us to respond to questions and concerns quickly, whether it’s in person, on the phone, or by email. Keep all those involved continuously updated on the status of outstanding issues. Getting back to people promptly is one way to demonstrate your passion for excellence.
  5. Get Clear on Expectations – Create clarity and avoid misunderstandings by discussing expectations upfront. Establish mutually understood objectives and deadlines for all projects, issues, and commitments. Confirm your communication by asking others to repeat back their understanding to ensure total clarity and agreement.
  6. Take Ownership – Take personal responsibility for making things happen – somehow, someway. Respond to every situation by looking for how we can do it, rather than explaining why it can’t be done. Be resourceful and show initiative. Don’t make excuses. Take the extra step to solve the problem. See issues through to their completion.
  7. Be Proactive – Anticipate customer needs. Solve problems before they happen by anticipating future needs and addressing them today. Preventing issues is always more effective than fixing them.
  8. Honor Commitments – Deliver on your commitments and meet deadlines every time. This includes being on time for all phone calls, appointments, meetings and promises. Do what you say you are going to do when you say you are going to do it. If a commitment can’t be filled notify early and agree on a new commitment to be honored.
  9. Listen Generously – Listening is more than simply “not speaking.” Give people your undivided attention. Be present and engaged. Quiet the noise in your head and let go of the need to agree or disagree. Listen with care and with empathy. Most importantly, listen to understand.
  10. Speak Straight – Speak honestly in a way that helps to solve a problem, rather than simply making a point. Make clear and direct requests. Be willing to ask questions, share ideas, or raise issues that may cause conflict when it’s necessary for team success. Address issues directly with those who are involved or affected.
  11. Be Consistent – Follow our operating procedures to ensure consistency and high performance. Consistency is critical to ensuring that both internal and external customers know exactly what to expect. Think from a process viewpoint.
  12. Be Positive – You have the power to choose your attitude. Choose to be optimistic and see the possibilities. Give people the benefit of the doubt. Optimism creates energy and energy creates success.
  13. Work Smart – Be organized and plan your work for maximum efficiency. Have all the tools necessary before starting your work. Be thoughtful about your schedule, and have a game plan for your calls, your tasks, and your workday. Know the priorities and work on them first. Work with a sense of urgency and get stuff done.
  14. Deliver Results – Be productive. While effort is appreciated, we reward and celebrate results. Set high goals, use measurements to track your progress, and hold yourself accountable for achieving those results.
  15. Lead By Example – The best way to influence others is through your own example. Don’t wait for others to change. Be the change you want to see.
  16. Walk In Your Customers Shoes – Think from their perspective. Understand their challenges and frustrations, and find ways to make their jobs easier. Seek to create win/win solutions. This includes both internal and external customers.
  17. Think and act like an Owner – Make decisions by asking yourself, “What would I do if this were my company? What would I do if this were my own money? Will this help the company to succeed?”
  18. Find A Better Way – Regularly reevaluate every aspect of your job to find ways to improve. Don’t be satisfied with the status quo. “Because we’ve always done it that way” is not a reason. Be a lifetime learner. The most successful people and organizations are in a never ending pursuit of improvement.
  19. Practice Blameless Problem-Solving – Apply your creativity, spirit, and enthusiasm to developing solutions, rather than pointing fingers or dwelling on problems. Identify lessons learned and use those lessons to improve our processes so we don’t make the same mistake again. Get smarter with every mistake. Learn from every experience.
  20. Invest in Relationships – Take the time to build relationships with our clients, our subs, and your co-workers. Strong relationships are the foundation of a successful organization, and they enable us to work through difficult issues and challenging times.
  21. Think Team – Consider how your actions impact your teammates, including the customer. Don’t let your ego get in the way of doing what’s best for the team. Be willing to step into another role or help a co-worker when that’s what’s required for success. There’s no such thing as one person or one department succeeding and another falling short. We win and lose as a team.
  22. Work on Yourself – Sharpen your saw by learning new skills and working to improve yourself. Challenge yourself to take risks and get uncomfortable. Be a lifetime learner.
  23. Go the Extra Mile – Be willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish the job . . . plus a little bit more. Take the next step to solve the problem. Even if it takes doing something that’s not in your job description, it’s the extra mile that separates the average person from the superstar. Be a superstar.
  24. Be A Mentor – Take responsibility, both formally and informally, to coach, guide, teach, and mentor others. Sharing knowledge strengthens our team.
  25. Contribute To Profit – We’re in business to generate value while making money. We all play a role in building revenue that exceeds our expenses. Look for ways to increase our sales, develop new clients, and control our expenses.
  26. Celebrate Success – Catching people doing things right is more effective than catching them doing things wrong. Regularly give, receive, and ask for meaningful acknowledgement and appreciation – in all directions throughout our company.
  27. Collaborate – Share information and work together. Learn to ask yourself, “Who else needs to know this?” Collaborate internally and with our customers and partners to find better solutions. Collaboration generates better ideas than working alone. Don’t be a martyr or fly solo. Be inclusive.
  28. “Bring It” Every Day. – Everyone is needed and everyone’s important. Be present and be fully engaged. Make the most of each day by approaching every task with energy, focus, purpose, and enthusiasm.
  29. Get the Facts – Don’t make assumptions. There’s always more to the story than it first appears. Learn to gather the facts before jumping to conclusions or making judgments. Be curious about what other information might give you a more complete picture.
  30. Keep Things Fun – Remember that the world has bigger problems than the daily challenges that make up our work. Don’t take yourself too seriously. Joy and laughter bring us closer together and make us look forward to coming to work each day. Laugh every day.