March brings us to the Spring Equinox, the official start of spring and a good reminder that we’re moving into a busy and productive season, a season of renewal and growth. It’s an appropriate time to pause, reflect, and consider how we move forward, both in our businesses and as leaders in this industry.

This month also marks the final installment of our Ten Essential Business Acumen Series. Over the past year, we’ve worked through Financial, Market, Technological, Leadership, Strategic, Negotiation, Risk Management, Problem-Solving, and People Management Acumen.

Each one plays a role in building strong, resilient businesses. But there’s one that ties them all together: Ethical Acumen. Ethical Acumen is about understanding and adhering to ethical principles and standards in business practices. It’s how decisions are made when no one’s watching, when the answer isn’t easy, or when taking a shortcut might seem tempting. In our trade, ethics show up every day—in how we bid work, how we write and honor contracts, how we treat our people, how we handle mistakes, and how we stand behind our workmanship.

Strong Ethical Acumen builds trust: trust with clients, trust with employees, trust with partners, and trust within our industry. It doesn’t always produce the fastest result, but it consistently produces the right one. Over time, ethical behavior becomes a competitive advantage, shaping reputation, strengthening relationships, and creating businesses built to last.

Ethics start at the top. Leaders set the tone. When standards are clear and integrity is non-negotiable, teams know what’s expected and how decisions will be made. That consistency creates confidence, accountability, and pride in the work.

That brings us directly into TileLetter’s focus this month: technology. Technology continues to reshape how we operate, from estimating software and digital layouts to automation, AI tools, and advanced jobsite systems. These tools can improve efficiency, accuracy, and communication, but they also demand ethical responsibility.

Using technology honestly, protecting data, training teams properly, and maintaining transparency all matter. Technology should support craftsmanship and professionalism, not replace integrity or accountability. Ethical Acumen ensures that as technology advances, our values stay grounded.

Next month, we’ll do a short reflection on all Ten Business Acumen skills. Summarizing them in one article will be a challenge, but the focus will be on bringing them together in a way that reinforces their importance to leadership and sustainable business growth.

In the meantime, I look forward to seeing many of you at Coverings 2026 in Las Vegas March 30–April 2. It’s a great opportunity to learn, connect, and continue moving our industry forward together.

Until next time, lead with integrity, stay balanced, and as always, Educate for Excellence!

Sincerely,

Rod Owen
President, NTCA
Rod.Owen@ccowen.us