Responding to Joel Hamilton

I recently got some fantastic feedback and questions from my buddy Joel Hamilton, and I want to share my responses here. Joel always brings deep, critical thinking to lean and construction  conversations, and I respect him greatly.

Before I dive in, quick side note: I probably shouldn’t blog right after working out because I’m a little out of breath from push-ups, jumping jacks, and lat pull-downs. But hey, we push through.

How fast should we implement radical change?

Joel asked how fast we should roll out radical change. In his experience, coming in too hot backfired, but going too slow killed momentum. My take? It’s not about speed. It’s about culture.

If you are in a culture where change is expected, embraced, and rewarded, you can move fast. If you are in a complacent culture, every attempt at change will be resisted. It is not really about the pace of change, it is about the people who will go with you and the ones who will not.

In our company, Elevate, LeanTakt, and LeanBuilt, we embrace change. It typically takes about six months for the team to adopt, but we move fast, and anyone resisting change is eventually confronted. The result is that clients who come back after a year see a totally transformed company.

Breaking large projects into smaller projects

Joel pointed out that while breaking projects into smaller parts helps, it can create coordination issues. My answer: leadership and systems matter.

On major projects, you need a war room where executives live and breathe the program master schedule, interfaces, and balancing labor. Without that, coordination breaks down. I have seen it work beautifully when leadership tracks flow across all sections of a job. Poor leadership, however, causes the breakdown Joel described.

Bradley vs. Patton leadership styles

Joel suggested that a senior superintendent is more like General Omar Bradley than General Patton. Bradley managed the chessboard, while Patton was the fighter on the field.

I admit I have an egoic pain here because I am a huge Patton fan. But Bradley’s style, focused on preserving men and orchestrating big-picture strategy, is worth studying. I have bought his biography and plan to dive deep.

Aligning TAC plans with missing wagons

Joel asked about aligning TAC plans when not all subcontractors carry through every phase. My answer is that there is not one perfect solution.

Options include backlog work, remobilizing crews, buying out additional crews, or adjusting flow with the team. The brilliance of TAC is that it reveals the gaps. It does not solve them. The real value is that you and your trade partners can see the problem early and collaboratively choose the best solution.

Wrapping up

Joel, I appreciate your thoughtful questions. You have been a huge supporter of Elevate and have helped sharpen our thinking over the years. I hope my answers honor the depth of your comments. Thank you for continuing to push the conversation forward.

Key Takeaway

The speed of change is not the issue. The culture is. In a culture that expects and rewards change, you can move fast. In a complacent one, every step will be resisted.