Getting Feedback from People Forced into a System

Getting Feedback from People Forced Into a System (Why Implementation Matters More Than the System)

Let me tell you a little bit of a story for why I’m thinking about this topic. There’s a client that we work with that is not holding their superintendents accountable. Basically, superintendents in that company can kind of do whatever they want. There’s literally no accountability and they’re not implementing the system and nobody asked the superintendents if they wanted to implement this system.

And one of the big things is the system was forced on them. It wasn’t a scenario where they were given an operating manual and then training and then support on the project site. It was just, “Here, go do this and Lean Takt and Elevate, go figure this out.”

The Right Way: Operating Manual, Training, and Support

And we’ve been very clear ever since the beginning. And interestingly enough, this company has seen other companies have an operating system, which we helped them create. Seen the deployed training and also seen the field walks where you provide support because leadership is really about, in my opinion, clarity, training, and then support to get to that measurement, to get to where they need to be. And they’re not doing any of that. And it literally, it’s just like chucking it over the wall. Like it becomes like this flavor of the month thing that the company is doing and it’s really just not wise in my opinion.

The Survey Results: They’re Grading the Implementation, Not the System

And the kicker of it all is they ask, “Hey, how is it going?” And just so you know, I’m not really worried about it. Like this doesn’t offend me. We’ve got clients like everywhere. Like we work with hundreds of companies that just absolutely love our work. I’m not really worried about this from like an actual, is it accurate standpoint.

But I am worried about it from their standpoint. They’ve surveyed their people and they’re like, “How do you like working with Lean Takt and Elevate? And how do you like the Takt production system?” And it’s, “I don’t like it. It’s something new. My older systems were better. I find it frustrating. I don’t know how to use the software, blah, blah, blah.”

And it’s super interesting because what they’re not grading is us and they’re not grading the Takt production system. They’re grading the failure to follow the process of how scaling actually works.

If You Force a System, Expect Bad Scores

And so my point isn’t to complain, but my point is to make sure that everybody knows if you get asked for feedback from people forced into a system, be prepared to get a bad score over and over and over again. This changes tomorrow, well, not tomorrow, maybe in a month, next month, that’s a little bit dramatic. When we create an operating system, when we deploy training and when we provide monthly support, then the folks will be like, “Yeah, I like this. I see the results go well, I’ll never go back.” It happens every time when you follow that pattern.

Here’s why forcing systems fails:

• System forced without operating manual, training, or field support: “go figure this out” – System was forced on them. Wasn’t scenario where given operating manual and then training and then support on project site. Was just, “Here, go do this and Lean Takt and Elevate, go figure this out.” We’ve been very clear ever since beginning. This company has seen other companies have operating system, which we helped them create. Seen deployed training and also seen field walks where provide support because leadership really about clarity, training, and then support to get to that measurement, to get to where need to be. They’re not doing any of that. Literally just like chucking it over wall. Becomes flavor of month thing company doing and really just not wise.
• No accountability: superintendents can do whatever they want, not implementing system – Client not holding their superintendents accountable. Basically superintendents in that company can kind of do whatever they want. Literally no accountability and not implementing system and nobody asked superintendents if wanted to implement this system.
• Survey results bad: grading failure to follow process, not grading the system itself – They’ve surveyed their people: “How do you like working with Lean Takt and Elevate? How do you like Takt production system?” And it’s, “I don’t like it. It’s something new. My older systems were better. I find it frustrating. I don’t know how to use software.” Super interesting because what they’re not grading is us and not grading Takt production system. They’re grading failure to follow process of how scaling actually works.
• When follow pattern: operating system, deploy training, provide monthly support, results change – This changes maybe in month, next month. When we create operating system, when deploy training and when provide monthly support, then folks will be like, “Yeah, I like this. I see results go well, I’ll never go back.” Happens every time when follow that pattern.
• Leadership is clarity, training, and support to get to measurement – Leadership really about, in my opinion, clarity, training, and then support to get to that measurement, to get to where they need to be. Not just chucking it over wall. Not flavor of month. Need operating manual, training, and field support.

If your project needs superintendent coaching, project support, or leadership development, Elevate Construction can help your field teams stabilize, schedule, and flow.

A Warning for Construction Leaders

So that’s just a little warning for me to everybody whom I love. If you get asked for feedback from people forced into a system, be prepared to get a bad score over and over and over again.

A Challenge for Construction Companies

Here’s what I want you to do this week. Stop forcing systems on your people. Stop chucking it over the wall. Stop making it flavor of the month. Give them operating manual. Deploy training. Provide monthly support on project site. Leadership is about clarity, training, and then support to get to that measurement, to get to where they need to be.

Hold superintendents accountable. Don’t let superintendents do whatever they want. Literally no accountability means not implementing system. When you create operating system, deploy training and provide monthly support, then folks will be like, “Yeah, I like this. I see results go well, I’ll never go back.” Happens every time when follow that pattern.

Don’t survey people forced into system and expect good results. What they’re grading is not the system itself. They’re grading failure to follow process of how scaling actually works. “I don’t like it. It’s something new. My older systems were better. I find it frustrating. I don’t know how to use software.” That’s grading implementation failure, not system failure. As we say at Elevate, feedback from people forced into system will be bad. Need operating manual, training, and field support. Without clarity, training, support, system fails.

On we go.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do people give bad scores when forced into a system?

Because system forced without operating manual, training, or field support. Just, “Here, go do this and Lean Takt and Elevate, go figure this out.” Leadership about clarity, training, and support to get to measurement. They’re not doing any of that. Literally chucking it over wall. Becomes flavor of month thing. Not wise.

What are people actually grading when they say they don’t like the system?

Not grading us and not grading Takt production system. They’re grading failure to follow process of how scaling actually works. Survey results: “I don’t like it. Something new. My older systems were better. I find it frustrating. Don’t know how to use software.” That’s grading implementation failure, not system failure.

What’s the right way to implement a system?

Create operating system, deploy training, provide monthly support. Then folks will be like, “Yeah, I like this. I see results go well, I’ll never go back.” Happens every time when follow that pattern. Leadership is clarity, training, and support to get to measurement.

What happens when there’s no accountability?

Superintendents can do whatever they want. Literally no accountability and not implementing system. Nobody asked superintendents if wanted to implement system. System forced on them. Recipe for failure.

How does this change with proper implementation?

When create operating system, deploy training and provide monthly support, folks say, “Yeah, I like this. I see results go well, I’ll never go back.” Happens every time when follow that pattern. This is process of how scaling actually works.