Setting Boundaries!

You Are Not Setting The Right Boundaries On Construction Project And You Deserve To Because Boundaries Protect Everyone From Chaos

Research laboratory project. Jason decided he was going to make sure people did their own work. Ran their own crews. Implemented contractor grading. Set proper boundaries. Not in emotional dramatic way. But in dispassionate way: I do not expect anything from you but I do have standards and I will appreciate everything good that you do but I am still going to do the right thing. These are my boundaries. And trades pushed back. Said: this is too rigid. Too controlling. Too demanding. But Jason held line. Because when boundaries are crossed and you allow people to do that you end up playing savior with people. 

If you let people treat you any kind of way. If you let people disrespect you. If you let people do that in your organization that is going to become culture. Culture is behaviors and beliefs of social group. If you let people cross boundaries that becomes culture. And that culture determines your success. So Jason set boundaries for trades: must keep site clean, must keep site organized, everyone must be safe according to orientation and basic OSHA safety training, trades must complete their daily reports and do their basic legal requirements on project site. Those are boundaries. Those will take place. Jason will stand in way. Two options: employers either going to fire him or they are going to work within these boundaries because it is right thing to do. And contractor grading sheet is literally just formal way of having boundaries. Is trade partner clean? Have they had to be reminded to be clean? Are they taking care of campus or neighbors? Do all crews have safety plans JHAs and pre-task plans for their daily work and turned in? Are foreman and workers on time for huddles? Are deliveries scheduled coordinated and on time? Are materials and manpower ready for commitments that week? Those are boundaries. 

If somebody crosses those boundaries then we will do right thing. Adjust process. Adjust situation. Remove person from project. But those things will happen. And most important boundary: clean and steady. We are not going to make workers go fast to overcompensate for failure in project. They will work at steady and reasonable and responsible pace but they will not go fast and be forced to be put in unsafe situations. That is boundary. And project finished on time. Under budget. With remarkable stability. Not because Jason was controlling. But because boundaries protected everyone from chaos created when standards do not exist. If your project needs superintendent coaching, project support, or leadership development, Elevate Construction can help your field teams stabilize, schedule, and flow.

The Difference Between Emotions And Boundaries

There is difference between somebody who has emotions and somebody who has boundaries. And it is totally okay for us to have boundaries. A lot of us have tendencies to get mad. And we use anger as crutch. But real woman and real man once they have arrived at that state of training in that mindset can have difficult conversations without getting angry. Meaning they will get into mental paradigm where they still will do right thing.

Here are couple different circumstances we find ourselves in. If we expect lot of things from other people and we do not appreciate what is best or maybe we even do. But when we expect things from other people then when we are disappointed it causes emotional response or we use emotional response anger or sadness or whatever to manipulate other people most of time. And most people do not like hearing this when they first hear it but it is true. Most of time our emotional responses are way to manipulate other people and to assert control.

When we can get to point where we say: you know what I do not expect anything from others. I expect certain standards and I appreciate best that everyone has to give. Then we can get to really powerful point in our lives where we do not ever have to get angry. Where we can legitimately say: oh that did not happen. Well it still needs to happen. So I am going to do right thing. I am still going to do right thing but I am not going to get mad about it. So expect nothing. Expect certain circumstances and standards but appreciate people’s best and still do right thing according to circumstances and project standards that you need. That way we do not blame people. We start to blame process.

What in process is failing us to point where we need to go ahead and get it fixed? Then we can just say: all right this did not happen. What can we fix in process? And if there are behaviors processes and behaviors that are failing us we just take care of it in dispassionate way. We have boundaries.

Boundaries Jason Sets For Trade Partners

Jason’s boundaries for trade partners are clear and non-negotiable. Trades must keep site clean. Trades must keep site organized. Everyone must be safe according to orientation and basic OSHA safety training. Trades must complete their daily reports and do their basic legal requirements on project site. That is it. Everyone has to do that. Those are boundaries. Those will take place and Jason will stand in way. Two options: employers either going to fire him or they are going to work within these boundaries because it is right thing to do.

Contractor grading sheet is literally just formal way of having boundaries. Is trade partner clean? Have they had to be reminded to be clean? Are they taking care of campus or neighbors? Do all crews have safety plans JHAs and pre-task plans for their daily work and turned in? Are foreman and workers on time for huddles? Are deliveries scheduled coordinated and on time? Are materials and manpower ready for commitments that week? Those are boundaries. If somebody crosses those boundaries then we will do right thing. Adjust process. Adjust situation. Remove person from project. But those things will happen.

One of most important boundaries is clean and steady. We are not going to make workers go fast to overcompensate for failure in project. They will work at steady and reasonable and responsible and maybe little bit quick pace but they will not go fast and be forced to be put in unsafe situations. That is boundary.

Boundaries Jason Sets For Project Team

When Jason is project director or field director or general superintendent he has same boundaries for project team. Bathrooms have to be wonderful. Lunch areas have to be provided. That is boundary. Nobody is going to cross that boundary. We need to respond quickly to safety needs and to any other needs on project. There has to be clear plan for week and day that everyone can follow. We have to reduce variation and impacts with roadblocks daily. This site must always be clean and organized. Deliveries and material access has to be planned and enforced. Site has to be visually managed well for all workers and we have to make sure that everyone on site all trade partners succeed with owner.

Additional boundaries for project team: we need to process change orders in orderly fashion. Main workforce will continue working on contract work as we figure out changes. Workforce and trade partners all work collaboratively under GC’s direction. We do not have owner out there causing drama. Owner will be professional with project team and in meetings and not be abusive.

The Superintendent In Hawaii With Checklist On Door

Biggest reason supers get strung all over heck and back is because they do not have boundaries with their time. Superintendent in Hawaii sent Jason sign. He had sign on door saying: hey more than welcome to talk to you. You are always welcome. You are my team member. But whatever question you are going to give me have you already read drawings? Have you already looked at submittals? Have you already called your office? Have you coordinated with other trade partners? Have you exhausted all your resources? Just little cute little checklist to say: hey we should all do our own work.

At end of day trades need you as superintendent to be at helm steering ship. If you let trade partners make you answer all their RFIs run all your errands go to Home Depot solve all your problems go get all information interpret drawings all these things without them having to do it themselves then you are not at helm and everybody runs rampant.

With Jason’s time he time blocks his work. He has time to help throughout day but not always outside of those time blocks. Trades need to coordinate with other trades before talking to him. They need to research drawings before talking to him. They need to write their own RFIs. They need to research their own submittals. They need to call their own office. They need to go do research before wasting his time. Now if it is legitimate thing Jason wants everybody to feel open all time. But we have to have boundaries.

Boundaries Beyond Construction

Boundaries at home. Spouse cannot be abusive. Boundaries with children. You have to be here at 10:00. You are not going to ever look at pornography. You need to make sure that your computers are out in open spaces. We have boundaries at home. Boundaries at church. Boundaries with friends. You need to decide what your boundaries are.

It all comes down to this quote: success of any organization is determined by worst behavior that you or leader is willing to tolerate. If you do not have boundaries then you are tolerating everything and it is becoming culture and whatever culture you have will determine your success.

Signs You Need To Set Better Boundaries

Watch for these patterns that signal you are not setting proper boundaries and allowing chaos:

• Trades interrupt you constantly throughout day with questions they should research themselves preventing you from being at helm steering ship creating firefighting mode instead of leadership mode
• You spend entire day answering RFIs running errands going to Home Depot solving problems getting information interpreting drawings for trade partners who should do their own work leaving no time for roadblock removal or system improvement
• Site stays dirty despite repeatedly asking trades to clean because you have not set boundary with consequences only verbal requests that get ignored creating culture where cleanliness is suggestion not standard
• Deliveries show up unscheduled uncoordinated at wrong times blocking access ways creating chaos because you have not enforced boundary that all deliveries must be scheduled and approved in advance
• Workers get forced to go fast to overcompensate for project failures creating unsafe conditions rework and defects because you have not set boundary protecting steady pace and proper planning
• Trade partners skip huddles miss commitments do not prepare work come unprepared to meetings because you have not enforced boundaries with accountability through contractor grading or consequences

These are signs you are tolerating behaviors that destroy projects. And whatever worst behavior you tolerate becomes culture determining your success.

What Happens When You Do Not Set Boundaries

When boundaries are crossed and you allow people to do that you end up playing savior with people. If you let people treat you any kind of way. If you let people disrespect you. If you let people do that in your organization that is going to become culture. Culture is behaviors and beliefs of social group. If you let people cross boundaries that becomes culture.

Consider what happens on project without boundaries. Trade partner does not clean their area. You mention it verbally. They ignore you. You mention it again. They ignore you again. You eventually clean it yourself or have your laborers clean it. What have you taught them? That boundary does not exist. That they can ignore you. That someone else will do their work. And that becomes culture. Next trade sees first trade getting away with not cleaning. They stop cleaning too. Now entire site is dirty. And you spend all day trying to get people to clean instead of removing roadblocks and improving systems.

Or trade partner shows up unprepared to weekly work plan meeting. Has not coordinated with other trades. Has not researched drawings. Has not checked submittal status. Asks you questions during meeting that waste everyone’s time. You answer questions. You do research for them. You coordinate on their behalf. What have you taught them? That boundary does not exist. That they do not need to prepare. That you will do their work. And that becomes culture. Next week they show up unprepared again. Other trades see them getting away with it. They stop preparing too. Now entire meeting is waste of time with you doing everyone’s coordination work instead of making ready look-ahead and removing roadblocks.

Or foreman interrupts you constantly throughout day. Have you read drawings? No. Have you looked at submittals? No. Have you called your office? No. Have you coordinated with other trades? No. Have you exhausted all resources? No. But they want you to drop everything and answer their question immediately. You do it. What have you taught them? That boundary does not exist. That they do not need to do their own work. That you are available for interruption any time. And that becomes culture. They interrupt you more. Other foremen see them getting immediate response. They start interrupting too. Now you spend entire day answering questions that should never have been asked because people did not do basic research leaving you no time to be at helm steering ship.

This is why boundaries matter. Not because you are controlling or rigid or demanding. But because boundaries protect everyone from chaos that comes when standards do not exist.

The Contractor Grading Sheet As Formal Boundary System

Contractor grading sheet is literally just formal way of having boundaries. Instead of verbal requests that get ignored or emotional outbursts that manipulate people you have clear written standards that everyone knows and gets graded against creating accountability.

Is trade partner clean? Have they had to be reminded to be clean? Are they taking care of campus or neighbors? Do all crews have safety plans JHAs and pre-task plans for their daily work and turned in? Are foreman and workers on time for huddles? Are deliveries scheduled coordinated and on time? Are materials and manpower ready for commitments that week?

These questions define boundaries. And grading creates accountability. Trade partner who keeps site clean gets high grade. Trade partner who has to be reminded repeatedly gets low grade. Trade partner with low grade gets conversation about consequences. If they improve grade goes up. If they do not improve they get removed from project. No emotion. No drama. Just clear boundaries with clear consequences creating clear culture where everyone knows expectations and gets held accountable.

This is not mean. This is not controlling. This is respectful. Because clear is kind and unclear is unkind. When you set clear boundaries people know exactly what is expected. They can succeed or fail based on their own choices not based on whether you were in good mood or bad mood that day. They get treated consistently. They get graded objectively. They get opportunity to improve. And everyone benefits from culture where standards exist and get enforced.

The Most Important Boundary: Clean And Steady

One of most important boundaries which Jason mentions is clean and steady. We are not going to make workers go fast to overcompensate for failure in project. They will work at steady and reasonable and responsible and maybe little bit quick pace but they will not go fast and be forced to be put in unsafe situations. That is boundary.

This boundary protects workers from superintendent’s poor planning. If superintendent fails to remove roadblocks fails to coordinate trades fails to plan materials fails to create flow the natural response is to push workers. Go faster. Work overtime. Skip quality checks. Take safety shortcuts. Catch up from superintendent’s failures. And workers pay price with their bodies their families their safety.

Clean and steady boundary says: no. Workers will not pay for superintendent’s failures. We will work at steady pace. If we fall behind we will adjust schedule. We will add resources. We will change sequence. We will do whatever it takes to recover without overburdening workers. Because respect for people means protecting them from chaos created by poor systems.

This is hardest boundary to hold because superintendent feels pressure from owner from executives from schedule from budget. Easiest path is to push workers. Hardest path is to hold boundary protecting steady pace and fix systems instead. But hardest path is right path. Because workers are people not machines. And boundaries exist to protect people from chaos.

The Challenge

Stop using emotional responses to manipulate people and assert control when disappointed by their behavior. Start setting clear boundaries with dispassionate enforcement: expect nothing from people but appreciate their best and still do right thing according to standards. Stop tolerating behaviors that destroy projects thinking verbal requests or occasional outbursts will create change. Start implementing contractor grading sheet as formal boundary system with clear standards clear grading clear consequences creating accountability. Stop letting trade partners waste your time with questions they should research themselves preventing you from being at helm steering ship. Start setting boundary: coordinate with other trades research drawings write your own RFIs research your own submittals call your own office exhaust all resources before asking superintendent. Stop making workers go fast to overcompensate for your failure to remove roadblocks coordinate trades plan materials create flow. Start holding clean and steady boundary: workers will work at steady reasonable responsible pace even if that means adjusting schedule adding resources changing sequence to recover without overburdening people.

As the principle teaches: success of any organization is determined by worst behavior that you or leader is willing to tolerate. If you do not have boundaries you are tolerating everything. That becomes culture. That culture determines your success. So set boundaries. For trade partners: keep site clean and organized be safe complete daily reports do basic legal requirements. For project team: bathrooms wonderful lunch areas provided respond quickly to safety needs clear plan for week and day reduce variation with roadblocks daily site always clean and organized deliveries planned and enforced visually managed well all trade partners succeed with owner process change orders in orderly fashion workforce continues working on contract work while figuring out changes workforce works collaboratively under GC direction owner professional not abusive. 

For your time: time block your work trades coordinate with other trades before talking to you research drawings before talking to you write their own RFIs research their own submittals call their own office do research before wasting your time. And most important: clean and steady workers will not go fast to overcompensate for failure in project they will work at steady reasonable responsible pace because respect for people means protecting them from chaos created by poor systems. Boundaries are not controlling. Boundaries are protective. They protect you from being savior running around fixing everyone’s problems instead of leading project. They protect trades from unclear expectations that change based on your mood. They protect workers from being overburdened by poor planning. Set boundaries. Enforce boundaries. Create culture where standards exist. And watch everyone rise to occasion becoming a players. On we go.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is difference between setting boundaries and being controlling?
Boundaries are clear standards enforced dispassionately (expect nothing from people but appreciate their best and still do right thing according to standards), while controlling uses emotional responses to manipulate people and assert control, boundaries protect everyone from chaos while controlling protects ego.

How do I enforce boundaries without getting angry or emotional?
Stop expecting things from people which causes disappointment leading to emotional manipulation, instead set clear standards appreciate people’s best and do right thing dispassionately, if boundary crossed adjust process adjust situation remove person from project but no emotion just clear consequences.

What boundaries should superintendent set with trade partners?
Keep site clean and organized, be safe according to orientation and OSHA training, complete daily reports and basic legal requirements, have safety plans JHAs and PTPs for daily work, be on time for huddles, schedule coordinate and execute deliveries on time, have materials and manpower ready for commitments, contractor grading sheet makes these formal.

How do I set boundaries with my time without seeming unavailable?
Time block your work with dedicated help times throughout day, require trades to coordinate with other trades research drawings write their own RFIs research their own submittals call their own office exhaust all resources before asking you, checklist on door: have you done these things before interrupting me?

What is clean and steady boundary and why does it matter?
Workers will not go fast to overcompensate for failure in project they will work at steady reasonable responsible pace even if means adjusting schedule adding resources changing sequence, this boundary protects workers from paying for superintendent’s poor planning with their bodies families and safety proving respect for people.