This concept of transparency has been looming big on my mind. It’s very near and dear to my heart. When I first did the core values for Elevate, I wrote this: we are open about who we are, how we feel, and what we think. We share emails, messages, decisions, and information that helps the team work together. We do not keep secrets and we do not silo. We’re pretty strict about that.
Short answer: Transparency means success because it is the driving force behind all success, and a lack of transparency, which leads to a lack of communication, leads to failure. When you are transparent, two things happen: you get the help you need, and just by speaking it out loud you start to feel better. You can’t build trust, or any part of a team, without it.
Why Does Transparency Matter So Much to Me?
I’ve noticed that people who are not transparent really have a hard time with me. That doesn’t equal dishonesty, by the way. It’s a different approach. And this is not about Jason being great and everyone else not. I know I’m not better than you. But I’m stubborn, and if somebody comes at me with a fight, I’m usually a wall. If they’re open and professional, they don’t even have to be kind, I will bend over backwards to find the win-win and come around to their point of view. When I posted about turning cameras on in meetings, three people were so professional that I said, you know what, I agree with you on that.
The one thing you can give me is that I am radically transparent. I’ll tell you how much I weigh. I’ll tell you about my marriage, my past sins, my thought processes, and my struggles. With the possible exception of two or three things, I will share everything else. If it’s out in the open, we can always resolve it.
What Happens When Someone Isn’t Transparent?
I once worked with someone who was very talented, knew so many things, and was a bright spot around people. But he was not transparent, almost to the point of being dishonest. Not asking for what he needed, not telling people what was going on, not being real with the information. It turned out he was only working 36 to 42 hours a week, then working overnight before deadlines. He was going through hard things in life that he didn’t tell anyone about, which was affecting his work. The ball was being dropped and clients were angry, and he wasn’t asking for help or admitting to the problems when they happened.
Everybody wondered, is this person not a hard worker, or do they just not get it? All of it, every single bit, came from a lack of transparency. I got good advice not to terminate him but to let him figure it out, and we ended up parting ways. Then it all came out. If you had a problem, you should have told me five months ago. I had no idea. How could I have fixed it?
No One Can Read Your Mind
Let me give you a secret. There is no leader, mentor, priest, bishop, preacher, president, or director anywhere who can read minds or has enough time to assume what you’ve got going on. There’s no magical mothership watching out for all the people. You have to advocate for yourself. You can’t blame it on somebody else for not just knowing.
| If you’re not transparent with… | What happens |
|---|---|
| Your health | You won’t get the health care you need |
| Your relationships | You don’t get the input, help, and collaboration you need |
| Your emotional needs and mental health | You sink into anxiety, depression, or hopelessness |
| Your work | You will suffer in your role, and the failure will be yours 100% |
| Problems you’re solving | The problem is yours alone, and you bear 100% of the stress |
I’m transparent about everything. If I’m depressed, overworked, struggling in my marriage, or tanking at church, I tell somebody. As soon as something is spoken out loud, you’ll get the help you need most times, and just saying it normalizes it and gets it out of the dark abyss of your mind so it stops looping in your brain. Project engineers, field engineers, PMs, superintendents: if you’re not transparent, you will fail.
What Does a Transparent Company Look Like?
When you are transparent, that builds trust. Petticoat-Schmitt implements the Entrepreneurial Operating System and is transparent about their finances, their financial incentives, and all company metrics. It builds trust, and that company is kicking butt. I’ve seen project sites where everyone is open about their personality profiles and player cards, how each person wants interaction, what their goals are, and what they’re going through, and that company has amazing teaming.
I’ve seen Scrum, the Last Planner System, and takt used to the fullest, creating an open, visible, collaborative environment where people aren’t sandbagging and they make remarkable production. I’ve seen integrated project delivery teams tell the true story about finance, productivity, schedule, and quality with metrics, hitting it out of the park. Read How Google Works, read about Netflix, read about Paul Akers. There’s always a measure of transparency. See Trust, Transparency and Leadership ft Mike Trulove.
Transparency With Yourself
I have never regretted being transparent about anything, even when it’s gotten me in trouble. And I never have negative self-talk. I started writing it down and reframing it a long time ago, and I admit it. If somebody else did this podcast, we’d have 10 times the downloads. If somebody else were in my seat doing sales, we’d be 10X what we are. Nobody can tell me anything I don’t already know, and I still love myself. That is so liberating, and it comes from being transparent with others and, most importantly, with me.
So here is the challenge. This week, tell your team one thing you’re struggling with and one thing you need help on. Then share one decision, email, or piece of information you’d normally keep to yourself.
Bottom line: Most failures in life and work come from a lack of transparency, and most success comes from embracing it.
If your project needs superintendent coaching, project support, or leadership development, Elevate Construction can help your field teams stabilize, schedule, and flow.
On we go.
FAQ
What is Elevate’s transparency core value?
We are open about who we are, how we feel, and what we think. We share emails, messages, decisions, and information that helps the team work together. We do not keep secrets and we do not silo.
Is a lack of transparency the same as dishonesty?
No. Jason is clear that not being transparent does not equal dishonesty. It is not asking for what you need, not telling people what’s going on, and not being real with the information. It can drift into dishonesty, but it starts as silence.
How does transparency build a construction team?
You can’t build trust, and therefore any component of a team, without transparency. Open finances and metrics, shared personality profiles and player cards, and visible systems like Scrum, the Last Planner System, and takt all create the trust that drives remarkable production.
People Also Read:
Why Are Trust and Vulnerability Important to Establishing and Maintaining a Culture?
Building Trust – Winning Teams
How Do You Build Trust With Your Team?
The Blood Test for Teams – Personality Profiles
If you want to learn more we have:
-Takt Virtual Training: (Takt Virtual Training)
-Check out our YouTube channel for more info: (Elevate Construction on YouTube)
-Listen to the Elevate Construction podcast: (Elevate Construction Podcast)
-Check out our training programs and certifications: (Training Programs and Certifications)
-The Takt Book: (The Takt Book on Amazon)
Discover Jason’s Expertise:
Meet Jason Schroeder, the driving force behind Elevate Construction. As the company’s Founder and COO, he’s dedicated to taking construction to new heights. With a wealth of industry experience, he’s crafted the Field Engineer Boot Camp and Superintendent Boot Camp – intensive training programs engineered to cultivate top-tier leaders capable of steering their teams towards success. Jason’s vision? To expand his training initiatives across the nation, empowering construction firms to soar to unprecedented levels of excellence.