If Your’e Working Weekends, Something Is Broken

Posted on March 25, 2026March 25, 2026 by Jason Schroeder

Read 19 min

If You’re Working Saturdays, Your System Is Broken (Why Lean Construction Eliminates Weekend Work)

Today I was observing a text chat. With our clients we set up WhatsApp chats with the job site so we can see how things are going.

And again, I just have to reiterate, things start to go well at every company, every job site where you have an operating manual, you provide training to the project delivery team members, and monthly field walks in the form of support. That’s just how it is. That’s just how life works in construction with Lean Systems.

The Text on Saturday: They’re Working Weekends

And I was looking at a text and I was on the weekend and the text on a Saturday, actually I think they even did a Sunday, they were talking about working. They’re working weekends.

And the company I’m talking about is a phenomenal company with phenomenal leadership. And this one job happens to be a one-off, but the company they used to work weekends all the time. And once they implemented theirs in our system, so I’m going to give them a lot of credit here, but specifically the Takt production system, they stopped working Saturdays, like wholesale. And they get their projects done early and it’s phenomenal.

One Superintendent Won’t Adapt: In a Sea of Success, Still Working Saturdays

And there’s this one job where the superintendent, and I’m not blaming people here, he’ll get it, but will not adapt to the systems and just will not do it. Like complains about meetings, complains about flowing on a rhythm, holds to old-timey thoughts of like, “Oh, just move here and do that and get ahead on that floor and blah, blah, blah.”

And it’s just not working. And it’s funny that the person, it’s so funny how human beings act, that he’s in a sea of successful projects with successful supers finishing early, and they’re following the system and he’s not. And he’s not on schedule and they’re working Saturdays.

My First Toxic Thought: Then the Loving Truth

And I just had the thought, just so you know, I’ll be super transparent and tell you my toxicity here. I first thought, “If you work Saturdays, you just don’t know what you’re doing.” And I’m like, “Whoa, whoa, whoa.”

I was out here thinking about this blog. I’m like, “Jason, how can you preach about respect for people and then come at it like that?”

Here’s the deal. If you’re having to work Saturdays, you don’t have a Lean system installed on your project site. That’s probably as loving and kind as I can get about it because there is a root cause to it. And every single time that you implement the system properly, you can get the work done unless there’s a like stupid milestone, but you can get the work done.

The Good News: We Can Fix It

But here’s the deal. If you don’t have a stupid milestone, you can get the work done in time and never have to work a Saturday. So instead of shaming people, I’m going to go at it like this: If you’re working Saturdays, that means a massive part of your system is broken. And that’s good news because we can go fix it.

And so like a lot of these things, it’s not just construction to have a dirty job site. It’s not just construction to have chaos. It’s not just construction to have like massive impacts. And it’s not just construction to have to work Saturdays and weekends.

It’s Not “Just Construction” It’s Poor Construction

And it’s not just construction to be stressed out all the time and be away from your families. That’s just poor construction. That means it’s not Lean. That means it’s classical business management. That means it’s ineffective. That means the person has room to grow.

And that’s great. So, if you’re working weekends, a massive part of your system is broken because you shouldn’t have to if you’re using Lean systems.

Here’s why working Saturdays means your system is broken:

Operating manual, training, monthly field walks: things go well at every job site – Things start to go well at every company, every job site where you have operating manual, you provide training to project delivery team members, and monthly field walks in form of support. That’s just how it is. That’s just how life works in construction with Lean Systems. Company used to work weekends all time. Once they implemented theirs in our system, specifically Takt production system, they stopped working Saturdays, like wholesale. And they get their projects done early and phenomenal.
Won’t adapt to systems: complains about meetings, flowing on rhythm, old-timey thoughts – One job where superintendent won’t adapt to systems and just will not do it. Complains about meetings, complains about flowing on rhythm, holds to old-timey thoughts of like, “Oh, just move here and do that and get ahead on that floor.” It’s just not working. Funny how human beings act: he’s in sea of successful projects with successful supers finishing early, and they’re following system and he’s not. He’s not on schedule and they’re working Saturdays.
Working Saturdays means massive part of system broken: root cause, can get work done – If you’re having to work Saturdays, you don’t have Lean system installed on your project site. That’s probably as loving and kind as I can get about it because there is root cause to it. Every single time that you implement system properly, you can get work done unless there’s stupid milestone, but you can get work done. If don’t have stupid milestone, can get work done in time and never have to work Saturday. If working Saturdays, means massive part of your system is broken. That’s good news because we can go fix it.
Not “just construction” it’s poor construction, classical business management, ineffective – It’s not just construction to have dirty job site. Not just construction to have chaos. Not just construction to have massive impacts. Not just construction to have to work Saturdays and weekends. Not just construction to be stressed out all time and be away from your families. That’s just poor construction. That means it’s not Lean. That means it’s classical business management. That means it’s ineffective. That means person has room to grow. And that’s great.
Lean systems eliminate weekend work: shouldn’t have to if using Lean systems – Company phenomenal company with phenomenal leadership. Used to work weekends all time. Once they implemented Takt production system, they stopped working Saturdays, like wholesale. Get their projects done early and phenomenal. If you’re working weekends, massive part of your system is broken because you shouldn’t have to if you’re using Lean systems.

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

A Challenge for Construction Leaders

Here’s what I want you to do this week. Stop accepting that it’s “just construction” to work Saturdays and weekends. Stop accepting that it’s “just construction” to be stressed out all the time and be away from your families. That’s just poor construction. That means it’s not Lean. That means it’s classical business management. That means it’s ineffective.

If you’re having to work Saturdays, you don’t have Lean system installed on your project site. There is root cause to it. Every single time you implement system properly, you can get work done. If don’t have stupid milestone, can get work done in time and never have to work Saturday.

Instead of shaming people, understand this: If you’re working Saturdays, massive part of your system is broken. That’s good news because we can go fix it.

Get operating manual. Provide training to project delivery team members. Monthly field walks in form of support. That’s just how it is. That’s just how life works in construction with Lean Systems.

Stop complaining about meetings. Stop complaining about flowing on rhythm. Stop holding to old-timey thoughts of “just move here and do that and get ahead on that floor.” Look around. You’re in sea of successful projects with successful supers finishing early. They’re following system. Follow the system.

Company used to work weekends all time. Once they implemented Takt production system, they stopped working Saturdays, like wholesale. Get their projects done early and phenomenal. You can too. As we say at Elevate, working Saturdays means massive part of system is broken. Lean systems eliminate weekend work. Not just construction it’s poor construction. Fix the system.

On we go.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does working Saturdays mean the system is broken?

How did this company stop working weekends?

Company used to work weekends all time. Once they implemented Takt production system, they stopped working Saturdays, like wholesale. Get their projects done early and phenomenal. Things start to go well at every job site where have operating manual, provide training to project delivery team members, and monthly field walks in form of support.

What happens when superintendent won’t adapt to systems?

One job where superintendent won’t adapt to systems and just will not do it. Complains about meetings, complains about flowing on rhythm, holds to old-timey thoughts. It’s just not working. He’s in sea of successful projects with successful supers finishing early, and they’re following system and he’s not. He’s not on schedule and they’re working Saturdays.

Is working weekends “just construction”?

No. It’s not just construction to have dirty job site. Not just construction to have chaos. Not just construction to have to work Saturdays and weekends. Not just construction to be stressed out all time and be away from your families. That’s just poor construction. Means it’s not Lean. Means it’s classical business management. Means it’s ineffective.

What’s the good news about working Saturdays?

If you’re working Saturdays, means massive part of your system is broken. That’s good news because we can go fix it. Get operating manual, provide training, monthly field walks. Every single time implement system properly, can get work done in time and never have to work Saturday.

If you want to learn more we have:

-Takt Virtual Training: (Click here)
-Check out our Youtube channel for more info: (Click here)
-Listen to the Elevate Construction podcast: (Click here)
-Check out our training programs and certifications: (Click here)
-The Takt Book: (Click here)

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

Meet Jason Schroeder, the driving force behind Elevate Construction IST. As the company’s owner and principal consultant, 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.

On we go

Getting Feedback from People Forced into a System

Posted on March 25, 2026March 25, 2026 by Jason Schroeder

Read 16 min

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.

If you want to learn more we have:

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

On we go

The 10 Cs

Posted on March 25, 2026March 25, 2026 by Jason Schroeder

Read 35 min

The 10 C’s for Superintendents Part 1 (Create, Communicate, Control, Clear, Collaborate)

In this blog, we have Joe Daugherty, who’s going to share with us the 10 C’s, and this is really what is expected in their company for field leaders, and it really provides a neat pattern. Joe is a general superintendent with a small GC in Spokane, Washington. He runs jobs but is essentially in charge of their field operations, and they do light commercial, convenience store gas stations, and a lot of tenant improvements.

This is a framework that he’s developed for how their superintendents should run their projects.

The Framework: Control, Calm, and Creating the Right Experience

The 10 C’s were designed to be a framework that will give a clear standard to superintendents on how to lead and execute from start to finish, but still allowing them the freedom to use their own style, leverage their own strengths, that type of thing.

But everything boils down to keeping the job from chaos. We want control, and we want calm. And everything is rooted in creating that type of experience for not only us, our self-performed guys, and our customer, but our trades as well. We want the trades to say, “Oh, it’s a Cornerstone project? Oh, yeah, yeah. I want to do that one. I want to be on that one.” That’s what we want.

C #1: Create the Plan

The first one is create the plan. Fundamentally, a superintendent needs to know how he’s going to get from start to finish. A lot of guys out there will just show up, and they’ll set up their trailer, and they’ll just start going without a plan.

And if I was going to get in my car and visit Jason, I wouldn’t just get on the freeway and start driving west and south. I would want to know where I’m going. And so, it’s really important for the superintendent to have a plan, understand how he doesn’t necessarily at the beginning have to have all those details. He doesn’t have to have it down to the micro level.

But he needs to understand that, for instance, if we’re talking about a fuel station, he needs to understand that, “OK, I’m getting my underground storage tanks in early, and I’m moving on to my building. Then I’m understanding when site work is going on, how I’m going to move into finishes, and understand that we’ve got a six-month time frame here to do this. How am I going to do that?”

Creating the plan is essential, because otherwise, if it’s not your plan, then you’re stuck just reacting to someone else’s version of it. So, this is about understanding the job, sequencing it correctly, and thinking ahead before the work actually starts.

C #2: Communicate the Plan

The second one is communicate the plan. We all know that if you could have the greatest plan in the world, but if you keep it in your head, it’s no plan at all. And that might seem basic, but I find myself falling into that pattern sometimes without realizing it. I’ve got a plan for the week, but then I’ll realize, how have I really told everybody what this plan is and what I want to get done?

So, it is a constant reminder that we need to use our voices. We need to talk. I like to call them, I don’t know why I started calling them, I don’t call them daily huddles. I just call them a muster. Just getting everybody together, set the expectations. So, everybody knows, nobody can say that I didn’t know I was supposed to do that.

But also, beyond that, they have to have the big picture. We had a superintendent work for the company who isn’t with us any longer, but he would always say things like, “I don’t like to give the guys the big picture because then they start thinking for themselves.” Like, yes. That’s a good thing.

But anyway, so it’s surprising how many people think like that, but communicate the plan. Because that’s where most of us struggle. We have the plan, but we don’t fully communicate it. And if the team doesn’t know the plan, then there isn’t one.

Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind. We use that at Cornerstone all the time.

The Best Tool for Communicating: Big Screen in the Trailer

What is your biggest trick for communicating the plan? A big screen in my trailer. And you can visualize everything right then and there. Our trailers aren’t real big. We don’t have double wides or anything like that. Our job trailers are generally like eight by 25 or something like that. So there’s not a lot of room for getting guys to assemble.

So, when you’re in the early phases of a project where it might be cold and wet and you’ve got no structure, a lot of times I’ll have to do these things over a Teams call or a Zoom call. But I always have a big screen on my trailer wall. And it’s usually connected to one of my monitors, it’s a mirror of one of my monitors.

And so, I could bring up the Takt plan. I use Intakt pretty much exclusively now, but you remember a point where I was using Bluebeam to kind of map out that plan. So, either or, just getting that thing up on the wall so people can see it in real time is probably the most important thing.

C #3: Control the Environment

Controlling the environment. People can feel when they walk on a job site if the job site’s calm or chaotic. You can just, you’ve been in those situations where you can feel tension in the air. And so, it’s very important for the superintendent—and this is why we talk about keeping a clean site and organized site, safety at the forefront. You want people to know when they step on the site, this job’s under control.

So controlling the environment is the third C. And the thing about these C’s is they’re all, they all dovetail with each other because another way that you can control your environment is by creating a plan and communicating the plan. So, they all kind of work together.

The Concert Analogy: Security Makes the Concert Fun

An analogy came to me. Let’s say you’re going to a concert. If you don’t have control of whether or not people bring in full cans of beer or phones or whatever, and one person in the audience throws their phone at the performer and then they cancel the concert, that’s not respectful to people.

But if those security lines are like, “Nope, you will open your sodas or your beer so that you can’t throw them on stage. No, we are locking up the phones. No, we are making sure there’s no weapons. No, we are making sure that it’s a safe, secure environment. Only people who have bought tickets are in here.” Then you go and you enjoy the concert and people have fun.

So, nobody would say, “Oh my gosh, I didn’t have any fun at the concert because I had to go through security.” No, security and the rules are what make the concert fun. It’s the same thing on our job sites. We have absolute control of the environment, the safety and the cleanliness because that is what allows human beings to have fun, enjoy their work and go home safe every night.

C #4: Clear the Path

Next C: clear the path. And so, this is a big thing for a superintendent. Superintendent is there to make sure that everybody has the tools and opportunity to succeed. If your electrician falls flat and you allowed the plumber to stack, or your civil contractor needs to know some drywall locations, you can’t, you have to make sure you get that done for them. You get it done on time.

One of the big things, when I do my job walks, I’ll just walk up. I’ll say, “Hey, Paul, how’s your world today? What can I do for you? Is there anything I could do?” The proverbial greasing of the wheels so that the machine can keep moving forward.

So, clearing the path. Every day, the superintendent’s looking: “OK. What could slow my team down? What could slow the plan down? What could become a roadblock or an obstacle if I let it? How do I eliminate this before it becomes a problem?”

I remember a long time ago, a superintendent said, “Yeah, I’ve only got two guys here. I really need to hold on to these guys in case any fires pop up. I gotta make sure I got a guy here.” And I’m just thinking, “You’re planning on fires.” We should plan on not having fires.

Leadership Is Clarity, Training, and Support

Before I went to Japan, I couldn’t really explain what leadership is. And in Japan, I learned it’s clarity, training, and support. If you’re a leader, if you are clear about where we’re going, you enable your people through training and capability, and you support them along their path. And that’s what you’re talking about: clear the path.

C #5: Collaborate with the Team

The fifth C is collaborating with the team. You’re not going to build it alone. All of the people on your project are professionals with skills. They should have say-so on what the best way for them to do their job is. But you have to communicate about these things. You have to talk about these things.

So ultimately, you’re not going to do what’s best for one person or self-optimize your schedule, but you’re coming up with a plan together on how you’re going to get this job complete. And you can’t just create your schedule and go out and tell your guys exactly what they’re going to do. Because you need their input. You need their expertise. You need their professional experience on how to get your project done efficiently with the quality the customer deserves.

I’ve heard superintendents who all they do is complain about their subs and how they’re not performing and they make it out that the trades are their enemies, and they’re going to get the job done in spite of them. But that’s just so sad to me when I see that type of attitude from a superintendent, because the first thing I want to do is make sure that guys are able to do the job and go home and feel like they accomplished something. Not stifled. Not put in a box.

When people feel like they’re part of the plan, they execute better.

Here are the first 5 C’s for superintendents:

Create the plan: understand job, sequence correctly, think ahead before work starts – Fundamentally, superintendent needs to know how going to get from start to finish. Lot of guys just show up, set up trailer, start going without plan. Wouldn’t just get on freeway and start driving. Want to know where going. Important for superintendent to have plan, understand how. Doesn’t necessarily have to have all details down to micro level. But needs to understand: getting underground storage tanks in early, moving on to building, understanding when site work going on, how moving into finishes, got six-month time frame. Creating plan essential, because otherwise, if not your plan, stuck reacting to someone else’s version of it. About understanding job, sequencing correctly, thinking ahead before work actually starts.
Communicate the plan: big screen in trailer, muster, give big picture – If could have greatest plan in world, but if keep in head, it’s no plan at all. Might seem basic, but find myself falling into that pattern without realizing it. Got plan for week, but realize how have I really told everybody what this plan is. Constant reminder need to use voices. Need to talk. Call them muster. Getting everybody together, set expectations. Everybody knows, nobody can say didn’t know supposed to do that. Also beyond that, have to have big picture. Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind. Use big screen in trailer. Always have big screen on trailer wall connected to monitors. Bring up Takt plan. Use Intakt exclusively now. Getting thing up on wall so people can see in real time most important thing.
Control the environment: clean site, organized site, safety at forefront – People can feel when walk on job site if job site’s calm or chaotic. Can feel tension in air. Very important for superintendent—this is why talk about keeping clean site and organized site, safety at forefront. Want people to know when step on site, this job’s under control. Controlling environment is third C. These C’s all dovetail with each other because another way control environment is by creating plan and communicating plan. All work together. Like concert: security and rules are what make concert fun. Same thing on job sites. Have absolute control of environment, safety and cleanliness because that is what allows human beings to have fun, enjoy work and go home safe every night.
Clear the path: grease wheels, eliminate roadblocks before they become problems – Superintendent there to make sure everybody has tools and opportunity to succeed. If electrician falls flat and allowed plumber to stack, or civil contractor needs to know drywall locations, have to make sure get that done for them. Get it done on time. When do job walks, walk up, say, “How’s your world today? What can I do for you?” Proverbial greasing of wheels so machine can keep moving forward. Every day, superintendent looking: “What could slow my team down? What could slow plan down? What could become roadblock or obstacle? How eliminate this before becomes problem?” Leadership is clarity, training, and support. Clear the path.
Collaborate with the team: need their input, expertise, professional experience – Not going to build it alone. All people on project are professionals with skills. Should have say-so on what best way for them to do their job is. Have to communicate about these things. Talk about these things. Not going to do what’s best for one person or self-optimize schedule. Coming up with plan together on how going to get job complete. Can’t just create schedule and go out and tell guys exactly what going to do. Need their input. Need their expertise. Need their professional experience on how to get project done efficiently with quality customer deserves. When people feel like they’re part of plan, they execute better.

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

The Concrete Paving Example: All 5 C’s Wrapped Up

Recent project, we had to do a bunch of concrete paving. So, we ended up changing from asphalt to concrete for the site paving. It was a diesel island addition. And so, because of the time of year in the Northwest, you can’t pave at all times of the year. So, in order to get the project open so the customer could begin their return on investment, they decided to go ahead and pave the site in concrete.

So, we had a week plus to get this done. So, I broke the project into zones, but first thing I have to do is I have to talk to my concrete guy. “What’s a reasonable number of yards you think you could pour?” This was six-inch paving. “What’s the reasonable amount of concrete you can pour in a day with your crew?” I need to ask him that. I can’t just come up with it on my own.

So, in order to create my zone size, I kept it at or below a hundred yards what we decided. And so now I ask him, “OK, how should we break these zones up?” And I started to realize later on, I wouldn’t have even thought of that. He’s thinking about how wide of an area can I finish, what can I send my boat float across? So, he was like, “I need narrow zones.”

So, he tells me, so I come up with this plan, color coded in Bluebeam. And I assign it later so we can pick, this is what we’re going to do Monday, then Tuesday, then Wednesday. And that guy, his crew worked so hard. I bought him lunch twice. They were just working their tails off and they got it done. They got every day done like we planned.

But if it was my plan to begin with and only my plan, it wouldn’t happen. I needed to work with him and come up with that plan. I created a visual so we could communicate that plan. I could print it. Not all the guys spoke English on the concrete crew, but amazing concrete guys. But a picture: “Here’s what we’re pouring today.”

So, it was like all five C’s wrapped up into one scope.

The Theme of the First 5 C’s: Execute Our Day-to-Day

What is the theme of those five? This is how we execute our day-to-day.

A Challenge for Superintendents

Here’s what I want you to do this week. Create the plan. Fundamentally, know how you’re going to get from start to finish. Don’t just show up, set up trailer, start going without plan. Understand job, sequence correctly, think ahead before work starts.

Communicate the plan. If you have greatest plan in world but keep in head, it’s no plan at all. Use your voices. Get everybody together, set expectations. Give big picture. Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind. Use big screen in trailer. Bring up Takt plan. Get thing up on wall so people can see in real time.

Control the environment. People can feel when walk on job site if job site’s calm or chaotic. Keep clean site and organized site, safety at forefront. Want people to know when step on site, this job’s under control. Like concert: security and rules make concert fun. Have absolute control of environment, safety and cleanliness. Clear the path. Make sure everybody has tools and opportunity to succeed. When do job walks, ask, “What can I do for you?” Grease wheels so machine can keep moving forward. Look: “What could slow team down? How eliminate before becomes problem?” Leadership is clarity, training, and support.

Collaborate with the team. Not going to build it alone. All people on project are professionals with skills. Have to communicate. Come up with plan together. Need their input, expertise, professional experience. When people feel like they’re part of plan, they execute better. As we say at Elevate, 10 C’s for superintendents by Joe Daugherty: create plan, communicate plan, control environment, clear path, collaborate with team. Execute day-to-day.

On we go.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the framework of the 10 C’s?

Framework gives clear standard to superintendents on how to lead and execute from start to finish, but still allowing freedom to use own style, leverage own strengths. Everything boils down to keeping job from chaos. Want control and calm. Everything rooted in creating that type of experience for us, self-performed guys, customer, and trades. Want trades to say, “It’s Cornerstone project? I want to be on that one.”

What does “create the plan” mean?

Fundamentally, superintendent needs to know how going to get from start to finish. Don’t just show up, set up trailer, start going without plan. Important to have plan, understand job. Doesn’t have to have all details down to micro level. But needs to understand: getting underground storage tanks in early, moving on to building, when site work going on, how moving into finishes. Creating plan essential because otherwise stuck reacting to someone else’s version.

How do you communicate the plan?

Big screen in trailer. Always have big screen on trailer wall connected to monitors. Bring up Takt plan. Use Intakt exclusively. Get thing up on wall so people can see in real time. Call them muster. Get everybody together, set expectations. Give big picture. Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind.

What does “control the environment” mean?

People can feel when walk on job site if calm or chaotic. Important for superintendent to keep clean site and organized site, safety at forefront. Want people to know when step on site, this job’s under control. Like concert: security and rules make concert fun. Same on job sites. Have absolute control of environment, safety and cleanliness allows human beings have fun, enjoy work, go home safe.

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Why Lean Construction Works: The Real Value Proposition

Posted on March 25, 2026March 25, 2026 by Jason Schroeder

Read 24 min

Why Lean Construction Works (The Real Value Proposition)

If you have heard a lot about Lean, and I hope you have, and you’re like, “Well, how does this benefit me?” Let me explain it to you. I’m so excited because there’s a huge benefit to you and trade partners and general contractors and to you personally and everybody in between. So let me go through these one by one right now.

The Most Important Benefit: Living a Remarkable Life

Actually, let me cover the most important one right now. The key benefit is you and me living a remarkable life. One. Second, being able to live a remarkable life with our loved ones and our family. Three, us being able to bless the lives of people everywhere we go.

Lean implemented properly for respect for people. Doing what’s best for our folks and our clients and respecting people along the way is the most beautiful way to live. And there’s so much opportunity here that we could bless more people in construction, in our day jobs, than we could do in any nonprofit or church organization or any other place in the world.

Literally, there are tens of thousands of people that we will meet and have a direct effect on in the span of 5 years. It’s absolutely incredible the impact that we can have.

What Really Matters: We Would Still Do It for Our People

But let me tell you from a benefit standpoint outside of the people aspect. Actually, I can shout him out. Scott Butler with High Street. He said, “If you take away all of the productivity gains, the schedule gains, how well our job sites look, the efficiency, everything else, we would still do it because of what it has meant for our people.”

That’s really a massive statement. But let’s get into some of the other benefits.

Gross Profit Increases: 20-25% for Trades, 0.5-1.5% for GCs

Let me just tell you, in construction, we’re seeing clients that have taken their gross profit targets for trade partners from 8 to 10% all the way to 20% and climbing, and 20–25% and more.

We have seen general contractors increase their gross profit on a project by a half a percent, which for a general contractor is big, all the way up to 1.5%.

We have seen projects start to finish not only on time but anywhere between 1 to 5% earlier, which sometimes amounts to anywhere between 2 to 6 weeks easy. We’re even seeing clients finish 2 months early.

We’re seeing the amount of productivity double, and literally we track them very intensely for construction projects.

Cost Per Square Foot Decreases: $248 Down to Under $200

And here’s a really one that we just saw. The cost per square foot price for certain types of buildings go from 248 and climbing all the way down to an achievable target of under $200 Canadian.

So like the benefits are real, but I don’t ever want to start with that because it’s the right thing to do no matter what.

Less Rework and More Reliable Schedules

Next, less rework. If you are doing it the Lean way, you will have less rework.

Four, more reliable schedules. You’ll at least be able to finish at least close to on time, if not on time, or like I said, we’re tracking 1 to 5% earlier with Takt Last Planner and the Kanban method.

Better Leveling for Labor: 85 Persons vs. 15 Persons

Five, better leveling for labor. We don’t have a lot of labor running around. There’s a huge labor shortage when it comes to training. There’s people, but there’s not training. And we don’t have the same amount of product delivery team members and craft workers that we used to have.

And so, if you take a traditional push project with CPM and compare that to a Takt Last Planner and Kanban method project, you’re looking at like, let’s just say, one crew of the electricians, 85 persons on this crew, 15, and this one’s on schedule.

Fewer Disputes: Fix the Root Cause, Don’t Prepare for Court

Six, fewer disputes. And this is a huge one because a lot of times folks will say, “Oh, I have to do CPM. I have to do CPM.” Which is the worst thing that’s ever happened in construction. And they’re like, “We have to do CPM so that we can fight this out in court.”

No, no, no, no, no. Let’s eliminate the root cause. The root cause of you having to go to court and not finishing on time is a bad system and CPM. Let’s fix that and start using Lean construction scheduling methods and actually build the project right so you have fewer disputes with Lean.

Higher Retention: People Are Dying to Work for Lean Companies

Number seven, higher retention. People want, in fact, I get asked all the time, this doesn’t sound like a lot, but it’s a lot for me, two or three times a week of like really great professionals that don’t have any problem keeping a job, that are very loyal to their company. They’re like, “Jason, if I could find a company doing this in real life, like the real way, I would move there.”

So if you’re like, “I can’t hire anybody in the industry because like literally they all have jobs.” Then go the Lean route and you will get good folks. They are dying to come work for a company like that.

Better Client Experience: “Feels Like Coming to Disneyland”

And lastly, better client experience. This has been proven over and over and over. I’ll leave you with a comment that the vice president of construction left us with at the bioscience research laboratory. He said, “This is the best project I’ve ever seen, and coming here feels like coming to Disneyland.”

Literally, your clients are going to love it. That doesn’t mean that you won’t get outbid by low bid and some kind of nasty contractor, but it does mean that you’ll have a better client experience. And who wants to do work for owners that want the lowest bid anyway? And who wants to be mediocre in the first place?

Lean will change everything for you.

Here are the benefits of Lean construction:

Live remarkable life, bless people everywhere, tens of thousands of direct impacts in 5 years – Key benefit is you and me living remarkable life. Being able to live remarkable life with our loved ones and our family. Us being able to bless lives of people everywhere we go. Lean implemented properly for respect for people. Doing what’s best for our folks and our clients and respecting people along the way is most beautiful way to live. So much opportunity that we could bless more people in construction, in our day jobs, than we could do in any nonprofit or church organization or any other place in world. Literally, there are tens of thousands of people that we will meet and have direct effect on in span of 5 years. Absolutely incredible impact that we can have.
Gross profit increases: trades 20-25%, GCs 0.5-1.5%, finish 1-5% earlier (2-6 weeks) – Seeing clients taken their gross profit targets for trade partners from 8 to 10% all way to 20% and climbing, and 20–25% and more. Seen general contractors increase their gross profit on project by half percent, which for general contractor is big, all way up to 1.5%. Seen projects start to finish not only on time but anywhere between 1 to 5% earlier, which sometimes amounts to anywhere between 2 to 6 weeks easy. Even seeing clients finish 2 months early. Seeing amount of productivity double, literally track them very intensely for construction projects.
Cost per square foot decreases: $248 down to under $200 Canadian – Cost per square foot price for certain types of buildings go from 248 and climbing all way down to achievable target of under $200 Canadian. Benefits are real, but don’t ever want to start with that because it’s right thing to do no matter what.
Less rework, more reliable schedules, better labor leveling: 85 persons vs. 15 persons – If doing it Lean way, will have less rework. More reliable schedules. At least be able to finish at least close to on time, if not on time, tracking 1 to 5% earlier with Takt Last Planner and Kanban method. Better leveling for labor. Don’t have lot of labor running around. If take traditional push project with CPM and compare to Takt Last Planner and Kanban method project, looking at one crew of electricians, 85 persons on this crew, 15, and this one’s on schedule.
Fewer disputes, higher retention, better client experience: “feels like Disneyland” – Lot of times folks say, “Have to do CPM so can fight this out in court.” No. Let’s eliminate root cause. Root cause of having to go to court and not finishing on time is bad system and CPM. Fix that and start using Lean construction scheduling methods and actually build project right so have fewer disputes. Higher retention: really great professionals dying to work for company doing this in real life. Better client experience: VP of construction at bioscience research laboratory said, “This is best project I’ve ever seen, and coming here feels like coming to Disneyland.” Clients going to love it.

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

A Challenge for Construction Professionals

Here’s what I want you to do this week. Focus on the most important benefit first: living a remarkable life. Being able to live remarkable life with your loved ones and your family. Being able to bless lives of people everywhere you go.

Implement Lean properly for respect for people. Do what’s best for your folks and your clients and respect people along the way. This is most beautiful way to live. You could bless more people in construction, in your day job, than you could do in any nonprofit or church organization or any other place in world. Tens of thousands of people you will meet and have direct effect on in span of 5 years.

But also recognize the other benefits. Trade partners going from 8-10% gross profit to 20-25%. General contractors increasing gross profit by 0.5-1.5%. Projects finishing 1-5% earlier (2-6 weeks easy, some 2 months early). Productivity doubling. Cost per square foot going from $248 down to under $200 Canadian. Less rework if doing it Lean way. More reliable schedules, finishing close to on time or 1-5% earlier with Takt Last Planner and Kanban method. Better labor leveling: traditional push project with CPM might have 85 persons on crew, Takt Last Planner and Kanban method project has 15 and on schedule.

Fewer disputes. Root cause of going to court and not finishing on time is bad system and CPM. Fix that and start using Lean construction scheduling methods. Build project right. Higher retention. Really great professionals dying to work for company doing this in real life. If can’t hire anybody in industry because literally they all have jobs, go Lean route and will get good folks.

Better client experience. VP of construction: “This is best project I’ve ever seen, and coming here feels like coming to Disneyland.” Clients going to love it. As we say at Elevate, Lean construction benefits: live remarkable life, respect people, 20-25% gross profit for trades, 1-5% earlier finish, less rework, fewer disputes, higher retention.

On we go.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the most important benefit of Lean construction?

You and me living remarkable life. Being able to live remarkable life with our loved ones and our family. Us being able to bless lives of people everywhere we go. Lean implemented properly for respect for people. Most beautiful way to live. Could bless more people in construction than in any nonprofit or church organization. Tens of thousands of people direct effect on in 5 years.

How much can gross profit increase with Lean?

Seeing clients taken gross profit targets for trade partners from 8-10% all way to 20% and climbing, 20–25% and more. Seen general contractors increase gross profit on project by half percent all way up to 1.5%. Seen projects finish 1-5% earlier, 2-6 weeks easy, some 2 months early. Productivity double.

How does Lean construction reduce labor needs?

Better leveling for labor. Don’t have lot of labor running around. If take traditional push project with CPM and compare to Takt Last Planner and Kanban method project, looking at one crew of electricians, 85 persons on this crew, 15, and this one’s on schedule.

Why does Lean construction lead to fewer disputes?

Lot of times folks say, “Have to do CPM so can fight out in court.” No. Let’s eliminate root cause. Root cause of having to go to court and not finishing on time is bad system and CPM. Fix that and start using Lean construction scheduling methods and actually build project right so have fewer disputes.

How does Lean construction improve retention?

Really great professionals, two or three times week, saying, “Jason, if I could find company doing this in real life, like real way, I would move there.” If can’t hire anybody in industry because literally they all have jobs, go Lean route and will get good folks. They are dying to work for company like that.

If you want to learn more we have:

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Do You Offer Takt Planning Training for PMs, Superintendents, and Engineers?

Posted on March 24, 2026March 24, 2026 by Jason Schroeder

Read 17 min

Do You Offer Takt Planning Training for PMs, Superintendents, and Engineers?

The short answer is yes. But the better answer is this: We don’t just offer training we build builders. Because Takt Planning isn’t a tool you install. It’s a system you live. And if your PMs, Superintendents, and Engineers aren’t aligned around flow, stability, and respect for people, then no schedule no matter how advanced will save the project.

Let me explain how we approach this.

Why Takt Training Matters (And Why Most Training Fails)

Most construction training today is fragmented. PMs learn contracts and cost control. Superintendents learn scheduling and logistics. Engineers learn documentation and coordination. But nobody is taught how to create flow as a team. That’s the gap. Takt Planning closes that gap by aligning the entire project team around rhythm, sequence, capacity, stability, and ultimately, flow.

But here’s the key: you can’t just teach Takt in theory. You have to experience it, simulate it, and apply it in the field. That’s exactly how we’ve structured our training.

LeanTakt Takt Production System Virtual Course: The Foundation

This is the foundation. Our LeanTakt Takt Production System® virtual course is where teams learn the why, what, and how behind Takt. We don’t just show people how to build a Takt plan we teach them how to think differently about construction. In this course, your team will learn how to break a project into zones and wagons, how to sequence work for trade flow instead of trade stacking, how to level production and eliminate chaos, how to create predictable repeatable operations, and how to connect Takt with Last Planner, pull planning, and field execution. This course is ideal for PMs who need control and visibility, Superintendents who need stability in the field, and Engineers who need clarity in execution. It creates a shared language across the entire team.

Takt Simulations: Where It Clicks

If the course is the foundation, simulations are the breakthrough. This is where people stop hearing about flow and start feeling it. In our simulations, teams experience what it feels like to work in chaos vs. flow, the impact of variability and overloading, the power of leveling and proper sequencing, and how small disruptions affect the entire system. And here’s what happens every time: The lightbulb goes on. Superintendents see how to protect the plan. PMs see how to support flow instead of disrupt it. Engineers see how their decisions affect production. You cannot replicate this with a PowerPoint. Simulations create belief and belief is what drives behavior change.

Super/PM Boot Camp: Where Leaders Are Built

This is where everything comes together. Our Superintendent/Project Manager Boot Camp is designed to transform how leaders run projects. Because here’s the truth “Takt Planning doesn’t fail because of bad math”. It fails because of inconsistent leadership. In Boot Camp, we train leaders to run daily huddles that actually matter, maintain zone control and trade flow, use visual systems to manage the project, identify and remove constraints early, and lead with stability, not reaction. We also focus heavily on field presence, communication rhythms, team alignment, and respect for people. This is where your leaders become builders of systems not just managers of problems.

What Makes Our Approach Different

We don’t just train individuals we align teams. We don’t just teach tools we build systems. And we don’t just talk about Lean we operationalize it in the field. Our approach combines Education (Virtual Course), Experience (Simulations), and Leadership Development (Boot Camp). So, your PMs, Superintendents, and Engineers don’t just understand Takt they can actually run a project with it.

Here’s our three-part training approach:

Virtual course: break into zones and wagons, sequence for trade flow, level production, connect with Last Planner – LeanTakt Takt Production System® virtual course is foundation. Where teams learn why, what, and how behind Takt. Don’t just show people how to build Takt plan teach them how to think differently about construction. Learn: break project into zones and wagons, sequence work for trade flow instead of trade stacking, level production and eliminate chaos, create predictable repeatable operations, connect Takt with Last Planner pull planning field execution. Ideal for PMs who need control and visibility, Superintendents who need stability in field, Engineers who need clarity in execution. Creates shared language across entire team.
Simulations: experience chaos vs. flow, see impact of variability, feel power of leveling – If course is foundation, simulations are breakthrough. Where people stop hearing about flow and start feeling it. Teams experience: what it feels like to work in chaos vs. flow, impact of variability and overloading, power of leveling and proper sequencing, how small disruptions affect entire system. What happens every time: lightbulb goes on. Superintendents see how to protect plan. PMs see how to support flow instead of disrupt it. Engineers see how their decisions affect production. Cannot replicate with PowerPoint. Simulations create belief and belief is what drives behavior change.
Boot Camp: run daily huddles, maintain zone control, use visual systems, lead with stability not reaction – Where everything comes together. Superintendent/Project Manager Boot Camp designed to transform how leaders run projects. Takt Planning doesn’t fail because of bad math. Fails because of inconsistent leadership. Train leaders to: run daily huddles that actually matter, maintain zone control and trade flow, use visual systems to manage project, identify and remove constraints early, lead with stability not reaction. Also focus heavily on: field presence, communication rhythms, team alignment, respect for people. Where leaders become builders of systems not just managers of problems.

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

Final Thought: Create Flow, Not Chaos

If you’re asking whether we offer Takt Planning training, you’re already on the right track. But the real question is this: Do you want a team that manages chaos or a team that creates flow? Because once your people experience Takt the right way, they won’t go back. And neither will your projects.

A Challenge for Construction Teams

Here’s what I want you to do this week. Stop accepting fragmented training. PMs learning contracts and cost control. Superintendents learning scheduling and logistics. Engineers learning documentation and coordination. But nobody taught how to create flow as a team. That’s the gap. Close the gap with Takt Planning. Align entire project team around rhythm, sequence, capacity, stability, and ultimately, flow. Can’t just teach Takt in theory. Have to experience it, simulate it, and apply it in field.

Start with the virtual course. Learn why, what, and how behind Takt. Break project into zones and wagons. Sequence work for trade flow instead of trade stacking. Level production and eliminate chaos. Create predictable repeatable operations. Connect Takt with Last Planner, pull planning, field execution. Create shared language across entire team.

Experience simulations. Stop hearing about flow and start feeling it. Experience chaos vs. flow. Impact of variability and overloading. Power of leveling and proper sequencing. How small disruptions affect entire system. Lightbulb goes on. Superintendents see how to protect plan. PMs see how to support flow. Engineers see how decisions affect production. Simulations create belief and belief is what drives behavior change.

Complete Boot Camp. Transform how leaders run projects. Takt Planning doesn’t fail because of bad math. Fails because of inconsistent leadership. Run daily huddles that actually matter. Maintain zone control and trade flow. Use visual systems to manage project. Identify and remove constraints early. Lead with stability not reaction. Become builders of systems not just managers of problems.

Don’t just train individuals align teams. Don’t just teach tools build systems. Don’t just talk about Lean operationalize it in field. Combine Education (Virtual Course), Experience (Simulations), Leadership Development (Boot Camp). So, PMs, Superintendents, Engineers don’t just understand Takt they can actually run project with it. As we say at Elevate, Takt planning training builds builders not just trains. Virtual course foundation, simulations breakthrough, boot camp transforms leaders. Create flow not chaos.

On we go.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does most construction training fail?

Most construction training fragmented. PMs learn contracts and cost control. Superintendents learn scheduling and logistics. Engineers learn documentation and coordination. But nobody taught how to create flow as team. That’s the gap. Can’t just teach Takt in theory. Have to experience it, simulate it, apply it in field.

What is the LeanTakt Takt Production System virtual course?

Foundation. Where teams learn why, what, and how behind Takt. Don’t just show how to build Takt plan teach how to think differently about construction. Break project into zones and wagons, sequence work for trade flow, level production, create predictable operations, connect Takt with Last Planner. Creates shared language across entire team.

Why are Takt simulations important?

If course is foundation, simulations are breakthrough. Where people stop hearing about flow and start feeling it. Experience chaos vs. flow, impact of variability, power of leveling. Lightbulb goes on. Superintendents see how to protect plan. PMs see how to support flow. Engineers see how decisions affect production. Cannot replicate with PowerPoint. Simulations create belief.

What happens in Super/PM Boot Camp?

Where everything comes together. Transform how leaders run projects. Takt Planning doesn’t fail because of bad math. Fails because of inconsistent leadership. Train leaders to: run daily huddles that actually matter, maintain zone control, use visual systems, remove constraints early, lead with stability not reaction. Become builders of systems not just managers of problems.

What makes Elevate’s training approach different?

If you want to learn more we have:

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

On we go

Built, Not Forced (The Standard for Construction Superintendents)

Posted on March 24, 2026March 24, 2026 by Jason Schroeder

Read 17 min

Built, Not Forced by Jody Fitzgerald (The Standard for Construction Superintendents)

Built, Not Forced: The Standard for Construction Superintendents by Jody Fitzgerald is a leadership-focused field guide that challenges traditional construction management habits and replaces them with a more intentional, people-centered, and system-driven approach. The book argues that great projects are not pushed into completion through pressure, chaos, or constant firefighting they are built through preparation, trust, standards, and flow.

The Core Message: Shifting from Force to Structure

At its core, Built, Not Forced is about shifting from a reactive, force-driven mindset to a structured, proactive, and leadership-driven system. Fitzgerald emphasizes that many construction projects fail not because people are incompetent, but because systems are broken, expectations are unclear, and leadership is inconsistent.

The title itself captures the philosophy:

Forced = rushed schedules, constant pressure, confusion, rework, burnout

Built = planned work, stable flow, clear expectations, empowered teams

A superintendent’s role is to build the environment where success becomes the natural outcome, not something achieved through stress and last-minute effort.

From Chaos to Stability: Chaos Is Not Inevitable

The book strongly critiques the industry norm of chaos being accepted as “just how construction works.” Fitzgerald argues that chaos is not inevitable it is the result of poor planning, lack of standards, and weak leadership systems. Instead, the goal is stability: predictable workflows, reliable schedules, and clear communication. When stability is achieved, productivity increases and stress decreases.

Systems Over Heroics: If Your Project Relies on Heroes, Your System Is Broken

One of the most powerful ideas in the book is that projects should not rely on “heroic effort.” In many jobsites, success depends on last-minute problem solving, individuals working overtime to fix issues, and constant firefighting. Fitzgerald rejects this model and promotes systems thinking: standard processes for planning and execution, repeatable workflows, and clear roles and responsibilities. The idea is simple: If your project only works when people go above and beyond constantly, your system is broken.

The Superintendent as a Builder of Systems

The superintendent is not just managing work they are designing the system in which work happens. This includes creating structured schedules, establishing daily and weekly planning routines, ensuring trade partners are aligned, and removing constraints before work begins. The superintendent becomes a system architect, not just a problem solver.

Clarity Creates Performance: When People Know What to Do, They Perform Better

A major cause of inefficiency on jobsites is lack of clarity. Fitzgerald emphasizes clear scopes of work, defined expectations, transparent schedules, and visual planning tools. When people know exactly what to do, when to do it, and how it connects to others, they perform better with less supervision.

Flow Over Busyness: A Well-Flowing Jobsite Looks Calm, Not Chaotic

Similar to Lean principles, the book highlights that keeping people busy is not the goal keeping work flowing is. Problems with “busy work”: trades working out of sequence, congestion on site, and increased rework. Instead, superintendents should focus on proper sequencing, balanced workloads, and smooth handoffs between trades. A well-flowing jobsite looks calm, not chaotic.

Respect for Trade Partners: Collaborators, Not Subordinates

The book places strong emphasis on treating trade partners as collaborators, not subordinates. This includes involving them in planning, listening to their expertise, and providing what they need to succeed. When trades are respected, accountability increases, quality improves, and conflicts decrease.

Discipline and Standards: Consistent Standards, Not Occasional Effort

Fitzgerald introduces the idea that success comes from consistent standards, not occasional effort. This includes daily routines (walks, check-ins, planning sessions), clean and organized sites, structured meetings, and clear documentation. Discipline creates predictability, and predictability creates success.

Leadership Through Behavior: The Team Mirrors the Superintendent

Leadership is not defined by position it is defined by actions. Superintendents must show up prepared, stay calm under pressure, communicate clearly, and follow through on commitments. The team mirrors the behavior of the superintendent. If leadership is disorganized, the project will be too.

Here are the core values from Built, Not Forced:

Intentionality over reaction: planning replaces panic, preparation replaces reaction – Every action on jobsite should be intentional. Planning replaces panic, and preparation replaces reaction. Shift from reactive, force-driven mindset to structured, proactive, and leadership-driven system. Many construction projects fail not because people are incompetent, but because systems are broken, expectations are unclear, and leadership is inconsistent. Superintendent’s role is to build environment where success becomes natural outcome, not something achieved through stress and last-minute effort.
Systems thinking: success built on strong systems, not individual heroic effort – Projects should not rely on “heroic effort.” In many jobsites, success depends on last-minute problem solving, individuals working overtime to fix issues, constant firefighting. Fitzgerald rejects this model and promotes systems thinking: standard processes for planning and execution, repeatable workflows, clear roles and responsibilities. If your project only works when people go above and beyond constantly, your system is broken. Superintendent not just managing work designing system in which work happens.
Flow over busyness: proper sequencing, balanced workloads, smooth handoffs between trades – Keeping people busy is not goal keeping work flowing is. Problems with “busy work”: trades working out of sequence, congestion on site, increased rework. Instead, superintendents should focus on proper sequencing, balanced workloads, smooth handoffs between trades. Well-flowing jobsite looks calm, not chaotic. When stability achieved, productivity increases and stress decreases.
Clarity creates performance: clear scopes, defined expectations, visual planning tools – Major cause of inefficiency on jobsites is lack of clarity. Fitzgerald emphasizes clear scopes of work, defined expectations, transparent schedules, visual planning tools. When people know exactly what to do, when to do it, how it connects to others, they perform better with less supervision. Clear communication eliminates confusion. Everyone should understand plan and their role in it.
Respect for trade partners: involve in planning, listen to expertise, provide what they need – Strong emphasis on treating trade partners as collaborators, not subordinates. This includes involving them in planning, listening to their expertise, providing what they need to succeed. When trades are respected, accountability increases, quality improves, conflicts decrease. People perform best when they are respected, heard, and supported. Applies to every level of jobsite.

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

Practical Takeaways from the Book

Some of the most actionable lessons from the book include: Plan work in detail before it reaches the field. Never allow crews to start without proper preparation. Use consistent planning rhythms (daily and weekly). Focus on removing constraints early. Keep the jobsite organized and clean. Build strong relationships with trade partners from day one. Avoid overloading the site with too many crews at once. Measure success by flow and predictability, not activity.

A Challenge for Superintendents

Here’s what I want you to do this week. Read Built, Not Forced by Jody Fitzgerald. Shift from reactive, force-driven mindset to structured, proactive, and leadership-driven system. Your role is to build environment where success becomes natural outcome, not something achieved through stress and last-minute effort.

Stop relying on heroic effort. If your project only works when people go above and beyond constantly, your system is broken. Promote systems thinking: standard processes for planning and execution, repeatable workflows, clear roles and responsibilities. You’re not just managing work you’re designing system in which work happens.

Focus on flow over busyness. Keeping people busy is not goal keeping work flowing is. Proper sequencing, balanced workloads, smooth handoffs between trades. Well-flowing jobsite looks calm, not chaotic. Create clarity. Clear scopes of work, defined expectations, transparent schedules, visual planning tools. When people know exactly what to do, when to do it, how it connects to others, they perform better with less supervision.

Treat trade partners as collaborators, not subordinates. Involve them in planning. Listen to their expertise. Provide what they need to succeed. When trades are respected, accountability increases, quality improves, conflicts decrease. Build discipline and standards. Daily routines (walks, check-ins, planning sessions). Clean and organized sites. Structured meetings. Clear documentation. Discipline creates predictability, and predictability creates success.

Remember: the team mirrors your behavior. Show up prepared. Stay calm under pressure. Communicate clearly. Follow through on commitments. If leadership is disorganized, the project will be too.

On we go.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main message of Built, Not Forced?

Great projects not pushed into completion through pressure, chaos, or constant firefighting built through preparation, trust, standards, and flow. Shift from reactive, force-driven mindset to structured, proactive, and leadership-driven system. Superintendent’s role is to build environment where success becomes natural outcome, not something achieved through stress and last-minute effort.

What does “systems over heroics” mean?

Projects should not rely on “heroic effort.” If your project only works when people go above and beyond constantly, your system is broken. Promote systems thinking: standard processes for planning and execution, repeatable workflows, clear roles and responsibilities. Superintendent not just managing work designing system in which work happens.

Why is flow more important than busyness?

Keeping people busy is not goal keeping work flowing is. Problems with “busy work”: trades working out of sequence, congestion on site, increased rework. Instead, focus on proper sequencing, balanced workloads, smooth handoffs between trades. Well-flowing jobsite looks calm, not chaotic.

How does clarity create performance?

Major cause of inefficiency is lack of clarity. Clear scopes of work, defined expectations, transparent schedules, visual planning tools. When people know exactly what to do, when to do it, how it connects to others, they perform better with less supervision.

How should superintendents treat trade partners?

As collaborators, not subordinates. Involve them in planning. Listen to their expertise. Provide what they need to succeed. When trades are respected, accountability increases, quality improves, conflicts decrease.

If you want to learn more we have:

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

On we go

THE SUPERINTENDENT’S PLAYBOOK (A Field Guide for New Construction Supers)

Posted on March 24, 2026March 24, 2026 by Jason Schroeder

Read 16 min

The Superintendent’s Playbook by Trenton Miller (A Field Guide for New Construction Supers)

At its core, the book reframes what it means to be a superintendent. It emphasizes that the role is not about control, authority, or being the “boss”, it’s about serving the project, enabling others, and creating an environment where work can flow efficiently and safely.

A superintendent is positioned as the central nervous system of the jobsite, connecting people, processes, and production. Success comes from clarity, preparation, communication, and respect for the people doing the work.

The Role of a Superintendent: Facilitator, Not Boss

Miller defines the superintendent as a facilitator of success. Instead of micromanaging, the superintendent’s job is to remove obstacles, coordinate trades, ensure work is ready before it starts, and maintain flow on the jobsite. This shift from control to enablement is one of the most important mindset changes for new supers.

Planning and Preparation: Most Problems Come from Poor Planning

A major emphasis is placed on preparation before execution. The book stresses that most jobsite problems come from poor planning, not poor performance. Key planning responsibilities include reviewing drawings thoroughly, identifying constraints early, ensuring materials, tools, and information are ready (often referred to as having a “full kit”), and creating realistic schedules that reflect actual field conditions. Good supers don’t react to problems they anticipate and prevent them.

Flow and Production Thinking: Keep Work Moving, Not Just People Busy

The book aligns closely with Lean construction principles, especially the idea of flow. Instead of focusing on keeping everyone busy, the goal is to keep work moving smoothly from one trade to the next, avoid bottlenecks, and maintain consistent progress. This requires clear sequencing, balanced workloads, and reliable handoffs between trades. A chaotic jobsite is usually a sign of broken flow.

Communication and Coordination: Miscommunication Causes Delays and Rework

Communication is presented as one of the superintendent’s most critical tools. Effective supers communicate expectations clearly, hold consistent meetings (daily huddles, coordination meetings), ensure everyone understands the plan, and listen actively to field crews. The book emphasizes that miscommunication is one of the biggest causes of delays, rework, and conflict.

Leadership and Culture: Influence and Trust, Not Authority

Leadership in the field is not about authority it’s about influence and trust. Miller highlights that great superintendents lead by example, stay calm under pressure, treat workers with respect, and build strong relationships with trade partners. Culture on a jobsite is shaped by the superintendent. A positive culture leads to better productivity, higher morale, and fewer safety incidents.

Safety as a Core Responsibility: Proactive, Not Reactive

Safety is not treated as a checklist or compliance task it’s a fundamental part of leadership. Key ideas include: safety is proactive, not reactive. Planning reduces risk. A clean, organized site is a safer site. Workers must feel comfortable speaking up. The superintendent sets the tone for safety through daily actions, not just policies.

Time Management: Focus on Planning, Coordinating, Supporting

Superintendents deal with constant pressure and competing priorities. The book teaches how to focus on high-impact activities, avoid getting lost in minor issues, and stay organized despite chaos. The best supers spend their time on planning ahead, coordinating work, and supporting crews. Not firefighting every small problem.

Problem-Solving and Adaptability: Stay Solution-Focused, Avoid Blame

Construction is unpredictable, and problems are inevitable. What matters is how they are handled. Effective superintendents stay solution-focused, avoid blame, involve the right people quickly, and learn from mistakes. Adaptability is key plans will change, and supers must adjust without losing control of the project.

Here are the core values from The Superintendent’s Playbook:

Service over authority: super serves team and project, builds trust and performance – Superintendent is there to serve team and project, not to dominate it. This mindset builds trust and improves performance across board. Role not about control, authority, or being “boss” about serving project, enabling others, creating environment where work can flow efficiently and safely. Superintendent positioned as central nervous system of jobsite, connecting people, processes, production. Success comes from clarity, preparation, communication, respect for people doing work.
Preparation over reaction: well-prepared jobsite runs smoother with fewer disruptions – Success comes from planning ahead, not reacting to problems after they occur. Well-prepared jobsite runs smoother and experiences fewer disruptions. Most jobsite problems come from poor planning, not poor performance. Key planning responsibilities: reviewing drawings thoroughly, identifying constraints early, ensuring materials tools information ready (having “full kit”), creating realistic schedules that reflect actual field conditions. Good supers don’t react to problems anticipate and prevent them.
Respect for people: every worker critical, treating with respect leads to better collaboration – Every worker on-site plays critical role. Treating people with respect leads to better collaboration, higher quality work, stronger relationships. Great superintendents lead by example, stay calm under pressure, treat workers with respect, build strong relationships with trade partners. Culture on jobsite shaped by superintendent. Positive culture leads to better productivity, higher morale, fewer safety incidents.
Clarity and communication: clear expectations eliminate confusion, miscommunication causes delays – Clear expectations eliminate confusion. Communication must be frequent, simple, direct. Without clarity, even skilled teams will struggle. Communication presented as one of superintendent’s most critical tools. Effective supers communicate expectations clearly, hold consistent meetings (daily huddles, coordination meetings), ensure everyone understands plan, listen actively to field crews. Miscommunication one of biggest causes of delays, rework, conflict.
Flow and efficiency: keep work moving smoothly, avoid bottlenecks, reliable handoffs – Book aligns closely with Lean construction principles, especially idea of flow. Instead of focusing on keeping everyone busy, goal is keep work moving smoothly from one trade to next, avoid bottlenecks, maintain consistent progress. Requires clear sequencing, balanced workloads, reliable handoffs between trades. Chaotic jobsite usually signs of broken flow. Keeping work moving smoothly more important than keeping people busy. Efficiency comes from proper sequencing, eliminating waste, reducing delays.

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

Practical Takeaways from the Book

Some of the most actionable lessons from the book include: Always ensure crews have a full kit before starting work. Walk the site daily with intention, not just habit. Plan at least one step ahead of the work. Build strong relationships with trade partners early. Keep meetings short, focused, and consistent. Document issues clearly and communicate them early. Stay visible and accessible on the jobsite.

A Challenge for Superintendents

Here’s what I want you to do this week. Read The Superintendent’s Playbook by Trenton Miller. Embrace the shift from control to enablement. Your job is to remove obstacles, coordinate trades, ensure work is ready before it starts, and maintain flow on the jobsite. Focus on planning and preparation. Most jobsite problems come from poor planning, not poor performance. Review drawings thoroughly. Identify constraints early. Ensure materials, tools, and information are ready (have a “full kit”). Create realistic schedules that reflect actual field conditions. Don’t react to problems anticipate and prevent them.

Keep work moving smoothly from one trade to next. Avoid bottlenecks. Maintain consistent progress. Clear sequencing. Balanced workloads. Reliable handoffs between trades. Chaotic jobsite is sign of broken flow. Communicate expectations clearly. Hold consistent meetings. Ensure everyone understands plan. Listen actively to field crews. Miscommunication one of biggest causes of delays, rework, conflict. Lead by example. Stay calm under pressure. Treat workers with respect. Build strong relationships with trade partners. Culture on jobsite shaped by you. Positive culture leads to better productivity, higher morale, fewer safety incidents.

Make safety proactive, not reactive. Planning reduces risk. Clean, organized site is safer site. Workers must feel comfortable speaking up. You set tone for safety through daily actions, not just policies.

On we go.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main message of The Superintendent’s Playbook?

Role not about control, authority, or being “boss” about serving project, enabling others, creating environment where work can flow efficiently and safely. Superintendent positioned as central nervous system of jobsite, connecting people, processes, production. Success comes from clarity, preparation, communication, respect for people doing work.

What’s the superintendent’s job according to Trenton Miller?

Facilitator of success. Instead of micromanaging, job is to remove obstacles, coordinate trades, ensure work is ready before it starts, maintain flow on jobsite. Shift from control to enablement is one of most important mindset changes for new supers.

Where do most jobsite problems come from?

Most jobsite problems come from poor planning, not poor performance. Good supers don’t react to problems anticipate and prevent them. Key planning responsibilities: reviewing drawings thoroughly, identifying constraints early, ensuring materials tools information ready (having “full kit”), creating realistic schedules that reflect actual field conditions.

What does flow mean for superintendents?

Instead of focusing on keeping everyone busy, goal is keep work moving smoothly from one trade to next, avoid bottlenecks, maintain consistent progress. Requires clear sequencing, balanced workloads, reliable handoffs between trades. Chaotic jobsite usually sign of broken flow.

How should superintendents approach safety?

Safety not treated as checklist or compliance task fundamental part of leadership. Safety is proactive, not reactive. Planning reduces risk. Clean, organized site is safer site. Workers must feel comfortable speaking up. Superintendent sets tone for safety through daily actions, not just policies.

If you want to learn more we have:

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

On we go

What Is Lean Construction? (Simple Overview for Builders)

Posted on March 24, 2026March 24, 2026 by Jason Schroeder

Read 19 min

What Is Lean Construction? (Simple Overview for Builders)

I’m really excited about this topic because usually I talk about the pattern, which is actually correct. Which is it’s respect for people, stability and standardization. One piece progress or process flow flowing on Takt time, total participation with visual systems, and then quality and continuous improvement.

But what I’d like to do right now is actually cover an overview of what Lean is in construction and where it came from. So, I’m going to give you a couple of really cool points that I think you’re going to love.

Definition of Lean: Willingness to Learn and Implement Excellence

So, number one, Lean at least Jason’s definition can be about a lot of things, but it’s mainly about the willingness to learn about and implement excellence for the benefit of people and humanity. So, you could say Lean is about respect. You could say Lean is about people. Lean is about doing what’s right. Lean is about learning.

So that’s really the foundation. And it’s so important because there are so many folks and they’re great folks, but they’re talking about Lean and they completely forget about the people side of it, and we can’t do that. We’ve got to make sure we understand that it’s all about people.

Respect for People, Nature and Resources: The First Concept

Once we get that, and again, that’s why I have respect for people, nature and resources as the first concept in my Lean cores. There’s six of them. But then we get into some key concepts that really enable flow to the customer and flow of a quality product. But flow while we are respecting our own people and the client at the same time.

So, Lean really is in the context of this blog about flow.

Key Ways to Enable Flow: Build the Team First

One of the key ways that we enable flow is to build the team first and respect people. We really can’t flow from a production standpoint unless we flow intellectually, emotionally and with the team. So that’s why people always come first.

And second, we must make sure that we stabilize before we optimize. That means you’re going to want to see beautiful, clean, safe, and organized environments. You’re going to want to see standard work. You’re going to see rhythms for our meeting systems, standard deliverables, stability and standardization enable flow.

And then you can start to do a couple of key things, which I’ll mention briefly because I cover this in depth in other blogs.

One Piece Progress: Don’t Start Until Ready to Finish with Full Kit

When you’re working in one piece progress or process flow, that really means that you’re not going to start something until you’re ready to finish and that you have the capacity to do so. So, when we do something, we plan it, we do it and finish it. Plan, build, finish. And we don’t do the second thing until we’re done here and we have full kit.

Flowing on Takt Time: Go as Fast as Your Slowest Trade

The fourth key consideration within this flow concept is flowing together on a Takt time. Meaning that we’re on a rhythm. It doesn’t matter how fast one trade or your fastest trades are going or how fast the fastest thing is going. You’re only going to go as fast as your most limiting factor or your slowest trade or your most complex zones. We have to flow together.

Total Participation with Visual Systems: Can’t Participate Without Them

And the only way that we can do that is if we participate together with visual systems. You really can’t participate together without visual systems. And that then enables us to focus on quality and to continuously improve. And really that wheel 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 can move in both directions however you want.

But we must make sure we start first with respect and stability.

Origin: Toyota, Japanese Culture, Sakichi Toyoda’s Looms

It originally comes from Toyota. You can actually trace this back to Japanese culture and you can trace it all the way back to Sakichi Toyoda with his looms and then the Toyota Motor Company. And actually, the culture throughout Japan, it has its roots there.

And they really focused. I mean, in Japanese culture, they’re focused on respect for people, first and foremost, and stability. And then they added two concepts. One was Jidoka, which is automation with human touch to focus on quality at the source. And then just-in-time where we really only do things just in time in a flow and bring materials and resources to build these products just in time, in a flow.

And we only produce just in time for the customer in a flow.

Benefits: Removes Chaos, Reduces Variability, Respects People

This concept of Lean prevents or removes or reduces chaos for trade partners. It reduces variability. It makes us all more money, but most importantly, it respects people. And I want you to remember, it’s a system, not a tool.

Here’s what Lean construction is:

Willingness to learn about and implement excellence for benefit of people and humanity – Lean can be about lot of things, but mainly about willingness to learn about and implement excellence for benefit of people and humanity. Could say Lean is about respect. Could say Lean is about people. Lean is about doing what’s right. Lean is about learning. That’s really foundation. So many folks talking about Lean and completely forget about people side of it, can’t do that. Got to make sure understand it’s all about people.
Respect for people, nature and resources: first concept before flow – That’s why have respect for people, nature and resources as first concept in my Lean cores. There’s six of them. Then get into key concepts that really enable flow to customer and flow of quality product. But flow while we are respecting our own people and client at same time. Lean really is about flow.
Build team first, stabilize before optimize: clean, safe, organized, standard work – One of key ways enable flow is to build team first and respect people. Really can’t flow from production standpoint unless we flow intellectually, emotionally and with team. That’s why people always come first. Second, must make sure stabilize before optimize. Want to see beautiful, clean, safe, organized environments. Want to see standard work. See rhythms for meeting systems, standard deliverables, stability and standardization enable flow.
One piece progress: don’t start until ready to finish with full kit, plan-build-finish – When working in one piece progress or process flow, really means not going to start something until ready to finish and have capacity to do so. When do something, plan it, do it and finish it. Plan, build, finish. Don’t do second thing until done here and have full kit.
Flow on takt time: go as fast as slowest trade, total participation with visual systems – Fourth key consideration within flow concept is flowing together on Takt time. Means on rhythm. Doesn’t matter how fast one trade or fastest trades going or how fast fastest thing going. Only going to go as fast as most limiting factor or slowest trade or most complex zones. Have to flow together. Only way can do that is if participate together with visual systems. Really can’t participate together without visual systems. Then enables to focus on quality and continuously improve.

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

A Challenge for Construction Professionals

Here’s what I want you to do this week. If you have any opportunity to learn about Lean in manufacturing or construction, do it. It will change your life. Remember lean is mainly about willingness to learn about and implement excellence for benefit of people and humanity. It’s about respect. It’s about people. It’s about doing what’s right. It’s about learning. So many folks talking about Lean and completely forget about people side of it. Got to make sure understand it’s all about people.

Build team first and respect people. Really can’t flow from production standpoint unless flow intellectually, emotionally and with team. That’s why people always come first. Stabilize before optimize. Want to see beautiful, clean, safe, organized environments. Want to see standard work. Rhythms for meeting systems, standard deliverables, stability and standardization enable flow. Work in one piece progress. Don’t start something until ready to finish and have capacity to do so. Plan it, do it and finish it. Plan, build, finish. Don’t do second thing until done and have full kit.

Flow together on Takt time. On rhythm. Only gonna go as fast as most limiting factor or slowest trade or most complex zones. Have to flow together. Participate together with visual systems. Really can’t participate together without visual systems. Focus on quality and continuously improve. Remember: Lean prevents or removes or reduces chaos for trade partners. Reduces variability. Makes us all more money, but most importantly, respects people. It’s a system, not a tool. As we say at Elevate, Lean construction: willingness to learn and implement excellence for benefit of people. Flow enabled by respect, stability, Takt time, visual systems.

On we go.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Lean construction?

Willingness to learn about and implement excellence for benefit of people and humanity. Could say Lean is about respect, about people, about doing what’s right, about learning. So many folks talking about Lean and completely forget about people side of it. Got to make sure understand it’s all about people.

Where did Lean construction come from?

Originally comes from Toyota. Can trace back to Japanese culture and trace all way back to Sakichi Toyoda with his looms and then Toyota Motor Company. Japanese culture focused on respect for people, first and foremost, and stability. Added Jidoka (automation with human touch to focus on quality at source) and just-in-time (only do things just in time in flow).

What are the key ways to enable flow?

Build team first and respect people. Can’t flow from production standpoint unless flow intellectually, emotionally and with team. Stabilize before optimize. Beautiful, clean, safe, organized environments. Standard work. Rhythms for meeting systems. One piece progress. Flow on Takt time. Total participation with visual systems.

What is one piece progress?

Not going to start something until ready to finish and have capacity to do so. Plan it, do it and finish it. Plan, build, finish. Don’t do second thing until done and have full kit.

What does flowing on Takt time mean?

Flowing together on Takt time. On rhythm. Doesn’t matter how fast one trade or fastest trades going. Only going to go as fast as most limiting factor or slowest trade or most complex zones. Have to flow together. Only way: participate together with visual systems.

If you want to learn more we have:

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

On we go

Elevating Construction Takt Planning – Part ‪4

Posted on March 24, 2026March 24, 2026 by Jason Schroeder

Read 40 min

The Team That Said Takt Does Not Work Because Riddled With Problems When Problems Were Always There Now We Can Do Something About Them

There is a team implementing Takt Planning for first time. Created Takt plan showing flow. Identified Takt zones. Established rhythm. Distributed plan to all foremen. Held trades accountable to dates. And immediately problems erupted. Coordination missing. RFIs stuck. Materials delayed. Information incomplete. Permits pending. Equipment unavailable. Trade stacking in zones. Sequence conflicts everywhere. So superintendent declared: this Takt system does not work. It is riddled with problems. Look at all these roadblocks. Look at this chaos. CPM never showed this many problems. Therefore Takt must be causing problems. We should go back to CPM where things were cleaner. And consultant stopped him. Said: Takt is only riddled with problems because it shows problems that were always there. Only difference is now we can do something about them. CPM hid these problems in complexity. Made you think you had clean schedule when you had chaotic reality. Roadblocks existed. You just could not see them until you crashed into them. Coordination was always missing. RFIs were always stuck. Materials were always delayed. Information was always incomplete. Permits were always pending. Equipment was always unavailable. Trades were always stacking. Sequences were always conflicting. But CPM let you adjust logic ties and hide negative float. Let you make well-hidden changes making problems disappear from view. Let you feel falsely content until evidence that team would not finish on time became irrefutable oftentimes too late. Takt forces hard conversations early. Shows reality within two to three days of accuracy. Makes impacts visible same day or week affecting rest of Takt train and corresponding throughput. And yes that is uncomfortable. Yes that creates tension. Yes that requires accountability trades are not used to. But this is good. Problems are not a problem. Thinking there are no problems is a problem. We all know every project has problems. Teams who identify them and remove them are most successful. Takt does good job bringing problems to surface because visually compels stability. Problems cause enduring roadblocks and delays. Work does not progress as planned and entire system immediately disrupted. In Takt system problems rise to surface easily because Takt is commitment-based system wherein unaccountable people crews’ trades and companies cannot flourish. Once people feel obligated to follow flow they will begin to find reasons why they cannot. Then you can help identify roadblocks. This is good as long as contractor can then meet commitment when project team removes roadblock. This action is similar to old Nintendo game called Duck Hunt. As ducks or roadblocks rise up we shoot them and remove them. This is game we play. Many new practitioners in Takt system will declare system does not work because riddled with problems. It is only riddled with problems because it shows problems that were always there. Only difference is now we can do something about them. And team understood. Kept implementing Takt. Problems kept surfacing. But now they removed them. Used roadblock maps. Held daily focus on clearing path. Made work ready instead of reacting to chaos. And project finished on time. Under budget. With remarkable stability. Not because Takt eliminated problems. But because Takt made problems visible so team could remove them before they destroyed flow. CPM hid problems. Takt shows problems. Hiding problems does not make them go away. Just makes you crash into them when too late to recover. Showing problems early gives you fighting chance to remove them before they impact work. That is why Takt works. Not in spite of showing problems. But because it shows problems.

Here is what happens when project teams confuse crash landing with controlled landing. Project falls four months behind schedule. Team recognizes compression needed. Has two choices. Option one: crash landing. Ignore compression too long. Significant damage already incurred and unavoidable. Does not create learning environment but rather creates caustic environment where flow ceases to exist and trust erodes as team members stop holding themselves and others accountable. Previously protected resources now spent in state of panic without consideration for value being purchased. Ultimately all involved pay price personally and professionally without learning from expensive experience. Project completed but ends in Pyrrhic victory meaning takes such heavy toll on victor that positive outweighed by negative experience. Minimizes any true sense of achievement and damages long-term progress. Team does not reach out for help. Project slides into firefighting and damage control mode. Short-sighted decisions made causing more long-term problems. Personal lives regarded as expendable or term “this is how it has always been” is present. Crash landing is non-learning environment. Lack of trust exists. Option two: controlled landing. Schedule compression recognized early enough to engage full company resources. Although still difficult controlled approach creates learning environment that builds trust accountability and preserves work-life balance while strategically planning financial expenditures. Project has intentional realistic end date. Coordinated path to finish with full cleanliness. Safety and quality awareness priority. Planned resource expenditures for best possible outcomes. Thoughtful workflow. And team holds to Takt system and philosophy. Because pushing only extends end date. Takt manpower analysis. Flow systems. Realistic dates optimizing flow within project duration. False choice is pushing to finish early or staying in flow to finish later. Real choice is between pushing finishing later being fooled or staying in flow finishing on time with shortest duration. Going faster will never come from pushing but going faster can come from turning dials. Crews’ crew sizes procurement prefabrication expediting costs information any other metric allowing project to be built within duration. Team chooses controlled landing. Implements Takt fully. Removes roadblocks systematically. Finishes on time. Learns from experience. Builds trust. Preserves personal lives. And succeeds not through panic but through flow. If your project needs superintendent coaching, project support, or leadership development, Elevate Construction can help your field teams stabilize, schedule, and flow.

The Clean and Steady Rally Cry

Clean and steady is call to action for entire project site especially when using Takt. If workers and crews can work in clean and steady environment they can work in flow. For project teams to realize full potential of system there needs to be common vocabulary common vision well-communicated goals and rally cry to galvanize actions of team. Clean and steady or limpio y constante. Why is this important? Goal of Takt system is not efficiency or production in silos. Goal is throughput of system efficiency of entire system success of entire project site. We are not clean just to be clean. We clean to find problems and see what we need to see. It brings problems to surface.

To accomplish this goal and focus we need to plan it first build it right and finish as you go. Instead of working in mad rush in CPM world that drives us as early as possible so we can fix everything we did not have time to build right first time better solution is to plan work first build it right within our durations and finish work as we go not waiting until later. Takt enables this because creates predictable rhythm that stimulates planning building and finishing. When schedule is chaotic no one knows when to plan it or has time to build it much less build it right. Conversely Takt enables team to make plan and stick to plan. Allows you to find and see roadblocks as first priority and to finish as you go as second.

All planning and design is predictable and in flow. If we are able to plan properly then we can build project correctly with right quality expectations. If people able to work in flow they know when next activity will begin and will have assurance they have time to finish their work. Chaos puts people in continual cycle of feeling they are behind and forces quick and shoddy work. Takt is ultimate finishing tool because all supportive elements are in place to enable success even iterative design.

The Meeting System That Scales Communication to Workers

Meeting system designed to scale communication from first planners through to and past last planners to workers. No plan is well supported unless there is system to get it all way to people installing work. Strategic Planning and Procurement Meeting: enact long-term strategic planning for project team to check manage update Takt plan prepare make-ready schedules from pull plans ensure procurement tracking to right dates. Manage delays and impacts. Update status of last week activities. Update Procurement Alignment. Analyze bottlenecks. Check Milestone Alignment. 3-12 week look-ahead review.

Trade Partner Weekly Tactical: plan for Takt production taking place next week. Very effective because Takt plan can be reviewed among team and focus can be on removal of roadblocks and roadblock maps in meeting. Key is to plan for next week by clearing path. Agenda includes positive shout outs. Lightning Round described in Patrick Lencioni’s Death by Meeting consisting of collection of bullet point agenda items obtained by going around room giving each person 30 seconds to make agenda additions. General Safety. Review Takt Plan. Review Last Week. Review Current Progress. Review Roadblock Maps reviewing all areas where work taking place next week focusing as team on removal of roadblocks. Review Key Milestones. Review Plus Delta.

Afternoon Foreman Huddle: plan next day with all last planners onsite. Make sure path to success for next day is 100% clear and represented visually for entire project. Positive shout outs. Lightning Round. Roadblock Review. How did we do yesterday and today? Discuss what winning looks like for tomorrow. Review Weekly Work Plan detailing every portion of tomorrow’s general plan for foreman and superintendents communicated visually. Safety focus for tomorrow. Logistics what is coming when where will it go. Inspections. Safety Observations. Permits. Weather. Plus Deltas.

Morning Worker Huddle: create social group with all workers on site win them over to project standards communicate plan for day particularly safety plan. Give Shout outs. Feedback requesting feedback from workers. Review plan for day in abbreviated format. Define Safety Focus for day. Review Safety Observation from previous day’s Reflection Walk. Owner Items. Cleanliness reiterating need for cleanliness and organization. Permits. Review deliveries and strategy. Review training for day. Weather. Huddles encouraging crew preparation huddles. Pretask Planning.

Crew Preparation Huddle: prepare crew for work. If first planners prepare Takt plan foreman or last planners prepare commitments on production level then workers carry out that plan and need to be prepared. Takes place right after worker huddle on floor area or building where that crew working. Opportunity for foreman to line out workers in remarkable way to execute work. 15-25 minutes. Positive Shout out. Safety Training Topic. Share two second lean improvements from day before. Walk area of work and plan for safety. Fill out PTPs. Orient and Sign Survey. 5S work area while foreman filling out PTPs: Sort Set in order Shine or sweep Standardize Sustain or self-discipline. Set up work area for success by eliminating eight wastes particularly Excess Inventory Wasted Transport Wasted Motion Treasure Hunts. Gather all tools and needed equipment to prevent treasure hunts. Safe Off Work Areas.

The 14 Elements of Integrated Control System

Integrated control system will be discussed briefly. Main point of system is that preparation teaming good environment and accountability are fertile ground for any scheduling system. When we plan it first build it right and finish as we go we get preparation team environment and accountable systems to do just that.

Preparation: 1. Intentional pre-construction efforts, day in pre-construction will save week in field hour in pre-construction well spent will save day in field. 2. Lean in contracts, all systems you plan to implement on project should be included in contracts key because it is what is right cannot surprise trade partners with systems they did not bid and plan for cannot expect to fully hold people accountable to systems unless contractually tied to it.

The team: 3. Win over workforce, every good system starts with building team as soon as team is together workers have to feel and actually be respected need remarkable bathrooms good lunchroom horizontal communication systems worker huddles clean and safe environment in addition to barbecues positive recognitions good parking smoking areas other basic needs creating sense of reciprocity allowing environment where everyone can buy in. 4. Build project management team, must have time to improve implement lean systems comes from training on personal organization implementing team balance and health through training and coverage systems team should reach out for help if needed but must be stability and capacity within team to be successful. 5. Orient people well, orientation of project workers and leaders key consideration everyone must be shown expectations given tools and information to succeed on project.

The environment: 6. Design remarkable interaction spaces, project runs well when everyone sees as group knows as group acts as group comes from interaction spaces such as gathering areas visual signage meeting rooms office areas huddle areas all designed well. 7. Create self-sustaining logistics systems, logistics onsite must be controlled to work optimally because production gained mostly through supply lines access to work ability to bring materials just in time scheduling coordination lay-down delivery hoisting of materials must be quick and support installation of work logistics supervisor with stable remarkable logistics systems needed to succeed. 8. Use meeting system to scale communication, team weekly tactical strategic planning and procurement meeting trade partner weekly tactical afternoon foreman huddle morning worker huddle crew preparation huddles key to scaling information all way to workers matters little how well first planners can plan unless last planners weigh in and workers understand plan as fully as possible. 9. Stabilized procurement and deliveries, procurement must be managed well and early on weekly basis with superintendent made to be predictable to have integrated control procurement must be one of main focuses of team.

Accountability: 10. An effective quality program, quality at its root is that foreman and workers understand what needs to be built and building it that way in verifiable environment when quality becomes visual easily understood and followed by workers main focus of project team meeting in point of release chart project team can implement quality in remarkable way instead of separate and forgotten process. 11. A daily issue correction system, issues need to be resolved on project site on daily basis use of texting systems or other technology that is addictive useful and fast can be used to identify issues and filter assignments quickly to people who will actually care for them daily corrections systems very effective when entire project team participates with trade foreman. 12. A roadblock removal system, primary focus of team should be identification and removal of roadblocks when systems such as this exist and PM Super and Executive all work daily to remove them then work is made ready and flow can continue throughout project. 13. Implement zero tolerance, no team will have operational control if they tolerate bad behavior law of thirds suggests one third of project will be bought in another third undecided remaining third will not be bought in by incentivizing good behavior and having positive culture on site most will transition to being bought in for those that will not there needs to be pay-to-play minimum standard elevating behavior and performance triggering removal of others who will not conform. 14. Grade contractors, one of best ways to be clear about expectations is to grade all contractors on site clear is kind unclear is unkind team performs best when everyone knows expectations and everyone held accountable to those standards visual grading of performance key in integrated control system cannot manage what cannot measure cannot be understated one of single best ways to elevate performance on project if you do not implement grading system you will not achieve results you want.

Signs Your Team Needs Takt Implementation

Watch for these patterns that signal you need Takt Planning with integrated control system:

Superintendent spends 60% of day managing chaotic CPM schedule instead of 5% with Takt leaving 55% gain focused on preparing work identifying roadblocks removing roadblocks enabling builders to be builders
Project team thinks problems mean system is broken when reality is Takt shows problems that were always there only difference is now team can do something about them before crashing into roadblocks
Trades resist accountability claiming new system costs more when reality is CPM hides costs in chaos of trade financial tracking and Takt shows reality requiring legitimate bidding
Workers do not see plan because information transfers stop at foreman level instead of scaling all way through morning worker huddles and crew preparation huddles achieving 75% visibility versus 50% with Last Planner alone
Team chooses crash landing instead of controlled landing spending previously protected resources in state of panic without consideration for value being purchased creating Pyrrhic victory
Procurement automated to CPM schedule that constantly changes interrupting supply chain bringing too much inventory to project too soon instead of weekly meetings checking against Takt plan and make-ready look-aheads

These are system problems not people problems. And system problems require system solutions. Takt Planning with integrated control system is that solution.

How to Build Takt Plans Practically

Building Takt plan starts with studying drawings not going straight to software. Big difference between builders who go straight to software versus builders who go straight to drawings. Latter method is only way to put things in proper order. As builder studies design and gets feel for flow sequence general strategic approach for project with others he or she will immediately see and identify Takt zones. Takt zones sometimes known as geographical areas or production areas are areas defined within building to identify work that will be scheduled for Takt wagon within Takt time. In order to get portions of work broken down to fit within drumbeat we have to break work up into zones that can be completed according to that drumbeat.

For instance in Phoenix Arizona best standard Takt zone for hospital laboratory or other complex program space is 10,000 square feet. In Phoenix depending on availability of manpower construction team can typically produce 10,000 square feet of interior space every 5 or 7 days with total process time within Takt train of 7.5 to 9 months from beginning to end. That means throughput is 10,000 square feet of interior space every 5 or 7 days. In Tucson if 10,000 square foot number used for Takt zones throughput is 10,000 of finished space every 10 days and Takt time is 5 days. Concrete usually follows same zones and exterior typically separated by exterior composition with relatively similar zones and geometric shapes.

Amount of Takt zones you have within overall duration of project or phase duration will help identify Takt time. Takt time is rate at which finished product needs to be completed in order to meet customer demand. Time scale of your Takt plan will essentially be your Takt time. These rates usually every 3 days 5 days 7 days or 10 days. Most common is 5 because represents work week and allows Saturday of that week to become contingency day. Think of Takt time like drumbeat of project.

The Challenge

Stop declaring Takt does not work because it shows problems. Start recognizing it shows problems that were always there so you can remove them before they destroy flow. Stop choosing crash landing spending resources in panic without learning. Start choosing controlled landing recognizing compression early engaging full company resources creating learning environment building trust. Stop hiding problems in CPM complexity thinking clean schedule means clean reality. Start surfacing problems with Takt so team can identify them early and remove them systematically. Stop limiting communication to foreman level achieving 50% worker visibility. Start scaling communication through meeting system achieving 75% worker comprehension through morning worker huddles and crew preparation huddles. Stop automating procurement to CPM schedule that constantly changes. Start managing procurement weekly with superintendent checking against Takt plan and make-ready look-aheads. Stop tolerating bad behavior letting unaccountable people flourish. Start implementing zero tolerance and contractor grading holding everyone accountable to clear expectations. Stop spending 60% of day managing chaotic schedule. Start spending 5% managing Takt plan and 55% preparing work identifying roadblocks and removing roadblocks enabling builders to be builders.

As the book teaches: clean and steady (limpio y constante). If workers and crews can work in clean and steady environment they can work in flow. Plan it first build it right finish as you go. Problems are not a problem. Thinking there are no problems is a problem. Duck Hunt analogy: as ducks or roadblocks rise up we shoot them and remove them. This is game we play. Many new practitioners in Takt system will declare system does not work because riddled with problems. It is only riddled with problems because it shows problems that were always there. Only difference is now we can do something about them. Flow is everything in construction. Absolutely everything when comes to effectiveness. If you do not have schedule with flow then you do not have anything. Takt planning is key. It has to be beginning of everything we do. On we go.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does clean and steady (limpio y constante) mean?

Clean and steady is rally cry for entire project site especially when using Takt, if workers and crews can work in clean and steady environment they can work in flow, we are not clean just to be clean but clean to find problems and see what we need to see bringing problems to surface.

Why does Takt seem riddled with problems when first implemented?

Many new practitioners declare Takt does not work because riddled with problems but it is only riddled with problems because it shows problems that were always there, only difference is now we can do something about them before crashing into roadblocks when too late to recover.

What is difference between crash landing and controlled landing?

Crash landing: schedule compression ignored too long, significant damage unavoidable, caustic environment where flow ceases and trust erodes, resources spent in panic, Pyrrhic victory. Controlled landing: compression recognized early, full company resources engaged, learning environment building trust, work-life balance preserved, strategic financial planning, holds to Takt system because pushing only extends end date.

What are the 14 elements of Integrated Control System?

Preparation: intentional pre-construction, lean in contracts. Team: win over workforce, build project management team, and orient people well. Environment: remarkable interaction spaces, self-sustaining logistics, meeting system scaling communication, stabilized procurement. Accountability: effective quality program, daily issue correction, roadblock removal system, zero tolerance, grade contractors.

How does meeting system scale communication to workers?

Strategic planning and procurement meeting (long-term planning), trade partner weekly tactical (next week planning), afternoon foreman huddle (next day planning), morning worker huddle (create social group communicate safety and plan), crew preparation huddle (prepare crew for work with PTPs and 5S)—scales information all way from first planners through last planners to workers achieving 75% comprehension versus 50% with Last Planner alone.

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Elevating Construction Takt Planning – Part ‪3‬

Posted on March 24, 2026March 24, 2026 by Jason Schroeder

Read 42 min

Construction Teams Think Going Faster Finishes Earlier When Navy SEALs Know Slow Is Smooth and Smooth Is Fast

There is a famous saying from United States Navy SEALs. Slow is smooth and smooth is fast. Means rushing takes longer than going at right rate. But construction teams do not believe this. They think decision is between going fast and finishing early versus going slow and finishing late. So they choose speed. CPM slams everything to left toward early start dates. Superintendents push trades to accelerate. Project managers demand crews work faster. Everyone believes if we just go faster we will finish earlier. And projects crash. Behind schedule. Over budget. Workers burned out. Families sacrificed. Quality suffering. Safety incidents rising. Because the decision is not between fast finishing early versus slow finishing late. Real decision is between going fast and failing versus going at right rhythm and having fighting chance to win. Real decision is between going fast and finishing late versus going at right rhythm and finishing on earliest possible date. Navy SEALs understand this. Rushing into building creates mistakes requiring rework taking longer than doing it right first time. Going too fast means you cannot see roadblocks in time to remove them so you crash into them repeatedly slowing entire system. Pushing resources beyond capacity creates chaos where communication breaks down and coordination fails. Fast creates variation. Variation creates waste. Waste destroys throughput. And destroyed throughput means late project regardless of how fast individuals worked. So repurpose Navy SEAL saying for construction: rhythm is smooth and smooth is fast. Point is rushing takes longer than going at right rate. Not between going fast finishing early versus going rhythm finishing later. Between going fast failing versus going rhythm winning. Between going fast finishing late versus going rhythm finishing earliest possible date. Rhythm is key. It is pace at which flow units or work is completed within project. And that rhythm is determined by capacity. Rate at which we complete buildings is not determined by randomly turning dials of manpower money and other resources. Rate at which we complete buildings is determined by capacity of local market and how much manpower is available. How many materials can be produced? How much money owner will pay for project? Each of these resources have capacity. Critical to understand that capacity and adjust Takt time and throughput to incorporate it into overall plan. Little merit to just making plan to fit stipulated end date when there is no capacity to do it. Takt works when we follow rhythm. Takt planning really only works when we get rhythm right and focus on that rhythm. CPM slams everything left. When builders build implement and manage with Takt, focus is on rhythm. Rhythm, stagger, throughput—nearly interchangeable terms—allow design to be done just in time, material approvals and permits to be leveled, load of team to be even throughout construction. Following rhythm also reduces likelihood of overburdening trade partners and crew resources. Flow is king and right rhythm enables that flow.

Here is what happens when project teams confuse speed with rhythm. Cancer center project. Eighty million dollars. Superintendent implements CPM schedule. Slams everything to left toward early start dates. Tells trades: we need to accelerate to finish early. Mechanical starts overhead rough-in before coordination complete. Plumbing brings out materials for entire floor before layout confirmed. Electrical pushes conduit runs without knowing final locations. Everyone going fast. Everyone working hard. And chaos erupts. Mechanical discovers conflicts requiring rework after installation. Plumbing has materials staged everywhere creating congestion and damage. Electrical installed conduit in wrong locations requiring demolition and reinstallation. Trades start stacking in areas. Work gets buried. Defects multiply. Rework increases. Communication breaks down because everyone too busy fixing mistakes to coordinate properly. Project falls behind despite everyone going faster than ever. Why? Because going fast created variation. Variation created waste. Waste destroyed throughput. And destroyed throughput meant late finish regardless of speed. Meanwhile research laboratory project. Same eighty million dollar size. Superintendent implements Takt Planning. Creates rhythm. Each 10,000 square foot zone flows at consistent two-week Takt time. Mechanical coordinates overhead before starting. Plumbing brings materials just-in-time for current zone only. Electrical follows rhythm installing conduit after coordination complete and layout verified. Everyone going at steady rhythm. Not rushing. Not slowing. Just consistent flow. And project finishes on time. Under budget. Zero crash landing. Why? Because rhythm created stability. Stability enabled coordination. Coordination prevented rework. Prevented rework preserved throughput. And preserved throughput meant earliest possible finish date. Not because people worked harder. Because they worked at right rhythm instead of wrong speed. If your project needs superintendent coaching, project support, or leadership development, Elevate Construction can help your field teams stabilize, schedule, and flow.

What Takt Planning Actually Is

Takt planning is detailed one page one piece flow schedule that focuses on throughput, bottlenecks, and ultimately creating flow. Accompanied by lean practices to be most efficient scheduling tool in industry for construction because inherently most effective at reducing waste. Takt is taken from German word meaning cycle time. Symbolizes need for responsible rhythm of work in certain production areas otherwise known as Takt zones as opposed to left justifying of activities to early start dates in CPM’s famous forward and backward paths. To builder Takt communicates need for flow.

Flow defined: as verb, of fluid gas or electricity move along or out steadily and continuously in current or stream. As noun, action or fact of moving along in steady continuous stream. When water flows it runs in relatively consistent and continuous stream down unobstructed path. When water does not flow usually due to twists turns obstacles changes in elevation or other hindrances. Additionally water flows when runs together in coordinated pattern with adequate space.

Water bottle demonstration: first jug tipped over pointed straight down allowing water to pour out without squeezing. Gurgling sound caused by friction of air and water fighting for space as jug empties in 11 seconds. Second jug turned over and bottle spun in circle creating spiral in water or flow vortex. As water spins center of vortex allows air to flow into bottle at same time as water flowing out. Only takes 5 seconds to empty second jug with flow vortex. Best flow developed by coordinating water in most optimized manner and creating space in center of vortex for air to rise. Forcing water through opening as fast as possible is not effective and causes splattering and turbulence. This is what happens in CPM by pushing construction activities through network of resources as fast and or as soon as possible like Early Start. Critical path erupts with roadblocks like air bubbles that interrupt flow and increase overall duration of project. Takt on other hand with its coordinated approach and space given for occurrence of roadblocks meaning air similar to flow vortex. When all parts working together to achieve flow water can move in steady stream while simultaneously allowing air to rise up through center of flow vortex. This beats other system every time because gives space and time for roadblocks to rise and be removed from flow of work.

The Train Analogy That Explains Takt Better Than River

Comparing flow of construction to water and river is problematic. Use train and railways instead to demonstrate practice of reducing waste. Land surveying: when railway is built path is determined by surveying terrain and finding path of least resistance. Therefore determining Takt time and throughput is like land surveying railway before construction. Design: overall design of Takt train is like printed Takt plan. Clearing path: important to fill in valleys and excavate hills before laying track. Leveling flow of work with trades by locking them into Takt time and plan is akin to clearing path. Railroad ties: railroad ties are foundation of train’s flow. Ties are what creates stability. Analogous to integrated control system—creating lean contracts, winning over workforce, implementing accountability systems, building team, creating team coverage, implementing team meeting cycle, creating safe clean organized project is foundation for stable Takt system. Rails: rails on tracks are what allow train to move quickly. This is prefabrication. If you have foundation system flow and team having prefabrication assemblies from coordination to largest extent possible is what makes Takt or train go fast. Cowcatcher: just like cowcatcher removes debris from track to clear path cowcatcher on project site is fanatical roadblock removal system using roadblock maps. Front engine: front engine is pre-planning team that prepares way and brings work into area on right start date. Freight cars or Takt wagons: wagons are resources that carry product forward. Work packages: work packages are scopes of work that resources carry out. Takt wagon covers: wagon covers keep any product from being left behind and symbolize effort to finish as we go in Takt system. Speed of train: speed of train is Takt time. Arrival sequence of trains to station: throughput of system. Mountains: mountains represent constraints. Roadblocks can be removed and constraints are things project needs to be built around.

Railroad is intentionally made. River is based on circumstances in moment. If you think about it most lean scheduling systems encourage reactionary planning in moment which is lot like floating on river you cannot control. Conversely creating railroad creating system of control is akin to Takt where we make our own destiny and control work. So do not build boats when you can build trains and railways. Should be noted that Takt has nothing to do with any dictation or old-time command and control systems. Takt is collaborative system where we predict as much of our future as possible and prepare for success instead of hoping for best in moment.

Why Flow Efficiency Beats Resource Efficiency

Focus on throughput not individual efficiency. Throughput through entire system is our focus not individual efficiencies for trades. Stated differently flow efficiency should be our focus not resource efficiency. Flow efficiency is efficiency of flow unit or work and resource efficiency is focus of resources being used at maximum capacity. Throughput defined as rate at which certain amount of material or items pass through system or process. More efficient that this material is as it passes through system and in this case building better our throughput.

Individual efficiency is concerned with production or utilization of individual resources or contractors which does not always help overall throughput. We need all contractors working at relatively same throughput and Takt time in order for there to be flow. If contractors working faster or slower than average it might seem helpful to that individual trade partner’s productivity but it interrupts overall throughput creates variation and increases inventory levels which increases defects. So in some instances we have to speed up certain resources and slow down others. This is called leveling out around bottlenecks.

Some may be very concerned about comment to slow down certain resources but consider what happens when after we have optimized and sped up all bottlenecks we continue to let faster trades continue to go fast. What happens? People are stacked in certain areas without flow without geographical control burying certain scopes and or installing too early which increases amount of defects and use of resources such as project management team’s time. This affects trades that really need help. Little merit to going faster than general Takt time within area of Takt zone or work package. Best practice is to first optimize bottlenecks or slower installations and then to even out flow rhythm throughput and Takt time of remaining work and therefore entire system.

One Piece Flow Beats Batching Every Time

One Piece Flow is concept centered around flow units progressing from inception to customer on shortest path possible. All parts working in unison accepting and passing work to next trade in line in sequence. Means we reduce amount of work in process and we finish one piece of work as we go and move work down line in smaller amounts as opposed to batching. Batching occurs when product work or assemblies are created in groups to increase efficiency of resources rather than flow. Batching work in construction looks like doing one scope of work throughout entire floor or entire building without respect to flow.

Envelope game demonstrates difference. Two contestants given 20 envelopes papers and stamps. First contestant told to fold all papers at once stuff papers at once lick them and seal them all at once and then stamp them at once. Second contestant told to fold stuff lick seal and stamp each of them one at a time. Each contestant starts at same time and asked to finish as fast as possible. Nerve-wracking to watch this game because batching contestant looks sure to win but with two minutes to spare One Piece Flow contestant finishes first. One Piece Flow is faster and always will be because it releases work on rhythm and allows work to flow. Batching system usually preferred because looks like it goes faster but that is simply because riddled with motion and transportation picking up envelopes putting them down over and over which is waste. With Takt systems or flow systems we finish as we go or follow concept of One Piece Flow which means work is delivered to customer in fastest way possible.

Signs You Need Rhythm Not Speed

Watch for these patterns that signal your team is confusing speed with rhythm:

CPM schedule slams everything to left toward early start dates creating false belief that going faster will finish project earlier when reality is speed creates chaos finishing projects late
Trades accelerate installation before coordination complete before layout verified before materials properly staged creating rework and defects taking longer than doing it right first time
Superintendents push crews beyond capacity creating variation where communication breaks down coordination fails and mistakes multiply destroying throughput regardless of individual speed
Project teams think they are behind so they need to go faster when real problem is lack of rhythm creating chaos preventing them from seeing and removing roadblocks in time
Resources working at different speeds creating inventory buildup in some areas and starvation in others instead of everyone flowing at same Takt time creating stability
Teams measure individual resource efficiency instead of flow efficiency celebrating trades that go fast without recognizing they are disrupting overall throughput and creating problems for everyone else

These are rhythm problems not speed problems. And rhythm problems require rhythm solutions. Takt Planning is that solution.

The Integrated Control System: Good Better Best

Current industry practice (good): master schedule built in CPM usually in proposal phase detailed to point it can be used for short intervals. Updated weekly or monthly to track progress identify red flags. Built with work breakdown structure completely logic tied with finish on or before constraint to force calculation of total float. Designed for production tracking and milestones. Milestones are main focus in addition to identification of critical activities within given month. Look-ahead schedules used by project team to orient subcontractors and plan materials manpower information equipment. Subs typically given this plan as directive from GC without much collaboration and expected by culture and contract to obey schedule and meet dates. Work carried out without asking: what do workers see? Workers do not see any of this planning. Told what to do by foreman who at best attempt to follow uncollaborative dictated schedule and at worst follow their own plan and ignore request of GC. Results in environment like firefighting. Chaos lack of direction siloed thinking accompanied by waste and variation causing project to fall behind. Teams start throwing manpower money materials at project in hopes to finish on time which is metaphorical equivalent of putting out fire with $100 bills.

Better practice with Last Planner: master schedule created at higher level of detail so Last Planner and Scrum techniques can take over at right level of detail. Milestones take on different role where they used to be compared to actual progress and three or six week look-ahead now form constrained end date for phase planning efforts with pull planning techniques. Phase planning is process where project team anticipates key milestones representing phase of work facilitated with pull planning. Pull planning is lean process where trade partners with project management team identify proper sequence of work. Create sequence together through practices and rules providing final sequence more realistic than dictated plan from GC made in silo. Make ready schedules coordinated with on-site constraints other activities capacity of resources. Main purpose to allow all members of team to plan accurate dates to which trades plan delivery of manpower equipment materials information. Weekly work plan is plan for next week where detail pulled from make ready schedules. Contractors detail out activities ahead of time arrive at meeting prepared to coordinate work so everyone has space materials time information needed to complete work. Trades leave with commitments to each other and single plan visually easy to understand well communicated coordinated daily in huddles. Daily huddle is where on-location and daily planning done to carry out weekly work plan. Success tracked with Percent Planned Complete showing team progress in making real commitments and producing as collaborative team. Teams that score under 80% historically have budget and overall schedule problems teams above 80% statistically do well. Although better still not getting as much information as possible to worker and primarily system based on milestones unrealistically planned in CPM setting up situation unattainable from start.

Best practice with Integrated Control System: process lovingly titled Integrated Control System intended to communicate need for project teams to collaborate plan lead as team control operationally stable environment in field. With CPM in old fashion this not possible because schedules created in silo. CPM with Last Planner or Scrum does not entirely work because first planner system CPM still done in silo even if that changes once Last Planner and Scrum take over. Only when we use collaborative tool like Takt with Last Planner and Scrum can entire system from beginning to end be fully team effort. Begin with Takt Planning. Takt Plan quickly created easy to see condensed enough for multiple people to interact with it effective as communication tool. Best tool for identifying proper overall project duration and can communicate problems with flow when schedule attempts to fit within stipulated end date or duration. Also very effective with showing how building should be broken up into work breakdown structure. Once Takt Plan created including all project phases per proper Takt time showing right throughput to meet end date then plan properly shows milestones. Phase planning done roughly same way currently advocated with few minor modifications—still plan up to appropriate milestones still do it together as team get commitments by consent done either by adding detail to Takt Plan in main higher-level format or on day-to-day Takt format as more detailed layout. Make ready schedules enable team to plan materials manpower information equipment to more accurate dates early enough to avoid variation. Removal of roadblocks should be main focus of effective collaborative team. Weekly work planning happens with tags tasks stickies on board or planning tool but with Takt can also happen directly within Takt plan. Day planning focuses group mind on end date next milestone key items that need discussed encompassing on-site interaction productivity location of all necessary resources. Goal is achieve highest percentage of planned comprehension from all workers on-site. Afternoon foreman huddle increases ability of foreman to plan and arrange supportive elements with roughly 16 hours between meeting and when next day begins. Morning worker huddle encompasses entire project site where major divisions of workers by functional area huddle together every morning to form social group with project management team. Workers leave huddle with clarity greater understanding of how to succeed on-site how to be safe feeling connected to overall plan. Crew preparation huddle where foreman spent 10 to 25 minutes with workers discussing pre-task plan preparing work 5S-ing discussing eight wastes doing general training. Every worker leaves with PTP for safety and quality able to work in right environment with materials tools space information equipment clear expectations to succeed in stable environment.

The Challenge

Stop believing decision is between going fast and finishing early versus going slow and finishing late. Start recognizing real decision is between going fast and failing versus going at right rhythm and having fighting chance to win. Stop slamming everything to left in CPM toward early start dates. Start implementing Takt Planning creating rhythm enabling flow. Stop measuring individual resource efficiency celebrating trades that go fast without considering impact on overall throughput. Start measuring flow efficiency ensuring all contractors work at relatively same Takt time creating stability. Stop batching work doing one scope throughout entire floor or building. Start implementing One Piece Flow finishing as you go moving work down line in smaller amounts with rhythm. Stop thinking you need to reduce resources to see roadblocks. Start stabilizing resources at right speed and quantities so roadblocks can be removed in timely fashion. Stop building boats to float reactively on river you cannot control. Start building trains and railways making your own destiny controlling work through collaborative system predicting future and preparing for success.

As Navy SEALs teach: slow is smooth and smooth is fast. Repurposed for construction: rhythm is smooth and smooth is fast. Point is rushing takes longer than going at right rate. Not between going fast finishing early versus going rhythm finishing later. Between going fast failing versus going rhythm winning. Between going fast finishing late versus going rhythm finishing earliest possible date. Rhythm is key. It is pace at which flow units or work completed within project. And that rhythm determined by capacity. Understand that capacity. Adjust Takt time and throughput to incorporate it into overall plan. Follow rhythm. Focus on rhythm. Create stability. Enable flow. And finish on earliest possible date not through speed but through rhythm. On we go.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between flow efficiency and resource efficiency?

Flow efficiency focuses on efficiency of flow unit or work moving through system (throughput). Resource efficiency focuses on resources being used at maximum capacity (individual contractor productivity). Flow efficiency should be focus because individual efficiency interrupts overall throughput when contractors work faster or slower than average Takt time.

Why does the water bottle vortex beat pouring straight down?

First jug poured straight down: gurgling sound from air and water fighting for space, empties in 11 seconds (push system like CPM). Second jug spun creating vortex: center allows air to flow into bottle at same time water flows out, empties in 5 seconds (flow system like Takt). Coordinated approach with space for roadblocks beats pushing through.

What is One Piece Flow and why does it beat batching?

One Piece Flow: flow units progress from inception to customer on shortest path, finishing one piece as you go, moving work down line in smaller amounts. Batching: creating product in groups to increase resource efficiency rather than flow (like doing one scope throughout entire floor). Envelope game proves One Piece Flow finishes faster despite batching looking faster because batching is riddled with motion and transportation waste.

Why use train analogy instead of river analogy for Takt?

Railroad is intentionally made, river is based on circumstances in moment. Most lean scheduling systems encourage reactionary planning in moment like floating on river you cannot control. Creating railroad creating system of control is akin to Takt where we make our own destiny and control work. Do not build boats when you can build trains and railways.

What is the Integrated Control System?

Collaborative tool using Takt with Last Planner and Scrum so entire system from beginning to end is team effort. Begin with Takt Planning showing overall duration and milestones. Phase planning to milestones. Make ready schedules enabling roadblock removal. Weekly work planning within Takt. Day planning with afternoon foreman huddle, morning worker huddle, and crew preparation huddle achieving highest percentage of planned comprehension from all workers.

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