Correcting Bad Information, Part 3: Are Worker Huddles Pointless?

Everybody Needs Motivation: A Response to the Claim That Worker Huddles Are Pointless

Here’s the deal. I received a response today to a post I made about worker huddles, and I want to answer it directly, because it contains several ideas that I believe would hurt people if they spread. I am going to take them one at a time.

Short answer: Worker huddles are not a waste of time. A five-to-ten-minute huddle is where leaders talk to workers, collect their feedback, give praise, and connect them to the team. Everybody, including well-paid and respected workers, needs knowledge, motivation, and the right circumstances.

What the Comment Said

The commenter wrote from what he called a worker’s point of view, and more recently a management point of view. He made four claims.

• Worker huddles have almost no benefit at all.
• They are almost as bad as handing out awards for things.
• If workers are respected and paid appropriately, they do not need motivation.
• The worst kind of worker is the one who constantly needs a clap, and with his worker hat on, he would much rather spend those five to ten minutes with a brew, sorting out his own stuff, than listening to a motivator.

I respect that people can disagree. But I do not agree with any part of this, and here is why.

Is Talking to Workers a Waste of Time?

If a worker huddle is useless, what exactly is being said? Is talking to workers a waste of time? Is collecting their feedback a waste of time? Is providing praise a waste of time? Is actually spending time with workers a waste of time? Those are the things a worker huddle is. I would ask what the point is, and whether the implication is that leadership does not matter, or that only one opinion counts.

What People Need

Human beings need three things.

• Knowledge.
• Motivation.
• The right circumstances.

Everybody needs these. Even the toughest person on the project, the one with a hard exterior who looks like nothing could touch them, wants praise. They want to be patted on the back and thanked.

Respect and Pay Are Not the Whole Story

The comment said that if workers are respected and paid appropriately, they do not need motivation. I disagree. Anybody who enjoys their job has three things.

• Connection.
• Relevance.
• Measurement.

Connection, relevance, and measurement. People have to know that they are doing a good job in a team, or they are not going to be happy and they are not going to stick around. Everybody needs motivation. Every single person needs motivation.

It is not just about money. Studies show it is not only about money. It is about the boss. It is about the team. It is about the purpose of the company, especially with newer generations.

The Worst Kind of Worker

The comment also said the worst kind of worker is the one who constantly needs a clap. I could not disagree more. Everyone needs praise. When someone criticizes workers for needing it, they are part of the reason people do not ask for what they need and do not compliment each other. They make it unpopular to show basic human decency and kindness. I would suggest reading How to Win Friends and Influence People.

The Huddle Is for the Team

The last claim was that, wearing a worker hat, he would rather spend those five to ten minutes sorting out his own things than listening to a motivator. That is an individual perspective. When we run worker huddles, we are looking at the workers as a whole and trying to optimize them as a whole, and respect them as a whole. A huddle is not about one person’s preference for five to ten minutes. It is about the team.

A worker huddle is a place where you appreciate people, communicate with people, take time for people, and connect and listen to people. That is not wasted time. That is leadership.

What a Good 5 to 10 Minute Worker Huddle Covers

A huddle that respects people’s time has a simple shape. It does not need to be long, and it does not need a motivational speech. Here is what it covers.

• Safety: what is changing on site today and what everyone needs to watch for.
• Today’s plan by zone: where each crew is working, so everyone knows what is happening around them.
• Roadblocks: what is in the way of finishing today’s work, whether materials, access, information, or another trade.
• Recognition: the specific work done well, and who did it, said out loud in front of the team.
• Feedback: what the team has to say, and then something done with it.

Roadblocks are problems with the system, so the goal is to remove them, not to find someone to blame. And people stop giving feedback the moment they see nothing changes, so close the loop. That is five to ten minutes, and it is not a waste of anyone’s time.

What I Want From the People Who Join the Conversation

I want to be clear about the kind of conversation I am looking for. I want the change makers and the positive comments. I want the critical thinkers who have a respectful difference of opinion. I want the people who know what they are doing, the people who are there to benefit others, and the people trying to scale these practices. I do not want trolls on my posts.

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

So here is the challenge. In your next worker huddle, appreciate people, communicate with them, take time for them, and connect and listen. Then see how the team responds.

Jason Schroeder said it plainly: “Everybody needs motivation. Every single person needs motivation.”

On we go.

FAQ

Why does Jason say worker huddles are worth the time?

Because a huddle is where you talk to workers, collect their feedback, give praise, and spend time with them. That is connection, and people have to know they are doing a good job in a team or they will not be happy and will not stick around.

Do well paid, respected workers still need motivation?

Yes. Jason says everybody needs motivation, and that it is not just about money. He says studies show it is about the boss, the team, and the purpose of the company.

What are the three things human beings need?

Knowledge, motivation, and the right circumstances.

What three things do people need to enjoy their job?

Connection, relevance, and measurement.

Series:
Correcting Bad Information – Part 1
Correcting Bad Information – Part 2