Are You Keeping The Plan In Your Head or Sharing It?

You say: I don’t need to communicate schedule or hold site huddles with trades because I have plan in my head. I will just communicate with everyone individually. We don’t need meetings. That’s destructive. That’s unhealthy to working relationships with trade partners. It’s worked for so many years because it’s simply been status quo. But here’s what’s really happening. You’re focused on your work only. Planning to keep knowledge in your head and work things out in field by yourself. Why? Two possible suggestions: desire for control and credit. You want to control distribution of information. You want credit for carrying out work yourself. That’s taker mentality. What we need are givers, people willing to give of their time and knowledge to help throughput of communication. When superintendents keep things in heads instead of on visual plan, they cling to control, crave credit, waste valuable time. Trade partners confused, without direction, not productive because waiting for superintendent to come save day with information that only he or she has. It’s destructive and unhealthy. Alternative is well-communicated plan and schedules shared and coordinated in meetings. Production tracking with PPC scores. Visual systems everyone can see. That’s focused on throughput of communication, not individual control or individual credit.

Here’s what most superintendents miss. They think keeping plan in head shows intelligence. Shows they’re indispensable. Shows they’re in control. So they avoid meetings. Communicate individually. Keep schedule to themselves. But actually that’s taker mentality. Desire for control and credit. Trade partners on site confused. Without direction. Not productive. Waiting for superintendent. That wastes valuable time. Different from superintendent who runs effective meetings. Has clear purpose. Prepares beforehand. Hooks them from outset. Keeps their attention. Sensitive about people’s time. Provokes conflict getting healthy discussion. Shares plan on visual boards. Tracks production with PPC scores. Makes commitments weekly. Removes roadblocks fanatically. Creates flow. Trade partners know plan. Can see it. Can act on it. Don’t have to wait for superintendent to come save day. That’s giver mentality. That’s throughput of communication. That’s flow.

The challenge is most superintendents never learned how to hold effective meetings. Never learned production tracking with percent plan complete. Never learned visual systems creating flow. So they default to keeping plan in head. Communicating individually. Thinking that’s how it’s done. But meetings waste time because aren’t run effectively. Head of meeting lets people wander into personal stories. Off-topic tales designed to boost ego. Someone airs grievances that should be taken directly to superintendent. Agendas so boring they could double as prescription for narcoleptic. None acceptable. Meetings should be effective, engaging, upbeat. Should have healthy conflict in form of honest discussion about important issues. Should keep everyone’s attention. Well-run meetings are amazing. But superintendents never learned this, so avoid meetings entirely, keep plan in head, wonder why trade partners confused and project lacks flow when answer is they’re clinging to control and credit instead of sharing plan creating throughput of communication.

Hold Effective Meetings: Six Keys

First, have clear purpose for meeting. What do we want people to know or feel after it’s done? If meeting has no purpose, cancel it. If someone else asked you to hold meeting for them and there is no apparent purpose, cancel it. If you hold meeting and attendees aren’t prepared to present information, reschedule so everyone is prepared. Must be aiming for outcome. I want people to know exact steps to getting air on for this building. I want all of us to brainstorm on root cause of accident so we can leave knowing how this will never happen again. Both examples of outcomes requiring meeting.

Second, prepare beforehand. Only most skilled leaders can lead impromptu meeting, and even then, it’s irresponsible habit. Be sure purpose of meeting is clear to all who will attend. Provide all attendees with agenda listing discussion points of who will present relevant information. Attendees will know what topics will be addressed. Won’t be tempted to interrupt because worried concerns won’t be covered. Will know order of who will speak. Who can leave when topics no longer apply. Having agenda gives leader time to prepare to facilitate discussion. Be aware of subjects that may invite off-topic comments. Leaders must be prepared to redirect discussion strayed from agenda. People in room are there at considerable sacrifice and cost to themselves and company. Make every second worth their time.

Third, hook them from outset. Must catch everyone’s interest and get thoughts flowing within first few minutes. Consider creating moment everyone in room will remember. Joke. Video. Call to action. Something that will stick in minds. Keep it relevant to what will be discussed. Get them energized and ready to tackle topic. How you start is likely how you will continue. Get their attention and focus immediately.

Fourth, keep their attention. Do not guide meeting based only on content. Base flow of meeting on energy and attention of room. If losing people, speak louder, faster, or in more interesting way. If they’re bored because topic thoroughly discussed, move on. Ask question and get them talking. Whatever you do, don’t lose group and don’t lose control. If someone outright distracting or disruptive, call them out and stir conversation back to topic. Do it politely, but do it. Wasting time of group is disrespectful. Artful master of meetings will keep people’s attention and think on fly so discussion does not lose momentum.

Fifth, be sensitive about people’s time. Let people know in advance how long you think meeting will last. Then if meeting is done, end it. Do not wait for initially planned for end of time to arrive. We are trying to create remarkable experience in our meetings. Nothing dulls that more than being stuck in conference room when you could be acting on information you’ve received.

Finally, provoke conflict. If your team is not having healthy discussions at meetings and disagreeing with each other, then they do not trust each other. We need to mine for open discussion in every meeting. If everyone is just agreeing and not engaging, then they will only remember small fraction of information conveyed. We will have bottlenecked throughput of communication. Get them talking, arguing, offering solutions or problems, whatever it takes to get them to own and process plans and information presented in meeting. Everyone needs to weigh in and buy in.

Production Tracking: Percent Plan Complete

Problems on construction project belong to team. We need to see problems as soon as possible so they can be addressed quickly and effectively to minimize delays. No one should be trying to hide problems on job site. Problems can be found quickly through production tracking.

Master schedule with short interval schedules tied to milestones allows superintendents to quickly identify delays and shortages. Also allows them to predict future issues. Everyone should be anticipating roadblocks and potential problems as far into future as possible so we can continue to execute plans daily with consistent flow. Key to success is flow.

If we have pull plan that ties to milestone, we need to make commitments on weekly basis according to that pull plan. Every trade partner should make commitments as team for next day and next week, then track those commitments with daily progress reports. After tracking these commitments, performance should be graded.

In lean construction, there’s something called percent plan complete. PPC scores track amount of activities you’ve committed to and how many have been completed. For each contractor in any given week and for any phase of work, there will be PPC score tracking percentage of things committed to do as well as actually completed.

Tracking progress this way allows contractors to communicate reasons why they were unable to complete commitments so we can help them make corrections. Also allows us to grade overall performance and behaviors of organization and trade partners.

But main benefit of percent plan complete is to track and remove roadblocks to completion. Fanatical roadblock removal is key to any production tracking system. We need to gather this information regularly to create accountability.

Short Interval Scheduling Tied to Milestones

On some projects, work is complex enough that lead superintendent will work with superintendent level 1 or level 2. Lead superintendent is then in charge of planning and executing communication structure and work of entire project while level 1 and 2 superintendents will be focused on portions of work.

These components of overall project must be coordinated and executed according to their own schedules: short interval schedule. Level 1 and 2 superintendents responsible for focusing on details of these components for overall project. Will ensure work is done well, on time, with supplies and materials required.

Communication is essential between lead superintendent, project manager, and level 1 and 2 superintendents to make sure short interval schedules are completed at specific points or milestones of overall schedule. If completed in timely manner, overall project can continue to move forward. But delay disrupts entire construction schedule.

The System Failed You

Let’s be clear. When superintendents keep plan in head instead of sharing it, it’s not entirely their fault. The system failed by teaching that meetings waste time. Nobody showed that keeping things in head is about control and credit, not efficiency. Nobody explained that trade partners confused, without direction, waiting for superintendent to come save day with information only he or she has is destructive and unhealthy. The system taught keep plan in head when actually share plan creating throughput of communication.

The system also failed by not teaching how to hold effective meetings. If your project needs superintendent coaching, project support, or leadership development, Elevate Construction can help your field teams stabilize, schedule, and flow. Meetings waste time because aren’t run effectively. Head of meeting lets people wander into personal stories. Agendas boring. No one engaged. But meetings should be effective, engaging, upbeat. Should have healthy conflict. Should keep everyone’s attention. Well-run meetings are amazing. The system taught avoid meetings when actually run effective meetings with purpose, preparation, hooks, attention, time sensitivity, conflict.

The system fails by not teaching production tracking and visual systems. PPC scores track commitments and completions. Allow contractors to communicate reasons why unable to complete so we can help make corrections. Main benefit is track and remove roadblocks. Fanatical roadblock removal is key. Visual plans everyone can see. Not kept in superintendent’s head. The system taught individual control when actually create throughput of communication through shared visual systems and production tracking.

The Challenge

Here’s your assignment. Stop keeping plan in your head. Start sharing it.

Recognize when you’re clinging to control and credit. Saying: I don’t need to communicate schedule or hold site huddles because I have plan in my head. I will communicate individually. That’s taker mentality. Desire for control and credit. Trade partners confused. Without direction. Waiting for you. Wasting valuable time. That’s destructive.

Run effective meetings. Have clear purpose. What do we want people to know or feel after? If no purpose, cancel it. Prepare beforehand. Provide agenda. Hook them from outset. Catch everyone’s interest within first few minutes. Keep their attention. Base flow on energy and attention of room. Be sensitive about time. End when done. Provoke conflict. Mine for open discussion. Get them talking, arguing, offering solutions. Everyone needs to weigh in and buy in.

Implement production tracking. Make commitments weekly. Track with daily progress reports. Grade performance with PPC scores. Track amount of activities committed to and how many completed. Allows contractors to communicate reasons why unable to complete. Main benefit: track and remove roadblocks. Fanatical roadblock removal is key.

Use visual systems. Well-communicated plan and schedules shared and coordinated in meetings. Not kept in your head. Visual boards everyone can see. Master schedule with short interval schedules tied to milestones. Allows quickly identifying delays and shortages. Predicting future issues. Anticipating roadblocks far into future.

Create flow. Key to success is flow. Quick proactive reactions allow contractors to widen circle and tell general contractor before problem grows. Every action flows to rhythm. If roadblock interrupts rhythm because of lack of materials, manpower, or information, disrupts flow. Makes us lose money. Puts us behind schedule. Causes unintended consequences.

Stop being taker. Start being giver. Willing to give of your time and knowledge to help throughput of communication. Focused on throughput, not individual control or credit. That’s how you create flow.

On we go.

FAQ

Why is keeping the plan in your head destructive?

When superintendents keep things in heads instead of on visual plan, they cling to control, crave credit, waste valuable time. Trade partners confused, without direction, not productive because waiting for superintendent to come save day with information only he or she has. That’s taker mentality focused on individual control and credit instead of throughput of communication.

How do you hold effective meetings?

Have clear purpose. Prepare beforehand with agenda. Hook them from outset catching everyone’s interest. Keep their attention by basing flow on energy of room. Be sensitive about time, end when done. Provoke conflict mining for open discussion. Get them talking, arguing, offering solutions. Everyone needs to weigh in and buy in.

What is percent plan complete?

PPC scores track amount of activities you’ve committed to and how many have been completed. For each contractor in any given week and for any phase of work, PPC score tracks percentage of things committed to do as well as actually completed. Allows contractors to communicate reasons why unable to complete. Main benefit: track and remove roadblocks.

What is short interval scheduling?

Level 1 and 2 superintendents responsible for focusing on details of components for overall project. These components coordinated and executed according to their own schedules: short interval schedule. Must be completed at specific points or milestones of overall schedule. If completed in timely manner, overall project continues to move forward. But delay disrupts entire construction schedule.

How do you create flow?

Make commitments weekly. Track with daily progress reports. Remove roadblocks fanatically. Use visual systems everyone can see. Anticipate problems as far into future as possible. Quick proactive reactions allow contractors to widen circle before problem grows. Every action flows to rhythm. Don’t interrupt rhythm with lack of materials, manpower, or information.