Are You Writing It Down or Forgetting It?

You walk the project site. See something needs fixing. Make mental note. Observe safety issue. Notice material problem. By afternoon, forgot half of what you saw. That’s why general superintendent on $150 million prison kept voice recorder on his person. Walked buildings observing things. Recorded verbal notes. Things to do. Things to delegate. Things to follow up on. Returned to office. Transcribed notes onto to-do list. Never a time he observed something when he did not write it down for follow-up and action. We often hear: I have a good memory, I don’t need to write it down. These are most unorganized people. Nobody so intelligent or sharp they don’t need to write down to-do items. If somebody tries to remember specific items, those things stored in active memory causing stress and reducing capacity to be mentally present. Bottom line: if you don’t make note of it, more than likely it isn’t going to get done. People who cannot remember assignments are hazardous to team because they burden others with their responsibilities. If he or she didn’t write it down, it ain’t going to happen.

Here’s what most superintendents miss. They trust their memory. Walk site making mental notes. Confident they’ll handle it all. But by afternoon half is forgotten. Items get neglected. People get burdened. There is absolutely no way person can remember all things to be done. Absolutely no way person with good memory can remember to follow up at exact time with right context. Senior builders walking site look to see if person writing things down. That’s first test. People who always forget do not succeed. Employees who remember and follow up will be fulfilled and successful, will receive additional assignments and promotions because they can be counted on to execute.

The challenge is most superintendents never developed mission, resolutions, and habits supporting success. Success without fulfillment is ultimate failure. Tony Robbins said that. Story of distinguished leader who developed list of resolutions early in life. By age 14, already aware of mission he wanted to fulfill. Jotted down resolutions describing chosen behaviors, how he would dress, how he would conduct himself. Outlined moral and ethical resolutions. Kept that list on his person throughout life. Referred to it as anchor to success. People with no direction stagnate in career. Need mission. Need resolutions. Need habits.

Create Your Mission, Resolutions, and Habits

Acting as supervisor is one of most strenuous roles in construction. To be successful, must create mission for personal life and work, examine ability and resolve to carry out mission, set up habits that support effort to reach goals.

Success without fulfillment is ultimate failure. Author Mark Devine in Unbeatable Mind describes mapping out vision of success. Challenged everyone to think about what we would want people to say about us when deceased, eulogies spoken at funerals, what we could look back on with pride.

Ponder these things:

• Could you outline what you want your life to mean?
• Can you name unique talents world needs that only you can give?
• What would you have to do consistently to accomplish that mission?
• What habits must you develop to be remarkable?

Create mission statement and list of resolutions based on who you want to be. Think of virtues, values, ethics, role models, mentors. Write those down and refer to them daily. Your success is ensured when correct principles are consistently implemented.

Write Everything Down: The Voice Recorder Story

One of first steps is habit of note-taking. Every great builder has to discern system that will trigger them to perform specific tasks, follow up on critical items, direct efforts.

Years ago, encountered general superintendent responsible for $150 million prison. Was working as new field engineer. Would walk with superintendent through buildings. Would see him observe something and utilize small voice recorder to take verbal notes. After many brief recordings, he would return to office and transcribe notes onto to-do list.

Never a time he observed something when he did not write it down for follow-up and action.

Any time senior builder walks site with worker and moment comes to delegate item, first thing mentor will do is look to see if person writing it down.

We often hear: I have a good memory, I don’t need to write it down. These are most unorganized people. Can guarantee they will neglect key items. Nobody so intelligent, so sharp, or with good enough memory that they don’t need to write down to-do items.

If somebody tries to remember items, those things stored in active memory causing stress reducing capacity to be present or remember additional items needed in moment.

People who cannot remember assignments and don’t follow up in appropriate timeframe are hazardous to team. Conversely, employee who remembers and follows up will be fulfilled and successful, will receive additional assignments and promotions.

Try this: for at least 60 days, write down everything you think needs to be done, everything delegated to you, everything you were told to do. Reference list at least three times throughout day.

The $300,000 Sewer Line: Honesty Always Wins

Honesty and integrity are principles inseparable from character of true leader. Integrity means always do right thing no matter who is watching. Honesty means always tell truth.

Remember time when was assistant superintendent responsible for site utilities. Had to supervise installation of underground electrical, coordinate sewer and duct bank, oversee installation.

When time to install sewer line, realized duct bank was in way. Immediate options offered would allow running sewer line through conduits out of code without inspector knowing. Installation required two-foot separation between duct bank and sewer line.

Instead of cutting corners, decided to be open and honest with project team. Told lead superintendent exactly what happened. He was disappointed but appreciated honesty. Fix was to install lift station to correct issue. Cost $300,000 from project contingency.

One of largest mistakes in career, but was soon released from burden because had been honest and open, had acted with integrity.

If someone is not honest, they will hide mistakes, blame others, never get to root cause. Will be haunted by mistakes showing up at wrong time causing waste and variation. Leader who does not speak with honesty will be cancer to team. Those types always end up demoted, punished, or terminated.

After realizing mistakes, immediately make contact with someone, bring problems to surface. Ignore impulse to hide error. Do not think, even for minute, to be dishonest in any way. Admit to mistakes and act with integrity.

Here is promise: you will never be hindered in your career, ever, if you are honest and act with integrity. You will always be able to take that next step, improve, act in manner that will bring success and fulfillment.

Morals and Ethics Create the Foundation

These may be human traits people think should be left to preachers and teaching of parents, but are unequivocal part of your character. Morals and ethics create foundation. Without them, all other success will fail.

When was new lead field engineer in Austin, Texas, found myself experiencing difficulty because was not honest. Did not have moral code. Did not do ethical things. Existed in that state for three years, but found way out with discovery of religious texts that introduced leadership.

Everyone on site needs code of ethics and sense of morality to make ethical and moral decisions. Who we are is more important than what we think we ought to do. Need foundation built on doing right thing and personal integrity. If we do not have firm foundation, we have no defense should we ever be accused of being dishonest or unethical.

Return to your roots and give scrutiny to your life from moral and ethical perspective. Seek self-help books. If you have spiritual or religious affiliation, continue those habits to strengthen dedication. If deficit in ethics and morals, educate yourself on ways to improve.

Best thing person can do to be successful in construction is become familiar with personal beliefs and dedication to religion or spiritual well-being. So many times people have to be let go, disciplined or demoted because they do not have moral or ethical background.

If you have foundation, you will never be caught by surprise. Will be able to make moral and ethical decisions, always know and do right thing, make better decisions. Will be looked up to as person of character, ready to change lives of many people.

The System Failed You

Let’s be clear. When superintendents trust memory instead of writing things down, it’s not entirely their fault. The system failed by not teaching that there is absolutely no way person can remember all things to be done. Nobody showed that if didn’t write it down, it ain’t going to happen. General superintendent with voice recorder never forgot anything. The system taught trust your memory when actually write everything down.

The system also failed by not teaching to create mission, resolutions, habits. If your project needs superintendent coaching, project support, or leadership development, Elevate Construction can help your field teams stabilize, schedule, and flow. Success without fulfillment is ultimate failure. Need mission for life and work. Need resolutions describing behaviors. Need habits supporting goals. Distinguished leader at 14 created resolutions, kept on his person, referred to as anchor to success. The system taught just work hard when actually need mission, resolutions, habits.

The system fails by not teaching honesty and integrity are non-negotiable. Duct bank in way of sewer line. Options offered to run out of code without inspector knowing. Instead, was honest. Cost $300,000. One of largest mistakes but released from burden because had been honest. You will never be hindered in career if honest and act with integrity. Leader who does not speak with honesty will be cancer. The system taught hide mistakes when actually bring problems to surface.

The Challenge

Here’s your assignment. Stop trusting memory. Start writing everything down.

Find system that works. Voice recorder. Notebook. Phone app. For 60 days, write down everything you think needs done, everything delegated, everything you were told to do. Reference list three times throughout day. If didn’t write it down, it ain’t going to happen.

Create mission, resolutions, habits. Outline what you want life to mean. Name unique talents world needs that only you can give. What would you do consistently to accomplish mission? What habits must you develop? Write those down. Refer daily. Success ensured when correct principles consistently implemented.

Always act with honesty and integrity. Do right thing even if no one watching. After realizing mistakes, immediately make contact, bring problems to surface. Ignore impulse to hide error. Do not think to be dishonest. Admit mistakes. Act with integrity. Practice is only way to establish right character.

Build foundation of morals and ethics. Who we are is more important than what we think we ought to do. Return to your roots. Give scrutiny to life from moral perspective. Seek self-help books. Continue spiritual or religious habits. If deficit, educate yourself.

You will never be hindered in career if honest and act with integrity. Always able to take next step, improve, act in manner bringing success and fulfillment.

On we go.

FAQ

Why is writing everything down so important?

No way person can remember all things to be done or follow up at exact time with right context. Trying to remember stores things in active memory causing stress reducing capacity. If didn’t write it down, it ain’t going to happen. People who cannot remember are hazardous to team.

What’s the voice recorder story?

General superintendent on $150 million prison kept voice recorder. Walked buildings observing. Recorded verbal notes: things to do, delegate, follow up. Returned to office. Transcribed notes to to-do list. Never observed something when didn’t write it down.

How do you create mission, resolutions, habits?

Outline what you want life to mean. Name unique talents world needs. What would you do consistently to accomplish mission? What habits must you develop? Create mission statement and resolutions. Write down. Refer daily. Success ensured when principles consistently implemented.

What’s the $300,000 sewer line story?

Assistant superintendent coordinating utilities. Duct bank in way of sewer line. Options offered to run out of code without inspector knowing. Instead, was honest with team. Fix was lift station costing $300,000 from contingency. Largest mistake but released from burden because honest and acted with integrity.

Why are morals and ethics important?

Create foundation. Without them, all other success fails. Who we are is more important than what we think we ought to do. Need foundation built on doing right thing and personal integrity. Leader who does not speak with honesty will be cancer to team. Always end up demoted, punished, or terminated.