Do You Have Your Fingerprint on the Process?
Hey everyone! What I want to talk about today is a simple, powerful concept that I’ve never been able to express clearly until now. After diving into Toyota by Toyota (which, by the way, is an absolute masterpiece), I finally found the words.
It’s this:
We must have our fingerprint on the process.
What That Means (And Why It Matters)
This came from a story shared by Robert Martichenko, a logistics leader I deeply admire. Back when he started working with Toyota in North America, he explained that the logistics managers didn’t just outsource route planning or rely on automation. They built the routes themselves by hand.
Why?
Because they wanted ownership. They wanted their fingerprint on the process.
They researched Department of Transportation rules. They studied distribution centers. They manually mapped delivery routes. Only after they understood the process inside and out did they automate it.
The Human Touch Comes First
This mindset is absolutely critical in construction. Before you automate something or delegate a task whether it’s schedule building, lift drawings, or AI-generated plans, you need to understand it deeply yourself.
This applies to:
- Building your own master schedules.
- Reviewing AI outputs instead of blindly trusting them.
- Personally managing handoffs, logistics, and workflows.
- Coaching your people with actual field presence.
If you just send instructions and hope it works out, you’re not leading. Like Patton said, “10 percent is communication. 90 percent is assuring through field presence that it actually gets done.”
Stop Delegating, Start Owning
When we say “Do I have my fingerprint on this process” it forces us to reflect:
- Have I spent time at the Gemba.
- Do I understand the inputs, outputs, and flow.
- Have I seen it for myself.
- Can I manage it with wisdom, not just oversight.
This is where lean comes alive, not in theory, but in your habits, your presence, your leadership.
You build people including yourself before you build things. And it starts by embedding yourself into the process.
Key Takeaway
Automation is powerful but only when it follows ownership. If you want stability, flow, and excellence, you need to put your fingerprint on the process first. Go see. Get involved. Then lead.
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