Iterations & Checks

Why Waiting to Show Complete Work Destroys Trust (And How Fast Iterations With Constant Feedback Create Top Performers)

Here’s the behavior that destroys professional relationships faster than any other single mistake: batching all your work in silence, refusing to show progress until you think it’s complete, then delivering a finished product you hope people will like instead of working in fast iterations with constant communication, frequent checkpoints, and early feedback that guides the work toward what’s actually needed. You take an assignment. You disappear. You work in isolation. You don’t ask questions. You don’t send updates. You don’t show early drafts. You don’t request reviews. You batch everything into one complete deliverable. And then at the deadline or past the deadline you present what you created, hoping it’s right. And it’s almost never right. Because you worked in a silo guessing what people wanted instead of working transportive with iterations showing progress and incorporating feedback.

Here’s how the person receiving that batched work feels: “What the hell? Why do I have to ask for an update and get no response? Are you even working on this? Completely siloed, non-transparent. Then I get something I don’t like. What a waste of time. Angry.” That’s exactly how I feel when people work this way. And if you do the same to others in your organization, they feel the same way. They’re not going to trust you. They’re not going to send you important work. They’re not going to view you as a top performer. You’ll create a black cloud of stress, uncertainty, and disappointment that follows you throughout your career.

And here’s the tragedy: you probably learned this behavior in school. The education system taught you to sit down and shut up, work in isolation, turn in homework 100% complete, then get graded pass or fail. No iterations. No checkpoints. No feedback during the work. Just batch everything, submit it complete, hope you passed. That model destroys learning in schools and it destroys performance in work. You cannot take what you learned in the public school system about batching work and apply it to professional environments where transparency, teamwork, and iterative progress are the only ways to succeed.

I’m excited about this topic even though I need to get something off my chest first because it connects directly to the thoughtlessness that batching creates versus the consideration that iterations require.

The One-Star Review (And Why Thoughtless Criticism Matters)

I just saw a really irresponsible review for one of our products. Although I’m not sure what I expected challenging the status quo in a system that hurts people I should know better than that and just find my place and sit down and shut up, right?

Hillary Harrison wrote: “I can appreciate the effort and intent with a planner like this. Unfortunately, there was a lot of repetition and pages of diagrams, etc. that didn’t make sense because they had no context. Disappointed with the money spent.”

This is probably an HR person for a construction company who ordered one of the personal organization planners. Let me give you some insight. “A lot of repetition.” Does anybody know what a day planner is? It’s 4.33 weeks effectively five weeks every month for three months. The same structure repeating. How is there not going to be repetition in a planner or to-do list format? There’s literally 40 pages of to-do list space at the end. That’s not a flaw that’s literally what planners are.

“They had no context.” At the beginning, there’s a podcast link where I personally walk people through the personal organization planner. We have videos explaining everything. This is just another example of somebody the saying in my family “yucking on someone’s yum.”

My wife and I put together that personal organization planner. We made it so we’re not making money on it. We put it at rock bottom prices on Amazon so people could find it and implement a personal organization system. The first review out because Hillary didn’t pay attention to what she was buying is one out of five stars. You think somebody’s going to buy that after seeing one-star reviews? That’s not going to work.

That’s so inconsiderate. I would challenge Hillary Harrison or anybody else trying this: why don’t you publish some of your own stuff and then you’ll realize how important consideration is.

I needed to get that off my chest so I can sleep at night. It super bothers me. You can all see how emotionally immature I am. I just can’t believe that we’re providing practically free actually it IS free because if somebody wants the file, I send them the file content for the industry, and then somebody hops on without carefully paying attention and gives one out of five stars because “I didn’t know what I was buying.”

You didn’t look at it ahead of time. You didn’t read the description. Oh my gosh, who are we? This is what’s wrong with our industry. So thoughtless, so careless. I hope that person gets this message and understands the impact they have on the industry. These people are essentially fighting against our industry’s ability to improve and share information.

Okay, now I’m going to get back to the positive topic. This is going to be awesome.

Tale of Two Freelancers (Iterations vs. Batching)

Let me tell you a tale of two stories. I do a lot of work with people on Upwork. Upwork is where you can find freelancers it’s all legitimate, above board, payments through the app. We do a lot of business through them to get information and content out to people. It’s really quite nice.

Freelancer #1: Constant Iterations and Communication

There’s one person who helps us who is constantly asking me questions, constantly sending me WhatsApp messages, constantly wanting to meet to verify different things for different projects. Iterations. Sending me iterations. “Hey, this isn’t finished yet, but do you like the way it’s going?” Communicating frequently. Being very responsive.

And we have sent so much work to them that they now have seven full-time people working just on our accounts. Think about that. One freelancer who works in iterations and constant communication has grown their business to seven full-time employees serving just our work. That’s what excellence through iterations creates.

Freelancer #2: Batching and Silence

Then there’s another one who has wonderful potential that we’ve tried to give work to countless times. And when I say countless, I mean I literally can’t count anymore how many times we’ve tried. Countless times trying to give this person work.

And I’m like “I just need quick iterations. Please, whenever you can, send it to me as soon as you know where it’s heading. Send me pictures. Give me a mock-up. Give me a voice description. Give me something.”

And the person always waits until the last minute, until they’re done, to give me a batched not reviewed by me fully finished product that I don’t like. I’ve never liked any of the projects. I’m trying my best with this person. I’ve even gotten better at explaining things to try to accommodate them. Still not working.

I’ve never liked what they produce. I always have to wait. I always have to wonder. I always have to stress. Like if I’m going to do a presentation and somebody’s helping me build presentation slides and we wait till the last minute, I’m not sleeping well at night.

I’ve constantly said “faster iterations, please show me the first product faster not the end product, the FIRST product.” And it’s to the point where we’re about to part ways. We can’t work like this. This is absolutely horrific. We’re not working one-piece flow. We’re not working in iterations.

How Batching Makes People Feel

I’m not doing this to badmouth this person. I want you to know I don’t want you stuck in the same trap. If you do this to anybody in your organization, they are going to feel like I feel. Let me explain exactly how I feel:

“What the hell? Why do I have to ask for an update and get no response? Completely siloed, non-transparent. Are you even working on the project? Then I get something I don’t like. What a waste of time. Angry.”

That’s how I feel. And if you do the same to other people, they’re going to have the same black cloud. You’re not going to be looked at as a top performer.

How to Be a Top Performer Through Iterations

You want to be looked at as a top performer? Here’s what you’ve got to do:

• Ask questions: Don’t guess. Don’t assume. Ask clarifying questions upfront and throughout.
• Show updates: Frequently. Not when you’re done while you’re working.
• Ask for reviews: “Does this direction look right?” “Is this what you had in mind?” Get feedback early.
• Do faster iterations, more frequently: Don’t batch. Show progress in small increments with constant checkpoints.

You cannot batch something, guess what people want, and deliver it hoping they’ll like it. That’s a recipe for wasted time, frustration, and damaged professional relationships.

Where This Batching Behavior Comes From

Here’s where this comes from, and this is important. We taught kids to sit down and shut up and turn in homework assignments 100% complete and then grade them. You passed or you failed. No iterations. No checkpoints. No feedback during the work. Just batch everything, submit it complete, get graded.

Our education system is the most broken thing in our country. And if you’re a teacher, I apologize but the education system would be better replaced than reformed. It would be better to not teach kids at all. Unschooling is better than sending them to our public school system in the United States.

The Education System Rant (Because It Matters)

Sometimes I just get tired I’ve read too many books, written too much stuff in a day. My brain is fried. So I’ll doom-scroll on YouTube. And you always see these clips: “This kid was smiling before they got sentenced…” What the hell is going on?

Why are we as adults proud that we failed our children? That they got significance through gangs and now they’re being locked up for life? What kind of sick society do we live in?

When we see that we should be ashamed. Instead of the clip being “watch as this teenager laughs until he’s sentenced,” it should be “watch as this teenager clings to the only social group that ever accepted him until the society that put him in those circumstances locks him up and throws him away forever.”

Notice how the first time this person was berated by a teacher, graded and told he was stupid, put on medication when he didn’t need it, abandoned and punished and spanked by his parents and told he wasn’t good enough he had to revert to external sources for significance. And now instead of being accountable and rehabilitating this young person, the system is going to throw him away because our system in the West believes you can throw people away.

It is disgusting behavior. We should be ashamed of ourselves. I just saw a clip a 12-year-old giggling, then getting sentenced to eight months in county jail, then crying. A 12-year-old. And you think that person had the presence of mind and agency to steer their life when we as adults should have helped? Oh, my goodness.

I am so sick of schools grading kids. It’s so stupid. You kill people that way. Sending them home, brain-rotting them, taking away all their free time with homework, setting standards so high that human beings can’t meet them in environments where boys are not designed to succeed. It’s garbage.

What School Taught Us Wrong About Work

We were taught all of this in school:

• Wait till it’s perfect before showing anyone
• Then get graded pass/fail
• Be non-transparent work alone in silence
• Sit down and shut up
• Don’t ask questions during the work
• Submit complete products and hope they’re right

You cannot take any of what you learned in the public school system into work, or your team will not appreciate you. Transparency and working as a team are the only way.

How Batching vs. Iterations Looks in Construction

Let me connect this to construction because the pattern is identical and the consequences are just as severe.

Batching in Construction (The Wrong Way)

• Trades work through three zones in silence, then reveal they’re done
• Superintendents don’t show progress until phases complete
• Foremen batch punch lists at the end instead of finishing as they go
• Teams work in silos without coordination, hoping handoffs work out
• Nobody shows early work for verification just deliver completed zones and hope quality is acceptable
• Planning happens in isolation, then gets presented as fait accompli without iteration

This creates the same feelings: “What the hell? Are you even working? Where are we on progress? Then I see it and it’s wrong. What a waste. Angry.”

Iterations in Construction (The Right Way)

• Zone control walks showing progress during execution, not after
• Daily huddles updating coordination frequently with small checkpoints
• Finishing as you go with verification at each zone, not batching punch work
• First-in-place inspections verifying quality on first installation before rolling out to remaining areas
• Pull planning with constant iteration not one planning session then execute blindly
• PDCA cycles (Plan-Do-Check-Adjust) at every level, not batch-and-hope

This creates trust: “I can see progress. I can verify quality early. I can adjust before major rework. We’re coordinated. Excellent.”

One-Piece Flow vs. Batch Production

This is the fundamental lean principle. One-piece flow means you complete one unit, verify it’s correct, then produce the next. Batch production means you produce many units hoping they’re right, then discover at the end most need rework.

One-Piece Flow Applied to Work Products

• Design one detail, verify with trades, then detail the rest
• Frame one zone, inspect with quality standards, then frame remaining zones
• Create one slide for presentation, verify direction is right, then create remaining slides
• Write one section of document, get feedback on approach, then write remaining sections

Batch Production Applied to Work Products

• Design all details in isolation, present complete set, discover coordination conflicts
• Frame all zones without inspection, discover quality problems at end requiring rework across all areas
• Create entire presentation without checkpoints, deliver day before event, discover it’s wrong direction
• Write entire document without feedback, submit when complete, discover approach was misunderstood

See the pattern? One-piece flow catches problems when they’re small and easy to fix. Batch production discovers problems when they’re large and expensive to correct.

Why People Batch Instead of Iterate

If iterations are so clearly superior, why do people default to batching? Several reasons:

Reason 1: School Trained Us Wrong

The education system literally trained us that batching is correct. Homework gets submitted complete. Tests are taken in isolation. Papers are written alone and graded pass/fail. No iterations. No checkpoints. No feedback during the work. Just batch, submit, hope for passing grade.

Reason 2: Fear of Showing Imperfect Work

“I’ll look stupid if I show them early work that’s not polished yet.” So, people hide progress until they think it’s perfect. But “perfect” without feedback is usually wrong direction executed well.

Reason 3: Misunderstanding Transparency

“They hired me for expertise. Asking lots of questions makes me look incompetent.” Wrong. Asking questions makes you look engaged. Silence makes you look like you’re guessing.

Reason 4: Avoiding Vulnerability

Showing work-in-progress is vulnerable. “What if they don’t like my approach?” Well, better to discover that early when it’s easy to adjust than late when all the work is done wrong.

Reason 5: Confusing Independence With Excellence

“I should be able to do this without hand-holding.” Independence is solving problems yourself. Iterations aren’t hand-holding they’re ensuring you’re solving the right problems in the right way.

The Real Cost of Batching

When you batch work instead of iterate:

• Wasted time: Entire work product created in wrong direction, must redo
• Damaged trust: People can’t see progress, wonder if you’re working, get angry when delivery is wrong
• Missed opportunities: Can’t send you important work because you’re unreliable
• Career ceiling: Won’t be viewed as top performer, won’t grow business/responsibility
• Constant stress: For both you (pressure to get it right) and them (uncertainty about progress)
• Reputation damage: Known as person who works in black box and delivers disappointment

The Compound Returns of Iterations

When you work in fast iterations with constant communication:

• Better outcomes: Feedback guides work toward what’s actually needed
• Built trust: People see progress, know you’re working, can adjust direction
• More opportunities: Reliability creates confidence, sends important work your way
• Career growth: Viewed as top performer, business grows (7 full-time employees on your accounts)
• Reduced stress: For both you (know you’re on right track) and them (visibility into progress)
• Strong reputation: Known as reliable communicator who delivers excellent results

How to Shift From Batching to Iterations

If you recognize yourself in the batching pattern, here’s how to shift:

Step 1: Show Work Early and Often

Don’t wait until you think it’s ready. Show early drafts. “This is rough, but does the direction look right?” Get feedback when adjustments are easy.

Step 2: Ask Questions Proactively

Don’t guess and hope. Ask clarifying questions upfront. “When you said X, did you mean…?” “I’m planning to approach it this way does that align with your vision?”

Step 3: Send Frequent Updates

Even if nothing’s ready to review. “Working on section 2, should have rough draft by tomorrow for your feedback.” Visibility reduces anxiety.

Step 4: Request Specific Checkpoints

“I’ll have the first zone complete by Thursday can we walk it together to verify approach before I do the remaining nine zones?” Build verification into the process.

Step 5: Embrace Feedback as Iteration

“This isn’t what I had in mind” isn’t failure it’s the checkpoint working correctly. Adjust and iterate. That’s the whole point.

Resources for Implementation

If your teams are batching work in silos instead of working in transparent iterations, if people disappear into black boxes and emerge with wrong deliverables, if you need to build cultures where frequent checkpoints and one-piece flow replace batch-and-hope, Elevate Construction can help your teams shift from batching behaviors learned in school to iterative practices that create excellence in professional environments.

Building Teams That Iterate Toward Excellence

This connects to everything we teach at Elevate Construction about one-piece flow, transparency, total participation, and PDCA cycles. The education system trained us wrong batch homework, pass/fail grading, work in isolation, sit down and shut up. Those behaviors destroy professional performance.

Excellence comes from iterations: show work early, ask questions constantly, send frequent updates, request checkpoints, embrace feedback, adjust and improve. One-piece flow: complete one, verify one, perfect one, then continue. Not batch everything hoping it’s right.

The freelancer with 7 full-time employees understands this. Constant questions, frequent iterations, transparent progress, responsive communication. The freelancer we’re about to part ways with doesn’t. Batching, silence, hope-based delivery, wrong results.

The choice determines whether you’re viewed as top performer who gets increasing responsibility or as black-box worker who gets fewer opportunities. Transparency and working as a team is the only way. You cannot take batching behaviors from school into professional work. Iterations with constant feedback create trust, excellence, and compound career growth.

On we go.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do iterations work better than batching complete products?

Because feedback early in the process guides work toward what’s actually needed. Batching discovers you’re wrong after all work is done. Iterations catch problems when small and easy to fix.

Won’t showing imperfect early work make me look incompetent?

No. Asking questions and showing progress makes you look engaged and professional. Batching in silence then delivering wrong results makes you look incompetent. People prefer visible progress to silent guessing.

How often should I send updates and iterations?

Frequently enough that stakeholders never wonder “are you working on this?” For most work, daily updates and 2-3 checkpoints per major deliverable minimum. Err toward over-communication early in relationships.

What if my work doesn’t have natural checkpoint stages?

Create them. “I’ll have first draft of section 1 tomorrow for your review.” “Here’s the approach I’m planning does this align with your vision before I execute?” Checkpoints are created, not discovered.

How does this connect to one-piece flow in construction? Identical principle.

One-piece: build one zone, verify quality, then build next. Batch: build all zones hoping they’re right, discover problems requiring rework across everything. Iterations prevent batch rework waste.