Why Open Door Policies with Trade Partners Matter
Hey everyone, welcome to this quick blog. A couple days ago, I came across a powerful concept while listening to Toyota by Toyota, an incredible book that isn’t on Audible, so I used Speechify to scan and listen to it. This book is packed with lean principles, and one story in particular really stuck with me.
At Toyota, when a vendor signs up to work with them, they also sign up for an open door policy. That means Toyota’s people can walk into their vendor’s shop, office, or warehouse at any time. They’re welcome. That kind of access isn’t about control, it’s about trust, partnership, and proactive leadership.
It reminded me: we need that same mindset in construction.
We Need to Show Up Before the Work Begins
If you’re managing a high-risk trade or install like a self-climbing core form on a tower, you don’t wait until it hits your site. You go see it in action, with your foreman and crew, before day one. That’s just smart leadership.
As superintendents and PMs, we must spend time with our trade partners before the work starts, queuing them up, getting familiar with their crew, tools, and systems. That’s how you protect flow. That’s how you prevent chaos. And frankly, that’s how you show respect.
Trust + Access = Real Partnership
Toyota doesn’t pull everything in-house just because they can. They choose vendors who are capable and they empower them. Then, they work alongside those vendors to maintain quality and stability.
And here’s the part I love: when a vendor messes up and sends a defective part, they don’t get penalized. They just enter a 100% inspection cycle for four months. It’s not punishment, it’s prevention. That’s how you keep the system running without shutting everything down.
I immediately called Nico at LeanBuilt and said, “Hey, let’s make sure our contracts have this baked in.” Because if you’re a trade partner working with LeanBuilt, you’re also agreeing to an open door policy. We’re going to be on your job, at your shop, supporting you because we’re on the same team.
The Myth of Micromanagement
I’ve talked before about the myth of micromanaging. This isn’t that.
This is about helping. Observing. Supporting.
The best trade partners I’ve ever worked with welcomed me into their shops, introduced me to their teams, and showed me their process. That’s what a great relationship looks like.
If you’re a trade partner working with a GC, and that GC is worth their salt, they should be visiting. And you should be welcoming them in. That’s just good business and it’s how we elevate the entire experience.
Key Takeaway:
An open door policy between general contractors and trade partners isn’t about control, it’s about collaboration, quality, and shared responsibility. If we want great projects, we need to show up early, stay connected, and lead together.
Final Thought:
Don’t wait for problems to show up onsite. Visit your trade partners. Walk their shops. Talk to their foremen. Be present early, because once the work starts, it’s too late to “hope” it goes well. We don’t need to micromanage, we need to connect.
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)
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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