Superintendent to Field Commander: The Leadership Leap

Transitioning from a construction manager to a true field commander in construction is a powerful evolution. In this blog, we’ll explore how to lead projects with the precision and strategy of a military commander. Drawing inspiration from concepts in books like Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin, as well as other military frameworks, we’ll discuss how to bring leadership principles from the battlefield to the construction site.

Let’s dive into actionable strategies that will help you approach your project like a field commander.

The Rules of Combat Applied to Construction:

The rules of combat, as outlined in Extreme Ownership, offer an excellent framework for construction leadership:

1. Cover and Move.
2. Simplify.
3. Prioritize and Execute.
4. Decentralized Command.

These principles help overcome leadership dilemmas, particularly the balance between overseeing the project and staying connected to the team on the ground. Let’s break these down.

How to Overcome the Dilemma of Command:

In military operations, the dilemma of command is choosing between staying at headquarters to strategize or leading from the front lines. Similarly, in construction, superintendents face the challenge of splitting their time between office-based planning and field-based leadership.

The solution? Balance. Spend half your time planning and preparing in the office and the other half in the field.

• Office Work: Use visual planning tools to strategize. Think of your office as a war room where you lay out “field maps” like master plans, takt plans, and lookahead schedules.
• Field Work: Be present on the site, walking with crews and observing operations firsthand. This allows you to guide teams effectively and ensure alignment across all scopes of work.

Managing Construction Crews Like Military Units:

Each construction crew functions as an independent unit, similar to military squads. As a superintendent, your role is to align and unify these crews toward a common mission.

• Field Commander’s Toolbox:

• • Visual War Room: Strategize with tools like master schedules and crew boards to ensure clarity.
  • Battle Perch: Find a high vantage point to observe the entire project site, just as generals survey battlefields. This could be a safe climb up a tower crane or another elevated area.
  • Field Walks: Spend time on the ground, walking the site to ensure alignment and coordination among crews.

These practices allow you to maintain situational awareness and ensure that everyone is working cohesively.

Applying the Rules of Combat:

• Cover and Move:

This principle is about teamwork. Crews must have each other’s backs, just like soldiers do in combat. Your role as a field commander is to build trust among teams. Unite office staff, foremen, and crews into one cohesive group through morning huddles and collaborative planning.

• Simplify:

Complex projects demand clarity. Simplify your plans by breaking them down into digestible pieces. Use crew boards to communicate each team’s role in the overall strategy. Ensure your planning documents, from takt plans to lookahead schedules, are clear and actionable.

• Prioritize and Execute:

Detach from the chaos of the project and identify the most critical tasks. Allocate resources to address the most significant bottlenecks first—whether it’s a trade-specific issue, a zone-level constraint, or the project’s overall limiting factor. Stay focused and act decisively.

• Decentralized Command:

Empower crews to take ownership of their work. When teams are involved in planning and understand their role in the bigger picture, they feel accountable. This alignment fosters collaboration and ensures that every crew contributes to the success of the whole project.

How to Be a Great Field Commander:

To excel as a field commander, embrace the following habits:

• Education and Training: Continuously improve your leadership skills, just as military leaders do.
• Use Technology: Leverage planning tools and digital resources to stay organized.
• Field Essentials: Maintain a clear crystal ball (future planning), a battle perch (site overview), and boots-on-the-ground engagement.

By combining these elements with the principles of combat, you’ll not only lead your project to success but also elevate your leadership game.