What’s The Best Way To Run Or Contribute To A Daily Subcontractor Meeting?

How to Run or Contribute to a Weekly Trade Partner Meeting (Subcontractor Meeting)

What’s the best way to run—or even contribute to—a weekly subcontractor meeting? It’s a question I love answering, and in this blog, I’ll break down the exact approach you can use to lead or add value in what we now call the trade partner meeting.

If you have other questions, send them my way. I’m here to help.

Start with the Right Resources:

For a step-by-step guide, everything I’m about to explain is detailed in the book Takt Steering and Control. I’ve even read it on the podcast for those who prefer to listen.

Trade Partners, Not Just Subcontractors:

I prefer the term trade partners because it reflects our intent to collaborate. There’s a growing trend in the industry: if you’re not going to treat subcontractors with respect, calling them “trades” becomes just lip service. Let’s lead with true partnership.

Weekly Meeting System: Know the Purpose

To run or contribute effectively, understand the meeting system:

• Monday: Team meeting + Strategic Planning & Procurement Meeting.
• Tuesday: Weekly Tactical (Trade Partner) Meeting.
• Daily: Foreman Huddle → Worker Huddle.

This structure creates a communication cascade: strategy → planning → execution → feedback.

At the weekly tactical meeting, focus on planning, coordination, and—most importantly—problem-solving.

Create the Right Environment:

A strong meeting environment supports visibility and engagement. Here’s what I recommend:

• Two screens for shared visuals.
• Full-wall zone maps (ceiling to floor).
• Axonometric views for multi-story projects (expand views for clarity).
• Visual boards for procurement logs and production tracking.

In Lean-built trailers, we even place a 3D model on the table—think General Patton-style WWII strategy table. Visuals create unity: see as a group, know as a group, act as a group.

Psychological Safety is Essential:

People won’t speak up if they feel shut down. Build a culture where foremen and crew members feel safe to voice concerns. When someone flags a problem, thank them, take it seriously, and move toward a win-win resolution.

Let Trades Do Most of the Talking:

The best meetings aren’t lectures. They’re collaborative.

Encourage trade partners to speak during:

• Pull plans.
• Look Ahead Plans.
• Weekly Work Plans.
• Problem-solving sessions.

If you dominate the conversation, they disengage. Give them the space to lead. Your role is to facilitate—not dictate.

Make It Fun:

Yes, you read that right. Fun.

Ricky Davenport from Oakland nailed this. He introduced humor, shout-out boards, and celebrated good work. These little things build positivity. He also took time for personal connections with tradespeople. Relationships matter—deeply.

Follow a Clear Agenda:

Structure matters. A successful meeting should include:

1. Review last week/day.
2. Discuss current week/day.
3. Plan for next week/day.
4. Solve problems (Identify, Discuss, Solve – IDS method).
5. Communicate solutions to field crews.

Let trades with shorter durations go first. Respect people’s time. Spend most of the meeting solving problems, not just talking about them.

Pro Tip: Use Visual Problem Boards

Before the meeting starts, have trade partners mark their issues on the zone maps with:

• Magnets.
• Stickies.
• Red dots.

Start the meeting by going through and resolving them one by one. This preps the team for an efficient, actionable session.

Final Thoughts:

If you want to lead or contribute meaningfully to trade partner meetings, focus on these:

• Understand the purpose.
• Set up the right environment.
• Ensure psychological safety.
• Let trade partners take the lead.
• Solve problems visually and collaboratively.

And yes—have fun doing it. When your team sees problems being solved and work improving, they’ll buy into the system fully.