Building strong team commitments on lean construction projects

Do you really understand the commitment you made?

Chris had little understanding of construction management when he was offered an opportunity to join one of the top construction companies in the U.S. as an Electrical Superintendent. All he knew was that they were the big bosses on most of the bigger projects he had worked on over the years.

He was assigned to a 750 million dollar project at a semiconductor manufacturing plant in his local region. It was great, he had a desk in one of the many offices in a vast trailer complex connected by a maze of wooden decks, with a project staff of over 60 people. He felt a bit overwhelmed in this environment, but quickly settled in and was a quick study on the computer programs and day to day duties.

After a few months, his supervisor called him into his office to ask he if was interested in the position of Electrical Project Engineer? Chris was unsure what the role really was and what it would be like to perform the work day to day. Being an electrical foreman for most of his career to that point he had always worked in the field, and this sounded like it would be mostly desk work and running project meetings.

Flattered by the fact the senior management team thought he could do the job and encouraged by his Project Manager to take the position ensuring that it was the best path to climb the corporate ladder, he reluctantly accepted.

Over the course of the next 3 years Chris was pushed to his mental limits. The workload was overwhelming, especially having to learn as he went along. Many late nights spent in the trailer after most everyone else had gone home for the day, trying to keep up and not let the team down.

What made the situation worse yet was the fact that his Project Manager never checked in to see if he could use some help, and really never was the mentor Chris thought he would be when he committed to the position. But a big part of this story here was the fact the Chris was a perfectionist and a do-it-alone kind of person, and asking for help was not in his DNA.

Chris was successful in the end as the project finished. Like Chris, most of us have those thoughts in the middle of a challenging project, “this is the biggest mess I have ever seen”, but then we go off to the next “biggest mess ever”.

So what are some of the lessons to be learned here on commitments?

Why are we committing?

So I confess that I was the one who committed to take a job position that I had no idea what it entailed or what it was going to be like. I didn’t ask any meaningful questions about what I was about to commit to. All I can say was that I didn’t care to ask the questions, I just let my ego do the driving and left my reasoning in the back seat.

When I look back at most of the moments where I overcommitted, it usually involved me advancing my status or fear of letting someone down or being rejected.

There is nothing wrong with making commitments that help us advance our careers or help others, it is the overcommitting and stress that comes with it that is not healthy. We need to be mindful of our own limitations and those of others before we agree to commit or ask others to commit themselves. It doesn’t benefit either party when there is an overcommitment, neither side will get what is actually needed.

I would question the motives of those who knowingly ask for commitments from others that they know cannot be fulfilled just to gain some leverage over them. Shame on you, and good luck getting the long term trust of other team members.

What are we committing to?

If you don’t clearly understand what the actual commitment is or when it needs to be completed, then you need to ask for clarification. There is nothing wrong with requesting this, and it should be provided to you prior to committing oneself.

Do not let wishful thinking or over trusting lead you into overcommitting. Sometimes we just want something so badly that we turn a blind eye to the reality of the commitment, and we regret later.

Time is a precious limited commodity that we have, no matter how much money or resources we have, YOU CAN NOT GET MORE TIME. So think long and hard about what the impact on your time will be when choosing to commit to something or someone.

Emotional response to a situation or others is another potential place where we could potentially overcommit ourselves. We don’t end up helping the situation to our fullest capabilities when we overcommit to others, or can ultimately let them down.

What are the best commitments?

Realistic commitments are where all the parties thoroughly understand the actual work and time that will be involved with their part of the agreement. Which also includes a way to measure, track, check in and hold everyone accountable.

Commitments that are mutually beneficial are the ones, where both parties are fully engaged in the agreement and reap the rewards of the partnership.

One sided commitments are usually a recipe for disappointment.

Commitments made between mutually respected parties, where both feel a sense of duty to the other. Even when you ask your children to commit to something you feel is important, there still needs to be a sense of mutual respect. When there is a power over others, like a parent or a supervisor, it needs to come from a point of mutual respect.

Commitments made using authority only are always going to be weak.

Lean construction project commitment checklist:

• Establish a mutual respect relationship between all parties.
• Clearly define why a commitment is required.
• Clearly define the parameters of the commitment.
• Define condition of satisfaction for all committed parties.
• Create a plan to measure and track the commitment.
• Set a time line and periodically check in on progress.
• Revise the commitment if conditions change.
• All parties agree to hold themselves and others accountable.
• Avoid making excuses when breaking commitments.
• Help those who are struggling with keeping commitments, instead of blaming or finger pointing, especially if you are a project leader.

The importance of commitment

So I hope this helps those who are in the situation that I was once in right now, is the commitment you are about to make the best decision for your future? Are you willing to make the extra energy it will take to overcome overcommitting? Then go for it.

If not, then really think about the commitment you are making. If you are in the midst of a pull plan session or a strategy meeting and don’t feel comfortable about the promise you need to make, raise your hand. Everyone will benefit from your input.

Our modern world is built on commitments to society and one another, and a successful lean construction project is as well. Emphasizing commitment and accountability needs to be the foundation of all our projects.

But let us make sure we are using commitments not just to punish the underperformers on a project, but instead build trust and respect. As lean construction leaders we need to help others grow and become better builders. Respect for people needs to be the foundation and learning to trust and commit to one another is the pillars to a successful lean project.

Lean construction starts with strong commitments!