Everything is Too Complex - Until You Practice Enough

There is no question that construction is becoming more complex.

D. Brown Management Profile Picture
Share

Supply chains are more complex.  Technology is more complex. The world is becoming more complex.  We don’t do ourselves or others any favors by not coming to terms with that complexity.  

Leadership Tools: Everything is Too Complex Until You Practice Enough.

Simplification and streamlining should always be our goal.  We must get comfortable learning the complexities before we can work on simplification.  


“Seek first to understand, then to be understood.”

- Stephen R. Covey  | 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

“Often we don't need better ideas, we just need to frame them more effectively.  To describe something simply, you must really understand it deeply."

- Frances Frei


How would you answer the following questions yes or no?

  • I believe some processes and tools are too complicated in my company.  
  • I did my best today to deliberately practice using those process and tools.
      
  • I did my best today to improve and document new standards using the PDCA and 5S tools.
  • I did my best today to share what I learned by teaching someone else.  

If you answer those questions every day for a month what would your ratio be of yes vs. no?  

If your team answered them what would that ratio be? 




Setting Standards and the Feedback Loop
Set the standard. Train to the standard. Certify to the standard. Plan the work to the standard. Execute to the plan and the standard. Check against the standard. Make prioritized improvements to the standard, training, planning, and execution.
Business Operating Layer
Execution is the discipline of getting things done and is especially critical for contractors because we work in a highly competitive business with relatively low margins compared to the risks taken.
Percent Planned Complete (PPC) - Calculation Example
Yoda would be the perfect coach for managing schedules on projects: “Do or do not. There is no try.” This is the heart of Percent Planned Complete (PPC) and the weekly cycle of continuous production improvement.