Elevate Construction

Jason continues the Lean Onboarding series with one process flow, which he calls the central truth of Lean construction: do one thing at a time, from start to finish. He explains why batching feels faster but isn't, and shows how finishing one trade process zone by zone improves quality, safety, productivity, and morale.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• What a process means: a crew's full scope of work in a zone
• Why finishing one zone before moving to the next beats working all over the building
• How the two box packing example proves one process flow is faster than batching
• The benefits of one process flow: quality, flexibility, safety, morale, and lower inventory costs
• Why finishing one zone lets crews inspect and punch their work as they go

Is your crew finishing one zone at a time, or spreading out across the whole building?

If you like the Elevate Construction podcast, please subscribe for free and you'll never miss an episode. And if you really like the Elevate Construction podcast, I'd appreciate you telling a friend (Maybe even two 😊).

Also, here are links to our YouTube Channels:

· Jason Schroeder YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xpRYvrW5Op5Ckxs4vDGDg

· LeanTakt YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt

· LeanSuper YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured

· LeanSurvey YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw

Jason continues the Lean Onboarding series with the four things everyone needs to be successful: training, tools and equipment, a place to work, and time to do the task. He explains that without all four, no one can succeed, however hardworking or capable. He also argues that leaders should act as chief reminding officers instead of assuming people already know.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• The four things everyone needs: training, tools and equipment, a place to work, and time
• Why people often need reminding more than they need teaching
• Why no one should be sent to do a task they haven't been trained for
• Why a good place to work includes trucks, trailers, gang boxes, and clear space
• Why overburdening people with unrealistic time leads to mistakes and rework

Does everyone on your team have all four things they need to succeed today?

If you like the Elevate Construction podcast, please subscribe for free and you'll never miss an episode. And if you really like the Elevate Construction podcast, I'd appreciate you telling a friend (Maybe even two 😊).

Also, here are links to our YouTube Channels:

· Jason Schroeder YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xpRYvrW5Op5Ckxs4vDGDg

· LeanTakt YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt

· LeanSuper YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured

· LeanSurvey YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw

Jason continues the Lean Onboarding series with communicating for understanding. He explains that the point of any message is that the receiver understands it, not that it was said or a box was checked. He covers the plan-do-check-act approach, the three learning styles of auditory, visual, and kinesthetic, and why asking someone to repeat the message back is a sign of respect.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why success in communication is the receiver's understanding
• How to apply plan, do, check, act to your own messages
• How auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learners need different approaches
• Why someone who seems difficult may simply not have understood
• How asking someone to repeat the message back shows respect

Did the last message you gave land the way you meant it, and how do you know?

If you like the Elevate Construction podcast, please subscribe for free and you'll never miss an episode. And if you really like the Elevate Construction podcast, I'd appreciate you telling a friend (Maybe even two 😊).

Also, here are links to our YouTube Channels:

· Jason Schroeder YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xpRYvrW5Op5Ckxs4vDGDg

· LeanTakt YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt

· LeanSuper YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured

· LeanSurvey YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw

Jason closes out this stretch of the Lean Onboarding series with onboarding and orientation itself. He explains why strong orientations lead to safer projects and walks through how he runs one, from a welcome video and a tested rules session to a site walk and safety stickers. He also encourages trade partners to listen to this series before they arrive on site.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why longer, more effective orientations correlate with lower recordable injury rates
• What makes an orientation worth attending: interesting, personal, and memorable
• Jason's flow: welcome video, rules, a test, a site walk, and safety stickers
• Why the superintendent has to confirm that workers understand, not just tell them
• How Toyota's month-long onboarding shows what can be done with more time

Would a new worker leave your orientation feeling that you cared enough to prepare them?

If you like the Elevate Construction podcast, please subscribe for free and you'll never miss an episode. And if you really like the Elevate Construction podcast, I'd appreciate you telling a friend (Maybe even two 😊).

Also, here are links to our YouTube Channels:

· Jason Schroeder YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xpRYvrW5Op5Ckxs4vDGDg

· LeanTakt YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt

· LeanSuper YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured

· LeanSurvey YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw

Jason continues the Lean Onboarding series with the crew preparation huddle, which gets each crew ready for its specific scope of work right after the worker huddle. He explains what happens in it, from 5S-ing the area and looking for the eight wastes to filling out pretask plans and aligning on quality, and why the time it takes pays for itself.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• How the crew preparation huddle follows the weekly plan, day plan, and worker huddle
• What the crew does: 5S the area, look for the eight wastes, set up tools and gang boxes
• Why the foreman should give at least two minutes of training before the task
• Why every crew should walk the area and sign the pretask plan together
• Why the cost of preparing should be compared against the cost of ripping out work and injuries

Does your crew prepare for the day like a pilot does for a flight, or just hit the ground running?

If you like the Elevate Construction podcast, please subscribe for free and you'll never miss an episode. And if you really like the Elevate Construction podcast, I'd appreciate you telling a friend (Maybe even two 😊).

Also, here are links to our YouTube Channels:

· Jason Schroeder YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xpRYvrW5Op5Ckxs4vDGDg

· LeanTakt YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt

· LeanSuper YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured

· LeanSurvey YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw

Jason continues the Lean Onboarding series with the day plan, which turns the weekly work plan's promises into a target for the next day, built in the afternoon foreman huddle. He explains what the huddle covers, from safety risks and weather to inspections, deliveries, and staging, and why the resulting day plan needs to be posted where everyone on the project can see it.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• How the day plan filters the weekly work plan down to the next day
• What the afternoon foreman huddle covers, from safety and weather to deliveries and staging
• The questions each foreman asks: tools, equipment, materials, and readiness
• How the day plan reaches workers, through a board or a PDF on their phone
• Why permits and other safety items belong on the day plan

Could every worker on your site tell you today's plan without asking anyone?

If you like the Elevate Construction podcast, please subscribe for free and you'll never miss an episode. And if you really like the Elevate Construction podcast, I'd appreciate you telling a friend (Maybe even two 😊).

Also, here are links to our YouTube Channels:

· Jason Schroeder YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xpRYvrW5Op5Ckxs4vDGDg

· LeanTakt YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt

· LeanSuper YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured

· LeanSurvey YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw

Jason continues the Lean Onboarding series with the weekly work plan, a set of 100% committed activities that trade partners agree on together, filtered down from the master schedule, pull plan, and make ready look ahead. He explains that these commitments are made foreman to foreman, not handed down by a superintendent, and that tracking which promises were kept gives the team a percent plan complete score.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• How the weekly work plan connects to the master schedule, pull plan, and look ahead
• Why the commitments come from the last planners, not from the superintendent
• How the superintendent coordinates activities to reduce trade stacking
• Why a weekly work plan is a committed plan, not a wish list
• How marking activities complete or not and finding root causes builds percent plan complete

Is your weekly work plan a real commitment, or a wish list?

If you like the Elevate Construction podcast, please subscribe for free and you'll never miss an episode. And if you really like the Elevate Construction podcast, I'd appreciate you telling a friend (Maybe even two 😊).

Also, here are links to our YouTube Channels:

· Jason Schroeder YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xpRYvrW5Op5Ckxs4vDGDg

· LeanTakt YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt

· LeanSuper YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured

· LeanSurvey YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw

Jason continues the Lean Onboarding series with look ahead schedules, also called make ready look aheads, which usually run about six weeks out. He explains that their purpose is to confirm labor, materials, equipment, layout, permissions, and information for each activity, so any roadblock shows up early enough to be removed before work starts.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why look ahead schedules exist to make work ready
• How the look ahead's 80% certainty compares with the weekly plan's 100% commitment
• What a crew needs for each activity before it can start
• Why unready activities show up as roadblocks to clear
• Where look aheads get used: the weekly tactical and the afternoon foreman huddle

Could you say yes to every item on your six week look ahead right now?

If you like the Elevate Construction podcast, please subscribe for free and you'll never miss an episode. And if you really like the Elevate Construction podcast, I'd appreciate you telling a friend (Maybe even two 😊).

Also, here are links to our YouTube Channels:

· Jason Schroeder YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xpRYvrW5Op5Ckxs4vDGDg

· LeanTakt YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt

· LeanSuper YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured

· LeanSurvey YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw

Jason continues the Lean Onboarding series with the master schedule and what it is for. He explains that everyone on a project should be able to see the start date, the end date, and the milestones between them within seconds, and that every look-ahead, weekly work plan, and day plan should be vertically aligned to it.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• What a master schedule shows: total duration, milestones, and a high-level plan
• The five seconds to five minutes test for whether a project really has a plan
• Why every worker and foreman needs to know the end date and milestones
• How shared understanding puts the team's combined experience to work
• What vertical alignment means for look-aheads, weekly plans, and day plans

Could everyone on your project tell you the next milestone and its date right now?

If you like the Elevate Construction podcast, please subscribe for free and you'll never miss an episode. And if you really like the Elevate Construction podcast, I'd appreciate you telling a friend (Maybe even two 😊).

Also, here are links to our YouTube Channels:

· Jason Schroeder YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xpRYvrW5Op5Ckxs4vDGDg

· LeanTakt YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt

· LeanSuper YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured

· LeanSurvey YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw

Jason continues the Lean Onboarding series with visual management systems, which move the plan, schedule, and metrics out of people's heads and onto visuals the whole team can see. He shares Gwendolyn Galsworth's description of a self-ordering, self-explaining, self-regulating, and self-improving workplace, and encourages teams to start with simple drafts and improve them over time.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why the plan has to move out of the superintendent's head and onto a visual
• How the Galsworth quote describes a workplace that runs on visual devices
• Why a first draft with small fonts is still a good start
• The test of success: seeing, knowing, and acting from the visual alone
• Why visuals should come first and spoken explanations should support them

Can your crew see what needs to be seen without asking someone to explain it?

If you like the Elevate Construction podcast, please subscribe for free and you'll never miss an episode. And if you really like the Elevate Construction podcast, I'd appreciate you telling a friend (Maybe even two 😊).

Also, here are links to our YouTube Channels:

· Jason Schroeder YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xpRYvrW5Op5Ckxs4vDGDg

· LeanTakt YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt

· LeanSuper YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured

· LeanSurvey YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw