Jason records from Milwaukee doing organizational health consulting. Takt book update: finished writing, now called "Takt Planning and Integrated Control", editor said "got a lot more technical mathy sort of or maybe physics," exactly what everyone's been looking for. Project directors build people, not just projects, most don't show up the way teams need. Project director role: own strategy from start to finish across multiple projects, curate people to build well-functioning teams, ensure teams have organizational health fundamentals (build team first, create clarity, communicate clarity, and reinforce clarity). Project director check-in phases: pre-sell through proposal/interview/award, preconstruction (stay with design/precon/estimating, ensure good plan including Takt), design development (set up team composition, who are the GCs/GRs, review Takt plan/logistics/zone maps, prepare fresh eyes meeting, pull superintendent and PM in early even if on different projects). What doesn't get done well: using Takt for correct overall duration, bringing supers/PMs in early enough so it's their plan, right team size, right trailer layout, right budgets for worker bathrooms/lunchrooms, right logistical support. Daily standard work: scale communication, receive scaled roadblocks, prompt owner communication, ask safety questions, remove roadblocks fanatically, be positive example, rally team, participate in huddles. Weekly: team health check-in, roadblock tracking, safety/financial check-ins, meaningful mentoring for PMs/PEs together, check in with superintendent. Monthly: meaningful check-ins with supers, team health assessment, provide three things, connection, relevance, measurement. Current condition: most leaders never around, don't provide mentoring, don't help careers, supers say "haven't heard from a leader in years."
What you'll learn in this episode:
Project director core role distinction: not just managing projects, but curating people across multiple projects to build well-functioning teams with organizational health fundamentals
What gets missed in preconstruction: using Takt for correct overall duration, bringing supers/PMs in early so it's their plan, right team size, right budgets for bathrooms/lunchrooms, right logistical support
Project director daily standard work: scale communication to teams, receive scaled roadblocks to create flow, prompt owner communication, ask safety questions, remove roadblocks fanatically, rally team with good energy
Weekly responsibilities beyond technical: team health check-in, meaningful mentoring for PMs/PEs together, participate with superintendent (don't assume they have it under control), assess meetings, teach and coach
Monthly engagement framework: provide connection (connect with each team member), relevance (communicate why they matter), measurement (give keys to success so they know what winning looks like daily)
The devastating pattern Jason observed: operations manager walks through office, goes straight to PM's office, shuts door, talks without rallying team, "I've always remembered that example as what not to do"
Superintendent boot camp reality check: most supers say "haven't heard from a leader in years", project directors should check in at least monthly, even remotely by Zoom
"Project directors build people, not just projects. Leaders build the team first, have hard conversations, manage, coach and mentor their direct reports."
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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
