Today we're talking to Lee Causey, the East Coast Innovation Leader for DPR Construction. Lee’s job, as he explains it, is to remove roadblocks and connect dots. When someone hears about a technology they’d like to try, Lee kicks into action and makes it happen. In this role, he noticed people often chased the shiniest things rather than the most useful things. In an effort to make a data-based approach Problem-based approach workflow
- Collect problems
- Sort problems
- Prioritize problems
- Seek solutions for those problems
Lee shares about a pilot program they did at DPR’s Nashville unit. They sought input directly from the tradesmen about solutions they needed where the rubber meets the road. The findings? The biggest problems on the ground were things that executives didn’t even realize were problems: water, PPE, breathable shirts. These were things simple enough that they should not be problems. Other things that came to their attention were lighter concrete tools, anti-vibe tools. “Little” things matter big time when it comes to team morale. Eddie reminisces about a new Carhartt shirt and feeling like he’d struck gold. Simply letting people express their concerns and then acting in the simplest ways on those concerns. Nobody can know everything about everything. That’s why it’s so beneficial to have a designated team like the one Lee operates to focus directly on identifying what dots are not being connected. Lee’s team uses
Bright Idea software to track and coordinate their research and planning. He said it’s a great, simple platform for this sort of work. Tyler asks if the research turned up any employee mistreatment. Lee said that indeed there was at least one example of that. The innovation team was able to quickly escalate that concern to the point where it was addressed. Eddie points out how clearly this kind of work fits with the common theme of so many of our podcast episodes. If we’re going to work as a team, we need to think about the psychological, human aspects of team dynamics. Lee explains that the innovation teams are now capitalizing on the down time between projects to maximize quality improvement. It’s more than just sharpening the ax, it’s discussing the best way to sharpen the ax. We discuss deployment of solutions. Lee explains that 100 problems can often be fixed with 5 solutions because those problems are the result of similar systemic shortfalls. It’s all about identifying and addressing blind spots rather than telling people, as Eddie says, to “shut up and accept your fate.” Lee’s Two-part Megaphone Message (for which Eddie gifts him an unprecedented 120 seconds):
- Part 1: Look inside your head. Figure out how to do things in order to make it better for everyone. A rising tide raises all ships.
- Part 2: Go out in the world and tell the young people in your life to be unique. You can go and find the coolest job you’ve ever had in construction and change the world while simply being yourself.
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Construction Brothers