Leaning in to a Culture of Efficiency

December 1, 2020

Whether we are building a hospital, a data center or any other structure, successful projects share one thing: strong and cohesive teams with the diverse skillsets necessary to execute plans and deliver results. Building a great team doesn’t have to be as challenging as catching lightning in a bottle, but consistent results require intentionality.

Brasfield & Gorrie’s Lean department works with corporate and operational teams to break down traditional silos and enhance communication across our many geographic regions and market sectors. We’ve learned that when we employ consistent tools and practices, no matter the personalities or skillsets of the individuals, we’re able to align teams for success. Engaging all stakeholders in strategic planning on the front end promotes buy-in for common goals. We believe it’s essential to create healthy team environments where our people are empowered to accomplish common goals, and we’re eager to share the tools to do this with others. Members of our Lean department recently presented these tools at the 2020 LCI Congress. Read on for their insights.

Building a Healthy Team Environment

A healthy team is essential for success, no matter the project. Brasfield & Gorrie uses tools such as CoreClarity to help us build the right team for each task. CoreClarity uses assessment results to helps individuals identify their talents and understand how to use them to grow within any relationship.

As we build teams, we consider how their talents intersect with one another. Internally facilitated workshops help us understand strengths and potential challenges. This removes communication barriers, builds a foundation of trust and enables each team to leverage its talents for the greater good.

Aligning Goals

After building our teams, we help them set expectations and align goals. We also use the Last Planner® System to collaborate with teams to determine strategy, then tailor their approach. Last Planner is an effective Lean scheduling tool, but it isn’t one-size-fits-all. We implement the parts of Last Planner that are going to be most effective for each team. Because the team sets the goals, they buy into them. Establishing this clear path keeps the team focused and accountable, and they develop respect for one another through the process.

Improving Together

Growth should be continuous, and we don’t wait until after a project is complete to examine what could be improved. We conduct reflection events throughout projects so teams can learn and implement those improvements on their current project. This practice develops a culture of growth and identifies areas to focus on for immediate improvement. It also encourages transparent communication among teams.

Though Brasfield & Gorrie has 12 offices and many divisions, we operate as one and seek continuous improvement in all our efforts. Every project we build benefits from our approaches to teambuilding and growth.