Communication at the Jobsite

We all know that communication at the jobsite is very often a challenge. From communication between the field and the main office to communication from primary leadership to superintendent to the field crew, there are many opportunities for missteps, miscommunication, and upsets. Yet, the key to complete success with every job, whether big or small, is full and complete communication everywhere and at all times! There is no room, especially in today’s tight market, for communication breakdowns which can lead to poor efficiencies, poor morale, or worse yet poor general outcome of the job! All of which have the potential to affect your personal bottom line.

Why is communication on the jobsite so hard?

We are all human beings. We have lives outside of the work we do, and separating our lives, our feelings and the people we are from the work we do simply isn’t doable. Meaning, that on the jobsite not only are we dealing with the job we do, the people we work with, and those things we are accountable for, but we are also carrying around circumstances and issues from our lives outside of the work we do.We all have our own personal “stuff” that we bring to the jobsite, wants and needs that are far greater than the job we do, and our communications have to filter through all of the “non-work” things on our minds in order for communication to really get through!So if we are so gripped by the stuff going on in our heads, how do we break through and become clear, concise, and honorable in our communications, in what we speak and in what we hear?

Full and complete communication How-tos

Step 1: Stop and think about who you are being.

Slow down, think about how you are communicating, what you want to communicate and then communicate fully and completely why something is being done the way it is. Stay present to the question of: “Am I communicating so that what I’m saying can actually be heard or are the words I’m using, the tone of my voice or my body language in the way of the message getting through?”Remember: The speaker in any communication is responsible for what the recipient (listener) actually gets from the communication. So, if a gruff and short communication style isn’t going to get through to the team, consider what communication style will get through and adjust what you are saying and how you say it accordingly!

Step 2: Don’t assume anybody or anything!

The assumptions we make are some of the greatest roadblocks we have to clear and complete communication! Assumptions turn a possibility into an “is” and in a split second an incorrect assumption can lead us down the wrong path!We assume those we work with can read our minds and then get angry and blame them when they fail to do so! We assume that everyone on the jobsite knows how to do everything they need to know, and many flat don’t know what they need to know. So guess what? Not only do you have to give up your assumptions and be clear about what your team does and doesn’t know how to do, but have to teach them what they don’t know!!

Step 3: Teach instead of Tell

When we take the time to teach and explain to our co-workers why we do something the way we do, the results will be much better than if we simply tell them what to do!

Step 4: Make sure you are not just heard, but understood too!

Make sure those around you understand what is being asked of them in terms of the job they are to do and by-when they are supposed to do it! Make sure what you intend to teach your team is what they are learning!

Step 5: Give up Make Wrongs

Often times tense and less than complete communications are the result of upsets and misunderstandings between co-workers that put people in a defensive position. Listening or speaking from a defensive state of mind is no way to communicate fully and completely! After all, how well do we hear or communicate with others when we are continually planning out our own defense in our heads! It is in this case that all sides have to give up making others wrong, and rather than allow upsets to fester, you’ve got to communicate in a straightforward, but calm manner. By communicating directly with the person there is an upset with, there is little room for make wrongs and upsets to fester – meaning mole hills will not be made into mountains on the job site!!

Step 6: Make “I don’t know” Okay

A lot of communications don’t happen simply because we don’t want those around us to know that we don’t know!! So, we’ve got to foster an environment where we welcome questions, where we don’t just give lip service to the notion, but actually take the time to answer the questions those on our crew have before we move on to anything else! We’ve got to make it okay for any member on the crew to say: “I don’t know how to do this.” Or “I don’t understand.” And when we make the room for questions to be asked, never ever make someone wrong for doing so! This is not just about full and complete communication on the human level, it is about building trust as well!The more your crew trusts what is said the more you will grow as a team, and it is inside of a well built team that full and complete communication can really grow!Ultimately, full and complete communication at the jobsite is really about our being present to not only our agenda and the information that we want to communicate, but also to our being present to how the information we are communicating is getting across to others!When we communicate with our co-workers, or anyone for that matter:

• We need to be with those people, not just physically, but also mentally.
• We have to give up assumptions and give up "knowing" in order to communicate effectively and to hear what we are supposed to, as well as to be heard by others.
• We need to be aware of our body posture and even the tone of our voice!

Communication is not only about the words we say but who we are being when we say them! Remember: ultimately the person responsible for the quality of any communication is the speaker. So step up to the plate and communicate fully and completely everywhere. Caution!!!! Do not use this as an excuse for not being an effective listener.As a member of a team you need to speak up when someone’s communication leaves you in a bad place, stop them and get clarification. Maybe they are having a really bad day… maybe they are filtering their communication through all sorts of stuff that has nothing to do with you… and while the speaker is always responsible for where they leave the listener, the listener has to be the one to put their hand up and get to the bottom of what is and isn’t correct about how they are feeling and what they think they “heard”. You can’t read other people’s minds and they can’t read yours, meaning full and complete communication is a two-way street, and just one barrier can throw the flow off. Don’t be the one to create the bottle-neck… Communicate fully and completely everywhere, all of the time!Warm Regards,