Tough or Toxic? Discipline in Construction Today!

Perspective:

Anyone who served in the military or grew up on a ranch or farm was likely exposed to the type of discipline that is also necessary in the construction business. The foundation is simple, "Mistakes get people injured or killed" A supervisor is not only a human being, they are responsible to see that everyone gets to go home safe every day. Sometimes the circumstances don't provide time for a polite discussion about a mistake or an insubbordinate action. The supervisor might come across as gruff or insensitive but that may only be the pressure of the situation, not his or her personality.

Communication is a key part of a construction operation and when things are loud and busy, voices get raised and tempers get short. It's just human nature when pride and responsibility come to cross roads. I've been on both sides and have found the easiest way to deal with it, is to judge the interaction by the immediate circumstances. If your in the middle of chaos and things get a little heated, just adjust and carry on until you're in a calmer environment like the end of shift.

Battle hardened is the term I use for the supervisors who come across as complete a-holes all the time. They don't seem to care about someone's "feelings" and aren't afraid to disclipline them in front of the entire crew. Insecure is the term I use for the a-holes that use their attitude as a shield for their lack of knowledge in the particular area. They know what they want done but don't know how to teach you to do it, so they just blow up and expect you to figure it out. Then under pressure, they throw you under the bus for mistakes.

As a subordinate, you need to put yourself in your boss' shoes and think about how you would react if you had all of their responsibility on your shoulders. Don't react in the moment, just try to have a discussion with them later about their expectations for you. As humans, the worst thing we can do is try to interpret what someone really meant in the middle of a stressful moment. The Battle hardened supervisor will give you straight but fair advice for the future, but don't expect a hug at the end. They are generally, just being tough for the sake of you, the crew, and the project. They are a Tough Leader.

The Insecure supervisor will dance around the subject, deflect responsibility, or just simply ignore your inquiry altogether with a blunt "I'm too busy" response. This is a Toxic leader and unfortunately your best action is to move to a different crew or company.

All construction discipline is sugar free. The worst supervisor is the "Friendly" one who tries to be friends with everyone, or even worse, plays favorites. We've all been in a situation where "the favorites" get away with blaming others for their shortcomings or laziness. As a subordinate, don't confuse friendly with respectful. Leaders who are true team leaders will have a friendly relationship with you at work, but they are not afraid to come down hard on you when you do something insubbordinate or stupid. If you continually show up ten minutes late for work and the supervisor doesn't confront you about it, you could have a problem in the making. A silent supervisor is Toxic for many reasons but the biggest is the cascade effect of letting things slide. You being late frequently signals others that tardiness is ok and usually the first 15-20 minutes of the shift is spent reviewing the days plans, safety discussions, and maybe stretch and flex. If you or several of you are late, you're missing out on some very important interactions and that increases the chances of incidents due to lack of communication.

If you are a supervisor, you have to strike that right tone so everyone on your crew feels respected, but they know where your tolerance line lies. If you keep a tight reign, do it evenly and be sure that the line between friends and supervisor ends at the gate. Favorites are toxic when the heat is on. Be sure that you listen appropriately and don't overexplain your decisions. You are the decision maker and if you own that duty your crew will respect you and support you. If you have "friends or family" working on your crew, you are toxic. Many professionals can turn off the friendship during the shift and I envy that ability. But if you can't, make a change. Because they are close, you may either show favoritism or be overly critical to compensate. It's just human nature and it can be toxic for crew dynamics and your friendship. I know that I personally tend to expect more from my children than I do others, so in a professional environment that can be a disaster in many ways.

A good leader gives away all the credit and takes all the blame!

At the end of the shift, if everyone knows the battle plan and the expectations for their job clearly, the challenges of the day will be much easier to navigate.