Many industries, including construction, are taking notice of the obvious (and not so obvious) benefits of hiring veterans. The perception of the military’s structure is a hierarchical operational model in which those at the top of the pyramid gather information, make decisions and filter those decisions down to workers with expectation that the “orders” will be carried out. But times are changing in the military and business, and the changes serve as a good model for construction companies to follow.
The response has been a shift to focusing on adaptability rather than efficiency as a key indicator of a successful organizational model. The additional benefit would be a greater sense of inclusion or ownership over a shared mission, as well as increased morale.
Critical, time-sensitive information is kept behind closed doors and most decisions flow from the top-down, overlooking the collective wisdom of an organization.
On a construction site, the individuals most exposed to the changing conditions are the foremen and workers at the jobsite. What if, instead, foremen were equipped with the information to make informed decisions without having to communicate up the chain of command? How might this change impact crew productivity? This is the crux of empowered execution. Creating the conditions for empowered execution to thrive requires examining what information is shared at what level.
The right technology helps ensure the perspectives of those tasked with doing the work are included in the decision-making process. Bringing those with different job responsibilities under the same roof, each with access to the same information, means consensus is reached faster, and specific tasks can be prioritized according to overall project objectives.
Common purpose is a short, concise statement that describes the desired end state of a particular mission. When employees take ownership of their work to the point where they can articulate in their own words how they, in their unique roles, work to accomplish an objective, the dynamic of a construction crew can be transformed.
The pace of change and competitive nature of construction projects today requires nimble, adaptable teams that can respond to rapidly changing conditions. Companies must evaluate their behaviors and organizational structures and ask whether they are getting the results we want at every level of the organization.

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