2nd Edition

Lean Culture for the Construction Industry Building Responsible and Committed Project Teams, Second Edition

By Gary Santorella Copyright 2017
    320 Pages
    by Productivity Press

    Many of the struggles that we are currently experiencing when attempting to implement Lean in the construction environment are the direct result of applying Lean tools out of proper context. Understanding Lean as an overall operating system will help to avert this all too common pitfall.

    An in-depth exploration of the application of Lean initiatives in the construction industry, Lean Culture for the Construction Industry: Building Responsible and Committed Project Teams, Second Edition provides updated chapters with new insights on the relationships between owners, architects, general contractors and subcontractors - demonstrating how Kaizan events focused on building positive culture through vulnerability-based trust improved processes and eliminated work stoppages.

    Lean tools alone don't lead to successful Lean initiatives: the missing piece is culture. Written by a veteran consultant in the construction field, the book draws a connection between how construction professionals act as leaders and how their attitude and behavior affect productivity and waste daily. While value stream mapping is an important tool for righting broken processes and resolving conflicts, future state maps will fail if leaders continue to work in silos, protect their territories, and don't see that their success is directly tied to the success of their co-leaders.

    The author expands the notion of ethics beyond the simple litmus test of right and wrong, so team leaders can adopt professional and productive attitudes and behaviors toward the implementation of Lean improvements. This book demonstrates how, in an industry where waste is rampant, and depends on wide range of people and personalities to successfully build a job, Lean thinking can make the difference between a profitable, competitive construction team, and mass inefficiencies, stunted profitability, and lost future opportunities.

    Chapter One: Lean in its Proper Context

    Chapter Two: Lean Culture Defined

    Chapter Three: Lean Cuisine and Construction: The Benefits of a Food Industry Perspective

    Chapter Four: The Lean Team Challenge

    Chapter Five: Trust – Laying the Foundation

    Chapter Six: Is Your Attitude a Value-Add?

    Chapter Seven: Lean Ethics

    Chapter Eight: Construction 101: The Basics from a Lean

    Perspective

    Chapter Nine: Execution and Overarching Philosophies

    Chapter Ten: Lean Purpose

    Chapter Eleven: The Conflict Paradox: Encouraging Debate without Letting It Become Destructive

    Chapter Twelve: Establishing and Maintaining High Standards

    Chapter Thirteen: Influencing versus Motivating

    Chapter Fourteen: Constructive Discipline (Knowing When and How to Draw the Line)

    Chapter Fifteen: Commitment and Accountability

    Chapter Sixteen: Building a Lean Safety Culture

    Chapter Seventeen: Fine-Tuning: Keeping Your Fingers on the Team’s Pulse via Continuous Lean Culture Assessment

    Chapter Eighteen: Managing External Partner Anxiety and Anger

    Chapter Nineteen: Generational Issues

    Conclusion

    Biography

    Gary Santorella, Owner, is a licensed Cognitive-behavioral therapist and an expert in team dynamics and behavioral change, who was developed a unique methodology to access job site functioning. He received his BA i Behavioral psychology from Providence College in 1980, and a Master’s Degree with an emphasis in Occupational Welfare from UC Berkeley in 1990 He currently resides in Scottsdale, Arizona.