Ep.680 - They Can't Do It

In a short but pointed episode recorded in the freezing cold at his Field Engineer Project Engineer Boot Camp, Jason calls out a phrase he hears constantly from leaders: "they can't handle it." Whether it's about giving superintendents books to read, letting someone run a client meeting, or rolling out Takt planning, he argues this phrase is almost always disrespectful and presumptuous, an assumption made without ever actually asking the person. Sharing how his wife Katie's belief in people transformed his own team at Elevate, he challenges leaders to recognize that saying "they can't handle it" often reveals more about the leader's own diminishing behavior than the actual capability of their people. What you'll learn in this episode: Why "they can't handle it" is usually a presumptuous, disrespectful assumption rather than an honest assessment How believing in people's capability, rather than deciding for them what they can handle, changed the culture and performance at Elevate Why the right response to doubt about someone's readiness is to ask them, not decide for them A challenge to recognize when "they can't handle it" is really a sign of your own diminishing leadership behavior Where in your own team or company are you deciding someone "can't handle it" without ever actually asking them? If you like the Elevate Construction podcast, please subscribe for free, and you'll never miss an episode. And if you really like the Elevate Construction podcast, I'd appreciate you telling a friend (Maybe even two 😊). Also, here are links to our YouTube Channels: · Jason Schroeder YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xpRYvrW5Op5Ckxs4vDGDg · LeanTakt YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt · LeanSuper YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured · LeanSurvey YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw