60. GWC

Get it. Want it. Capable.

Andrea and Griff talk through this concept from the EOS system, and how mangers should use it to assess their team and everyone should use it to assess themselves.

Also, some clarity on jobsite washouts.

Transcript

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SPEAKER_01 0:09

Welcome to Loaded, the Hon Ready Mix podcast with Andrea Meyer and Griffin Hahn.

SPEAKER_00 0:14

How's it going today?

SPEAKER_01 0:15

Great. It's quiet in the office today.

SPEAKER_00 0:18

It is. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 0:19

And no Lex in here.

SPEAKER_00 0:20

Well, we had the lightning strike down in Muscatine, so like half the manager went down to go work on that. So yeah. Yeah. And Lex is down in down in Florida.

SPEAKER_01 0:30

So And here we are.

SPEAKER_00 0:33

It's the podcast is not the same without him brooding in the corner.

SPEAKER_01 0:37

Telling us to hurry up.

unknown 0:38

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 0:39

Rolling his eyes at the things we say. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 0:42

Mitsu Lex.

SPEAKER_00 0:43

Yeah. All right. Cool. Well, what do we want to talk about today?

SPEAKER_01 0:49

I there's so many things now that we're like actually working. I feel like we could have podcasts entirely full of announcements. So it's hard for me to narrow down um what I want to talk about. But I guess we should start with kind of the updated or enhanced enforcement of washout washwater issues in in the everywhere, but specifically in Davenport, I think is where we're hearing about it the most.

SPEAKER_00 1:11

Yeah. John just had a meeting with some folks from the city of Davenport to make sure we had clarity on what the expectations were and you know what enforcement was going to be. And so I think that that is good information that we need to make sure we're passing on to you guys. Summary of it, it seems to be that the washout, any kind of washout on a job cannot go in in any kind of container that's not lined, right? So it needs to be uh a lined hole, a a dumpster that's lined, something that is contained. Uh if none of those things are available, we have to drop a bag. Um so we we cannot just wash out into a rock pile or into the grade where we're gonna pour the next pore or anything like that. Um I know people have asked us to do that for years and years and years, um, but that is not consistent with what the rules are and is going to be enforced going forward. So if someone, if a contractor tells you, hey, please just go wash out in that rock pile over there and say we can't do that, that's against the law.

SPEAKER_01 2:15

Yep. So that's why we have washout bags available. And it's gonna be a hard corner to turn, you know, we've been doing it one way for a long time, and and we're gonna have to get contractors and employees and everyone on board with it's it feels like a hassle to them to have to go through this, but that's that's how we have to do it. So if if you have any, you know, contractors you know that have a lot of questions, let us know who they are and we can get somebody out to talk to them and get them on board with how we have to do it.

SPEAKER_00 2:42

For sure.

SPEAKER_01 2:43

Um, same thing in our yards. We have we have specific washout areas where the the pits are designed for that. We can't dump water anywhere else, so not in the parking lot at the river plant or in the wash bay or anything like that. We have to be really uh thoughtful about what we're doing, even in our own yards.

SPEAKER_00 2:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:00

All right. I have noticed that it seems like we're doing a great job in the mornings. Dispatch is doing and being really thoughtful about how they're scheduling people and people are coming in and getting right in their trucks and getting ready. So I think that's awesome. I want to make sure everybody knows we see that and appreciate that effort. What I have been seeing a little bit of though is people not being ready when they're up to get loaded. So just it happens around lunchtime or whatever, you know, you get back in the yard and there's other trucks in the yard. So you, you know, hang out for a little bit and then decide to go heat up your lunch or something, and then all of a sudden you're up next to load. Yeah. So I'm just asking people to think that through, you know, get out, stretch, go to the bathroom, get your lunch, whatever you have to do as soon as you get back in the yard and try not to wait because then it does. We're we're really precise with how we're timing things uh and loads to get to the customers. So if you decide to heat up your lunch after your ticket to get loaded, that's it.

SPEAKER_00 3:56

It throws everything off. Yeah. Yeah, because if we wait for five minutes, there's a couple of loads that could have gone out in that time. Yeah. And that messes up spacing and the whole way the optimization engine works, you know, that's going to be creating new plans and changing things all over the place just by just by that little few minute difference.

SPEAKER_01 4:16

Yeah. We're pretty, you know, super flexible and we want everybody to to get what they need to do, make their calls or do whatever. When it's when it's time to load, we're we're really serious about getting out on time.

SPEAKER_00 4:26

Yeah. I had something I've just, you know, this week looked like it was going to be a really busy week and then it was a really rainy week instead. Um, but that work is still coming. So I anticipate that as you're listening to this on Monday, that this week will be really, really guns blazing, I think. So looking forward to that. And and just I know that sometimes it's hard to flip that switch from kind of the slower winter pace and and we're right in that time where things are accelerating rapidly. So I appreciate everybody kind of getting their head down and and getting to work and um and and just hustling through the day because uh if everything goes next week that we think it's gonna go, we're gonna be hustling all week. So that which is a good, a good thing.

SPEAKER_01 5:10

It is a good thing, and we are usually at our best when we're busiest. So I I love that. Um but I do know after this week of all this rain, you know, shoulders are going to be soft.

SPEAKER_00 5:21

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:21

We just have to really stay safe too while we're while we're getting back to it.

SPEAKER_00 5:25

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 5:26

All right. What's our what's our topic today?

SPEAKER_00 5:29

Well, I heard something really interesting this week at a round table I was at with some other business owners. And I thought it was something that, you know, we're not going to like formally adopt in the company, but it was a good concept to discuss. This comes from a program called EOS, which is the entrepreneurial operating system. So some companies use this as a way, I guess, kind of like the rules of engagement on how their company operates. They have these specific meetings and so it's like a framework for running a company, basically. So it's not software, it's uh processes for running a company. And we use some ideas from the EOS system. Like we have a scorecard for our management people with some data transparency that uh is kind of came from an EOS scorecard. But I really liked this idea uh that they talked about, and it's called GWC. Uh, and the GWC is a way to kind of assess employees if you're a manager or to assess yourself in your role. What GWC stands for is get it, want it, and capable. So it's it's kind of three different metrics to see like, am I right for the role that I'm in? Am I applying myself in the correct way? And so we'll we'll kind of walk through all those. Get it. Get it means that someone understands the job, they see how their role fits into the bigger picture. You know, they don't need to be, everything doesn't need to be explained five times. Like they understand why they're doing what they're doing. And I think this is a really important thing that hopefully all of our employees get what their job is. They understand why they're doing it. Um, and if, and if they don't, that is a reflection on our management that we have not, we have not delivered that message or communicated appropriately to do it. So it's really important that everybody gets gets it, gets the requirements of the job, gets the purpose. So that's something we always want to be when we're looking at ourselves or we're looking at employees, say, do they understand what this job requires?

SPEAKER_01 7:39

Yeah, it's sort of like the first phase. I actually just had a meeting with our new payroll person, and she's definitely in the getting it phase.

SPEAKER_00 7:46

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, this stuff isn't things that like necessarily are day one, right? But but it's uh as as you mature into a role or whatever. Okay. The W stands for want it, which means that you actually want to do the job, you enjoy it, you take ownership over the tasks of that role, uh, are involved with that role, and you show up with effort and attitude every day, right? So that is that's want it. That's the the fire in the belly that, like, hey, we're gonna, we're gonna go do this job today. And and the enthusiasm, the attitude, all those things. And I think this is the hardest one to teach for sure. Uh, and people either have it or they don't, but we need to cultivate it um by by you know, working on uh having a place where people want to work, right? So we're giving the opportunity for those that could want it, that we're we're giving them everything they need to really go for it. And then the capable is do they have the ability to do the job? And that and that could be specific skills, mental ability, physical ability, so that they can consistently execute, right? So when when I think about this, like if you made me a mechanic, I would not have the skills. I would not be capable of doing the job. So it would not be a good fit for that role, right? Similarly, if someone made you use Command Alcon, I think just because I've refused does not mean I'm not capable. Uh okay. Well, so you don't have the wanted, I guess.

SPEAKER_01 9:20

I definitely do not have the want it in that category.

SPEAKER_00 9:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 9:23

But no, I think this is really interesting. Capable truck drivers are really few and far between and interesting uh skill set. It's it's been that was a big learning curve for me when I first started here. And interviewing and hiring and seeing who actually had, you know, the physical ability and the skills and the aptitude to do it day after day is is really, really impressive when you find someone that's successful with that.

SPEAKER_00 9:48

Absolutely. A great employee or someone that is a great fit for their role is gonna have all three of those things, right? They're gonna get it, they're gonna want it, and they're gonna be capable. That's not always the case, right? So if we think about, if we think about our teams and we go, how does each individual kind of stack up on these metrics? You know, you'll have a lot of different combinations. Like you could have someone that gets it and it's capable, but doesn't want it. And those are like the hardest folks because they could be great, right? They have all the tools and they just don't have the motivation. The those people are talented but disengaged, they put in the bare minimum effort and they're toxic to the company long term because that ambivalence, that um lack of desire is can be contagious. Those are people that we really need to figure out how we engage them ASAP, or we need to, and if it's not possible, then we need to encourage them to find something that they're gonna want to do. Because we don't want people here that are miserable. And we we want people to to love what they're doing. So if they're here and that's not it, well, that's not good for them. It's not good for us. So yeah, so we need to have those hard conversations if we have somebody in that category.

SPEAKER_01 11:02

Yeah, I can see this category sometimes looks like burnout. You know, there's sometimes different stages of your career or your life, you're more engaged with with the work that's in front of you. And sometimes you just need to find something that's a better fit at a different stage of your life.

SPEAKER_00 11:17

Yeah. Yeah. So the next combination you could have is you have somebody that wants it and is capable, but they don't get it. They don't understand what they're supposed to be doing. So you get high effort with low clarity, they make a lot of mistakes, they need constant direction. And so this is where oftentimes as a manager, we have to look in the mirror and say, this is something that we are not providing for an employee if they're in this situation, because we need to provide the clarity, the instruction in a way that they they can get get it, you're right.

SPEAKER_01 11:53

I think it's tougher in this industry uh because I I see this as kind of a beginning phase too. And when you are first learning and you you really do want it and you are capable, yeah, but you just have to live through the experiences to really get it. You know, you have to go to all different kinds of jobs and load out of all different kinds of plants and experience different things until you really get it. So it can be really challenging for us to provide that training because every you know everyday life is is different.

SPEAKER_00 12:21

Yeah. Yeah. The next one that you could have is gets it and wants it, but is not capable, right? And so this is a situation where uh someone has a great attitude, they understand the expectations, and they just can't maybe physically execute it or or lacking a specific skill, um, that they cannot execute it. A lot of times this means that maybe we need to find a different role for a person, that they're that they're the kind of people that we want to work here, but we've put them in a place where they can't be successful. So we need to think about all right, what else could you do? Right. And so we've certainly had that uh before where people haven't been able to like physically do the job of a Radiomix driver and we've found them other roles, right? And they're good employees, and that is best to try to match task with talent, right? Sometimes that can lead to some tough, tough decisions, but uh somebody that's in that get it and want it, you know, we won't hold on to them. We just got to figure out the right spot for our for them. Quickly, if someone doesn't get it, doesn't want it, and is not capable, there's no point. So let's just move on. Okay. Like let's let's pull the cord if we if we if we have that situation, you know, those aren't the people that that are a good fit for our organization and the standards we set for ourselves, right?

SPEAKER_01 13:45

Right. And they're going to be happier and better off somewhere else also.

SPEAKER_00 13:48

When we think about hiring, so you know, sometimes it's you know, it's a surface level investigation onto these these things, right? So we should be looking for it when we're hiring. What's the attitude during an interview? Are they going to want it, right? Have they do they have experience or or do you get the feel that they're gonna be quick learners and can be capable? And how quickly can they grasp the expectations and get it? Right. So it's important, you know, we've certainly hired people before that we've felt from the beginning that they're capable, but maybe lack the other two and it hasn't worked out, right? So I think you you gotta have at least two of the three and and have the ability to work towards the third, right, when we're hiring. But it's also, I think, an important for our current employees as we kind of assess as managers assess employees or as, you know, as everybody assesses themselves. This is a great opportunity to kind of do uh kind of a self-inventory.

SPEAKER_01 14:44

Like how do we I was doing that actually. As you were describing them, I was doing it and I was feeling really good and confident in the in the want it section until you said every day. And then I was like, uh maybe some days maybe more than others.

SPEAKER_00 14:56

That that's human nature, right? We all have days where we show up uh as our best self and we have days when we're not quite there. I you know, on that, this is a little segue, but on that topic, I think it's important to recognize when we're in those days and challenge ourselves to get out of those funks or or find the energy. Yeah, that is human nature that we we cannot be 100% peak of our performance every single day. It's not it's just not realistic. Being able to set a baseline of like, I'm not gonna dip before below whatever 90%, say or whatever. Like that this is my expectations for myself that I'm going to not let this become a day where I do 20% of my energy or activity or whatever. So so back to it. So it's a it's a tool for kind of evaluating ourselves as well. And it's a question we can ask, like, what where are we weak on one of these things, right? Um, and then can we ask for help to get all three of these boxes checked? I encourage everybody to do that, to just reflect a little bit on how you would grade yourself in this in this metric. And for managers, think about your team, your direct reports, be like, how how would you rank all those people now or not rank, but you know, score everybody on that. If someone is uh has two out of the three, let's target that third piece they're missing and try to help them get there. Or if if you're um evaluating yourself and you go, yeah, I've got two of the three, then then work towards getting the third, right? And you know, and it and if and if it's less than two of the three or the third isn't um achievable, let's talk about a different role that that might be a better fit. Yeah, I think it's a it's a it's a good exercise. Uh it also comes like what's the hardest to fix, right? Of the three. Like what would you say, Andrea?

SPEAKER_01 16:47

Like what's your I th I think the hardest is if someone doesn't want it. Like there's so much training we can do. There's some we have so many great people that are willing to to work with people. So if they if you want it, we can probably teach you just about yeah, everything you need to know.

SPEAKER_00 17:03

Right.

SPEAKER_01 17:04

Uh, but if you don't want it, there's not there's not a lot that we can do. It has to come from inside someone in that place.

SPEAKER_00 17:10

Yeah, for sure. Back on leadership, like if someone doesn't get it, did the question we need to ask is, did we explain it well? If someone isn't capable, we need to ask, did we train them? And if someone doesn't want it, we need to ask, did we set expectations clearly? So those are those are kind of the next steps if we we see that. So, you know, it's not just it's a scorecard for employees, it's a it's a way for people to reflect, but it's mirrors leadership, right? So if we're look at those and we go, gosh, we have a lot of people that aren't three out of three on this, then we're not doing something right as leaders, right? Because we're either not hiring the right people or training the right people or motivating the people right.

SPEAKER_01 17:50

Uh there's a gap somewhere on our part if that's what's happening.

SPEAKER_00 17:53

Yep. At the end of the day, we're trying to build a team where everyone gets it, everyone wants it, and everyone is capable. That's how as an organization we're successful because it's, you know, we can set up all the processes in the world and we do, and we and we can get technologies, but it's the way our people perform and interact with each other and interact with our customers that really determines whether we're a successful organization or not. So yeah, I just thought this was a cool kind of concept that I hadn't thought about in this lens, really. And um, so I just thought it was worth sharing.

SPEAKER_01 18:28

Yeah, I like I like it. I like the idea of people kind of self-reflecting on this and and challenging themselves in whatever areas that they want to work on. I think that's really cool.

SPEAKER_00 18:38

Yeah. Have you seen someone grow from like a zero out of three to a three out of three in this? Have you ever like because it cause, like you said, there's how you enter it and then you know, as you mature into a role.

SPEAKER_01 18:49

Yeah, I I think people go through phases in all three of these, you know, categories, but why I do the job that I do is to to try to fix the ones that we can fix, right? Create processes, create training, remove roadblocks so that someone who wants it can do a great job. And and I've seen that happen a lot.

SPEAKER_00 19:10

Yeah. Yeah. We have a lot of people that certainly when you talk about the get it and the capable part that came in not knowing anything about our industry or not knowing how to drive a truck or not, you know, and and have grown in their careers to do lots of different things. I agree with what you said earlier that the the want it part of it is it's gotta kind of be there because it's hard to train, it's hard to to foster that that spark if it's not already there. But yeah, we're willing to put the time, effort, and resources into people to grow them, you know, so we can get all three of these.

SPEAKER_01 19:46

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 19:46

Any other thoughts on this? Or we think we covered it.

SPEAKER_01 19:50

I like it.

SPEAKER_00 19:50

All right. Great.

SPEAKER_01 19:52

Thanks for listening to Loaded the Haunt Ready Mix podcast. Remember to subscribe and share this episode with your friends and send us any topics or questions you have.

SPEAKER_00 20:00

Yeah. Thanks, everybody.