What Makes a Great Day, Week, Month, and Year?
Judd Jennrich on Making the Most of Your Day
I enjoyed the Lean Coffee sessions, Lean happy hours and Lunch and Lean discussions. Coming from the technology field without prior construction industry experience, these conversations gave me insight into the organization’s broader goals and the quality of people working here.
I am an advocate for workplace culture, and these meetings supported that objective. The diverse topics encouraged me to reconsider my daily work, step outside my comfort zone and grow.
For me, a great day begins when I wake up and hear music coming from my 8-year-old son Jonas’ room. He sleeps with the radio on, and that sound reminds me that he is home with me for the three or four days each week that I have him.
I wake him up, hear a sleepy “Good morning, Dad,” help him get ready for school and then head to work. At work, I can use my skill set to solve problems and help others. That is meaningful because I play a small part in building or remodeling schools and hospitals that people will rely on in the future, including my son’s school.
On a great day, someone offers genuine appreciation for the work or service I provided. I go home engaged and excited that my work makes a difference. I pick up my son, prepare dinner and take him to football or wrestling practice. After homework and bedtime, I enjoy a little downtime, watch sports, stay connected with friends and listen to music.
One of my favorite speakers is Tony Robbins, who often discusses the power of action. People are constantly growing and changing, which is one reason no two days are the same. A person can help turn a difficult day into a better one through a conscious decision to act differently.
“The mystery of what is to come in the hours and days ahead for me is part of my great day.”
“If I were to generalize what a great day looks like for me, it would take many shapes. Spending time with my son Jonas and teaching him about life, career progression and learning new skills at work, planning my next travel adventure, taking a summer car ride with the top down, enjoying live music or a sporting event with friends, exploring local restaurants and nightlife, completing a home improvement project and spending time with extended family all contribute. Those things cannot all happen in one day, but collectively, they help make every day a great day.”
Learn more about workplace culture and employee transition planning and the organization’s strategic planning update.
Make it a great day.
Check out this short podcast on having a great day.
Check out these 50 life-changing Tony Robbins quotes.
By Tom Emison, Vice President of Strategy and Innovation, and Judd Jennrich, Mobile Technology Coordinator
This is the first in a series of articles focused on business strategy and innovation. Tom Emison brought more than 20 years of strategic business planning and organizational leadership experience in the U.S. construction industry. Judd Jennrich had worked in mobile technology since 1998 and brought nearly 15 years of experience leading people, shaping culture and motivating others to reach their potential.
Tom Emison on Making the Most of Your Day
I participated in a Lean Construction meeting at Kraus-Anderson not long ago. Lean Construction has expanded across the U.S. construction industry and is used by many companies and on hundreds of projects every day.
The industry transformation focuses on continuous process improvement and respect for people. It is not simply a trend. It is a better way of thinking about how construction work is planned and completed.
The meeting was a Lean Coffee session, where a small group of employees gathered to discuss topics important to the organization. The format included a process, structure and objectives. A facilitator guided the conversation. During that meeting, Katrina Lulich, a project assistant, served as facilitator.
The group raised more than a dozen potential discussion topics, narrowed the list together and addressed four topics. The conversation resulted in one process improvement, two culture shifts to manage and a fourth question posed by Judd Jennrich, who had joined Kraus-Anderson that week: What makes a great day?
At first, the answer seemed simple. A great day could include:
- Waking up at 4:15 a.m.
- Eating a good breakfast.
- Spending time with the dogs.
- Driving to the gym for a 90-minute workout.
- Having an easy commute.
- Completing productive work.
- Receiving appreciation for the effort.
- Engaging with younger professionals whose knowledge, work ethic and passion are impressive.
- Making measurable progress toward a more innovative culture.
- Taking a walk, finishing email responses and returning home for time with family.
- Seeing the Minnesota Wild win before the day ends.
But no two days are identical, and a great day involves more than a checklist of accomplishments.
When considered in the context of weeks, months and years, the answer becomes more personal:
- No progression of Pam’s multiple sclerosis.
- Deep Bible study.
- Time with adult children, learning what they are doing and why.
- Helping colleagues find traction and meaning in their work.
- Quality time supporting people in recovery from drugs and alcohol.
- Financial planning for retirement.
- Light yard work and time in the garage with music from the 1970s.
- A fast bike ride in fresh air.
The first answer was chronological and immediate. The second was deeper and longer-term. Everyone brings unique motivations, responsibilities, burdens and visions into each day. A truly great day is one that ends with the realization that the baggage carried into it has been left behind.
Learn more about Kraus-Anderson’s Lean journey and how Lean Construction engages frontline employees to advance safety excellence.
CATEGORY: Innovation