#7 - Field Frustrations - Stuff Happens

Last week, I experienced two days of field frustration. And guess what...it is ok. This post is aimed at less experienced field staff who maybe are beginning to lead project teams in the field. These are just some thoughts from a guy with over 30 years of experience in the field doing environmental projects. My two days consisted of poor weather (-15C and snow), forgotten equipment, inexperienced workers and uncooperative 'geology'. During the project, delays were incurred resulting in two long days that for the most part could have been avoided, but sometimes 'stuff happens'.

Let's start by saying that we are doing environmental work, not saving life or limb. So our ultimate goal each day is that everyone gets home safely. Anything else that is good that happens that day is a bonus. However, some days, that bonus might be hard to earn. Pushing your crews to get things faster or by taking short cuts will certainly ensure that you increase your chances of someone getting hurt. And as project field lead, the likelihood is that you won't get hurt but a crew member will.

Experience has taught me that getting upset solves nothing and probably just makes things worst for everyone. So unless there is an immediate danger that needs to be taken care of, as a field project lead, often the best action you can take is go sit in your truck or walk away. Take a few deep breaths, and start to rationally think through the problem.

Once you have figure out a constructive path forward, then approach the crew and start the discussion on how to solve your problem. This sounds easy but it isn't. We are driven to succeed and walking away for a moment is a tough thing to do. Once you have a new plan, make sure everyone on site is informed and don't forget to review your hazard assessment. AND communicate any issues with your supervisor and the client. An all informed network of the project stakeholders will go a long way in recovering from a bad day in the field.

Lastly, don't forget to review and reflect later once the field work is complete. Honest reflection of your performance might provide some real insight on how to be a better field team lead or project manager next time. Nobody is perfect and we should be open to continual improvement. In my case, I made a couple of assumptions about the equipment coming on site that was not true. I couldn't have done anything about the weather, but having the right piece of equipment would have made the project just a little bit better. Next time, I will ask different questions of my contractors. On their end, they have also reflected on the project and have already made improvements in their process.

Not every day in the field will be great. Sometimes, field days are just long, hard, and frustrating. It comes with the profession. When that day occurs, be patient, be understanding, and be professional. Reflect on your experience. And tomorrow is a brand new day. Good luck out there and stay safe!