The Chiles Bros: One Lean Geek. One Old Dawg. (Episode 92)

In this absolutely, positively NO Bullshido kickoff episode, Adam Hoots sits down with Brian Chiles and Mike Chiles—two brothers with deep roots in relationships, leadership, and Lean thinking lived out in the real world. Brian came into construction from a teaching/coaching and project management background; Mike brings 20+ years in the industry, raising four kids while remaining relentless about respect for people and building teams that work together.

This conversation is equal parts family, field, and flow. The Chiles Bros unpack why Lean is not a tool, why relationships are the real work, and how the best leaders “feed the hungry” instead of wasting energy trying to convince people who don’t want it. They talk about being curious, not judgmental, the difference between explaining tools vs. teaching them, and why the 87/13 (character over competency) shows up, whether you like it or not.

If you’re trying to build trust, reduce conflict, and lead people—not just tasks—this one is a straight shot of Old Dawg wisdom with a Lean Geek edge.

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KEY TAKEAWAYS: 

•       Feed the Hungry: Stop spending 80% of your time trying to win over the 20% who don’t care. Find the receptive people and build momentum through them.

•       Tools Don’t Stick Without Trust: It’s easy to explain A3, 5S, and planning tools. It’s hard to teach them without relationships and psychological safety.

•       Optimize the Whole: The best projects don’t pit field vs. office. They create one team—shared reality, shared plan, shared wins.

•       Be Curious, Not Judgmental: Great leaders pause before reacting, look for the system issue, and consider what wounds/stress might be driving behavior.

•       87/13 Leadership: Your character is influencing people whether you intend it or not—choose whether that influence builds trust or triggers defensiveness.

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EPISODE QUOTES (paraphrased):

•       “Find the hungry—and feed them. Don’t waste your fire on people who don’t want it.”

•       “It’s easy to explain the tools. Teaching them takes trust.”

•       “You can feel the health of a weekly work plan meeting the same way you can feel a locker room.”

•       “People protect their wounds, but they’ll brag about their scars.”

•       “Your character is influencing the jobsite whether you mean it to or not—lead for good.”

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RESOURCE LINKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

•       Lean Construction Institute (LCI) Congress — relationship-fueled learning, community, and recharge. https://leanconstruction.org/

•       Old Dawg Lean Thesaurus (Adam Hoots & Buddy Brumley) — Lean terms translated for the field (Old Dawg + Lean Geek). https://www.amazon.com/Old-Dawg-Lean-Thesaurus-Making/dp/B0C6W48CKF

•       Everything I Learned About Lean I Learned in First Grade — reminder that Lean is simple when you stop overcomplicating it. https://www.amazon.com/Everything-About-Learned-First-Grade/dp/1934109347

•       Ted Lasso — “Be curious, not judgmental.” https://tv.apple.com/us/show/ted-lasso/umc.cmc.vtoh0mn0xn7t3c643xqonfzy

•       The Tipping Point (Malcolm Gladwell) — connectors, influence, and how ideas spread. https://www.amazon.com/Tipping-Point-Little-Things-Difference/dp/0316346624

•       Dave Ramsey — simple wisdom delivered in a way people can actually apply. www.ramseysolutions.com

•       Scrum / Felipe Engineer-Manriquez — learning a “new toy,” then applying it with people-first intention. https://www.theebfcshow.com/

•       Mac Story / Blue-Collar Leadership — 87/13 and character-driven leadership (referenced throughout). https://bluecollarleadership.com/

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GUESTS FEATURED IN THIS EPISODE:

•       Adam Hoots | LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/adamhoots Host of Hoots on the Ground, The Lean Builder voice from the field.

•       Mike Chiles | LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-chiles/  — Project Director at JE Dunn Construction - Construction leader, people-first builder, husband and father of four, Lean community connector.

•       Brian Chiles | LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianchilesmas/ — Lean Specialist at JE Dunn Construction - Lean specialist and former coach/teacher turned builder of teams, trust, and jobsite flow.

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ABOUT HOOTS ON THE GROUND PODCAST:

The Lean Builder’s absolutely, positively NO Bullshido podcast. Join host Adam Hoots and his guests as they dig deep into the topics that matter most to those in the field. With stories from the trenches, lessons learned, and plenty of laughter, this podcast is for the men and women doing the hands-on work of construction.