Question:
Jason from Florida writes: “Sometimes it feels like our Hispanic crews jump into work quickly without asking many questions. The work ethic is great, but we end up with rework because something wasn’t fully understood. Is this a communication issue—or maybe something more?”
Answer:
Jason, I heard almost that exact observation from a gringo superintendent in South Texas.
He said it with complete confidence.
“Hispanics love uncertainty.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“What makes you think that?” I asked.
“Well, take our concrete crews,” he said. “You point them in the right direction and—BAM!”
He clapped his hands.
“They take off, get to work right quick.”
He smiled proudly.
“If they weren’t comfortable with uncertainty, they wouldn’t move that fast.”
“Fair enough,” I said. “But how often do those crews have rework?”
His smile faded.
“Well, funny you mention that,” he rubbed the bridge of his nose.
“Rework’s been an issue. Lately we’ve been doing everything twice just to do it right.”
That’s when I asked him a follow-up question.
“What if I told you Hispanic cultures are actually lesscomfortable with uncertainty than Anglos are?”
He paused.
“Well,” he said slowly, “when you say it like that… I think there might be a connection.”
And there is.
Which brings us to another cultural dimension: Uncertainty Avoidance.
What is Uncertainty Avoidance?
Uncertainty Avoidance measures how comfortable a culture is with ambiguous or unknown situations.
Some cultures see uncertainty as exciting.
Others see it as stressful.
Research shows that many Hispanic cultures have higher uncertainty avoidance than the United States.
In other words, many Hispanic workers actually prefer clear structure, clear instructions, and clear expectations.
But there’s a challenge.
There’s another cultural factor at play here: Power Distance.
Workers who come from cultures that respect authority are less likely to interrupt a supervisor.
They listen.
They nod.
They get to work.
Even if something isn’t fully clear.
Add a language barrier to the mix, and you’ve got a recipe for something every construction manager recognizes:
Miscommunication.
Rework.
Safety risks.
So how do we reduce uncertainty?
One of the best tools leaders can use is something surprisingly simple:
VARK
It’s an acronym that describes the four main ways people learn.
Visual
Audio
Read–Write
Kinesthetic
Most jobsite instructions rely heavily on just one of these: Audio.
We explain something verbally and expect everyone to absorb it the same way.
But when communication crosses languages and cultures, relying on just one method isn’t always enough.
Instead, combine them.
- Show a photo or diagram on a tablet. (Visual)
- Provide a Spanish-language checklist or job hazard analysis. (Read)
- Explain the task verbally. (Audio)
- And when possible, have someone demonstrate the process. (Kinesthetic)
Now the message is reaching the crew in multiple ways.
Small adjustments make a big difference
One client made two small changes to their daily job hazard analysis.
First, they simplified it.
Instead of reviewing 50 possible hazards, they focused on the 15 most common ones.
Second, they translated the checklist into Spanish and reviewed it with the crew each morning.
Two small changes.
The result?
Immediate improvement in compliance.
Here’s the leadership lesson
When uncertainty is high, performance drops.
Workers become distracted.
Confusion creeps in.
Mistakes happen.
Good leaders don’t assume understanding.
They design communication to reduce uncertainty.
Show it.
Explain it.
Write it down.
Let someone try doing it.
Because when the path is clear, your team moves faster—and makes fewer mistakes along the way.
So the next time rework shows up on your jobsite, don’t just ask what went wrong.
Ask a better question: Where was there uncertainty?
Fix that—and the rework often disappears with it.
Thanks for reading.
We’ll see you back here in two weeks.
Subscribe here to get the next edition of Good to Excelente straight to your inbox—cultural intelligence insights and practical advice to help you communicate more effectively, lead inclusively, and build stronger relationships.
If you lead people, this podcast is for you.
Subscribe to The Construction Leadership Podcast for practical leadership ideas that strengthen teams and organizations.
Subscribe here:
Apple Podcasts | Spotify
Copyright © 2026
Bradley Hartmann & Co.
All rights reserved.
Contact Bradley Hartmann:
bradley@bradleyhartmannandco.com
Good to Excelente Newsletter 
Leave a comment