Elevate Construction

Jason wraps up the Field Engineer Boot Camp series with his final thoughts on the entire four-day experience. He walks through each day from team building and fear elimination to the final concrete placement under intense time pressure, revealing how laser scans prove that high-functioning teams produce accurate work. Then he makes his boldest claim yet: the field engineering position exists for one reason only, to train future superintendents. Superintendents are leaders, organizers, and planners. If you skip the FE position, you skip the builder experience, and you'll never be as successful as you could be. What you'll learn in this episode: Day-by-day breakdown: Team building and repelling, complex engineering math with garbage drawings, traversing and layout under stress, concrete placement time crunch Why laser scan results prove team performance: High-functioning teams with good communication produce accurate footings, dysfunctional teams are off by feet The bold claim: Field engineers exist only to train future superintendents, not for layout or lift drawings Why skipping FE is a mistake: Workers, foremen, and college grads who go straight to super miss the builder experience of detailing, reading plans, RFIs, submittals, and layout What boot camp really does: Eliminates victim mentality, neutralizes fear, creates goals for massive action, and becomes a trigger for excellence The field engineering position is the Rosetta Stone between the builders of old and what we're training builders to be today. If you like the Elevate Construction podcast, please subscribe for free and you'll never miss an episode. And if you really like the Elevate Construction podcast, I'd appreciate you telling a friend (Maybe even two 😊). Also, here are links to our YouTube Channels: · Jason Schroeder YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xpRYvrW5Op5Ckxs4vDGDg · LeanTakt YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt · LeanSuper YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured · LeanSurvey YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw

Raino brings you back to boot camp for Part 3, where field engineers are learning through stress, failure, and hands-on struggle. You'll hear raw reflections from teams who learned that no matter how right you think you are, you can still make mistakes. They discovered how much they take survey and FE roles for granted, why best practices aren't overdoing it when you see the numbers match, and how lift drawings that required printing over and over taught them that due diligence prevents massive rework. Brandon closes with a powerful speech on standardizing your day, controlling your morning with routines, and why you standardize your evening to love life, not just work. What you'll learn in this episode: Why boot camp is effective: Learning under stress, doing things with your hands, practicing in context creates faster retention than classroom theory The connectedness lesson: How lift drawings tie to building, coordinates tie to traversing, traversing ties to radio staking, everything teaches context Brandon's morning routine: Up at 3:45, gym, 10 pages of personal development, study drawings, five task to-do list before chaos hits at 7am Why best practices aren't overdoing it: Taking proper steps prevents mistakes, hitting checkpoints with right data means you proceed correctly Standardizing your evening to love life: Put "tell wife I love her five times" and "read book with kid" on your to-do list, create time for what matters When you standardize your day so it becomes monotonous and thoughtless, you become perfect at it and move on to the next thing that makes you better. If you like the Elevate Construction podcast, please subscribe for free and you'll never miss an episode. And if you really like the Elevate Construction podcast, I'd appreciate you telling a friend (Maybe even two 😊). Also, here are links to our YouTube Channels: · Jason Schroeder YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xpRYvrW5Op5Ckxs4vDGDg · LeanTakt YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt · LeanSuper YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured · LeanSurvey YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw

Dr. Steve Grennan challenged Jason with a simple question: "Show me that people are your most valuable asset." This off-script, under-five-minute message cuts straight to the heart of what we say versus what we do in construction. Jason confronts the lie that employees should be "loyal" to companies or do multi-billion-dollar corporations "favors" by ruining their families and health. We work to live, not live to work. Family is eternal. Buildings are temporary. If a company claims people are their biggest asset but doesn't prove it, they're lying. What you'll learn in this episode: Dr. Grennan's challenge: Show me through actions, training, mentoring, leader standard work, knowing families, that people truly matter Why loyalty to a company is a lie: You're loyal to family, God, and health, not to corporations making billions while you get divorce and heart attacks The eternal vs. temporary question: When you're dying, will the building be there? No. Your family will be. When to fire your company: If they marginalize people or aren't safe, you 86 them, they're not good enough to employ you What "show me" looks like: Personal development, one-on-ones, protecting families over customer demands There's no such thing as doing a multi-billion-dollar company a favor, if they say people are their asset, make them show you. If you like the Elevate Construction podcast, please subscribe for free and you'll never miss an episode. And if you really like the Elevate Construction podcast, I'd appreciate you telling a friend (Maybe even two 😊). Also, here are links to our YouTube Channels: · Jason Schroeder YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xpRYvrW5Op5Ckxs4vDGDg · LeanTakt YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt · LeanSuper YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured · LeanSurvey YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw

You just finished a perfect $100M project on time, under budget, safest job in Arizona, passed every audit. Your neighbor finished a year late, $3M over, a total nightmare. Who gets the next job? The neighbor. Why? Because they created more moments. Jason breaks down "The Power of Moments" by Chip and Dan Heath to show you how defining moments not flawless execution determine what customers remember and who they choose. You'll learn the four elements that create memorable experiences (elevation, pride, insight, connection) and how to strategically build peak moments throughout your projects so you stop being the unsqueaky wheel that gets ignored. What you'll learn in this episode: Why doing great work isn't enough: Customers remember moments, not details, and the team with more frequent mental moments gets selected The four elements of defining moments: Elevation (rise above routine), Pride (commemorate achievements), Insight (deliver realizations), Connection (bond people together) Real examples: Popsicle hotline at Magic Castle Hotel, trial lawyer graduation ceremony, Signing Day for college athletes, Brinker Capital work anniversaries How to apply this in construction: Creating moments when solving design issues, tracking down permits, handling big problems for owners and designers Why organizations dramatically underinvest in building peaks and instead just fill potholes Are you creating strategic moments throughout your projects, or are you the unsqueaky wheel doing perfect work while your competitor gets the next job? If you like the Elevate Construction podcast, please subscribe for free and you'll never miss an episode. And if you really like the Elevate Construction podcast, I'd appreciate you telling a friend (Maybe even two 😊). Also, here are links to our YouTube Channels: · Jason Schroeder YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xpRYvrW5Op5Ckxs4vDGDg · LeanTakt YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt · LeanSuper YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured · LeanSurvey YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw

In this bonus episode, Jason narrates Chapter 5, Part 1 of Calumet "K" and unpacks the razor-sharp difference between Bannon's relentless execution and Peterson's passive waiting. When 200,000 feet of cribbing arrives by boat and the CNSC railroad threatens to shut everything down, you'll see how Bannon uses diplomatic firmness, productive paranoia, and strategic night shifts to keep momentum while Peterson continues to hesitate. Jason also addresses the book's outdated attitudes toward women in construction and explains why supporting diversity costs us nothing but statistically increases our chance of winning. What you'll learn in this episode: Why Bannon immediately ordered lights for night shifts before leaving townproductive paranoia means anticipating problems and getting ahead instead of becoming a victim How to handle railroad representatives, inspectors, and difficult stakeholders with diplomatic firmness instead of throwing hard hats and being jerks Jason's take on women in construction: Supporting and celebrating their success costs nothing and statistically increases your team's chance of winning When to terminate non-performers: After you've provided training, support, structure, and a healthy system, protect the team by removing cancer Why early strategic moves (shifts, night work, additional crews) prevent late-project chaos where workers become unsafe and disorganized Are you making strategic moves early in the project to prevent the crash landing at the end, or are you waiting and hoping it works out? If you like the Elevate Construction podcast, please subscribe for free and you'll never miss an episode. And if you really like the Elevate Construction podcast, I'd appreciate you telling a friend (Maybe even two 😊). Also, here are links to our YouTube Channels: · Jason Schroeder YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xpRYvrW5Op5Ckxs4vDGDg · LeanTakt YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt · LeanSuper YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured · LeanSurvey YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw

Why won't superintendents go home, and what system actually gets them there? In this episode, Jason reveals the team health and balance system that works, proven by a general superintendent who said after two divorces and 30 years in construction, this was the first time anyone showed him how to actually go home on time. You'll learn why team coverage must be intentional with a visual weekly coverage schedule, how the weekly meeting agenda prioritizes PTO and coverage before anything else, why the day plan from foreman and worker huddles is the key to releasing control, and how grading contractors on site with A and F players creates accountability. This is about ending the babysitting, getting operational control, and creating capacity for training. What you'll learn in this episode: The weekly coverage schedule: draw your hours Monday through Friday so the team knows who's covering orientation, safety walks, gate closing, and natural disasters Why does the weekly meeting agenda start with a lightning round, then PTO coverage, Saturday coverage, and weekly coverage reminders The day plan components: shout-outs, safety focus, permits, deliveries, training topics, key activities, and weather all visual Supporting systems for operational control: remarkable bathrooms, decent lunchroom, perfect cleanliness, zero tolerance safety, scheduled deliveries, just-in-time staging How to grade contractors weekly and post A players, F players, and the Circle of Trust on the conference room wall Training is good. Babysitting is bad and should be stopped at almost any cost. Get this system implemented first, then your team will have time to do training. If you like the Elevate Construction podcast, please subscribe for free, and you'll never miss an episode. And if you really like the Elevate Construction podcast, I'd appreciate you telling a friend (Maybe even two 😊). Also, here are links to our YouTube Channels: · Jason Schroeder YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xpRYvrW5Op5Ckxs4vDGDg · LeanTakt YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt · LeanSuper YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured · LeanSurvey YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw

What are you withholding from your clients, and how much is it costing you? In this episode, Jason unpacks Patrick Lencioni's Getting Naked, a model for naked service that overcomes three fears: losing the business, being embarrassed, and feeling inferior. You'll hear the story of an arrogant curtain wall contractor who lost a project the moment the PM opened his laptop and started checking emails, learn why asking dumb questions and celebrating mistakes builds trust faster than perfection, and discover why giving away the business and doing the dirty work wins more work than any PowerPoint presentation. This is about transparency, humility, and human-to-human connection, not manipulation. What you'll learn in this episode: The three fears that prevent naked service: fear of losing the business, fear of being embarrassed, and fear of feeling inferior How to overcome fear of losing the business by entering the danger, telling the kind truth, consulting instead of selling, and giving away the business Why asking dumb questions, making dumb suggestions, and celebrating mistakes creates safe environments and builds rapport How to honor the client's work, make everything about them, do the dirty work, and take a bullet, even if it means helping with the groundbreaking The PM who opened his laptop and started answering emails the moment a contractor said, "You just need to hire us" Don't your clients deserve to work with transparent, honest, open, safe people? Use this model if you are that and if you're faking it, please don't sour it for the rest of us. If you like the Elevate Construction podcast, please subscribe for free, and you'll never miss an episode. And if you really like the Elevate Construction podcast, I'd appreciate you telling a friend (Maybe even two 😊). Also, here are links to our YouTube Channels: · Jason Schroeder YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xpRYvrW5Op5Ckxs4vDGDg · LeanTakt YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt · LeanSuper YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured · LeanSurvey YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw

You know how to get into state so why aren't you doing it? In this episode, Jason breaks down the three keys to peak performance: physiology, focus, and language. You'll learn why Olympic champions and effective leaders master these elements before high-stakes moments, hear how Jason used box breathing and music to demolish a high-profile interview, and discover the boot camp breakthrough where acknowledging "I don't know what I'm doing" flipped fear into connection and problem-solving. This is about showing up ready whether you're walking into a safety meeting, a hard conversation, or your front door after work because your body is the vehicle through which your mind performs. What you'll learn in this episode: The three keys to being in state: physiology (posture, exercise, movement), focus (where you look is where you go), and language (stop negative self-talk) Why dancing and music at boot camp keeps participants at peak performance for 17-hour days with 95% success rates How to dance with your fear instead of fighting it—acknowledge it, then focus on your goal, not the fear The breakthrough moment: saying "I don't know what I'm doing" increases communication from 5 to 50 questions per hour The CDAAA list technique: write down negative thoughts, then correct them with the truth until negativity disappears Motion equals emotion. Practice your morning routine, box breathing, and intentional focus on physiology, language, and where you're headed, not where you're afraid of going. If you like the Elevate Construction podcast, please subscribe for free, and you'll never miss an episode. And if you really like the Elevate Construction podcast, I'd appreciate you telling a friend (Maybe even two 😊). Also, here are links to our YouTube Channels: · Jason Schroeder YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xpRYvrW5Op5Ckxs4vDGDg · LeanTakt YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt · LeanSuper YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured · LeanSurvey YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw

What if the breakthrough you need starts with yelling "I don't know what I'm doing" as loud as you can? In this episode, Jason reveals the pivotal boot camp moment when field engineers stopped clinging to certainty and significance, admitted they didn't know what they were doing, and watched their communication skyrocket from five questions an hour to fifty. You'll learn why figuring things out presupposes you don't know what's going on, how admitting uncertainty increases your chances of survival like pilots in an emergency, and why dancing with your fears instead of fighting them enables you to turn nothing into something. This is about building a team that can figure it out because when you can do that, you can do anything in construction and in life. What you'll learn in this episode: Why the process of figuring things out presupposes you don't know what you're doing, and admitting that increases communication The airplane emergency analogy: fast, short bursts of communication increase survival; silence decreases it The breakthrough exercise: yelling "I don't know what I'm doing" and how it relieved the fear of looking stupid Boot camp testimonials on dancing with fears, realizing what giving 100% really means, and rallying teams after rough starts How field engineers learn a method of learning and a mindset of figuring things out that enables them to live a remarkable life It's okay to not know what you're doing. Once you realize that, you can increase communication, ask questions, and fail forward at a faster pace. If you like the Elevate Construction podcast, please subscribe for free, and you'll never miss an episode. And if you really like the Elevate Construction podcast, I'd appreciate you telling a friend (Maybe even two 😊). Also, here are links to our YouTube Channels: · Jason Schroeder YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xpRYvrW5Op5Ckxs4vDGDg · LeanTakt YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt · LeanSuper YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured · LeanSurvey YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw

Can your team solve problems together, or are you relying on sad experience instead of wisdom? In this episode, Jason reveals the exact pattern that enables teams to be as successful as possible every single time, from boot camp exercises to construction projects. You'll learn why appointing a point person, truly collaborating, and ensuring total participation moves you from leader-centric chaos to team-powered execution. Plus, hear powerful testimonials from boot camp participants and instructors about breaking out of comfort zones, failing forward, and discovering that technical expertise alone won't propel your career, it's the compilation of skills that wins. What you'll learn in this episode: The team success pattern: appoint a leader, collaborate fully, make decisions, ensure understanding, work together, then plan-do-check-act Why learning from the wisdom of the team prevents sad experiences, mistakes, trials, and stress you carry alone How to move from leader-centric systems to total participation, where everyone can see, know, and act as a group Boot camp testimonials on getting out of your comfort zone, failing forward, and learning about your blind spots Why technical skills aren't enough—it's teamwork, emotional range, and giving 100% that propel your career We can learn from wisdom or from sad experience. The strength of the team and the burden shared together is how we avoid riddled problems and distress. If you like the Elevate Construction podcast, please subscribe for free, and you'll never miss an episode. And if you really like the Elevate Construction podcast, I'd appreciate you telling a friend (Maybe even two 😊). Also, here are links to our YouTube Channels: · Jason Schroeder YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xpRYvrW5Op5Ckxs4vDGDg · LeanTakt YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt · LeanSuper YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured · LeanSurvey YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw