Elevate Construction

Most construction professionals are trying to lead jobs, teams, and meetings while quietly carrying unresolved tension at home and it spills into everything. In this episode, Jason Schroeder sits down with Brandon Montero for a direct, practical conversation about intimacy, emotional connection, and why "hoping it gets better" isn't a strategy. They break down what intimacy really is (beyond sex), how resentment forms, and how intentional daily connection can rebuild trust and closeness. If you want to be stronger at work, start by getting healthier at home. What you'll learn in this episode: · Why intimacy is relevant to construction professionals and performance on the job · How to build connection throughout the day so intimacy doesn't feel transactional · The difference between obligation, giving, and resentment in relationships · Practical ways to communicate needs (including love languages) without guessing · Why leaving your relationship "to chance" creates predictable consequences If your relationship is too important to "wing it," what would change this week if you treated connection like a real priority instead of a hope? 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

Focus and drive are not optional in construction—without them, you will stall out fast. In this episode, Jason delivers a direct wake-up call for field engineers and emerging leaders who want to win, grow, and be taken seriously on a project site. This is about being present, outworking everyone early in your career, and knowing the plans, the work, and the people better than anyone else. If you're ready to stop drifting, break bad habits, and build real momentum, this episode is for you. · What you'll learn in this episode: · Why focus and drive are non-negotiable for success in construction · The behaviors that are quietly killing careers on job sites · What high-performing field engineers do differently every day · How distraction, comfort zones, and low energy hold people back · What it actually means to be the hardest-working person on the project Are you showing up every day with the intensity, discipline, and ownership your future role demands? 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

Most quality problems aren't "craft issues" they're customer service failures. In this episode, Jason challenges foremen to stop installing work based on habit and start building exactly what the customer actually ordered every time. You'll hear simple analogies that make the point stick and a practical field-ready system (features of work, checklists, and daily huddles) to lock in expectations before crews ever start. If you want fewer punch list fights, smoother inspections, and pride in the finished product, this is the reset. · What you'll learn in this episode. · Why "you don't know what you're doing" really means you don't know the customer's specific expectations for today's work · How a foreman can prevent inspector issues by giving each worker clear daily tasks, methods, and quality standards · How to use Features of Work boards/visuals and checklists to capture conditions of satisfaction and eliminate guessing · How the 25-minute crew preparation huddle trains the crew on expectations, deviations, and lessons learned · How "stop, call, and wait" prevents rework and protects safety by catching problems before they get installed Before your crew starts tomorrow, can you clearly explain without guessing what the customer expects the finished work to look like? 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

If you've ever caught yourself getting short, reactive, or "a little crazy" under pressure, this episode will feel uncomfortably familiar in the best way. Jason breaks down the Six Human Needs and the "Crazy Eight" cycle (sad/mad) to show why leaders lose their composure on projects and at home when certainty, significance, connection, or variety get threatened. You'll learn how to regain control by shifting your focus to the two needs you can always control growth and contribution so you can lead with clarity instead of emotion. This is a practical reset for anyone who wants to stay calm, keep credibility, and stop letting stress run the job. · What you'll learn in this episode · The Six Human Needs (certainty, variety, significance, love/connection, growth, contribution) and how they show up on project sites · What the "Crazy Eight" cycle is and why you bounce between sad and mad when a need gets threatened · Why focusing on the first four needs can trap you (because you can't fully control them) and how that creates blowups at work · How to shift your mindset to growth and contribution to stay grounded, calm, and effective under pressure · Practical ways to reinforce a new paradigm (reminders, accountability, routines) so you don't default back to old reactions When pressure hits next time, what would change if you asked yourself, "Which need is being threatened right now and how do I respond from growth and contribution instead of fear?" 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

Most projects don't fail because people don't work hard; they fail because leaders hide problems until it's too late. In this episode, Jason breaks down the Stockdale Paradox for project managers: face the brutal facts of what's happening on your jobsite while keeping unwavering faith that you'll win because you're seeing roadblocks early and removing them fast. He explains why triggering red flags and eliminating roadblocks is the PM's main job, and how Lean cultures create psychological safety so facts can be shared without fear or blame. If you want to stay calm, lead with truth, and keep your project on track, this is the mindset shift. What you'll learn in this episode: What the Stockdale Paradox is and how it applies to project leadership Why a PM's main job is triggering red flags, surfacing roadblocks, and removing them fast How to create a culture where facts can be discovered and expressed without blame or reprisal How to run meetings socratically: question first, debate respectfully, and find the true root cause Practical "triggers" for schedule and safety that warn you early before the project goes into the red Are you facing the brutal facts early or letting optimism and silence steal your chance to win? 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_3p5nmMKnswSample

Every project team has a limit and if you don't know your capacity to sustain change, you'll break the team and the project will suffer. In this episode, Jason explains the Lean concept of muri (overburden) and why it's absurd to keep stacking change orders, RFIs, and chaos on people without adjusting resources or priorities. You'll hear a real project story about stopping design by a hard deadline to regain capacity, plus practical signs your team is overburdened and what to do about it. This is about protecting flow, protecting families, and running a remarkable project by focusing on team balance first. What you'll learn in this episode: What "capacity to sustain" means and how overburden (muri) quietly kills projects Why you must watch muri, mura, and muda together not just waste How design churn, RFIs, change orders, and babysitting failing contractors consume capacity Why 5S/3S helps you see problems so you can fix root causes not just "clean more" How to do first things first, set priorities, and adjust the right "dials" instead of overburdening people What would change if you treated overburden like an emergency and protected your team's capacity before anything else? 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_3p5nmMKnswSample

Expectations don't work when they're only aimed outward if you don't model discipline, organization, safety, and standards, you can't demand them from anyone else. In this episode, Jason shares a powerful reset: respect equals high expectations, and the best way to lift people is with your example and sincere gratitude not frustrated yelling or emotional outbursts. He explains how superintendents can stay authoritative under pressure by blaming the process first, separating the standard from the person, and leading with consequences instead of anger. If you've ever lost your temper in a sub meeting and regretted it afterward, this gives you a better way. What you'll learn in this episode: Why respect equals high expectations and why leaders must model what they demand How to separate the process and standard from the person ("blame the process, not the person") How to lead with consequences and circumstance changes instead of anger, cussing, or threats Why superintendents get trapped by certainty/significance and how to refocus on growth and contribution A practical method to stay calm, stay objective, and avoid getting yourself in trouble on the job Next time someone disappoints you, will you choose frustrated expectations or will you model the standard, appreciate their best, and do the right thing? 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_3p5nmMKnswSample

This podcast explores the significance of having the courage to be disliked and how seeking validation from others can negatively impact construction management. It discusses the importance of focusing on oneself, overcoming self-importance, and prioritizing mental health. The podcast also explores understanding personality types, the need for positive affirmation, and breaking out of comfort zones. It emphasizes the importance of choosing one's own path, prioritizing self-love and acceptance, and building horizontal relationships while focusing on personal growth and contribution.

Field engineers don't get paid to wait, they get paid to figure things out. In this episode, Jason explains the "honey badger" mindset: stop being a victim, go get the information, solve the problem, and stabilize the environment so the craft can flow. He shares the real origin of field engineer boot camps, why "explain and demonstrate" isn't enough, and how struggle is part of earning the skills that actually stick. If you want to level up fast in construction, this is the mentality shift that changes everything. What you'll learn in this episode: Why the #1 job of a field engineer is to "figure things out" and enable the craft The "honey badger" mindset: stop being a victim and go get what the project needs How boot camps evolved from low-retention online training to field-based learning that sticks The Explain–Demonstrate–Guide–Enable method and why the "guide" portion forces real retention Why field engineers absorb chaos to create stability and flow for workers Are you waiting to be shown or are you ready to go figure it out and be the badger? 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_3p5nmMKnswSample

Foremen don't fail because they don't care, they fail because they're promoted into leadership with almost no training. In this Saturday short episode, Jason shares a story of a foreman who elevated the whole crew by teaching best practices every day, and he challenges you to respect yourself enough to go get your own personal development. You'll hear why investing in your mind is the best investment you can make, and how five minutes a day can change your career, your crew, and your life. What you'll learn in this episode: Why most foremen are thrown into leadership with very little training and what to do about it How a simple daily five-minute training habit forces you to grow so you can teach others The difference between "I don't need it" and "Do I want better results, less stress, and a stronger crew?" Practical ways to start: books, courses, daily micro-training, and finding your first development investment Why "how you do one thing is how you do everything" and how beliefs show up in actions on the job What would change if you invested in your mind every day and made training your crew non-negotiable? 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_3p5nmMKnswSample