Elevate Construction

Negotiation isn't a "PM skill" or a dirty word it's a leadership tool that helps you get win-win outcomes with owners, trade partners, and even at home. In this episode, Jason breaks down why emotion not logic decides whether negotiations succeed, and why the goal is never manipulation, lying, or deceit. He introduces Chris Voss's Never Split the Difference and shares practical techniques you can use immediately to build trust, reduce conflict, and negotiate ethically for fair outcomes on your projects. What you'll learn in this episode: Why emotion (not logic) drives negotiation outcomes—and how to show up the right way Four game-changing techniques: mirroring, accusation audits, getting them to say "no," and calibrated questions How to use the Black Swan "Negotiation One Sheet" to prepare facts, build rapport, and create win-win outcomes Why negotiation is about trust, transparency, and helping the other party see the full story A real-world example of negotiating fairly for change orders and training using these methods Are you avoiding negotiation or are you willing to learn the skill that could change your results, your relationships, and your career? 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

Going from good to great isn't a small step, it's a massive leap, and most teams never even try. In this episode, Jason explains why "good" becomes a trap that creates comfort, complacency, and stagnation, and why real greatness requires fanaticism, discipline, and a relentless commitment to improvement. You'll learn the leadership levels from Good to Great, what a Level 4 leader actually does to elevate a project team, and why "who first, then what" is the starting point for any breakthrough. If your team is "doing fine," this episode will challenge you to raise the standard and go for Olympic-level excellence. What you'll learn in this episode: Why "good is the enemy of great" and how comfort creates stagnation on project teams The five levels of leadership and what it takes to become the kind of leader who elevates performance Why you must get the right people on the bus (and in the right seats) before chasing new goals How clear vision + higher standards move a team from "good enough" to excellence Why discipline, training, and continuous improvement prepare teams for bigger, harder, more complex projects If your team is already "good," what would it take to refuse comfort and pursue greatness anyway? 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

Building information modeling only works when it's treated like a production system, not a "nice-to-have" add-on that people can opt out of. In this episode, Jason and Greg Lowe (Director of Integrated Construction Technologies / VDC / BIM at Oakland Construction) answer listener questions about getting trade buy-in, when to start BIM meetings on hard-bid vs. design-build, how to run the kickoff meeting, and what to do when an engineer refuses to model and says "figure it out in the field." You'll learn why the BIM execution plan is everything, why timing is critical, and how confident GC leadership sets the standard so the whole team can win. What you'll learn in this episode: How to get trade partner buy-in early (and handle BIM as an alternate without killing the job) When to start BIM coordination on hard-bid jobs vs. design-build—and why hard-bid starts "already late" What to cover in the first BIM kickoff meeting (execution plan, roles, LOD, naming, clash process, communication rhythm) How often to meet (daily vs. weekly) and why "wait until the next meeting" breaks coordination What to do when engineers refuse 3D/constructability and push problems to the field how owners, specs, and leadership drive the change Are you treating BIM like optional overhead or like the system that makes prefabrication, flow, and project success possible? 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

Asking for help isn't a weakness, it's the leadership move that keeps you from learning everything the hard way. In this episode, Jason breaks the "lone wolf" myth and explains why superintendents win when they network, tour other projects, and steal great ideas shamelessly. You'll hear a powerful story about learning basement logistics from another team and how that wisdom turned into day-by-day geographic planning and an on-time finish. If you want to level up faster and avoid training yourself through sad experiences, this one is for you. What you'll learn in this episode: Why being "too embarrassed to ask for help" is a signal of insecurity and how to break that pattern How to learn from wisdom instead of sad experience by touring other projects and walking with other superintendents How "go see and steal" accelerates improvement (and why it's the best form of flattery How fresh-eyes walks and asking for feedback prevent repeat mistakes and protect project outcomes How to build a pack mindset hunt as a pack, leverage the team, and stop being an island What would change this month if you scheduled one jobsite tour, asked for feedback, and stopped trying to do it all alone? 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

In this episode, Jason Schroeder lays out the hard truth: if you want to be successful, you have to stop doing what unsuccessful people do and stop patterning your career after leaders who never get promoted. He shares a real story of a technically capable field engineer who stayed stuck for years because pride kept him from following a simple double-check system. Then Jason walks through 20 destructive habits and mindsets that will quietly cap your career in construction if you don't neutralize them. What you'll learn in this episode: · Why pride and "I can get it right the first time" thinking will eventually derail you · The 20 habits that stall careers in construction, from weak accountability to poor communication · How disorganization and inability to delegate keep people stuck at lower levels · Why speaking up, learning continuously, and staying mentally sharp are non-negotiable · The difference between repeating mistakes and developing real grit and growth · How to choose mentors who are actually getting promoted and model what works If you want to be successful, stop tolerating the behaviors that guarantee failure and start copying what the best in the industry do consistently. 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 Sunday Field Engineering episode, Jason Schroeder makes the case that organization and communication aren't "nice to have" they're the dividing line between getting stuck at Super 2 / PM2 and moving into true leadership roles. If it isn't written down, it didn't happen and it won't happen. Jason breaks down how to use a field book as your personal operating system, why every mark in the field must be labeled, and how professional communication (in layout, lift drawings, emails, RFIs, and hand notes) directly impacts safety, quality, and production. What you'll learn in this episode: · Why the most organized person "eats" the unorganized in construction careers · The simplest field book system: notes front-to-back, to-do list back-to-front · The rule every builder learns the hard way: a mark with no label is useless · How poor communication shows up in lift drawings, layout lath, field notes, and RFIs · Why "I'm not good at handwriting / computers / writing things down" is victim mode · A practical standard: print in ALL CAPS block lettering to improve clarity and precision · How to over-communicate without writing longer emails better effort, better frequency If you want to move fast, reduce mistakes, and become a leader people can trust, start writing everything down and communicate like a professional every time, everywhere, no exceptions. 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

This episode breaks down one of the most powerful yet overlooked habits in construction leadership: the 25-minute crew preparation huddle. Jason explains how this focused block of time transforms scattered crews into aligned teams by setting clear expectations for safety, quality, tools, and execution before work begins. If you're tired of rework, confusion, and wasted motion, this episode shows how preparation, not longer hours, drives productivity. This is a practical system foremen can use immediately to raise standards and scale excellence on any project. What you'll learn in this episode · Why the 25-minute crew preparation huddle is the missing link between planning and execution · How to teach workers "normal vs. abnormal" so safety and quality improve at the source · How to use 3S/5S and 2-Second Lean thinking to eliminate waste before work starts · How foremen can prevent daily "treasure hunts" by staging tools, materials, and information · Why prepared crews outperform unprepared crews even in less time If your crews keep reacting instead of executing, ask yourself this: what would change if you consistently prepared your team before the work ever started? 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

Training is the real strategic advantage in construction, and Jason makes the case with zero apology: you don't rise to your ambitions, you fall to your training. He contrasts what best-in-class companies do serious, sustained development with the industry's dangerous habit of sending people into the field with almost no preparation. This episode is a rally cry to stop assuming workers and foremen "should already know," and start building systems that respect people through daily coaching, better onboarding, and relentless skill-building. If you care about safety, quality, schedule, and dignity on your project, this one will light a fire. What you'll learn in this episode · Why training not technology is the foundational lever that actually improves safety, quality, and production · How weak onboarding and "30-minute orientation" thinking creates risk, rework, and disrespect · Why foremen must be professional communicators and daily trainers not just task assigners · How jobsite systems like worker huddles and crew preparation huddles create a training engine in the field · What it looks like when a company and a leader invest in people and how that changes careers and outcomes If your current results are the product of your current training, what are you willing to change first: your expectations, or your investment in people? 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

When you step onto a bigger, more complex project, the fastest way to build confidence and control is to take on the toughest scope first. This episode breaks down how master builders remove fear by attacking complexity early when energy, focus, and leadership capacity are at their peak so the rest of the job feels manageable. Through memorable stories and jobsite examples, Jason shows how "biting the chewiest piece first" stabilizes rhythm, protects schedule, and elevates your ability to lead. If you're staring down your next step, this will help you move toward it instead of around it. What you'll learn in this episode: Why tackling the most complex area first creates momentum and makes the rest of the project easier to manage How to "eat the elephant" strategically by starting with the hardest bite when you're freshest and most focused What master builders do differently: prioritizing risk, complexity, and coordination before routine production work How early wins in the toughest scope reduce schedule surprises and protect flow later in the job A practical mindset shift for taking bigger projects, learning tools, and handling new responsibilities without fear If you always start with what feels comfortable, what critical problem are you quietly letting grow until it controls the 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 episode, Jason Schroeder connects health to performance on the jobsite and calls out "cognitive decline" as the hidden cost of not treating your body like the high-performance machine it is. Using Paul Akers' Lean Health and the idea that "your body is a Ferrari, not a Pinto," he lays out simple, sustainable habits that boost energy, focus, and long-term leadership capacity—especially for construction professionals who need to stay sharp. If you want to lead better, learn faster, and show up with real enthusiasm, this episode is a practical push to fuel and maintain your body like it matters. What you'll learn in this episode: Why your body is the vehicle your mind drives—and how poor health shows up as low energy and low focus The core Lean Health fuel approach: mostly fruits/vegetables and avoiding processed "white" foods Simple ways to reduce overeating: log intake, use smaller plates, and slow down your eating A straightforward daily movement baseline: pushups, sit-ups, twists, and 10,000 steps How better health creates better builders: more clarity, more learning, more leadership capacity If your energy, mood, and focus determine your ceiling as a leader—what "fuel" are you putting in your Ferrari every day? 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