A Day In The Life Of A General Superintendent

A Day in the Life of a General Superintendent

This blog is going to be remarkable because I’m going to talk to you about what truly makes the role of a general superintendent successful—and steer you away from the watered-down expectations often pushed by the industry. If you’ve ever wondered what this role should look like, stay with us. You’re about to find out.

The Common Trap: Neutralizing the Builder

Let’s start with one of the biggest problems I see in construction companies today: taking great builders and completely neutralizing them.

What often happens is that a superintendent moves from assistant superintendent to project superintendent to general superintendent—only to get pulled into corporate tasks like proposal writing or overseeing way too many projects. The company takes someone who knows how to build and says, “Let’s cut their feet out from under them.”

Why would we do this?

If I’ve got a general superintendent who knows how to build, I’m going to let them keep building—maybe with one team or two or three max. I’m going to pay them well, and I’m not going to bury them in corporate. These are master builders, and we need to keep them doing what they do best.

Effective Visits Start with Visuals:

When a general superintendent visits a project site, it’s often reduced to a pat on the back and a “good job” if they can’t actually see what’s going on.

That’s why we need visuals. I want to walk onto a jobsite and see:

• A macro-level Takt plan on one page.
• Zone maps.
• The current logistics plan.
• The site’s organizational chart.
• A risk and opportunity register.
• A procurement log.

If we can’t see the plan, we can’t coach it. That’s what makes Takt planning so powerful—you get the full story visually on one page.

If a GS goes on a walk without a 6-week lookahead or a weekly work plan in hand, it’s just lip service. But with real visuals, you can dig into the schedule, review handoffs, talk about procurement, and really understand the project.

We’ve got to move away from this “paperless” nonsense that hides everything behind a screen. Let’s print the plans, put them up on the wall, and bring back real field walks.

Morning Routine: Start with the Right Energy

The general superintendent helps shape company culture—along with the CEO, COO, and leadership team. That’s why your morning routine matters.

You’re not just anyone. You’re a cultural leader.

Wake up, take care of your health and hygiene, get your coffee, say a prayer, read a business or spiritual thought, and most importantly—do box breathing. This calms your nervous system and sets your mindset. Then, say what you’re grateful for and decide what you’ll give to others today.

You can’t show up to the job angry, frustrated, or empty. Your energy transfers to the team.

Weekly Planning: Adapt and Focus

Unlike a project superintendent who can have the same time-blocked schedule every week, a general superintendent’s calendar looks different every week—especially when overseeing multiple projects.

You need a weekly work plan. Each Friday, look ahead and map out your week:

• Monday: Morning prep, afternoon on-site.
• Tuesday: Corporate tasks in the morning, job visit in the afternoon.
• Wednesday: All day at a high-priority project.
• … and so on.

Then each morning, before diving into your day, plan your schedule using that weekly template. Don’t start your day until it’s finished on paper.

Continuous Learning: Fill Your Mind

You can’t pour into your team from an empty cup.

Always be learning—listen to audiobooks or podcasts during your commute. Here are some must-reads:

• Elevating Construction Superintendents.
• Elevating Construction Senior Superintendents.
• Elevating Pre-construction Planning.
• Takt Planning, Takt Steering, and Control.
• Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss.
• How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie.
• Books by Patrick Lencioni.

You need to stay sharp so you can lead well and bring valuable insights to your teams.

Field Walks & Site Engagements: Be Intentional

When you engage with a project team, it’s not just about checking in or saying “great job.”

Show up knowing what you’re looking for. Follow a system. Dig into at least three areas. Leave with clear assignments and a challenge for the team to do better.

And here’s the truth: if the site isn’t clean, safe, or under control—shut it down. Don’t tolerate poor performance. The worst behavior you allow sets the ceiling for that job’s success.

On every walk, look for progress. Keep track of what you’ve asked them to improve, and hold the team accountable.

Enable the Team: Plan, Mentor, Equip

Always ask:

• Do they have a clear plan?
• Is it tied to a timeline?
• Do they have the right training or mentorship (maybe that’s you)?
• Do they have the resources they need?

That’s your job—remove roadblocks and enable your team to succeed.

Wrap Up and Reflect:

At the end of the day, close out your assignments, do your box breathing again, and head home ready to recharge for another day.

This job can be chaotic if you don’t have a personal organization system—but if you follow these principles, it can also be one of the most rewarding roles in construction.