Be Careful What You Teach

I recently received feedback from a listener who shared how much he enjoys the blog and asked a powerful question: how do you make sure you are learning and growing the right way when you are thrown into leadership roles without proper training? He described his path from commercial roofing into a superintendent role and the struggle of feeling like he is figuring things out without real guidance.

This is a situation far too common in our industry. Too many supers are put in charge without proper development, and companies skip over critical training paths like project engineer or assistant superintendent. When this happens, the risk is not only to the individual’s career but to entire projects, teams, and the industry at large.

My advice is clear. If you cannot find the right contractor with the right culture and training, then you must invest in yourself. Read the baseline curriculum such as Elevating Construction Superintendents, Elevating Construction Senior Superintendents, Elevating Construction Foremen, The Goal, Two Second Lean, The Toyota Way, Critical Chain, How Big Things Get Done, and Built to Fail. When ready, attend courses like the Takt Production System course and the Super PM Bootcamp. The biggest investment you can ever make is not in real estate, stocks, or even retirement savings. The biggest investment is in your mind.

Your knowledge and ability to add value are permanent. They are what allow you to contribute whether in business, in a company role, or with your family. That is why I have always pursued certifications, training, and books relentlessly. But knowledge alone is not enough. Knowledge combined with action is power. Even small steps of implementation, tested for at least six weeks at a time, are what transform learning into lasting capability.

Which brings me to today’s main topic. Be careful what you teach. Because what you teach will stick.

I was recently driving in Texas and could not believe how poorly designed the roads were compared to places like Phoenix, which has a thoughtful and intentional system. My conclusion was simple. At some point, someone thought a bad design was a good idea. Then others copied it, and now it has stuck for generations. The same thing happens in construction. We live with CPM because two men had an idea and it stuck. We have harmful systems and practices in society that stuck the same way. Once something becomes precedent, it shapes behavior, decisions, and outcomes for decades.

That is why leaders at every level must be cautious about what they teach and model. Company owners must be intentional about values and culture because those will stick. Department leaders must be clear about priorities and respect because that will stick. Project leaders must treat trade partners with fairness because that will stick. Senior supers and PMs must not pass down bad habits because those will stick. And I must be careful on this blog because what I teach may stick.

Teaching without knowledge is dangerous. It is like giving teenagers badges and guns and telling them to be police officers. Yet this is exactly what happens when we put untrained leaders in charge of hundred million dollar projects. The consequences are real and often damaging.

The safeguard is to embrace review and iteration. At Elevate, we believe the more red marks, the better. Every book, system, and framework we publish goes through dozens of reviews and iterations. Takt steering and control boards, the integrated production control system, and our courses all reached their current form only after 25, 30, or even 50 iterations. We vet, we seek input, we refine until what we teach has real strength behind it.

The lesson is simple. Be careful what you teach, because it will stick. Teach only what is grounded in knowledge, vetted by feedback, and refined by practice. Do not pass down broken systems or untested ideas. Build leaders and systems that will last, because the future of our industry depends on it.

On we go.

Key Takeaway

What you teach will stick, so only pass on what is true, tested, and worthy of shaping the next generation.