Category: Uncategorized

BONUS – Jake & Jason Lean Series – Winning over the Craft

Posted on by Danny Jiménez⁩
Read 11 min

Winning Over the Workforce Through Respect for People

There is a moment on every project when leaders realize something uncomfortable. Schedules do not move because drawings are perfect. Productivity does not improve because people are yelled at. Culture does not change because a memo was sent. Construction moves when people choose to care. Winning over the workforce is not a soft idea. It is one of the hardest disciplines in construction leadership. It requires humility, consistency, courage and an honest belief that the craft matters. When respect for people becomes real the job site changes in ways no schedule update ever could.

The Pain We All See on Job Sites

Most projects struggle with the same invisible problem. Crews show up but they are guarded. They do the minimum. They protect themselves. They wait to be told what to do. They clean just enough to avoid trouble. Leaders feel this resistance and often respond by pushing harder. The result is predictable. Morale drops. Communication shrinks. Quality suffers. Safety becomes reactive. People comply but they never commit.

The Failure Pattern of Command and Control

The industry has trained generations of leaders to believe that authority creates results. Bark louder. Enforce harder. Threaten consequences. The problem is that this approach never wins hearts. It only forces obedience. When people are treated like tools they eventually behave like tools. They disengage emotionally. They stop offering ideas. They protect themselves instead of the project.

Empathy for Leaders and the Craft

This is not about blaming superintendents or project managers. Most leaders were raised in systems that never modeled respect for people. They were taught to survive pressure not to build culture. Craft workers feel this too. Many have spent entire careers being told instead of being asked. Their experience has been ignored. Their intelligence was underestimated. Over time they stop offering it.

A Field Story About Simple Human Connection

One of the most powerful changes we made on a Lean project was also the simplest. We started learning one thing about each person. Not their entire life story. Just one fact. Kids. Hobbies. Where they were from. That single habit changed conversations. It opened doors. People started volunteering information. They started helping without being asked. Respect began flowing in both directions. Respect is not transactional. It is relational.

The Emotional Insight That Changed Everything

People give back exactly what they are given. When leaders invest attention, trust and dignity the workforce returns effort, pride and ownership. When leaders withhold those things the workforce withholds too. You do not build buildings first. You build the team first.

Respect for People Is Not Optional in Lean

Lean construction is often misunderstood as tools and meetings. In reality Lean is a philosophy rooted in respect for people. Without that foundation the tools collapse. Respect shows up in how leaders speak, listen , recognize and respond. It shows up in whether feedback flows both ways. It shows up in whether standards are enforced equally and fairly.

How We Won People Over in Practice

We did not rely on slogans. We relied on behavior. Leaders told stories. They shared personal experiences. They explained why standards existed. They asked for input. They recognized the effort publicly. Two things mattered more than anything else.
  •  Leaders showed vulnerability and shared real stories that explained why safety quality and cleanliness mattered
  •  Leaders consistently asked the craft what they thought and used their ideas
Those two behaviors unlocked engagement across the site.

Recognition and Example as a Teaching Tool

Public recognition mattered. When someone did the right thing we said it out loud. People stood taller. Pride spread. Others followed the example. We also used demonstrations. When one trade fully embraced Lean behaviors we highlighted them. Not to shame others but to show what was possible. Healthy competition followed.

Consistency Builds Trust

Respect is destroyed when standards change under pressure. People test leaders. They push boundaries. They wait to see if the rules bend during crunch time. When standards held even when it hurt credibility was built. People realized this was real. Not a phase. Not a slogan. A way of operating.

What Happens When Respect Becomes Real

Something remarkable happened. Workers began asking to stay on the project. In a labor shortage they came back voluntarily. They told others about the site. They protected the culture themselves. The owner felt it. Visitors felt it. The job site felt different. Respect created flow.

Why This Matters to LeanTakt and Elevate Construction

LeanTakt systems rely on people choosing to engage. No software, no schedule, no visual board can replace trust. Elevate Construction focuses on building leaders who understand that respect for people is not optional. It is the operating system. If your project needs superintendent coaching project support or leadership development Elevate Construction can help your field teams stabilize schedule and flow.

A Challenge to Every Leader

Ask yourself one honest question. Do the people on your site feel respected as equals or managed as resources? The answer will tell you everything about your culture. As Jason Schroeder often says leadership is not about control it is about creating conditions where people can win.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does respect for people mean in construction? It means treating the craft as intelligent capable partners whose experience and ideas matter. Is winning over the workforce about incentives? No. Incentives can help but respect is built through daily behavior, consistency and trust. Can this work on large projects? Yes. You do not need to know everyone deeply. You need to treat everyone consistently and humanely. What happens if some people resist? Most people will engage. A small percentage may not. Culture always reveals alignment. How does Elevate Construction support this? Through leadership coaching, cultural alignment and LeanTakt implementation focused on people first systems.

If you want to learn more we have:

-Takt Virtual Training: (Click here)
-Check out our Youtube channel for more info: (Click here) 
-Listen to the Elevate Construction podcast: (Click here) 
-Check out our training programs and certifications: (Click here)
-The Takt Book: (Click here)

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

Meet Jason Schroeder, the driving force behind Elevate Construction IST. As the company’s owner and principal consultant, he’s dedicated to taking construction to new heights. With a wealth of industry experience, he’s crafted the Field Engineer Boot Camp and Superintendent Boot Camp – intensive training programs engineered to cultivate top-tier leaders capable of steering their teams towards success. Jason’s vision? To expand his training initiatives across the nation, empowering construction firms to soar to unprecedented levels of excellence.

On we go

BONUS – Jake & Jason Lean Series – Incentive and Survival

Posted on by Danny Jiménez⁩
Read 13 min

Incentive and Survival: Why Real Lean Requires Both

Every construction leader wants a motivated workforce. We want people to care, to commit, to do quality work, and to go home safe at the end of the day. Most teams try to get there with good intentions, lunches, gift cards, raffles, or speeches about Lean. And for a while, it feels like it works. Then the site is still dirty. Safety rules are still ignored. Commitments are still missed. And leaders quietly wonder why all the incentives did not change the culture.

The truth is uncomfortable, but it is simple. Incentive without survival does not work.

The Pain: When Lean Looks Good but Feels Wrong

Many projects claim they are “doing Lean.” They have posters, slogans, and rewards. But walk the site and you still see messy floors, missing PPE, rushed work, and frustrated crews. Leaders feel stuck because they are trying to inspire behavior without protecting standards. This creates a painful gap. A small portion of the workforce buys in fully. They show up prepared, respect the site, and follow the rules. The rest hover in the middle, doing just enough to get by. Over time, the committed people burn out because they feel like the system is unfair.

That pain is not caused by a lack of generosity. It is caused by a lack of accountability.

The Failure Pattern: Incentives Without a Bar

The failure pattern is consistent. Leaders rely on incentives alone. They reward good behavior, but they do not clearly define the minimum standard required to remain on the site. As a result, incentives lift about thirty percent of the workforce, while the remaining seventy percent drift. Without a bar for survival, Lean becomes optional. People learn that they can ignore rules, skip cleanup, or bypass safety and still get the same benefits as everyone else. Over time, this destroys trust.

Empathy for Leaders Trying to Do the Right Thing

Most leaders fall into this trap because they care. They do not want to be harsh. They want to respect the craft. They believe people will respond to kindness alone. That instinct comes from a good place. But real respect does not mean avoiding hard conversations. Real respect means protecting people from harm and protecting the team from chaos.

A Field Story: Equality Changes Everything

On our project, we learned early that equality mattered more than words. Equality did not mean treating everyone the same emotionally. It meant holding everyone to the same standard. One day during concrete work, a crew was struggling. Instead of standing back and pointing, one of us grabbed a shovel and started helping. That moment changed everything. It showed the crew that leadership was not above the work.

Later, when bathrooms were damaged by a small group, leadership cleaned them personally. Not because it was our job, but because it showed ownership. Soon, workers began protecting the space themselves. They called out issues before leadership ever saw them.

Culture shifted because people believed the standard was real.

The Emotional Insight: Respect Means Sending People Home

This is where many leaders struggle. Sending someone home feels harsh. But letting someone work unsafely is worse. I have known people who have lost eyesight. I have known families permanently changed by preventable accidents. Sending someone home for missing safety glasses is not punishment. It is protection.

Respect is not comfort. Respect is responsibility.

The Framework: Incentive and Survival Working Together

Incentive and survival must exist together. Incentive inspires excellence. Survival protects the baseline. One without the other fails. Incentives tell people what is possible. Survival tells people what is required. On our project, incentives created pride and ownership. Survival created clarity and fairness. Together, they moved the middle seventy percent upward.

Incentives That Build Ownership

We used incentives to reward participation, ideas, and care for the site. These were not bribes. They were acknowledgments of contribution and effort.

  •  Clean, indoor bathrooms treated like a shared home
  •  Barbecues, breakfasts, and shared meals planned intentionally
  •  Surveys that asked craft workers what they needed and listened
  •  Small gift cards to encourage sharing Lean improvement ideas

None of these worked in isolation. They worked because everyone knew the rules applied equally.

Survival Standards That Could Not Be Crossed

  • At the same time, there were lines that could not be crossed. These were non-negotiable because safety, quality, and flow are not optional.
  •  No PPE meant going home, no exceptions
  •  Unsafe ladders, fall protection violations, or missing plans stopped work immediately
  •  Dirty areas shut down until cleaned by the crew responsible
  •  Unscheduled deliveries were turned away, every time

These standards were announced clearly and enforced consistently. That consistency is what made them fair.

Explaining the Why Changes Everything

Accountability without explanation feels authoritarian. Accountability with explanation feels just. When a delivery was turned away, we explained the cost of delay to other trades. When safety rules were enforced, we connected them to families waiting at home. When cleanup was required, we explained how mess creates injuries and waste. People do not resist standards when they understand the purpose.

Leadership Vulnerability Builds Trust

One of the most powerful moments on our project came when personal stories were shared. Stories about family. Stories about accidents. Stories about why safety mattered beyond compliance. When leaders show vulnerability, crews listen differently. They understand the motivation behind the rules. Discipline stops feeling arbitrary and starts feeling protective.

Why This Matters to Lean and LeanTakt

Lean is not about tools. LeanTakt is not about software. Lean is about respect for people through stable systems. Incentive and survival are foundational to flow. Without them, schedules collapse, trust erodes, and Lean becomes theater. With them, teams stabilize, commitments are kept, and dignity is protected.

This is the work Elevate Construction focuses on every day. If your project needs superintendent coaching, project support, or leadership development, Elevate Construction can help your field teams stabilize, schedule, and flow.

A Challenge to Leaders

Ask yourself one honest question. What is the worst behavior you are currently willing to tolerate? That answer defines your culture more than any incentive ever will. As Jason Schroeder often says, “The success of any organization is determined by the worst behavior the leader is willing to tolerate.” Raise the bar. Hold it with fairness. Protect your people. And build something remarkable.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does incentive and survival mean in construction?
It means combining positive motivation with clear minimum standards so everyone understands both opportunity and responsibility.

Is zero tolerance too harsh for job sites?
No. When applied consistently and explained clearly, zero tolerance protects people and creates fairness.

How does this support Lean culture?
Lean depends on trust and stability. Survival standards protect flow, while incentives encourage continuous improvement.

Can this work on union and non-union projects?
Yes. Respect, equality, and clarity apply to every workforce.

How can Elevate Construction help implement this?
Through leadership coaching, LeanTakt systems, and hands-on project support that builds accountability with dignity.

If you want to learn more we have:

-Takt Virtual Training: (Click here)
-Check out our Youtube channel for more info: (Click here) 
-Listen to the Elevate Construction podcast: (Click here) 
-Check out our training programs and certifications: (Click here)
-The Takt Book: (Click here)

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

Meet Jason Schroeder, the driving force behind Elevate Construction IST. As the company’s owner and principal consultant, he’s dedicated to taking construction to new heights. With a wealth of industry experience, he’s crafted the Field Engineer Boot Camp and Superintendent Boot Camp – intensive training programs engineered to cultivate top-tier leaders capable of steering their teams towards success. Jason’s vision? To expand his training initiatives across the nation, empowering construction firms to soar to unprecedented levels of excellence.

On we go

BONUS – Jake & Jason Lean Series – Cleanliness and organization

Posted on by Danny Jiménez⁩
Read 16 min

Why Cleanliness and Organization Are the True Foundation of Construction Success

There are a few things in construction that people love to argue about. Schedule versus cost. Planning versus production. Soft skills versus hard controls. But one topic seems to stir people up more than almost anything else, and that is cleanliness and organization. Mention it on a jobsite, and you will hear everything from polite agreement to eye rolls to outright resistance. I know this because I have lived it, enforced it, defended it, and watched it transform projects from the inside out.

I want to say this clearly from the start. Cleanliness and organization are not about being neat for the sake of appearances. They are not about being controlling. They are not about making people miserable or slowing work down. They are about creating the conditions where safety, quality, schedule, and morale can actually exist at the same time. Without cleanliness and organization, everything else becomes harder than it needs to be.

The Pain We All Recognize but Rarely Name

Most people reading this have walked onto a jobsite that felt heavy. Materials everywhere. Trash piled in corners. Crews stacked on top of each other. People rushing, stepping over debris, and working around messes instead of fixing them. In those environments, you feel it in your gut before you can explain it logically. Something is off. You know someone is going to get hurt. You know quality is slipping. You know rework is hiding behind walls. And you know the schedule is probably lying to you.

The problem is that the industry has normalized this chaos. We tell ourselves it is just how construction is. We convince ourselves that cleaning is something we do later, that organization is a luxury, and that composite cleanup crews will save us when things get out of control. That mindset creates a failure pattern where leaders spend their days chasing symptoms instead of fixing root causes.

The Failure Pattern That Keeps Repeating

Here is what usually happens. A superintendent walks a dirty floor and gets frustrated. They tell the foreman to clean it up. The foreman calls for laborers or a composite cleanup crew. The area looks better for a day, sometimes even an hour. Then the mess comes right back. The superintendent feels like they are losing their mind. The foreman feels picked on. The crew feels rushed. And the project slowly slides deeper into disorder.

That approach treats cleanliness as a reaction instead of a standard. It teaches people that someone else will clean up after them. It hides the real issue, which is almost always a lack of planning, poor pacing, or unclear expectations. When we clean for people instead of teaching them to clean, we reinforce the very behaviors we are trying to eliminate.

Why I Care So Much About This

I will be honest. People sometimes think I am over the top about cleanliness and organization. Other superintendents have told me that to my face. But the reason I care so deeply is simple. I have seen what happens when we get this right. I have watched owners take over buildings that are just as clean at turnover as they were during construction. I have seen crews take pride in their work instead of feeling beaten down by chaos. I have seen safety incidents drop, quality improve, and schedules stabilize.

Cleanliness is not a side effect of success. It is a leading indicator of it.

A Field Story That Changed Everything

On one project, we made a decision early that we would never use a composite cleanup crew. Not once. That statement alone made people nervous. But we paired it with a clear standard. If an area was messy, work stopped. Not tomorrow. Not next week. Immediately. Crews cleaned their own work areas before moving on. At first, people thought we were joking. Then they realized we were serious. Something interesting happened after that. The site started staying clean. Not because we were policing it constantly, but because people understood the expectation. They knew that cleanliness was not optional and not negotiable. It was part of doing the work.

Why Cleanliness Reveals the Truth About a Project

One of the most powerful things about a clean jobsite is that it tells the truth. When an area is clean and organized, problems stand out immediately. When it is dirty, everything blends together into noise.

What a Clean and Organized Site Makes Possible

  •  Safety hazards are visible instead of hidden
  •  Quality defects stand out before they are buried
  •  Out of sequence work becomes obvious
  •  Foremen who are struggling are easier to identify

When a jobsite is clean, leaders can actually see what they need to manage. When it is dirty, everyone is just trying not to trip over something.

The Psychological Side We Rarely Talk About

There is also a psychological component to cleanliness that most people underestimate. Studies have shown that people adjust their behavior based on the environment they enter. When an area looks clean, smells clean, and feels organized, people naturally raise their standards. When it looks neglected, people lower them. On jobsites, this means the first impression matters. Orientation matters. Bathrooms matter. Break areas matter. If people walk onto a site that feels respected and cared for, they are far more likely to respect it in return. That is not manipulation. That is human nature.

Leadership Sets the Ceiling

Here is the part that makes some leaders uncomfortable. If you want a clean site, leadership has to model it. Superintendents and managers must be willing to pick up trash, stop work, and enforce standards consistently. Not angrily. Not sarcastically. Calmly and firmly. I remember a moment when one of our leaders grabbed a broom and started sweeping a messy area instead of yelling about it. Within minutes, the crew joined in. No speech. No threats. Just example. That moment did more to reinforce our culture than any memo ever could.

Behaviors That Actually Sustain Cleanliness

  • Leaders stop work instead of working around messes
  •  Crews clean their own areas, every time
  •  Standards are enforced consistently, even under pressure
  •  Access paths are protected as critical supply lines

When these behaviors are present, cleanliness becomes normal instead of enforced.

Cleanliness, Flow, and Lean Thinking

From a Lean perspective, cleanliness and organization are foundational. You cannot have flow without clear access. You cannot have reliable planning without stable conditions. You cannot implement LeanTakt or any production system in an environment filled with distractions and hazards. This is why at Elevate Construction we emphasize that cleanliness supports planning, and planning supports everything else. A clean site allows crews to focus on value adding work instead of fighting their environment. That is how flow starts.

If your project needs superintendent coaching, project support, or leadership development, Elevate Construction can help your field teams stabilize, schedule, and flow.

Why This Is Not About Perfection

One misconception I want to clear up is that cleanliness means perfection. It does not. It means clear standards. On our projects, we often joked that perfect was good enough. Anything beyond that was a waste. The goal was not museum level cleanliness. The goal was clarity, safety, and stability. That standard has to be set early. From the first trade on site. When expectations are clear from the beginning, people rise to meet them. When expectations are fuzzy, chaos fills the gap.

Connecting This to the Bigger Mission

At Elevate Construction, our mission is to improve the industry by improving how we treat people and how we design systems. Cleanliness and organization sit right at the intersection of those two ideas. A clean site respects people. An organized site respects their time, their safety, and their craft. This is not about control. It is about dignity. When we create environments where people can do their best work, they usually do.

A Challenge for Leaders

The challenge is simple but not easy. Walk to your site tomorrow and ask yourself what the environment is teaching people. Is it teaching urgency without care, or discipline with respect? Is it hiding problems, or revealing them? Are you cleaning up after people, or building habits that last? As W. Edwards Deming said, “A bad system will beat a good person every time.” Cleanliness and organization are how we design a better system.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Why is cleanliness so important in construction projects?
Cleanliness allows leaders and crews to see safety hazards, quality issues, and planning problems early. It reduces distractions and creates stable conditions for flow.

Does enforcing cleanliness slow down the schedule?
No. It usually speeds it up. Messes cause rework, delays, and safety incidents. Clean sites support better planning and pacing.

Isn’t composite cleanup more efficient?
Composite cleanup treats symptoms, not causes. Teaching crews to clean their own work areas builds habits that sustain order.

How does cleanliness connect to Lean construction?
Lean relies on visibility, flow, and stability. Cleanliness and organization are prerequisites for all three.

What if crews resist higher cleanliness standards?
Resistance usually fades when standards are clear, consistent, and modeled by leadership. People adapt quickly when expectations are firm and fair.

If you want to learn more we have:

-Takt Virtual Training: (Click here)
-Check out our Youtube channel for more info: (Click here) 
-Listen to the Elevate Construction podcast: (Click here) 
-Check out our training programs and certifications: (Click here)
-The Takt Book: (Click here)

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

Meet Jason Schroeder, the driving force behind Elevate Construction IST. As the company’s owner and principal consultant, he’s dedicated to taking construction to new heights. With a wealth of industry experience, he’s crafted the Field Engineer Boot Camp and Superintendent Boot Camp – intensive training programs engineered to cultivate top-tier leaders capable of steering their teams towards success. Jason’s vision? To expand his training initiatives across the nation, empowering construction firms to soar to unprecedented levels of excellence.

On we go

BONUS – Jake & Jason Lean Series – Sustaining the Culture

Posted on by Danny Jiménez⁩
Read 11 min

Sustaining the Culture Is the Hardest Part

Most construction teams can launch a Lean initiative. Very few can sustain it.

The first few weeks feel exciting. Meetings are sharp. People are engaged. Cleanliness improves. Safety conversations start happening. Then pressure hits. Schedules tighten. New trade partners arrive. Leaders get busy. And without anyone noticing, the culture starts to slip.

Sustaining a culture is not about motivation. It is about systems, reminders, discipline, and leadership presence. Culture does not survive on intention alone. It survives on what you reinforce every single day.

The Pain of Culture Drift on Job Sites

Every experienced superintendent has felt this. You work hard to build alignment. You set expectations. You win people over. And then slowly, quietly, standards begin to erode. Morning huddles get shorter or disappear. Cleaning becomes optional. Safety paperwork piles up. Communication fractures. Leaders start chasing instead of leading. The job does not fail all at once. It decays. This is not because people are bad. It is because culture without maintenance always breaks down under pressure.

The Failure Pattern of Teaching Once and Hoping

One of the most common leadership mistakes is assuming that once people understand something, it will stick. In reality, people need to be reminded far more than they need to be taught. Lean thinking is not natural in a traditional construction environment. Respect for people, discipline, flow, and standard work compete daily with old habits. Without reinforcement, old habits win.

Empathy for Leaders Trying to Hold the Line

Sustaining culture is exhausting. Leaders are pulled in ten directions. Every day brings new problems. It feels easier to let small things slide so the work can continue. But every exception teaches the culture what really matters. And the culture listens very carefully.

 A Field Story About Grades Changing Behavior

One of the most effective tools we used to sustain culture was a trade partner grading system. It was simple, visible, and data driven. Each trade partner received a weekly grade based on behaviors that mattered to the site. Things like morning huddle participation, cleanliness, safety audits, shutdowns, and rolling completion lists were tracked. The results were sent to owners, project managers, and leadership. What happened next surprised a lot of people. Trade partners began calling each other about their grades. Competitiveness kicked in. Foremen drove hours to the site to ask how to improve. Behaviors changed almost overnight. People respond to what gets measured.

The Emotional Insight Behind Sustained Culture

Culture is sustained when expectations are clear, visible, and fair. When people know the rules, see the score, and understand the why, accountability becomes normal instead of personal. Discipline done well is not punishment, It is clarity.

Reinforcement Is Leadership Work

Sustaining culture requires leaders to become reminders in motion. Expectations must be reinforced daily through words, actions, and systems.

This showed up for us in several ways.

  •  Weekly trade partner grading that reinforced behaviors
  • Consistent daily huddles that maintained communication flow

These were not add-ons. They were the backbone of the operation.

Ownership Through Superintendent Collaboration

We also held regular superintendent operational meetings. These were not command sessions. They were collaborative conversations. Trade partners reinforced rules with each other. They suggested improvements. They protected the site from chaos. When people help design the system, they help defend it.

Open Feedback Keeps Culture Alive

Culture dies when voices go quiet. We asked for feedback constantly. Not performative feedback. Real feedback. What is working? What is not. What is slowing you down? What would you change? At first, there was silence. Then participation grew. People realized their input mattered. Even when the answer was no, they were heard. That alone sustained engagement.

Consistency Creates Psychological Safety

The same questions were asked every day. The same standards applied every week. The same expectations held even during crunch time. Consistency became safety. People knew what to expect. They trusted the system. They stopped testing boundaries because the boundaries never moved.

Communication as a Cultural Flywheel

Daily five-minute huddles became one of the most powerful tools on the project. They created a communication cycle where everyone knew what was happening. Access changes, safety issues, deliveries, shutdowns, and priorities were communicated once and understood by everyone. Time was saved. Confusion disappeared. Leaders were freed to lead instead of chase.

Education Sustains Belief

We asked every foreman to read Two Second Lean. Many did. It changed how they saw the site. We also delivered Lean Core training across the project. Once people understood the why behind the rules, participation exploded. Lean stopped feeling arbitrary and started feeling logical. Education converts compliance into commitment.

Culture Requires Daily Maintenance

There is no finish line. Culture does not sustain itself. It must be fed, protected, and reinforced. Leaders must train, remind, listen, and hold the line. Every day. Without apology. If your project needs superintendent coaching, project support, or leadership development, Elevate Construction can help your field teams stabilize, schedule, and flow.

Why This Matters to Elevate Construction and LeanTakt

LeanTakt systems depend on culture. Visual schedules, flow planning, and production systems only work when behaviors are stable. Elevate Construction focuses on building leaders who understand that culture is not soft. It is operational. Sustained culture is sustained performance.

A Challenge to Leaders Reading This

Ask yourself this. What behaviors are you reinforcing every week, whether intentionally or not. Culture is always being taught. The only question is what lesson it is learning. As Jason Schroeder often says, culture is not what you say in meetings. It is what you allow under pressure.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Why does Lean culture fade on projects?
Because leaders stop reinforcing behaviors when pressure increases and systems are not in place to sustain them.

Is grading trade partners effective?
Yes when criteria are objective, transparent and tied to site behaviors that matter.

How important are daily huddles?
They are critical. They maintain communication flow and reinforce expectations consistently.

Does education really change behavior?
Yes. Understanding the why behind Lean practices increases engagement and ownership.

How does Elevate Construction help sustain culture?
Through leadership coaching system design training and LeanTakt implementation focused on stability and flow.

If you want to learn more we have:

-Takt Virtual Training: (Click here)
-Check out our Youtube channel for more info: (Click here) 
-Listen to the Elevate Construction podcast: (Click here) 
-Check out our training programs and certifications: (Click here)
-The Takt Book: (Click here)

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

Meet Jason Schroeder, the driving force behind Elevate Construction IST. As the company’s owner and principal consultant, he’s dedicated to taking construction to new heights. With a wealth of industry experience, he’s crafted the Field Engineer Boot Camp and Superintendent Boot Camp – intensive training programs engineered to cultivate top-tier leaders capable of steering their teams towards success. Jason’s vision? To expand his training initiatives across the nation, empowering construction firms to soar to unprecedented levels of excellence.

On we go

Build a Little Better – The Building will Talk to You!

Posted on by Danny Jiménez⁩
Read 16 min

The Building Will Talk to You, If You’re Willing to Listen

Every once in a while, I say something that makes people stop mid-stride on a jobsite. They look at me, tilt their head a little, and you can see the question forming before they ask it.

“The building will talk to you?”

In an industry grounded in concrete, steel, schedules, and specs, that statement can sound strange. Maybe even uncomfortable. But if you’ve spent enough years in the field, really in the field, not just visiting it, you already know this is true. You may not use those words, but you’ve felt it. Something doesn’t feel right. Something needs attention. Something is about to go wrong or, just as importantly, something is about to go very right. You can call it intuition. You can call it instinct, experience, gut feel, or awareness. You can frame it spiritually, scientifically, or practically. I don’t care what language you use. The point is this: the project is constantly communicating with you. The question is whether you’ve created the space and discipline to listen.

The Pain of Modern Construction Leadership

Construction today is louder than it has ever been. Meetings stack on meetings. Emails never stop. Dashboards flash red and green. Schedules update daily. Everyone wants answers immediately. Leaders are expected to react fast, decide faster, and keep everything moving at full speed.  In that environment, it’s easy to lose something critical i.e. Presence. When leaders are always reacting, they stop observing. When they’re buried in data, they disconnect from conditions. When they manage exclusively from reports, they miss the subtle signals that matter most: early safety risks, quiet quality failures, emotional strain on crews, or the first cracks in flow. The industry doesn’t fail because leaders don’t care. It fails because we’ve normalized being too busy to listen.

The Failure Pattern: Disconnected Leadership

Here’s a pattern I’ve seen repeatedly. Leaders stay productive, but not perceptive. They know the numbers but not the mood of the job. They know the schedule but not the energy of the crew. They respond to problems once they become visible, not when they’re forming. By the time an issue shows up in a report, it’s already cost time, money, or trust. The best builders I know operate differently. They intentionally slow down at the right moments. They create quiet in the middle of chaos. They listen before they act.

Every Great Builder Has a Perch

Every master builder I’ve admired has had what I call a perch, a  place they go to observe the project without interruption. Sometimes it’s a crane climb. Sometimes it’s an adjacent building overlooking the site. Sometimes it’s the porch of the job trailer, leaning on the handrail, watching crews move, materials flow, and systems interact. It doesn’t have to be dramatic. It just has to be intentional. That perch isn’t about control. It’s about connection. It’s where leaders turn off their phones, quiet their minds, and let the project speak. They watch flow. They feel rhythm. They sense tension. And from that place, decisions become clearer.

A Field Story That Made This Real

One morning on a research laboratory project, I walked onto the site with an unsettling feeling. We were installing brick cladding with complex, full-height scaffolding wrapped around the building. It was one of the most scaffold-intensive projects I’d ever been on, and we took inspections seriously. That morning, without data or logic, I knew someone was going to fall. I said it out loud in the huddle, even though it sounded odd. We slowed everything down. We re-inspected planking. We reinforced tie-off requirements. We added precautions. Later that day, a worker fell one level from the scaffold. His harness caught him. He wasn’t injured. It was a near miss. What mattered was what didn’t happen. Because of the additional inspections that morning, planking had been replaced below the fall area. Because of the heightened awareness, tie-off compliance was strict. A situation that could have changed a family forever ended with everyone going home. That wasn’t superstition. That was listening and acting with care.

Why This Is Not “Soft” Leadership

Some people hear stories like this and dismiss them as emotional or unscientific. But talk to experienced superintendents long enough and you’ll hear the same truth expressed in different language.

  • “I just knew I needed to check that area.”
  • “I couldn’t explain it, but something felt off.”
  • “I had a bad feeling and slowed things down.”

That’s not magic. That’s pattern recognition built through presence and experience. The human brain is exceptional at detecting subtle signals long before they become measurable. When leaders slow down and observe, intuition becomes a powerful safety and performance tool.

Listening Beyond the Physical Building

The building doesn’t only talk through concrete and steel. It speaks through people.

You can sense when a crew is rushed, even if the schedule says they’re fine. You can feel when a foreman is overwhelmed, even if they haven’t said a word. You can notice emotional strain before it turns into mistakes or disengagement.

I once felt compelled, during a scheduling call, to talk about anxiety and depression. That’s not a typical construction topic. But I trusted the instinct. A few days later, someone reached out and said they needed that conversation. Listening created space for help where silence would have created isolation.

Presence as a Core Leadership Skill

Leadership is not just decision-making. It’s sensing.

Military leaders have understood this for centuries. The best commanders didn’t rely solely on reports. They felt the battlefield. They knew when momentum shifted before the data caught up. They acted early because they were present. Construction leadership is no different. When you’re present, you notice early signals of risk, fatigue, and opportunity. You don’t just manage work. You guide it.

What Listening Helps You See Sooner

When leaders intentionally listen to the building, they often notice things earlier, such as:

  • Safety risks forming before incidents occur
  •  Quality issues before work is buried
  • Flow interruptions before schedules suffer
  •  Emotional strain before morale declines

This awareness aligns directly with Lean thinking and LeanTakt principles, where stability, flow, and respect for people are foundational.

How Builders Learn to Listen

Listening is not mystical. It’s a discipline. It starts with creating quiet space. Leaving the trailer. Turning off notifications. Standing somewhere that allows you to observe without being pulled into conversation. Over time, that practice sharpens awareness and builds trust in your instincts. This is something we reinforce through coaching, training, and leadership development at Elevate Construction. Systems and schedules matter, but they work best when leaders are connected to reality on the ground. If your project needs superintendent coaching, project support, or leadership development, Elevate Construction can help your field teams stabilize, schedule, and flow.

A Simple, Practical Challenge

For the next five days, take a reflection walk. Alone. Quiet. Safe. Tell someone where you’ll be. Find a perch. Observe. Feel the project. Notice what stands out without trying to fix it immediately. Let the building tell you what it needs. You may be surprised by what becomes clear when you stop rushing to the next task.

Connecting This to Elevate Construction’s Mission

At Elevate Construction, our mission is to help leaders build remarkable projects by respecting people, stabilizing systems, and creating flow. Listening is a key part of that work. When leaders are present, teams feel seen, risks are reduced, and performance improves naturally. Great builders don’t just push harder. They listen better.

Conclusion: Builders Who Listen Protect People

At the end of the day, leadership comes down to responsibility. Our responsibility is not just to finish projects, but to protect people and send them home safely. That requires more than checklists and reports. It requires awareness, humility, and the willingness to slow down long enough to hear what others miss. As I often say, remarkable builders are not the loudest in the room. They are the most attentive. And if you’re willing to listen, the building will talk to you. As W. Edwards Deming reminded us, “A system cannot understand itself.” That understanding comes from leaders who observe, reflect, and act with care.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What does it mean when you say the building will talk to you?
It means paying attention to intuition, patterns, and subtle signals that reveal safety, flow, and team health before issues become obvious.

Is this different from a normal field walk?
Yes. A field walk inspects work. Listening focuses on observation, presence, and awareness without distraction.

Can intuition really improve safety?
Yes. Many near misses are prevented when leaders sense risk early and intervene before conditions escalate.

How does this relate to LeanTakt?
LeanTakt emphasizes flow, stability, and respect for people. Listening strengthens all three by connecting leaders to real conditions.

Can newer leaders develop this skill?
Absolutely. Like any leadership skill, it grows through intentional practice, reflection, and mentorship.

If you want to learn more we have:

-Takt Virtual Training: (Click here)
-Check out our Youtube channel for more info: (Click here) 
-Listen to the Elevate Construction podcast: (Click here) 
-Check out our training programs and certifications: (Click here)
-The Takt Book: (Click here)

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

Meet Jason Schroeder, the driving force behind Elevate Construction IST. As the company’s owner and principal consultant, he’s dedicated to taking construction to new heights. With a wealth of industry experience, he’s crafted the Field Engineer Boot Camp and Superintendent Boot Camp – intensive training programs engineered to cultivate top-tier leaders capable of steering their teams towards success. Jason’s vision? To expand his training initiatives across the nation, empowering construction firms to soar to unprecedented levels of excellence.

On we go

BONUS – Jake & Jason Lean Series – Balance, Stability, Foresight, Planning, Clarity, and Alignment

Posted on by Danny Jiménez⁩
Read 15 min

How High-Performing Construction Teams Win Through Balance, Foresight, and Clarity

There is a moment on every project when something goes wrong. A redesign shows up late. A crew falls behind. A quality issue threatens the schedule. In those moments, the job can either hold together or spiral into chaos. What determines the outcome is not luck, talent, or effort. It is the strength of the team system underneath the pressure. I have seen projects survive enormous challenges and others fall apart under far less strain. The difference is almost always the same. Teams that win are balanced, stable, forward-looking, and relentlessly clear. Teams that struggle are reactive, overburdened, distracted, and unclear about where they are headed.

This blog is about teaming. Not the fluffy version of teamwork that lives on posters, but the practical, field-tested kind that keeps the ship in orbit when the storm hits.

The Pain of Chaos Disguised as Hard Work

Construction has a habit of glorifying chaos. Long hours. Constant firefighting. Leaders bouncing from problem to problem. We wear exhaustion like a badge of honor and tell ourselves that is just what it takes to get the job done. But when you step back and look honestly, most of that chaos is not necessary. It is the result of imbalance, lack of foresight, and poor alignment. Teams become overloaded. Roles blur. People abandon their stations to chase emergencies. The job stops flowing, and everyone feels it. The real pain is not the long days. The real pain is the feeling that no matter how hard you work, you are always behind.

The Failure Pattern That Derails Teams

The failure pattern usually starts small. A distraction pulls someone away from their core responsibility. Another issue pops up, and more people pile on. Soon, no one is guarding the plan. The schedule starts slipping. Decisions become reactive. The team loses trust, and morale drops. Instead of staying focused, people scatter. Instead of holding the line, they chase noise. Once that happens, even good teams can lose control quickly.

Staying at Your Station When the Pressure Hits

One of the most powerful lessons I have ever used with teams comes from storytelling. On one project, we used a scene from Star Wars where the command to the crew was simple and repeated over and over. Stay at your stations. Keep the ship in orbit. The message resonated because it is exactly what construction teams need to hear in moments of stress. There will always be an attack. A design issue. A change order. A crisis. If everyone abandons their role to react, the system collapses. If people stay focused on their responsibilities, the project survives and often thrives. We used that language intentionally. Hold the line. Keep the ship in orbit. It reminded people that their job was not to panic, but to protect flow.

Balance and Stability Are Not Optional

A team that is out of balance cannot be stable. And without stability, there is no flow. Balance does not mean equal workload every day. It means intentional roles, realistic expectations, and respect for human limits. On one large project, we were deliberate about how we worked. We planned coverage so people could come in late or leave early when needed. Saturdays were rotated. Responsibilities were shared, not hoarded. No one was indispensable, and that was by design.

What Balance Looks Like on a Real Project

  • Clear ownership of roles without territorial behavior
  •  Planned coverage so no one person carries the full burden
  •  Honest conversations about workload and burnout
  •  Respect for work-life blend without sacrificing accountability

When teams feel balanced, they show up differently. They think clearer. They communicate better. They make fewer mistakes.

Seeing the Future Before It Arrives

Foresight and planning are where winning really begins. Too many projects rush into construction and hope they can figure it out later. That approach almost always costs more time and money in the end. On our most successful projects, we spent months preparing before breaking ground. We studied the design. We mapped procurement. We planned logistics. We challenged assumptions. We worked left of the line so the field could run right of it. Every hour spent planning saved days in the field. That is not theory. That is lived experience. Planning is not about predicting everything perfectly. It is about seeing far enough ahead to avoid obvious traps and giving the team options when conditions change.

Protecting Flow When Something Breaks

Even with great planning, problems happen. What matters is how the team responds. On one project, a redesign threatened a carefully planned one-piece flow. Instead of letting it derail everything, we isolated the issue. We pulled that area off the track and kept the rest of the train moving. The message to the team was simple. You keep flowing. We will handle this separately. That decision protected morale, schedule, and trust. It also reinforced the idea that the system mattered more than any single problem.

Clarity Is the Leader’s Real Job

At the end of the day, leadership in construction is not about doing more work. It is about providing clarity. People perform better when they know where they are going, why it matters, and how their work fits into the whole. On high-performing projects, clarity is everywhere. Milestones are visible. Dates are repeated constantly. Goals are written, posted, and talked about until everyone knows them by heart. Overcommunication is not a flaw. It is a strategy.

What Clarity Creates for the Team

  • Confidence to make commitments
  •  Alignment across trades and roles
  •  Fewer surprises and less rework
  •  Pride in hitting visible milestones

When people know the destination, they can help get there. When they do not, they protect themselves instead.

Burning the Ships to Commit Fully

One of the most effective alignment tools we ever used was setting non-negotiable milestone goals early. We drew a line in the sand months ahead and said if these things are not done by this date, finishing on time will be impossible. That removed excuses. There was no escape plan. Either we met the milestones or we faced reality early enough to respond.

That kind of clarity changes behavior. It focuses on effort. It turns vague urgency into shared purpose.

How This Connects to Lean and Flow

Lean thinking, LeanTakt, and production systems only work when teams are stable, focused, and aligned. You cannot sustain flow with burned-out people. You cannot plan effectively without foresight. You cannot execute without clarity. At Elevate Construction, we help teams build these foundations because without them, no tool will save the project. If your project needs superintendent coaching, project support, or leadership development, Elevate Construction can help your field teams stabilize, schedule, and flow.

Building Teams Before Building Projects

Patrick Lencioni says it best. Teams must be built before results can be expected. Trust, healthy conflict, commitment, accountability, and results all depend on balance, foresight, and clarity. When teams are stable, they can handle stress. When they can see the future, they avoid panic. When they are aligned, they move together. That is how projects finish strong without burning people out.

A Challenge for Leaders

Take a hard look at your team. Are people staying at their stations or constantly reacting? Is the work balanced or overloaded? Do people know where the project is headed without asking? If the answer is no, the solution is not more effort. It is a better leadership system. As I often say, clarity creates calm, and calm creates performance.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What does balance really mean for construction teams?
Balance means having clear roles, shared coverage, and realistic expectations so no one person carries the entire load.

Why is foresight so critical in construction?
Foresight allows teams to solve problems before they hit the field, reducing rework, delays, and stress.

How does clarity improve project performance?
Clarity aligns effort. When everyone knows the goals and milestones, decisions improve and commitments stick.

Can these principles work on fast-track or small projects?
Yes. While conditions vary, balance, foresight, and clarity are even more important when time is tight.

How does this connect to LeanTakt and Lean construction?
Lean systems depend on stable teams, predictable flow, and aligned goals. These principles create the conditions Lean needs to succeed.

If you want to learn more we have:

-Takt Virtual Training: (Click here)
-Check out our Youtube channel for more info: (Click here) 
-Listen to the Elevate Construction podcast: (Click here) 
-Check out our training programs and certifications: (Click here)
-The Takt Book: (Click here)

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

Meet Jason Schroeder, the driving force behind Elevate Construction IST. As the company’s owner and principal consultant, he’s dedicated to taking construction to new heights. With a wealth of industry experience, he’s crafted the Field Engineer Boot Camp and Superintendent Boot Camp – intensive training programs engineered to cultivate top-tier leaders capable of steering their teams towards success. Jason’s vision? To expand his training initiatives across the nation, empowering construction firms to soar to unprecedented levels of excellence.

On we go

BONUS – Jake & Jason Lean Series- Setting up Contracts for a Lean Culture

Posted on by Danny Jiménez⁩
Read 13 min

Setting Up Contracts for a Lean Culture

Most construction teams say they want Lean. They want clean job sites, predictable schedules, safer work, better morale, and reliable results. But then the project starts, and Lean quietly dies in the field. Meetings get cut. Setup time disappears. Cleanup becomes optional. Foremen feel pressure from project managers to push production instead of protecting flow. This does not happen because people are bad or resistant. It happens because Lean was never actually purchased. Lean does not fail in the field, Lean fails in the contract.

The Pain: When Lean Is Expected but Not Paid For

One of the most common frustrations I hear from superintendents and foremen is this: We are told to run Lean, but we are not given the time or money to do it. Crews are expected to attend morning huddles, participate in the last planner, clean their areas, plan their work, and set up safely. Then, in the same breath, they are told there is no budget for those activities. That tension creates fear. Fear turns into shortcuts. Shortcuts turn into chaos. Lean becomes the first thing sacrificed under pressure.

The Failure Pattern: Same Money, Wrong Buckets

The industry often frames Lean as an added cost. People assume that planning meetings, daily setup time, and coordination must increase labor hours. What they miss is that the old way already spends that money through waste. The cost is the same, The buckets are different. In traditional construction, money is burned in rework, delays, cleanup crews, accidents, and firefighting. In Lean construction, that same money is intentionally invested up front in planning, coordination, and stability. When contracts do not reflect this shift, Lean collapses under scrutiny.

Empathy for Trade Partners and Field Leaders

Trade partners are not wrong to worry about productivity. Foremen are not wrong to panic when told to slow down and plan. They have been punished for doing the right thing on other projects. If Lean expectations are not clearly documented and paid for, asking crews to change their behavior is unfair. The contract must protect the field from financial and schedule retaliation.

A Field Story: Why the Complaints Never Came

On one of our projects, we made a deliberate decision to embed Lean expectations into the contract documents before breaking ground. We defined not only the scope of work, but the way the work would be done. We created a basis of schedule that explained the rhythm of the project, the zones, the meeting cadence, the daily setup time, and the cleanliness expectations. That basis of schedule became a formal attachment to every trade contract. When we shut down work for cleanliness, no one complained about the cost. When crews took thirty minutes every morning to plan and set up, no one panicked. When we refused to use composite cleanup crews, no one argued. The reason was simple. Everyone had already agreed. We paid for it.

The Emotional Insight: Buying the Ice Cream

If you pay for ice cream, you expect ice cream. If a general contractor budgets for Lean, communicates it clearly, and contracts for it, the field deserves to receive it. When leaders say, We already paid for this, everything changes. Fear disappears. Confidence grows. Lean stops being a favor and becomes a standard.

The Framework: Contracting Lean on Purpose

Setting up contracts for a Lean culture is not about adding line items for every meeting. It is about aligning expectations, cost, and accountability so the system can function. The foundation is clarity. Trade partners must understand how the project will run, not just what they will build.

What We Embedded Into the Contract Structure

Instead of vague language, we clearly described how the project would operate. These expectations were not surprises. They were discussed repeatedly in preconstruction and documented formally.
  •  A defined basis of schedule explaining sequencing, zones, and rhythm
  •  Required participation in last planner and daily coordination meetings
  •  Protected daily setup and planning time for crews
  •  Clear cleanliness and organization standards tied to work continuation
This structure allowed Lean to survive pressure.

Why This Protects the Field

Once Lean expectations are contractual, foremen are shielded from being told to cut corners. Superintendents can enforce standards without fear. Project managers cannot quietly remove Lean to chase short term gains. The contract becomes the referee.

The Role of Flexibility Before the Clay Hardens

One of the most important lessons is timing. Before construction starts, the system is still malleable. Decisions can be adjusted. Teams can vote. Requirements like training levels or certifications can be discussed and refined. Once the project starts, the system must hold. That balance builds trust. People feel heard early, and they feel protected later.

Paying for Lean Without Overpaying

Lean does not require extra money. It requires honest allocation. Some trade partners initially tried to list Lean activities as separate costs. In those cases, we worked with them to integrate those efforts into their production assumptions rather than expose them as add ons. The goal was not to inflate bids. The goal was to normalize Lean as the way work is performed. Over time, experienced Lean trade partners no longer priced these items separately because they understood the return.

The Real Return on Investment

Did we get a rebate check at the end of the project? No. What we received was far more valuable. Clean job sites. Safe crews. No interior rework. Stable schedules. Happy workers. Low turnover. A satisfied owner. Additional work awarded based on performance. Lean paid for itself through operations.

Why This Matters to LeanTakt and Elevate Construction

LeanTakt systems depend on stability, rhythm, and trust. None of those survive without contractual alignment. Elevate Construction focuses on helping teams build these systems correctly from the beginning so the field can succeed without fear. If your project needs superintendent coaching, project support, or leadership development, Elevate Construction can help your field teams stabilize, schedule, and flow.

A Challenge to Leaders

Before your next project starts, ask one question. Have we actually purchased the behavior we are asking for? If the answer is unclear, Lean will fail no matter how passionate the team is. As Jason Schroeder often says, You cannot expect excellence from the field if you did not design excellence into the system.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Lean increase project cost? No. Lean reallocates existing cost from waste to value creating activities. Why is a basis of schedule important? It explains how the project will run and protects Lean behaviors from being removed under pressure. Can this work with non Lean trade partners? Yes, if expectations are clearly communicated and embedded contractually. What if trade partners resist these requirements? Resistance usually disappears when Lean is paid for and applied consistently. How can Elevate Construction help with this? By supporting preconstruction planning, contract alignment, LeanTakt scheduling, and field leadership coaching.

If you want to learn more we have:

-Takt Virtual Training: (Click here)
-Check out our Youtube channel for more info: (Click here) 
-Listen to the Elevate Construction podcast: (Click here) 
-Check out our training programs and certifications: (Click here)
-The Takt Book: (Click here)

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

Meet Jason Schroeder, the driving force behind Elevate Construction IST. As the company’s owner and principal consultant, he’s dedicated to taking construction to new heights. With a wealth of industry experience, he’s crafted the Field Engineer Boot Camp and Superintendent Boot Camp – intensive training programs engineered to cultivate top-tier leaders capable of steering their teams towards success. Jason’s vision? To expand his training initiatives across the nation, empowering construction firms to soar to unprecedented levels of excellence.

On we go

BONUS – Jake & Jason Lean Series – Teaming Secret Sauce

Posted on by Danny Jiménez⁩
Read 15 min

The Secret Sauce of High-Performing Construction Teams

There is a moment on every project when you realize something different is happening. The job feels calmer. People show up engaged. Problems still exist, but they are handled without panic, blame, or chaos. The site feels human,Purposeful, Alive. That moment is not accidental. It is not luck, it is not personality-driven heroics. It is culture!

Over the years, and especially after implementing Lean on one of the most formative projects of my career, I learned that the real differentiator between projects that barely survive and projects that truly succeed is not a schedule, a tool, or a contract clause. It is what I often call the secret sauce. The collection of behaviors, standards, and shared beliefs that shape how people show up every day.

This blog is not about theory. It is about what actually worked in the field, with real people, real pressure, and real consequences.

The Pain of Projects That Drain the Life Out of People

Most people in construction have lived through jobs that slowly wear everyone down. The schedule slips. Morale drops. Safety becomes a conversation instead of a standard. People stop caring, not because they are bad, but because the environment tells them it does not matter. That pain is familiar. It is the quiet exhaustion of doing work that feels disconnected from purpose. It is the frustration of knowing things could be better, but not seeing a path to change. The truth is, most of that suffering is not required. It is the byproduct of tolerated behaviors and unspoken assumptions that slowly poison the culture.

The Failure Pattern We Rarely Talk About

Here is the failure pattern I see over and over again. Teams focus exclusively on outputs and ignore inputs. They chase milestones but never talk about how people are treated along the way. They tolerate unsafe behavior, poor communication, and disrespect in the name of progress. Eventually, those tolerated behaviors define the project. Lean teaches us something critical. The success of any system is determined by what the leader allows. Culture is not what you say. Culture is what you tolerate.

Listening First Changes Everything

On one project, we made a decision early that shaped everything that followed. We committed to understanding the customer’s needs before pushing our own agenda. Not just what was written in the contract, but what actually mattered to them as human beings. We asked uncomfortable questions. We listened closely. We repeated back what we heard until it was unmistakably clear. Cleanliness. Safety. Quality from the start. Being a good neighbor. Protecting waterproofing. These were not suggestions. They were priorities. When we honored those needs consistently, trust grew. Relationships improved. Inspections became collaborative instead of adversarial. The project ran better because people felt heard.

Improving Humanity on the Job Site

Construction is not manufacturing widgets. We are shaping environments where people spend years of their lives. If the work does not improve humanity in some way, it eventually erodes it. One of the most powerful shifts we made was intentionally asking how the project could improve the daily lives of the craft. Better bathrooms. Clean lunch spaces. Clear communication. Respectful interactions. These things sound small, but they send a powerful message. When people feel valued, they work differently. They take ownership. They protect each other. They care about outcomes.

What the Team Chose to Control

  •  Cleanliness and organization as daily wins.
  •  Transparent communication at every level.
  •  Safety enforced consistently without exceptions.
  •  Nimble responses instead of excuses.

By focusing on what we could control, we created momentum. Small wins added up. Morale stayed high even when external challenges appeared.

Trust Is Built Through Transparency

One of the most impactful cultural shifts on the project was radical transparency. We widened the circle constantly. Emails were shared. Problems were discussed openly. No one tried to solve issues in isolation. This did something important. It removed fear. People stopped worrying about looking bad and started focusing on fixing problems together. An open office reinforced that behavior. Conversations were visible. Decisions were heard. Collaboration became natural. Trust grew because nothing was hidden.

No Bosses, Just Responsibility

We did not operate with a traditional boss mentality. Decisions were made by the right person for the situation, not by hierarchy alone. Titles mattered far less than accountability. Everyone was expected to step up. Superintendents cleaned bathrooms when needed. Project managers ran huddles. Leaders did whatever the moment required. There was no task beneath anyone. That flexibility created respect. People knew their teammates were all in.

Everyone Does Everything When It Matters

A strong team is humble, hungry, and smart. Not humble in the performative sense, but humble enough to do whatever the work demands. When people see leaders unplugging toilets, sweeping floors, or stepping into unfamiliar roles, it changes the standard. The message becomes clear. This is not about ego. This is about the team. Career goals were openly discussed. Growth was encouraged, not competed over. When things went wrong, blame never entered the room. The focus stayed on learning and improving together.

Right-Sized Teams Create Connection

Large projects often fail because teams become too big to stay connected. We found that keeping functional teams to a manageable size made a huge difference. Smaller groups owned defined spaces, built chemistry, and felt real responsibility for outcomes. That structure allowed people to care deeply without being overwhelmed. It also made it easier to identify issues early and respond quickly.

What Healthy Team Size Enabled

  •  Strong relationships and trust
  • Clear ownership of spaces and decisions
  •  Faster problem identification
  •  Better balance and accountability

Flexibility Without Losing Standards

One of the biggest myths in construction is that consistency means rigidity. In reality, high-performing teams are flexible without compromising standards. We adapted constantly. Plans evolved. Approaches changed. What never changed were our values. Cleanliness stayed non-negotiable. Safety remained zero tolerance. Transparency never wavered. We planned for turbulence instead of pretending it would not happen. That mindset allowed us to respond calmly instead of react emotionally.

Putting Systems on Autopilot

A major reason the team stayed balanced was our ability to put certain behaviors on autopilot. Safety rules were clear and enforced. Cleanliness was expected. Quality standards were known. When those systems ran themselves, leaders could focus on higher-risk issues and meaningful coaching instead of constant reminders. If something slipped, we reset it and moved forward. This is where LeanTakt and production thinking shine. Stable systems free people to think, lead, and care.

The Moment That Puts Safety in Perspective

There is one story that stays with me more than any other. We once asked workers to place their phones in front of them. Within seconds, phones started ringing. Wives. Mothers. Children. We asked them to imagine answering that call and telling a little girl her dad was not coming home because someone thought safety rules were optional. That moment changes people. Safety is not about rules. It is about responsibility. If we truly care about people, we enforce standards. Period.

This Is the Mission of Elevate Construction

At Elevate Construction, our mission is to help teams build projects that honor people. Clean sites. Safe environments. Clear communication. Dignity in leadership. Flow in production. If your project needs superintendent coaching, project support, or leadership development, Elevate Construction can help your field teams stabilize, schedule, and flow.

A Challenge to Leaders

Ask yourself one honest question. What behavior am I tolerating that is shaping my project? Because culture always answers that question for you. As I often say, the success of any organization is determined by the worst behavior the leader is willing to tolerate.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the “secret sauce” really mean in construction?
It refers to the culture created by consistent behaviors, clear standards, and leaders who genuinely care about people and outcomes.

Can this approach work on high-pressure projects?
Yes. In fact, strong culture matters even more when pressure is high because it prevents chaos and burnout.

Is zero tolerance for safety realistic?
Yes. Clear expectations and consistent enforcement save lives and create trust.

How does LeanTakt support this kind of culture?
LeanTakt provides stable systems that reduce variability and allow people to focus on quality, safety, and teamwork.

Where should a team start if culture is already broken?
Start by setting clear standards, listening deeply, and modeling the behavior you expect to see.

If you want to learn more we have:

-Takt Virtual Training: (Click here)
-Check out our Youtube channel for more info: (Click here) 
-Listen to the Elevate Construction podcast: (Click here) 
-Check out our training programs and certifications: (Click here)
-The Takt Book: (Click here)

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

Meet Jason Schroeder, the driving force behind Elevate Construction IST. As the company’s owner and principal consultant, he’s dedicated to taking construction to new heights. With a wealth of industry experience, he’s crafted the Field Engineer Boot Camp and Superintendent Boot Camp – intensive training programs engineered to cultivate top-tier leaders capable of steering their teams towards success. Jason’s vision? To expand his training initiatives across the nation, empowering construction firms to soar to unprecedented levels of excellence.

On we go

BONUS – Jake & Jason Lean Series – Introduction

Posted on by Danny Jiménez⁩
Read 14 min

How Respect, Standards, and Lean Thinking Can Transform a Construction Project

There is a moment on every project when you realize something is off. The schedule might still be intact. The budget might not yet be screaming. But when you walk the site, you can feel it. Morale is low. Bathrooms are trashed. Organization is slipping. Safety feels reactive instead of intentional. People show up, do their hours, and leave without pride. That moment is not a small thing. It is a warning sign that culture is drifting and that entropy is quietly winning. I have been there. Jake has been there. Many of you listening or reading this have been there. And the hard truth is that culture does not fix itself. In construction, if you do not actively design and protect the culture on your project, it will default to disorder.

This blog is about what happens when you decide that disorder is not acceptable, that people deserve better, and that leadership means taking responsibility for the environment you create.

The Pain We All Recognize in Construction

Before we ever implemented lean thinking on that hundred million dollar project, the job looked like too many others in our industry. It was messy. Bathrooms were disgusting. Organization was inconsistent. Safety required constant nagging. Morale was low. People did not treat the site like they would treat their own home and that wears on everyone. It wears on craft workers who feel disrespected. It wears on supervision who feel like they are constantly fighting fires. It wears on owners who sense the chaos even if they cannot name it. Over time, that environment beats people down and convinces them that this is just how construction is.

But that belief is wrong.

The Failure Pattern That Keeps Repeating

The common failure pattern is trying to control people instead of caring for them. When conditions are bad, leaders often jump straight to punishment, policing, or more rules. We ask how to stop graffiti, how to enforce cleanup, how to make people care. We look for guards, policies, and consequences before we look at the system.

That mindset misses the root cause. People usually do not misbehave because they are bad. They respond to the environment they are placed in. If we treat people like they do not matter, they will act like they do not matter.

Why This Is Not About Blaming Anyone

This is not an attack on craft workers. It is not an attack on superintendents. It is not an attack on management. The industry has normalized environments that are beneath the dignity of the people working in them. Most workers want to do a good job. Most leaders want to run good projects. But without a clear system and without leadership willing to lean in, everyone adapts to the lowest common denominator. That is where we found ourselves before everything changed.

The Turning Point: Choosing to Win People Over

Halfway through a previous job, Jake and I were introduced to lean thinking through the book Two Second Lean. That book did not give us a checklist. It gave us a mindset shift. Instead of asking how to control people, we asked how to win them over. We decided to make a deal with the workforce. We committed to building indoor bathrooms, cleaning them daily, providing supplies, creating a real lunch area, and treating people like professionals. In return, we asked for basic standards. No graffiti. Clean work areas. Proper PPE. Respect for the site and for each other. We stood in front of hundreds of people and laid it out plainly. Then we asked if anyone had a problem with it. No one raised their hand. What followed felt almost magical, but it was not magic. It was leadership.

What Respect Looks Like in Practice

We did not stop at words. We followed through. The bathrooms were clean. Supplies were stocked. The site improved rapidly. We even leaned into humor and humanity. Videos were made. Signs went up. Chuck Norris jokes appeared. It sounds small, but it mattered. It showed that management cared, that we were present, and that we were not above the work. People noticed. Someone said something that has stuck with me ever since. When you do not treat people like animals, they do not act like animals. That sentence captures the heart of this entire lesson.

Why Lean Sometimes Has to Be Forced at First

There is a misconception that lean principles are voluntarily adopted from day one. That has not been my experience. Change feels uncomfortable, especially for people who have been doing things the same way for decades. For a period of time, leadership must hold the line. Standards must be enforced consistently. Expectations must be non negotiable. After a month or two, something shifts. The culture takes hold. What once felt forced becomes normal.

One plumber on our site thought we were completely crazy at first. Two months later, he was picking up trash without being asked. Things that never bothered him before now stood out. That is culture change.

Standards Plus Care Create Real Safety

After winning people over, we implemented a zero tolerance policy for safety. The difference was dramatic. Before, we were correcting dozens of unsafe behaviors every day. Afterward, only a small number of people had to be sent home over several months. The environment had changed. People believed the standards were real and that they were rooted in respect, not control.

This balance matters. Care without standards leads to chaos. Standards without care lead to resentment. Together, they create pride.

  •  Treating people with dignity raises the baseline of behavior
  • Consistent standards allow people to rise to the occasion

What Happens When Culture Takes Hold

Once the foundation was set, everything else became possible. Morning huddles worked. Parts of the Last Planner System took root. Cleanliness and organization became the norm instead of the exception. Safety deepened beyond surface level issues. People started bringing ideas forward.

Craft workers began suggesting improvements. Safety ideas, process changes, even morale building activities came from the field. The site became a place people wanted to be.

People left to work on other projects and came back, telling us this site was different. They felt listened to. They felt respected.

The owners noticed too. We were awarded additional work. Schedules were met without crash landings. The project finished steady, clean, and controlled.

Why This Matters to Elevate Construction

This is exactly why Elevate Construction exists. We believe remarkable projects are built by intentional systems that respect people, create flow, and sustain standards. LeanTakt, leadership development, and superintendent coaching all point back to this truth.

If your project needs superintendent coaching, project support, or leadership development, Elevate Construction can help your field teams stabilize, schedule, and flow.

The Real Lesson Learned

The biggest lesson from that project was not about bathrooms or jokes or even lean tools. It was about leadership courage. Someone has to go first. Someone has to decide that dirty, unsafe, demoralizing sites are unacceptable. Someone has to be willing to hold the line long enough for culture to form. When you do that, people respond. They always do.

As W. Edwards Deming reminded us, a bad system will beat a good person every time. Change the system, and you change the outcome.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Can culture really change on a construction project?
Yes, but only if leadership is willing to design, enforce, and sustain it consistently.

Does lean mean being soft on standards?
No. Lean requires high standards paired with deep respect for people.

How long does it take for culture to stick?
Typically one to two months of consistent enforcement before behaviors become habitual.

What if some people never buy in?
A small percentage may not. Clear standards and zero tolerance policies address that reality.

How does Elevate Construction help with culture change?
Through coaching, lean systems like LeanTakt, and leadership development that focuses on people, flow, and sustainability.

If you want to learn more we have:

-Takt Virtual Training: (Click here)
-Check out our Youtube channel for more info: (Click here) 
-Listen to the Elevate Construction podcast: (Click here) 
-Check out our training programs and certifications: (Click here)
-The Takt Book: (Click here)

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

Meet Jason Schroeder, the driving force behind Elevate Construction IST. As the company’s owner and principal consultant, he’s dedicated to taking construction to new heights. With a wealth of industry experience, he’s crafted the Field Engineer Boot Camp and Superintendent Boot Camp – intensive training programs engineered to cultivate top-tier leaders capable of steering their teams towards success. Jason’s vision? To expand his training initiatives across the nation, empowering construction firms to soar to unprecedented levels of excellence.

On we go

BONUS – Jake & Jason Lean Series – The Art of Attack

Posted on by Danny Jiménez⁩
Read 15 min

The Art of Attack: How Planning Wins the Battle Before Construction Begins

There is a quiet moment on every project that determines how the rest of the job will go. It usually happens long before concrete is poured or steel is set. It happens in preconstruction, in planning rooms, in conversations that most people never see. That moment is when a team either decides to attack the work with intention or drifts forward hoping things will somehow work out. Most construction failures do not come from a lack of effort. They come from a lack of preparation. Crews work hard. Superintendents stay late. Project managers juggle a hundred problems. And yet the project still struggles. Schedules slip. Quality suffers. People burn out. The site becomes reactive instead of calm and controlled.

This is where the Art of Attack matters.

The Pain: When Construction Becomes Reactive

In construction, we all know what it feels like when a job turns into firefighting. RFIs pile up. Trade partners are frustrated. Manpower fluctuates wildly. Materials arrive late or too early. Superintendents spend their days chasing problems instead of leading. The pain is not just schedule pressure. It is the emotional toll on people. When a project is constantly behind, nobody feels successful. Workers rush. Leaders push. Safety becomes fragile. Quality becomes negotiable. Morale drops and the hardest part is that many teams believe this is normal.

The Failure Pattern: Either Pushing Too Hard or Waiting Too Long

Over time, I have seen two common failure patterns repeat themselves. The first is blind pushing. This is where leaders try to solve problems by telling people to go faster. They cancel nothing. They never slow down. Quality issues stack up. Rework explodes. Safety incidents become inevitable. The second failure pattern is paralysis. This is where leaders overanalyze, hesitate, and wait for perfection. Crews are not started. Opportunities are missed. Problems surface too late to solve cleanly. By the time work begins, the project is already behind. Neither approach works. The Art of Attack lives in the middle.

Empathy for Leaders in the Field

If you have ever fallen into either of these patterns, you are not alone. Construction is complex. The pressure is real. Owners want speed. Trade partners are stretched thin. Conditions change daily. Most leaders are doing their best with the tools they were given. The problem is not effort. The problem is the absence of a clear philosophy for how to plan, prepare, and move forward with confidence. That philosophy is what Lean construction gives us when applied correctly.

A Field Story: Winning the Battle Before Breaking Ground

On the project Jake and I were discussing, the difference started early. We had time in preconstruction. Real time. A full year of focused effort before breaking ground. That time mattered more than anything else we did later. We planned the work deeply. We coordinated with trade partners. We built expectations into contracts. We aligned schedules with reality. When construction started, many of the usual problems simply never appeared.When we reached substantial completion on the exact date promised, the owner told us we were best in class. That did not happen because we worked faster. It happened because we planned better.

The Emotional Insight: Construction Is a Battlefield Against Waste

Construction is not war, but the principles apply. The enemy is not people. The enemy is waste and variation. Delays. Rework. Poor communication. Bad handoffs. Unclear expectations. Every day a project is exposed to waste, it takes damage. The longer a task sits unplanned, the more problems attach themselves to it. The longer a crew waits, the more interference they face.

The Art of Attack is about reducing that exposure.

The Art of Attack Explained

The Art of Attack is not about aggression in the field. It is about aggression in planning. It is about winning before the work begins. It means planning multiple paths forward so that when something changes, the team can adapt without panic. This approach borrows from history, but it applies directly to construction. Great leaders do not improvise under pressure. They prepare options ahead of time. They know when to move and when to wait because they have already thought through the consequences.

In construction, this looks like planning left of the line, coordinating early, buying the right behaviors into contracts, and protecting the plan once it is created.

Command and Control Without Dictation

When we talk about command and control, people sometimes misunderstand. This is not about dictating to trade partners. It is about creating an environment where everyone can succeed. The general contractor has a responsibility to protect flow. That means holding the plan steady, enforcing standards, and preventing one trade from harming another. When the environment is stable, excellent trade partners can perform at their highest level. Accountability is part of respect. Raising the bar allows people to rise.

Clean and Steady Beats Fast and Chaotic

One of the most important lessons from this project was our motto: clean and steady. We never asked workers to move faster. In fact, if crews started rushing, we shut the work down. Speed in construction does not come from haste. It comes from clarity. Workers should work safely, steadily, and with confidence. The push happens in planning, coordination, and problem solving, not in the field.

  •  Clean environments reduce errors and injuries
  • Steady flow creates predictability and trust

Balancing Manpower Instead of Pushing Workers

When schedules tightened, we adjusted manpower. We did not ask people to rush. We asked trade partners to plan staffing levels that matched the work. This respected human limits while still protecting the schedule. There are only a few real variables in construction. Planning, manpower, and coordination can change. Worker speed, safety, and quality should not.

Why Rapid Advance Matters

Waiting has consequences. The longer work is delayed, the more interference appears. Design changes. Additional trades enter the space. Materials stack up. Entropy increases. The Art of Attack recognizes that moving forward at the right time reduces risk. This does not mean reckless action. It means thoughtful momentum. When an opportunity appears to complete work cleanly and safely, leaders must seize it.

Protecting Leaders So They Can Lead

One of the hidden benefits of this approach is that it protects leadership capacity. When superintendents are not cleaning up after others, chasing paperwork, or firefighting constantly, they can focus on safety, quality, and flow. We refused composite cleanup crews. We required trades to manage their own areas. We enforced standards consistently. As a result, leadership could lead instead of babysit.

How This Connects to Elevate Construction

This philosophy is at the heart of Elevate Construction. LeanTakt, superintendent coaching, and leadership development all exist to help teams plan better, protect flow, and respect people. If your project needs superintendent coaching, project support, or leadership development, Elevate Construction can help your field teams stabilize, schedule, and flow.

A Challenge to Leaders

The Art of Attack asks leaders to be uncomfortable early so their teams can be comfortable later. It asks for discipline in planning and courage in execution. It demands respect for people and intolerance for waste. As W. Edwards Deming said, it is not enough to do your best. You must know what to do, and then do your best. Plan early, move with intention,  protect your people and win the battle before it begins.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Art of Attack in construction?
It is a leadership approach that focuses on aggressive planning, preparation, and coordination rather than pushing workers in the field.

Does this mean moving faster on site?
No. It means creating conditions where work flows steadily without rushing or rework.

How does Lean support the Art of Attack?
Lean provides the systems and discipline needed to plan left of the line, reduce waste, and create predictable outcomes.

Can this work on smaller projects?
Yes. The principles scale to any project where planning and leadership matter.

How can Elevate Construction help implement this?
Through LeanTakt systems, coaching, and hands-on project support that builds clarity, flow, and stability.

If  you want to learn more we have:

-Takt Virtual Training: (Click here)
-Check out our Youtube channel for more info: (Click here) 
-Listen to the Elevate Construction podcast: (Click here) 
-Check out our training programs and certifications: (Click here)
-The Takt Book: (Click here)

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

Meet Jason Schroeder, the driving force behind Elevate Construction IST. As the company’s owner and principal consultant, he’s dedicated to taking construction to new heights. With a wealth of industry experience, he’s crafted the Field Engineer Boot Camp and Superintendent Boot Camp – intensive training programs engineered to cultivate top-tier leaders capable of steering their teams towards success. Jason’s vision? To expand his training initiatives across the nation, empowering construction firms to soar to unprecedented levels of excellence.

On we go

    faq

    General Training Overview

    What construction leadership training programs does LeanTakt offer?
    LeanTakt offers Superintendent/PM Boot Camps, Virtual Takt Production System® Training, Onsite Takt Simulations, and Foreman & Field Engineer Training. Each program is tailored to different leadership levels in construction.
    Who should attend LeanTakt’s training programs?
    Superintendents, Project Managers, Foremen, Field Engineers, and trade partners who want to improve planning, communication, and execution on projects.
    How do these training programs improve project performance?
    They provide proven Lean and Takt systems that reduce chaos, improve reliability, strengthen collaboration, and accelerate project delivery.
    What makes LeanTakt’s training different from other construction courses?
    Our programs are hands-on, field-tested, and focused on practical application—not just classroom theory.
    Do I need prior Lean or takt planning experience to attend?
    No. Our programs cover foundational principles before moving into advanced applications.
    How quickly can I apply what I learn on real projects?
    Most participants begin applying new skills immediately, often the same week they complete the program.
    Are these trainings designed for both office and field leaders?
    Yes. We equip both project managers and superintendents with tools that connect field and office operations.
    What industries benefit most from LeanTakt training?
    Commercial, multifamily, residential, industrial, and infrastructure projects all benefit from flow-based planning.
    Do participants receive certificates after completing training?
    Yes. Every participant receives a LeanTakt Certificate of Completion.
    Is LeanTakt training recognized in the construction industry?
    Yes. Our programs are widely respected among leading GCs, subcontractors, and construction professionals.

    Superintendent / PM Boot Camp

    What is the Superintendent & Project Manager Boot Camp?
    It’s a 5-day immersive training for superintendents and PMs to master Lean leadership, takt planning, and project flow.
    How long does the Superintendent/PM Boot Camp last?
    Five full days of hands-on training.
    What topics are covered in the Boot Camp curriculum?
    Lean leadership, Takt Planning, logistics, daily planning, field-office communication, and team health.
    How does the Boot Camp improve leadership and scheduling skills?
    Yes. You’ll learn how to run day huddles, team meetings, worker huddles, and Lean coordination processes.
    Who is the Boot Camp best suited for?
    Construction leaders responsible for delivering projects, including Superintendents, PMs, and Field Leaders.
    What real-world challenges are simulated during the Boot Camp?
    Schedule breakdowns, trade conflicts, logistics issues, and communication gaps.
    Will I learn Takt Planning at the Boot Camp?
    Yes. Takt Planning is a core focus of the Boot Camp.
    How does this Boot Camp compare to traditional PM certification?
    It’s practical and execution-based rather than exam-based. You learn by doing, not just studying theory.
    Can my entire project team attend the Boot Camp together?
    Yes. Teams attending together often see the greatest results.
    What kind of real-world challenges do we simulate?
    Improved project flow, fewer delays, better team communication, and stronger leadership confidence.

    Takt Production System® Virtual Training

    What is the Virtual Takt Production System® Training?
    It’s an expert-led online program that teaches Lean construction teams how to implement takt planning.
    How does virtual takt training work?
    Delivered online via live sessions, interactive discussions, and digital tools.
    What are the benefits of online takt planning training?
    Convenience, global accessibility, real-time learning, and immediate application.
    Can I access the virtual training from anywhere?
    Yes. It’s fully web-based and accessible worldwide.
    Can I access the virtual training from anywhere?
    Yes. It’s fully web-based and accessible worldwide.
    What skills will I gain from the Virtual TPS® Training?
    Macro and micro Takt planning, weekly updates, flow management, and CPM integration.
    How long does the virtual training program take?
    The program is typically completed in multiple live sessions across several days.
    Can I watch recordings if I miss a session?
    Yes. Recordings are available to all participants.
    Do you offer group access or company licenses for the virtual training?
    Yes. Teams and companies can enroll together at discounted rates.
    How does the Virtual TPS® Training integrate with CPM tools?
    We show how to align Takt with CPM schedules like Primavera P6 or MS Project.

    Onsite Takt Simulation

    What is a Takt Simulation in construction training?
    It’s a live, interactive workshop that demonstrates takt planning on-site.
    How does the Takt Simulation workshop work?
    Teams participate in hands-on exercises to learn the flow and rhythm of a Takt-based project.
    Can I choose between a 1-day or 2-day Takt Simulation?
    Yes. We offer flexible formats to fit your team’s schedule and needs.
    Who should participate in the Takt Simulation workshop?
    Superintendents, PMs, site supervisors, contractors, and engineers.
    How does a Takt Simulation improve project planning?
    It shows teams how to structure zones, manage flow, and coordinate trades in real time.
    What will my team learn from the onsite simulation?
    How to build and maintain takt plans, manage buffers, and align trade partners.
    Is the simulation tailored to my specific project type?
    Yes. Scenarios can be customized to match your project.
    How do Takt Simulations improve trade partner coordination?
    They strengthen collaboration by making handoffs visible and predictable.
    What results can I expect from an onsite Takt Simulation?
    Improved schedule reliability, better trade collaboration, and reduced rework.
    How many people can join a Takt Simulation session?
    Group sizes are flexible, but typically 15–30 participants per session.

    Foreman & Field Engineer Training

    What is Foreman & Field Engineer Training?
    It’s an on-demand, practical program that equips foremen and engineers with leadership and planning skills.
    How does this training prepare emerging leaders?
    By teaching communication, crew management, and execution strategies.
    Is the training on-demand or scheduled?
    On-demand, tailored to your team’s timing and needs.
    What skills do foremen and engineers gain from this training?
    Planning, safety leadership, coordination, and communication.
    How does the training improve communication between field and office?
    It builds shared systems that align superintendents, engineers, and managers.
    Can the training be customized for my team’s needs?
    Yes. Programs are tailored for your project or company.
    What makes this program different from generic leadership courses?
    It’s construction-specific, field-tested, and focused on real project application.
    How do foremen and field engineers apply this training immediately?
    They can use new systems for planning, coordination, and daily crew management right away.
    Is the training suitable for small construction companies?
    Yes. Small and large teams alike benefit from building flow-based leadership skills.

    Testimonials

    Testimonials

    "The bootcamp I was apart of was amazing. Its was great while it was happening but also had a very profound long-term motivation that is still pushing me to do more, be more. It sounds a little strange to say that a construction bootcamp changed my life, but it has. It has opened my eyes to many possibilities on how a project can be successfully run. It’s also provided some very positive ideas on how people can and should be treated in construction.

    I am a hungry person by nature, so it doesn’t take a lot to get to participate. I loved the way it was not just about participating, it was also about doing it with conviction, passion, humility and if it wasn’t portrayed that way you had to do it again."

    "It's great to be a part of a company that has similar values to my own, especially regarding how we treat our trade partners. The idea of "you gotta make them feel worse to make them do better" has been preached at me for years. I struggled with this as you will not find a single psychology textbook stating these beliefs. In fact it is quite the opposite, and causing conflict is a recipe for disaster. I'm still honestly in shock I have found a company that has based its values on scientific facts based on human nature. That along with the Takt scheduling system makes everything even better. I am happy to be a part of a change that has been long overdue in our industry!"

    "Wicked team building, so valuable for the forehumans of the sub trades to know the how and why. Great tools and resources. Even though I am involved and use the tools every day, I feel like everything is fresh and at the forefront to use"

    "Jason and his team did an incredible job passing on the overall theory of what they do. After 3 days of running through the course I cannot see any holes in their concept. It works. it's proven to work and I am on board!"

    "Loved the pull planning, Takt planning, and logistic model planning. Well thought out and professional"

    "The Super/PM Boot Camp was an excellent experience that furthered my understanding of Lean Practices. The collaboration, group involvement, passion about real project site experiences, and POSITIVE ENERGY. There are no dull moments when you head into this training. Jason and Mr. Montero were always on point and available to help in the break outs sessions. Easily approachable to talk too during breaks and YES, it was fun. I recommend this training for any PM or Superintendent that wants to further their career."

    agenda

    Day 1

    Foundations & Macro Planning

    • Introduction to Takt Production System® principles
    • CPM vs TAKT comparison
    • Macro planning, zoning, and density analysis
    • Quantities and production rates
    • Hands-on application to participants’ projects with LeanTakt PM experts

    day2

    Norm Planning & Flow Optimization

    • Review and refinement of Day 1 work
    • Pull planning and sequence optimization
    • Work packaging for balanced flow
    • Project integration session with LeanTakt PM coaching

    day3

    Advanced Tools & Comparisons

    • Macro work packaging and example walkthrough
    • Calculator Norm for production optimization
    • Stacking comparison to avoid trade conflicts
    • Hands-on application to participants’ own schedules

    day4

    Buffers, Controls & Finalization

    • Review of Day 3 implementation
    • Buffer management strategies and placement
    • Takt control principles and steering methods
    • Project plan finalization with expert guidance

    day5

    Control Systems & Presentations

    • Takt steering, control systems, and real project examples
    • Participant project presentations with LeanTakt PM feedback
    • Wrap-up, feedback, and action planning for post-training implementation

    faq

    UNDERSTANDING THE TRAINING

    What is the Virtual Takt Production System® Training by LeanTakt?
    It’s an expert-led online program designed to teach construction professionals how to implement Takt Planning to create flow, eliminate chaos, and align teams across the project lifecycle.
    Who should take the LeanTakt virtual training?
    This training is ideal for Superintendents, Project Managers, Engineers, Schedulers, Trade Partners, and Lean Champions looking to improve planning and execution.
    What topics are covered in the online Takt Production System® course?
    The course covers macro and micro Takt planning, zone creation, buffers, weekly updates, flow management, trade coordination, and integration with CPM tools.
    What makes LeanTakt’s virtual training different from other Lean construction courses?
    Unlike theory-based courses, this training is hands-on, practical, field-tested, and includes live coaching tailored to your actual projects.
    Do I get a certificate after completing the online training?
    Yes. Upon successful completion, participants receive a LeanTakt Certificate of Completion, which validates your knowledge and readiness to implement Takt.

    VALUE AND RESULTS

    What are the benefits of Takt Production System® training for my team?
    It helps teams eliminate bottlenecks, improve planning reliability, align trades, and reduce the chaos typically seen in traditional construction schedules.
    How much time and money can I save with Takt Planning?
    Many projects using Takt see 15–30% reductions in time and cost due to better coordination, fewer delays, and increased team accountability.
    What’s the ROI of virtual Takt training for construction teams?
    The ROI comes from faster project delivery, reduced rework, improved communication, and better resource utilization — often 10x the investment.
    Will this training reduce project delays or rework?
    Yes. By visualizing flow and aligning trades, Takt Planning reduces miscommunication and late handoffs — major causes of delay and rework.
    How soon can I expect to see results on my projects?
    Most teams report seeing improvement in coordination and productivity within the first 2–4 weeks of implementation.

    PLANNING AND SCHEDULING TOPICS

    What is Takt Planning and how is it used in construction?
    Takt Planning is a Lean scheduling method that creates flow by aligning work with time and space, using rhythm-based planning to coordinate teams and reduce waste.
    What’s the difference between macro and micro Takt plans?
    Macro Takt plans focus on the overall project flow and phase durations, while micro Takt plans break down detailed weekly tasks by zone and crew.
    Will I learn how to build a complete Takt plan from scratch?
    Yes. The training teaches you how to build both macro and micro Takt plans tailored to your project, including workflows, buffers, and sequencing.
    How do I update and maintain a Takt schedule each week?
    You’ll learn how to conduct weekly updates using lookaheads, trade feedback, zone progress, and digital tools to maintain schedule reliability.
    Can I integrate Takt Planning with CPM or Primavera P6?
    Yes. The training includes guidance on aligning Takt plans with CPM logic, showing how both systems can work together effectively.
    Will I have access to the instructors during the training?
    Yes. You’ll have opportunities to ask questions, share challenges, and get real-time feedback from LeanTakt coaches.
    Can I ask questions specific to my current project?
    Absolutely. In fact, we encourage it — the training is designed to help you apply Takt to your active jobs.
    Is support available after the training ends?
    Yes. You can access follow-up support, coaching, and community forums to help reinforce implementation.
    Can your tools be customized to my project or team?
    Yes. We offer customizable templates and implementation options to fit different project types, teams, and tech stacks.
    When is the best time in a project lifecycle to take this training?
    Ideally before or during preconstruction, but teams have seen success implementing it mid-project as well.

    APPLICATION & TEAM ADOPTION

    What changes does my team need to adopt Takt Planning?
    Teams must shift from reactive scheduling to proactive, flow-based planning with clear commitments, reliable handoffs, and a visual management mindset.
    Do I need any prior Lean or scheduling experience?
    No prior Lean experience is required. The course is structured to take you from foundational principles to advanced application.
    How long does it take for teams to adapt to Takt Planning?
    Most teams adapt within 2–6 weeks, depending on project size and how fully the system is adopted across roles.
    Can this training work for smaller companies or projects?
    Absolutely. Takt is scalable and especially powerful for small teams seeking better structure and predictability.
    What role do trade partners play in using Takt successfully?
    Trade partners are key collaborators. They help shape realistic flow, manage buffers, and provide feedback during weekly updates.

    VIRTUAL FORMAT & ACCESSIBILITY

    Can I access the virtual training from anywhere?
    Yes. The training is fully accessible online, making it ideal for distributed teams across regions or countries.
    Is this training available internationally?
    Yes. LeanTakt trains teams around the world and supports global implementations.
    Can I watch recordings if I miss a session?
    Yes. All sessions are recorded and made available for later viewing through your training portal.
    Do you offer group access or company licenses?
    Yes. Teams can enroll together at discounted rates, and we offer licenses for enterprise rollouts.
    What technology or setup do I need to join the virtual training?
    A reliable internet connection, webcam, Miro, Spreadsheets, and access to Zoom.

    faq

    GENERAL FAQS

    What is the Superintendent / PM Boot Camp?
    It’s a hands-on leadership training for Superintendents and Project Managers in the construction industry focused on Lean systems, planning, and communication.
    Who is this Boot Camp for?
    Construction professionals including Superintendents, Project Managers, Field Engineers, and Foremen looking to improve planning, leadership, and project flow.
    What makes this construction boot camp different?
    Real-world project simulations, expert coaching, Lean principles, team-based learning, and post-camp support — all built for field leaders.
    Is this just a seminar or classroom training?
    No. It’s a hands-on, immersive experience. You’ll plan, simulate, collaborate, and get feedback — not sit through lectures.
    What is the focus of the training?
    Leadership, project planning, communication, Lean systems, and integrating office-field coordination.

    CURRICULUM & OUTCOMES

    What topics are covered in the Boot Camp?
    Takt planning, day planning, logistics, pre-construction, team health, communication systems, and more.
    What is Takt Planning and why is it taught?
    Takt is a Lean planning method that creates flow and removes chaos. It helps teams deliver projects on time with less stress.
    Will I learn how to lead field teams more effectively?
    Yes. This boot camp focuses on real leadership challenges and gives you systems and strategies to lead high-performing teams.
    Do you cover daily huddles and meeting systems?
    Yes. You’ll learn how to run day huddles, team meetings, worker huddles, and Lean coordination processes.
    What kind of real-world challenges do we simulate?
    You’ll work through real project schedules, logistical constraints, leadership decisions, and field-office communication breakdowns.

    LOGISTICS & FORMAT

    Is the training in-person or virtual?
    It’s 100% in-person to maximize learning, feedback, and team-based interaction.
    How long is the Boot Camp?
    It runs for 5 full days.
    Where is the Boot Camp held?
    Locations vary — typically hosted in a professional training center or project setting. Contact us for the next available city/date.
    Do you offer follow-up coaching after the Boot Camp?
    Yes. Post-camp support is included so you can apply what you’ve learned on your projects.
    Can I ask questions about my actual project?
    Absolutely. That’s encouraged — bring your current challenges.

    PRICING & VALUE

    How much does the Boot Camp cost?
    $5,000 per person.
    Are there any group discounts?
    Yes — get 10% off when 4 or more people from the same company attend.
    What’s the ROI for sending my team?
    Better planning = fewer delays, smoother coordination, and higher team morale — all of which boost productivity and reduce costs.
    Will I see results immediately?
    Most participants apply what they’ve learned as soon as they return to the jobsite — especially with follow-up support.
    Can this replace other leadership training?
    In many cases, yes. This Boot Camp is tailored to construction professionals, unlike generic leadership seminars.

    SEO-BASED / HIGH-INTENT SEARCH QUESTIONS

    What is the best leadership training for construction Superintendents?
    Our Boot Camp offers real-world, field-focused leadership training tailored for construction leaders.
    What’s included in a Superintendent Boot Camp?
    Takt planning, day planning, logistics, pre-construction systems, huddles, simulations, and more.
    Where can I find Lean construction training near me?
    Check our upcoming in-person sessions or request a private boot camp in your city.
    How can I improve field and office communication on a project?
    This Boot Camp teaches you tools and systems to connect field and office workflows seamlessly.
    Is there a training to help reduce chaos on construction sites?
    Yes — this program is built specifically to turn project chaos into flow through structured leadership.

    agenda

    Day 1

    Agenda

    • Intro to Camp
    • Set Expectations
    • Morning Routine
    • Plan Day
    • Explain "Why"
    • Teams Intros + Yells + Expectation
    • Focus, Physiology, Words + Yells
    • Blocks to Leadership
    • 50 Million
    • Biggest Thing
    • Choose Your Word
    • Marketing Exercise
    • Interview for the Project
    • PO Homework and Close the Day

    Outcomes

    • Understand how to get into a proper state to lead
    • Understand how to dig deep to find the confidence to lead
    • Team work and collaboration
    • Understand marketing
    • Understand how to interview for and win a project

    Day 2

    Agenda

    • Morning Routine
    • Day Planner
    • Plus & Delta
    • Macro Takt planning
    • Setup jobs + Signs + Logistics
    • Explain the IPCS™
    • Detailed logistics training
    • Team balance & health training

    Outcomes

    • Learn the IPCS™ understand how to integrate the entire project from start to finish with First Planners™ and Last Planners® through the Takt Production System®
    • Learn how to review a project
    • Learn advanced logistics
    • Learn team balance and health

    Day 3

    Agenda

    • Morning Routine
    • Day Planner
    • Plus & Delta
    • Review How Big Things Get Done
    • Review IPCSTM
    • Fix (Schedule, zone, logistics, trailer, org & procurement)
    • Fresh Eyes Meeting
    • Pre-Con Overview
    • TAKT SIMULATION
    • Recap and Review

    Outcomes

    • Understand why and how to plan
    • Understand the benefits of using a Takt production plan
    • Learn the steps to proper pre-con that sets the project up for success
    • Learn how to review a project in a Fresh Eyes Meeting
    • Learn flow from Takt planning

    Day 4

    Agenda

    • Morning Routine
    • Day Planner
    • Plus & Delta
    • Opposing Squares
    • Pull Plan
    • Takt Remaining
    • Norm Update
    • Re Zoning
    • Risks & Pre-Con Align
    • Meeting System
    • Problems
    • Recap

    Outcomes

    • Understand the Norm level Takt plan for weekly/daily planning
    • Benefits and outcomes of rezoning strategies
    • Using meetings to feed information through the system and to the Foremen

    Day 5

    Agenda

    • Morning Routine
    • Day Planner
    • Plus & Delta
    • Huddle I.D.S
    • Day Plan
    • Worker Huddle
    • Norm Update
    • Team Huddle
    • Lean Systems Recap
    • Feedback Exercise
    • Final & Close

    Outcomes

    • Know what information is needed and how to get it to the Workers
    • Better understand how to give feedback and why it’s crucial for everyone
    • How to problem solve as a team
    • Understand how all systems tie together
    • Know how the information gets all the way to the worker
    • Have perfect clarity on the individual’s personal organization planner