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Improvement from Anger or Positivity?

Posted on August 6, 2025August 7, 2025 by Danny Jiménez⁩

Read 7 min

In this blog, I want to share a concept that’s critical when it comes to solving problems in construction teams and leadership environments.

But before diving in, here are a few quick updates: the CPM book now features a foreword by Felipe Engineer, the General Superintendent book is nearly complete, the Takt Planning book has been revamped with 25 new pages, and the Field Engineer book is progressing well. We’ve got exciting video content coming soon too. Oh and we just wrapped up a strategy call with Paul Akers and our partners in preparation for an incredible Japan trip.

Let’s now touch on a few important leadership principles:

Always have buffers. Buffers do not waste time they protect it. Moving work ahead unnecessarily creates variation and chaos. Flow thrives in systems designed with buffers. Just like your body uses buffers in its systems (think breathing, blood circulation), projects need buffers to create predictable and efficient workflows. Sadly, some leaders still believe buffers breed laziness. That’s simply not true. Buffers are a mark of intelligent design not inefficiency.

Control is not the enemy. Too much control, especially over people, is ineffective. But too little is disrespectful. We must control jobsite cleanliness, safety, and respect. To claim nobody should control anything is to misunderstand how the world works. We control for the sake of safety, quality, and stability.

Stop comparing everything to data centers. Data center construction is often disorganized and rushed. While some teams may do great work, data centers aren’t inherently better it’s about the people and the systems they use, not the type of project.

Let’s now get to the core idea of this blog:

Problems can either lead to improvement or turn into suspicion and criticism. This depends on the environment created by leadership. If a company is structured with strong feedback loops and an open culture, problems become opportunities for growth. But if there’s no mechanism for improvement, frustration festers. Employees, understandably wired for fear and protection, will default to suspicion and negativity.

As leaders, we must build environments where people are heard, feedback is acted upon, and improvement is part of the culture. On the flip side, employees should also seek to raise concerns with a solution-focused mindset. While it’s okay to point out issues without having a fix, aiming to collaborate on a better path forward is even more powerful.

One more analogy worth sharing: in leadership, avoid being the kind of seagull that flies into the jobsite, creates chaos, and disappears. Instead, come prepared to help like a seagull bringing nourishment, not disruption. The goal is to leave the team better than you found them: more supported, more equipped, more stable.

Key Takeaway:
In construction, leadership isn’t about control for its own sake it’s about creating systems where people can solve problems constructively. Problems should be met with collaboration and feedback, not suspicion. Leaders must build feedback loops, and team members should respond with solutions and a positive mindset. When both sides embrace improvement, real change happens.

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

Toxic Seagulls

Posted on August 6, 2025August 7, 2025 by Danny Jiménez⁩

Read 6 min

I’m excited to be with you today. I’m going to talk about some concepts that will really help us avoid becoming toxic seagulls in construction leadership.

Let’s start with a favorite builder code: “Put yourself beyond the possibility of defeat.” In construction, we aren’t superheroes we’re humans. We need systems and processes that protect us from failure, not blind hope that we can react our way through chaos. Real strength comes from preparation.

Now, here’s something interesting. I received feedback from someone who had lunch with a retired CEO of a major commercial construction company. This CEO said his company never did lean construction because “customers never wanted to pay for the extra cost and oversight.” While this may sound reasonable, it reflects a cultural misunderstanding.

The truth is lean isn’t something owners should have to pay for. It’s a mindset and system that should be embedded into how contractors operate. When done right, lean reduces overall project costs by eliminating waste and improving flow. It’s not about increasing pre-construction or oversight costs; it’s about increasing total value and decreasing inefficiency. Saying “the owner wouldn’t pay for it” really just means the contractor didn’t value it enough to make it part of their standard practice.

We do lean not because it’s billable we do it because it’s the right thing for people, for quality, and for the long-term success of a company.

Now onto the main topic toxic seagulls. You’ve probably seen it before: an executive, director, or senior leader drops into a job site, causes chaos, criticizes, stirs up panic, and leaves without offering real solutions. That’s the classic toxic seagull flying in, crapping on everything, and flying out.

But what if we flipped the analogy? What if seagulls arrived with a fish in their mouth, feeding and supporting the team? Leaders should visit projects to serve, uplift, clarify, and bring solutions not create stress or instability.

I once saw a toxic version of this in Oklahoma, where two superintendents would lock themselves in a room for hours, emerge with vague directives, and destabilize the entire jobsite. They weren’t leading they were seagulling. Leadership through isolation and secrecy creates confusion, resentment, and failure.

Great leaders engage, listen, ask questions, and support teams on-site. When you leave a project site, the team should feel more confident, more equipped, and more connected not more anxious and confused.

Key Takeaway:
In construction leadership, don’t be a toxic seagull. Whether you’re a superintendent or CEO, your job is to feed and support the team, not drop in with criticism and leave chaos behind. Real leadership is proactive, collaborative, and rooted in serving others. And when it comes to lean, don’t wait for owners to “pay” for it do it because it’s the right thing for your people and your project.

If you want to learn more we have:

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

On we go

Relationships, Feat. Mark Story

Posted on August 6, 2025August 7, 2025 by Danny Jiménez⁩

Read 8 min

How to Build High-Performing Construction Teams Lessons from Mark Story

In this blog, I had the absolute honor of interviewing one of my mentors and industry heroes Mark Story. Mark has over 37 years of experience in construction, from pouring concrete with tool bags on to leading massive projects with companies like DPR, Mortenson, and AECOM Hunt.

We talked about how he builds teams, what makes him such a strong relationship-builder, and why that matters more than ever in construction today.

Here are some key insights from our conversation.

Great Builders Build People First

Mark has built some of the most complex data centers, healthcare facilities, and semiconductors in the country but his secret sauce isn’t just in planning. It’s in people.

“I used to chase a career… now I chase legacy. And legacy is about helping others win.”

He believes in authentic relationships, and it shows. Whether it’s calling someone just to check in, encouraging a young assistant super, or backing up a trade partner Mark makes others feel like they matter. That energy multiplies across a team.

Look, Listen, and Feel

Mark shared something that hit me like a ton of bricks:

“First impressions are often wrong. Look, listen, and feel.”

When he joins a struggling job, he doesn’t show up swinging a hammer (like he used to). He observes. He asks questions. He doesn’t assume that underperformance means incompetence it often means overburden.

That approach can transform how leaders diagnose problems and build trust from day one.

Let People Fail And Then Stand With Them

Mark shared a story about a team member who made a mistake that cost $10K+. But instead of stepping in to “save” the day, he let the failure play out. Why?

“That mistake hurt but he never forgot it. It made him better.”

Leadership isn’t about being the hero. It’s about building people who can be the heroes. And sometimes, that means giving them space to learn through failure with your full support.

It’s Okay to Have Opinions But Listen First

One of my favorite takeaways from this episode:

“I used to write a big L at the top of my notepad just to remind myself to listen.”

That visual cue helped Mark slow down and stay curious. And that curiosity asking questions, not leading the witness, letting people own their process creates a job culture where people feel safe, seen, and motivated.

The Habits That Build Remarkable Teams

Mark’s approach is built on repeatable habits, not personality. Here are a few he shared that we can all learn from:

Write “L” on your notepad to remind yourself to listen more than you speak.
Make intentional calls he stays connected with dozens of people just by checking in.
Ask great questions without pushing an agenda.
Let others lead don’t dictate how, just clarify what the team needs to achieve.
Care enough to have hard conversations correction doesn’t mean conflict when it’s done with care.
Plan visually because most builders are visual learners.
Focus on what’s right not who’s right. That one came from DPR and is now permanently in my builder’s code.

Final Thought from Mark

“Relationships are everything. Focus on what’s right, not who’s right. And self-reflection will take you further than skill ever will.”

Mark is a true example of someone who leads from the heart, listens deeply, and elevates the people around him.

This episode reminded me that while tools and tactics matter nothing drives a successful job more than authentic leadership.

Thank you, Mark. You’ve made me a better builder.

Key Takeaway:
Great teams are built through authentic relationships, active listening, and genuine care. When leaders focus on empowering others, staying curious, and doing what’s right not just being right they create a culture where people thrive and projects succeed.

If you want to learn more we have:

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

On we go

We aren’t as Unique as You Think

Posted on August 6, 2025August 7, 2025 by Danny Jiménez⁩

Read 6 min

You’re Not That Unique And That’s a Good Thing for Construction

I hear this phrase all the time in construction:
“Yeah, but our project is different.”
And I get it. The building may be unique. The location, the team, the tools they all vary.

But here’s the truth: the process doesn’t.

This belief that “we’re different” might feel empowering in the moment, but it’s one of the most damaging mindsets in our industry. It’s holding us back from standardizing, improving, and scaling real excellence.

The Trap of Believing You’re Unique

Kate and Kevin from our Elevate team recently challenged me with a simple but important question:
Are we offering standard and affordable consulting, or custom and expensive?

That hit me.

Because the entire industry is addicted to “custom.”
We’ve glorified it.
We wear it like a badge.

But this mindset leads to:

No standard processes
Avoidance of production systems like Takt
Reinventing workflows on every project
Constant burnout and inefficiency

We make things harder than they need to be.

Let’s Be Honest About What’s Actually Different

Yes, every project has unique elements:

A hospital is different from a retail center
Urban logistics vs. rural sites
Tool and equipment choices vary

But the core sequence?
That’s the same.

Build the foundation
Go floor by floor
Run structure
In-wall systems
Overheads
Finishes
Commissioning

The flow is repeatable, and so your planning should be too.

Where This Mindset Really Hurts

Scheduling & Planning
Teams build durations from scratch, ignoring proven reference data.
No rhythm. No buffer. Just chaos.
Pull Planning
We treat it like a whiteboard exercise instead of the science it is.
Honestly? AI is on the verge of doing it better than some trade partners.
Systems & Templates
We avoid standard tools because we think, “our project is different.”
That leaves us in manual chaos with no feedback loop.

The Fix? Celebrate Consistency

The best builders don’t wing it.

Hensel Phelps doesn’t wing it.
They standardize, stabilize, and scale.

You can do the same:

Use templates
Apply production law
Embrace Takt planning
Track and replicate what works

For the New Supers Coming Up

In this episode, I also answered a great question from a young union carpenter aiming to become a superintendent. My advice?

Start now
Build the habits
Master the basics

Things like writing clearly, typing fast, showing up early, asking good questions those aren’t “extra.”
They’re the foundation of leadership.

Final Thought

You’re not as unique as you think. And that’s not an insult it’s a gift.

Because if the process is repeatable, that means we can master it.

We can stop reacting and start planning.
Stop improvising and start building flow.
That’s how we elevate construction.

Key Takeaway:
Don’t chase uniqueness master repeatability. Standardize your process, stabilize your team, and scale your results. That’s how you win in construction.

If you want to learn more we have:

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

On we go

We Will Make It up on The Road

Posted on August 6, 2025August 7, 2025 by Danny Jiménez⁩

Read 6 min

You Can’t Make It Up on the Freeway: Why Rushing in Construction Doesn’t Work

We’ve all done it running late, hoping we can “make up time” by pushing the gas a little harder, weaving through traffic, and catching every green light. That’s exactly what I tried to do recently when I was late picking up a replacement CPAP machine. It was important. I needed it for my health. So naturally, I hit the gas.

I sped up. Changed lanes. Tried to time everything perfectly.

But guess what?

I arrived at 4:03 PM no earlier than if I’d just driven normally. I didn’t save a single minute. I just stressed myself out. And that’s when it hit me: this is exactly what we do in construction all the time.

Construction Is Like Driving on the Freeway

Let’s break this down:

Driving Late to an Appointment	Rushing in Construction
Leaving late	Starting without a solid plan
Speeding to “make up time”	Overtime, weekends, and last-minute pushes
Risking a crash	Injuries, burnout, quality issues
Still arriving late	Still missing the deadline

We tell ourselves that by working harder or faster, we’ll make up time. But it doesn’t work like that. What we’re really doing is masking poor planning and inefficiencies with raw effort and that’s a dangerous game.

If You Mask Waste With Hours…

This is one of the core truths we live by at Elevate:

“If you mask waste with hours, there’s never a motivation to improve.”

When we let poor planning slide by throwing more hours or people at the problem, we’re not solving anything. We’re just delaying the inevitable.

I’ve seen it over and over again—projects that are constantly “pushing” just to keep up. Crews exhausted. Schedules slipping. Quality suffering. And leadership in panic mode, wondering why things aren’t clicking.

The truth? Speed isn’t the answer.

So What Is?

Let’s go back to the driving analogy:

Leave earlier → Start with a solid preconstruction plan.
Stick to the speed limit → Maintain a consistent, predictable production rhythm.
Stop switching lanes → Follow the plan. Avoid unnecessary changes and disruptions.
Don’t panic → Trust your system. Trust your people.

That’s how you get results not with chaos, but with calm, consistent action.

Final Thought: Busy ≠ Productive

Rushing looks productive. It feels intense. But it’s often just a dressed-up version of dysfunction.

It’s the illusion of urgency masking the absence of strategy.

So don’t fall for it.

Don’t mistake effort for effectiveness.

Don’t try to “make it up on the freeway.”

Instead, plan better. Start earlier. Flow steady. Finish strong.

Key Takeaway:
You can’t make up time by rushing not on the freeway, and definitely not on your project. Calm, consistent planning and flow will beat panic every single time.

If you want to learn more we have:

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

On we go

How Much Does A Construction Foreman Make An Hour?

Posted on August 6, 2025August 6, 2025 by Danny Jiménez⁩

Read 9 min

How Much Does a Foreman Make Per Hour? (It’s More Than You Think!)

Welcome to this blog where we’ll discuss a topic that many people are curious about: How much does a foreman make per hour?

Now, I’m not going to focus on specific pay ranges in this blog. I’ve seen foremen make anywhere from $35 per hour all the way up to $95 per hour which sounds crazy, but it’s true. Of course, pay depends on factors like location, company type (trade partner or GC), industry sector (industrial or commercial), project size, and your level of experience.

If you’re in regions like the West Coast or East Coast of the U.S., you might expect to be in the $45-$55 per hour range or higher. I’ll share a few stories and address misconceptions that will help you understand the earning potential and career path of a foreman.

Common Misconceptions About Foreman Roles

Foremen Just Do What They’re Told:

This is completely wrong. Foremen are leaders, planners, and critical thinkers. They are known as “Last Planners” not because they’re last in importance but because they are the final decision-makers who directly affect project outcomes. The success or failure of a project often hinges on the foreman’s capability.

Foreman Wages Are Fixed by Company Policy:

Not true. High-performing foremen can negotiate better pay. I’ve seen foremen get flown across the country, fly business class, and get top-tier wages and benefits because they bring value. Your wage is often a reflection of your performance and the value you add.

All Foremen Are Paid the Same:

Absolutely false. Foremen are paid based on performance, leadership skills, and the complexity of projects they handle. Some foremen even earn more than salaried positions like project engineers or assistant superintendents.

How to Find Out Your Foreman Pay Range:

If you’re curious about pay ranges, here’s a quick tip:

Use ChatGPT to get accurate and specific information. Just type in a prompt like:
“I want to become a foreman for [company] in [location] with [X years] of experience. What is the typical hourly rate for this role?”

ChatGPT will give you the data instantly, tailored to your situation.

How to Negotiate a Better Foreman Salary (Without Switching Companies):

The key to earning more without job-hopping is simple:

Add value.
Learn new skills.
Become indispensable.

Develop skills like:

Advanced scheduling.
Lean construction methods.
People management and leadership.
Effective communication (both verbal and written).
Organization and planning.

If your company still doesn’t recognize your worth after all this, you may have to consider moving to another company. Unfortunately, in some cases, that’s the only way to get the pay you deserve.

Fast-Track to Superintendent Roles: Key Foreman Skills

If you want to move up quickly, focus on:

People skills.
Organization & task management.
Reading drawings fluently.
Professional conduct & appearance.
Influence and leadership presence.

The best foremen are well-rounded leaders, not just taskmasters. They know how to manage workflow, influence teams, and stay organized under pressure.

Should You Focus on Bigger Crews or Better Workflow?

The harsh reality is that bigger crews and larger projects often come with higher paychecks. But that doesn’t mean smaller crews with better flow aren’t valuable. However, the industry tends to pay more for scale. So, if you want to increase your earnings, moving to larger, more complex projects can help.

The Foreman Role is an Amazing Career Path:

I’m honestly jealous of foremen. They get to lead crews, solve problems on the ground, and make things happen. If you think you need to climb the “corporate ladder” into salaried positions to find success, think again. A foreman can have a fulfilling, high-paying career by continuously learning and improving.

Key Tips for Foreman Success:

Never stop learning.
Study Lean Construction, VDC, sustainability, field engineering, scheduling, and project management.
Sharpen your people skills with books like How to Win Friends and Influence People.
Stay curious and look for ways to improve processes and workflows.
Focus on working smarter, not harder, to protect your health and longevity in the field.

Final Thoughts:

If you’re asking whether being a foreman is worth it, my answer is: Absolutely, yes. You can make a ton of money, build an amazing career, and enjoy the process. Focus on adding value, improving your skills, and becoming irreplaceable. The money will follow.

If you want to learn more we have:

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

On we go

How To Calculate Takt Time And Cycle Time

Posted on August 6, 2025August 7, 2025 by Danny Jiménez⁩

Read 8 min

How to Calculate Takt Time and Cycle Time in Construction – A Practical Guide

In this blog, I’m going to break down how to calculate Takt Time and Cycle Time in construction, not with diagrams, but through a clear, verbal explanation. This approach will give you a well-rounded understanding, hitting on aspects that often get overlooked. If you’ve been curious about how to align your schedules and resources with precision, this blog is for you.

Takt Time Explained

Takt Time is essentially the rhythm of your project. In manufacturing, it’s calculated as:

Takt Time = Available Time ÷ Customer Demand

In construction, it’s a bit different. We calculate Takt Time by considering:

Takt Wagons (how much work can be done in the smallest repeatable unit).
Takt Zones (how the project is divided into physical areas or phases).
Takt Time (drumbeat on the timeline).

The formula is:

(Number of Takt Wagons) x (Takt Zones – 1) x Takt Time = Duration

If the calculated duration exceeds your stipulated project end date, you’ll need to reduce your zone sizes to stay on schedule without overburdening your crews.

Cycle Time Simplified

Cycle Time is about how long it takes to complete a specific task, process, or work package within a zone.

To calculate it:

Know how much your crew can produce (unit measurements).
Align this with the available Takt Time, keeping a small buffer.
For example, if your Takt Time is 3 days, plan your crew’s work to finish in 2 days and 6 hours, leaving some margin.

Cycle Time includes not just the task execution but also preparation and cleanup. Planning this off-site work is key to making Cycle Time fit within Takt Time.

The Real Work: Observation & Adjustment

Calculating Takt Time and Cycle Time is only half the battle. Here’s where most teams go wrong, they calculate but don’t observe.

Here’s what you need to do:

Observe the “Takt Drumbeat”: Are you hitting your milestones as scheduled? Are you preparing the next zone ahead of time?
Measure your Cycle Time: After each zone, ask: was the time allocation too tight? Did we finish too early and waste a day?
PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Adjust): Continuously adjust crew size, workflows, and resource allocation to stay aligned with the Takt Time rhythm.

Cycle Time becomes a real-time observation tool. It tells you if you’re on track or if adjustments are needed.

Common Misconceptions

Let’s bust a few myths:

Takt Time = Cycle Time → False. They are different and must stay different. Takt Time is your commitment (demand), Cycle Time is your execution (supply).
You can’t calculate Takt Time without knowing Cycle Time → False. Start with your project end date to determine Takt Time, then align Cycle Time through resource adjustments.
Faster is always better → False. Removing buffers and speeding up too much leads to overburdening and project failure. Flow efficiency is key.

Key Tips for Success

Define your Start Date and End Date.
Calculate the Takt Time for each project phase.
Design a crew composition that can comfortably complete the work within Cycle Time.
Monitor progress continuously, adjust crew size, production rates, or workflows as needed.
Ensure that Takt Time allows everyone (GCs, subcontractors, trades) to succeed consistently.

Aligning Takt Time & Cycle Time: The Secret Sauce

Takt Time sets the rhythm.
Cycle Time defines your capability.
Both must be in sync.

It’s not just a formula; it’s a dynamic process of observation, measurement, and adjustment. This is where true operational excellence happens.

Key Takeaway:

Takt Time sets the rhythm of production (demand side), and Cycle Time measures how efficiently work is executed (supply side). Success in construction scheduling comes from not just calculating these metrics, but continuously observing, adjusting crew composition, and aligning cycle time within the takt time drumbeat ensuring flow, eliminating overburden, and creating consistent, reliable project delivery.

If you want to learn more we have:

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

On we go

Mandatory Buffer Usage

Posted on August 6, 2025August 7, 2025 by Danny Jiménez⁩

Read 6 min

What If We Made Buffer Usage Mandatory?

Let’s talk about something construction professionals don’t talk about enough, buffers, specifically, mandatory buffer usage.

For years, I operated under the belief that restricting work hours both for myself and others would push productivity and innovation. I’ve since done a full 180. While time constraints may improve individual discipline, they don’t scale well to teams. In fact, when I tried to apply this philosophy across our organization, the results were disappointing, less innovation, more stress, and slower progress.

So, we pivoted.

Innovation Lives in the Buffer

Inspired by Paul Akers and Toyota’s approach to continuous improvement, we’ve embraced buffer time not as wasted time, but as a source of momentum. Buffers create the space to 5S, solve problems, and think, like Keith Cunningham suggests. Since making this change, we’ve seen better performance, better innovation, and higher quality across the board.
And here’s the shift, I still constrain my own hours but I no longer push that onto others.

The Industry Teaches the Opposite

The construction industry is notorious for treating buffers as dead weight. Many general contractors avoid sharing buffer time with trades, fearing it will be misused. But in my experience, trades rarely use buffers recklessly. In fact, most trades hesitate to use them even when they should.

That got me thinking what if we required buffer usage?

The Idea, Scheduled Mandatory Buffers:

Say your project has 20 total buffer days built into the schedule. Instead of waiting for problems to arise, what if you made it a requirement to use a set number of those buffers say 6 to 8 across all phases, no matter what?

Here’s what that might look like:

Break down total buffer days by number of phases.
Schedule 2 mandatory buffer days per phase.
Post these buffer deadlines visibly on site.
Use them proactively whether you feel like you “need” them or not.

This would change the culture. Right now, workers don’t want to “waste” a buffer. But if the rule is “use two no matter what,” the team is more likely to use them wisely, not wastefully.

Imagine the impact: after a brutal week or a supply delay, the team doesn’t push through it pauses, resets, and regains momentum with a scheduled buffer. Not only does this prevent burnout, it ensures long term stability.

It’s Just an Idea for Now

I’ll be honest, I haven’t implemented this yet. But I’m seriously considering it. Construction culture needs to shift from reactive to strategic. Mandatory buffer usage might just be the pressure release valve the industry never knew it needed.

Key Takeaway

Buffers aren’t wasted time they’re a strategic tool. When teams are required to use them, they stop seeing buffers as a luxury and start treating them as essential. Planned pauses create space to recover, solve problems, and innovate. By making buffers part of the plan not just a fallback we reduce pressure, prevent burnout, and keep projects moving smarter and faster.

If you want to learn more we have:

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

On we go

Sequence like the Railroad & Bridge in The Ghost and the Darkness

Posted on August 6, 2025August 7, 2025 by Danny Jiménez⁩

Read 7 min

How to Sequence Work like a Railroad Hitting a Bridge

Let’s talk about sequencing on construction projects and why it matters more than most people realize.

Picture this, you’re building a railroad. Out ahead, there’s a bridge under construction. By the time the rail line reaches that point, the bridge has to be ready. That’s how sequencing should work on a jobsite every phase should intersect seamlessly with the next, like a train rolling straight onto a finished bridge.

Use Maps like a General

General Patton once said a study of the map shows where the commander should be. In construction, maps, zone plans, and logistics visuals don’t exist to look good. They show where problems exist and where leadership should focus. Right now, our team is applying this principle in full force. We’re working on a massive, complex project and validating a macro level tech plan to sequence zones within large phases.

We’re creating detailed maps of every functional area, phase, and zone. For each zone, we’re using voice to text to describe all relevant constraints what’s above it, below it, adjacent to it, what dependencies exist and more.

We’ll then upload these descriptions, maps, drawings, and preferred sequencing into ChatGPT Pro to generate five optimized build scenarios. The goal? Save time not by working faster, but by thinking smarter.

Real World Example, Reordering for Results

On a previous $80M office project in Scottsdale, the schedule was tight, and the design was chopped up. We came in late and still found ways to accelerate though a two week elevator delay ate some of the gain.

Instead of sequencing the exterior in the typical northeast-southwest pattern, we used production areas and built a Gantt chart for each one. We loaded in all constraints and optimized the sequence to deliver the fastest overall schedule. The final sequence looked odd northeast to southeast to southwest to middle and so on but it worked.

Why? Because jumping zones gave the team room to stage materials and align critical activities. It allowed the exterior crew to hit key corners at the right time, accommodate long lead materials, and keep the project flowing.

The Ghost and the Darkness Principle

In the movie The Ghost and the Darkness, a railroad is being built through Africa while a bridge is constructed far ahead. The goal? Make sure the train hits the bridge at exactly the right time. That’s the image to keep in your mind. Every part of your project should be building toward that alignment.

Sequencing isn’t just a task list its strategic timing. Great builders know this. They lead with intent. They map it, plan it, and anticipate it.

Key Takeaway

Smart sequencing isn’t just about getting the order right, it’s about timing and alignment. Great builders don’t just stack tasks, they align them with intention. By mapping constraints and planning around them, they create flow instead of friction. This approach prevents delays before they happen and that’s how you gain time without ever needing to rush.

If you want to learn more we have:

Discover Jason’s Expertise:

On we go

Thoughtless Requests

Posted on August 6, 2025August 7, 2025 by Danny Jiménez⁩

Read 7 min

Thoughtless Requests: What They Are and Why We Need to Stop Making Them

There are a lot of things we do in construction that seem small in the moment but they add up to frustration, waste, and dysfunction on the jobsite. One of the most subtle but destructive behaviors I see over and over is what I call thoughtless requests.

Whether it’s a lazy ask, a selfish move, or just forgetting to say “please,” these moments reflect a deeper cultural issue in our industry. And if we don’t start fixing it, we’re going to keep grinding down the people we rely on most.

What Do I Mean by Thoughtless Requests?

They usually fall into two buckets:

Truly Thoughtless

These aren’t malicious they just lack consideration.

A supervisor says, “Put this in a different format and come back,” just because they don’t want to think through the problem.
A manager tells you, “Can you make Takt look like CPM for me?” even though it defeats the whole point.

These asks kill momentum and create busy work. People end up chasing tasks that add no value.

Selfish

These are driven by someone wanting to save time, money, or effort at the expense of everyone else.

“Can we just skip the precon?”
“Let’s not send out a complete package. We don’t have time.”
“We’re not budgeting for Takt planning right now.”

These aren’t small shortcuts. They push responsibility downstream and make it someone else’s mess. I’ve seen it too many times: the people with the most influence opt out, and the team suffers.

And It Gets Worse…

It’s not just the requests themselves it’s how we deliver them.

When I was a laborer on site, almost no one said “please” or “thank you.”
Now, when I consult for GCs, I get emails that feel like commands. I’ve been on calls with developers who just bark orders: “Do this. Change that.” No warmth, no pause just entitlement.

We need to reintroduce respect and gratitude into how we speak.

Every request no matter how small should be rooted in consent, not control.
A simple “Will you please…?” and “Thank you” goes a long way.

A Quick Detour on Big Families (and Human Decency)

Let me share something personal.

When people find out my wife and I have a large family, the responses aren’t always kind.
The jokes: “Do you know how that happens?”
The judgmental glances.
The sarcastic comments.

They’re not funny they’re alienating.

Here’s the only right response when someone says they’re having a child whether it’s their first or their fifth:
“Congratulations. That’s awesome.”

It’s not just about parenting it’s about decency.
The way we treat people in small moments reveals who we are.

Final Thought: Be Thoughtful. Always.

Before you send that email…
Before you make that ask…
Before you push a task downstream…

Pause.
Ask yourself:

Is this considerate?
Is it worth their time?
Is it respectful?

Because in construction, just like in life, we’re not just building structures we’re building people. And that starts with how we treat them every single day.

Key Takeaway:
Stop making lazy or selfish requests. Every ask should be thoughtful, respectful, and value-adding. And never underestimate the power of a genuine “please” and “thank you.”

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