Balancing the Individual for a Stronger Team

In this blog, I’m diving into the team component of Individual Balance, one of the most overlooked yet powerful aspects of building a high-performing construction team.

We’ve touched on this before when talking about overall team health, but here’s where leadership must become deeply personal and intentional. A true work-life balance exists when work doesn’t drain the best parts of who we are. When we’re emotionally exhausted at work, we have less to give at home and that imbalance doesn’t just happen because of long hours.

Often, the imbalance is triggered by the stress hormones we experience while working. Chronic stress, driven by elevated cortisol levels, can lead to anxiety, depression, and poor physical health. My role as a leader is to reduce that stress by controlling the environment and conditions my team works in. I can’t and shouldn’t try to control emotions, but I can remove unnecessary stressors, set realistic expectations, and create a workplace where people feel safe and supported.

The Four Pillars of Individual Balance

1. Mindset

There’s no such thing as a completely fixed or growth mindset, everyone has both. The goal is to spot where resistance to change exists and help shift perceptions. That might mean providing resources, having open conversations, or simply walking alongside a team member through change until they’re ready to embrace it.

When we introduced takt planning, for example, some saw it as a threat to the “old ways” of building. I learned that empathy first, change second, is the only way forward.

2. Aspirations

Humans need to aspire to something greater, whether that’s career growth, skill development, or personal fulfillment. As a leader, I take responsibility for helping my team set realistic goals, see opportunities, and connect them to the resources or people that will help them get there.

One tool I recommend is the Clarity Action Influence Exercise, where we work backward from life purpose to 5-10 year goals, milestones, and short-term “inch stones.”

Take Steve Rogers (our fictional super) as an example:

• Purpose: Become a general superintendent and develop training programs.
• BHAG: Master senior superintendent skills and project scheduling in five years.
• Next Milestone: Become proficient in scheduling in 10 months.
• Defining Goals: Take a takt course, actively manage schedules, shadow a mentor, reflect on outcomes, and learn pull planning.

When people have this clarity, they’re far more engaged and motivated.

3. Capability & Capacity

Skill without capacity leads to burnout. That’s why I encourage every team member to build strong personal organization systems, visible, intuitive, and consistent.

I recommend time-blocking in this order:

1. You (health, wellness, personal goals)
2. Family
3. Leader Standard Work
4. Meetings and project needs

This sequence creates a win-win-win: the person, their family, and the project all benefit. Reverse it, and it’s a lose-lose-lose.

4. Personal Organization Systems

Chaos is the enemy of capacity. I make sure my team uses:

• Prioritized to-do lists
• Weekly work plans
• Daily execution plans with buffers
• Focused work sessions free from unnecessary distractions

This approach routinely saves 1–4 hours per day and gives my team back control over their time.

The Reflection Test

If your team’s balance score is under 80%, it’s time to act. Ask yourself:

• Do they know about fixed vs. growth mindset?
• Do they have a clarity document?
• Do they have a personal organization system?
• Do they have a solid morning routine?
• Are they time-blocking their days with buffers?

A healthy project requires healthy people. When we protect our team’s balance, productivity and morale soar.

Key Takeaway

A great project can’t come at the expense of the people building it. Individual balance isn’t a “nice to have” it’s a leadership responsibility and a business advantage.