Getting Supers bought in – Part 1

Where Did All the Great Superintendents Go?

Every few months I hear the same question, and I can tell it’s coming from a place of real frustration. “Jason, what happened to superintendents? Why aren’t they good anymore? Why can’t we get them bought in?”

I want to start with something direct, because that’s how we fix real problems. If you think your superintendents just aren’t good enough, there’s a strong chance the issue isn’t them. It’s the system around them.

That might sting a little. But stay with me.

I’ve spent my career in the field. I’ve been a superintendent. I’ve worked alongside some of the best builders I’ve ever known, and I’ve also seen talented people slowly turn into disengaged, burned-out, checked-out versions of themselves. What I’ve learned is this: people don’t wake up one day deciding to hate their craft. They get trained into hopelessness.

And once that happens, everything feels like a job instead of a career.

The Real Pain We’re Ignoring

Most companies talk about a “superintendent shortage,” but what they’re really describing is a shortage of supported superintendents. We hire people, throw them into chaos, give them impossible expectations, unclear authority, inconsistent standards, and minimal training, then wonder why they don’t act like professionals.

When supers feel unappreciated, underpaid for the responsibility they carry, unclear on how to succeed, and disconnected from leadership, their mindset shifts. They stop building toward something and start surviving. That’s when you hear things like “this is just how construction is,” or “it can’t be done any better,” or “I’m just here to get through the job.”

That’s not laziness. That’s learned hopelessness.

I’ve watched it happen over and over again. A superintendent runs a bad job, then another bad job, then maybe one decent one, then another bad one. Eventually, their expectations drop. They stop believing excellence is possible. Once that belief is gone, no scheduling system, no Lean buzzword, no motivational speech will save the project.

The Failure Pattern Nobody Names

Here’s the pattern I see most often. Companies hire supers for experience, not cultural fit. They don’t clearly define what “great” looks like. They don’t show a career path. Training is sporadic, boring, or purely theoretical. Performance feedback is vague. Leadership mostly shows up when something is wrong.

Then leadership complains that supers aren’t bought in.

That’s like planting seeds, never watering them, and blaming the soil.

Buy-in is not something you demand. It’s something you earn through clarity, consistency, and respect.

A Field Story That Changed How I See This

I once worked with a senior superintendent who was widely considered “difficult.” He was gruff, resistant to new ideas, and openly skeptical of Lean concepts. Most people wrote him off.

But when we actually spent time with him, something became clear. Nobody had ever shown him a different way that actually worked. Nobody had ever walked him through a stable project, a clean jobsite, a balanced team, and said, “This is possible, and here’s how you get there.”

Once he saw it, everything changed. His posture changed. His tone changed. His curiosity came back. He didn’t need motivation. He needed proof and support.

That’s when I realized most “bad supers” aren’t bad. They’re underdeveloped.

The Emotional Insight We Miss

People justify what they don’t know how to fix. When someone doesn’t know how to succeed, they protect themselves emotionally by saying success isn’t possible. That’s human nature.

If you want buy-in, you have to remove the need for that justification. That means giving people the tools, the path, and the belief that excellence is achievable.

Ignorance isn’t bliss. Ignorance is misery.

What Actually Gets Superintendents Bought In

Let’s talk about what works, not theory, but what I’ve seen work in real companies.

Superintendents need four things, and this isn’t complicated. They need appreciation. They need fair compensation tied to performance. They need measurable goals so they know whether they’re winning. And they need real human connection with leaders who know them.

When those are missing, people disengage. When those are present, people rise.

The most effective companies I’ve seen do three things exceptionally well. First, they clearly script the path. Superintendents know exactly what success looks like, how to get there, and what the next level requires. Second, they train relentlessly. Not once a year. Not when there’s time. Training is baked into the system. Third, they create proof through anchor projects.

An anchor project is a living example of operational excellence. Clean. Safe. Organized. On schedule. Balanced. Profitable. When people can walk that site, tour it, and feel it, belief changes instantly. Excellence becomes real.

Why Training Must Be Immersive

Most training fails because it’s boring, abstract, and disconnected from reality. PowerPoint doesn’t change behavior. Immersion does.

I’ve seen superintendents walk into immersive boot camps tired, skeptical, and disengaged, then walk out two days later energized, curious, and hopeful. Not because they were hyped up, but because they were shown how to win.

Real training changes three things at once: the words people use, their physical state and energy, and what they focus on. When those align, behavior changes naturally.

Two Cultural Shifts That Make or Break Buy-In

There are two cultural moves that determine whether buy-in spreads or dies.

First, companies must stop spending most of their time with their worst performers. When leaders constantly rescue, cover for, and cater to people who aren’t bought in, they unintentionally punish their best people. High performers notice where attention goes. If excellence gets ignored and dysfunction gets energy, culture collapses.

Second, companies must be willing to let people opt out. After you’ve provided training, clarity, support, and opportunity, some people will still choose not to engage. Keeping them around hurts everyone. Letting them leave is not cruel. It’s respectful.

Two Practical Ways to Start Right Now

• Create a superintendent forum where supers can weigh in, challenge ideas, and help steer decisions under strong leadership. When people help shape the system, they support it.
• Build one anchor project with your best people and over-invest in it. Train it, film it, tour it, and let it pull the rest of the organization forward.

These aren’t silver bullets. They’re cultural commitments.

The Law of Thirds in Action

In every organization, about a third of people are bought in, a third are undecided, and a third are not. Where leaders spend their time determines which direction the middle moves.

When leaders spend time with their best superintendents, the undecided group moves up. Some of the negative group will follow. A small percentage will leave, and that’s healthy. Momentum builds when excellence is visible and rewarded.

When leaders spend most of their time with the dissenters, the opposite happens. The middle slides down. The best people disengage or leave. Culture decays quietly.

How This Connects to Elevate Construction’s Mission

At Elevate Construction, our mission is to respect people, preserve families, and create flow on projects. That starts with developing superintendents who love their craft, understand their impact, and feel supported in doing meaningful work.

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

We don’t believe in blaming people. We believe in fixing systems.

A Challenge for Leaders

Ask yourself this honestly. Have you shown your superintendents a clear path to success, or are you hoping they figure it out on their own? Have you trained them rigorously, or are you managing the fallout of underdevelopment? Are you rewarding excellence, or feeding dysfunction with attention?

Great superintendents aren’t gone. They’re waiting for systems worthy of their effort.

As W. Edwards Deming said, “A bad system will beat a good person every time.” Fix the system, and you’ll be amazed who rises.

FAQs

Why do so many superintendents seem disengaged today?
Most disengagement comes from unclear expectations, inconsistent leadership, and lack of training. When people don’t know how to win, they stop trying.

Can training really change superintendent behavior?
Yes, when it’s immersive, practical, and consistent. Training that shows people how to succeed changes belief, not just knowledge.

What if a superintendent refuses to buy in?
After clear expectations and proper support, refusal is a choice. Letting people opt out protects the culture and respects everyone’s time.

How long does it take to change superintendent culture?
With focus, it can begin shifting in months. Sustainable change usually takes six to eighteen months, depending on commitment.

Is this approach only for large companies?
No. Mid-sized companies often move faster because they have fewer layers and closer leadership relationships.