Negativity, Influencers, and Real Solutions

I want to share a quick thought today that has been on my mind. In our industry, there seems to be a growing trend among influencers to focus more on tearing things down than building them up. I have been guilty of this myself in the past, and I can tell you firsthand it does not help anyone.

Too often I hear people saying things like “I hate that word” or “this doesn’t work” or “that’s useless.” While some of those comments may sound bold, they do little more than spread fear, reinforce egos, and create division. Negativity without a solution is not leadership.

We need to remember that real progress in construction happens when we partner, support, and share. I think of our partnerships with Intact, BuildWit, the Lean Builder, Felipe Engineer with Scrum, and Field Verified. These are organizations and people who make mistakes, just like I do, but they bring solutions, low drama, and genuine support to the table. That’s what moves the industry forward.

Criticism for its own sake is nothing more than noise. Tearing down words, concepts, or people will never build a better future. Continuous improvement requires a base to build on. If all we do is swing a jackhammer at everything in sight, we are left with nothing.

There is one exception I openly admit to: I continue to criticize CPM scheduling because I believe it truly does not serve us. But that is different than nitpicking language or slandering people. It is one thing to reject a flawed system, and another to reject entire groups of people or ideas that could help us grow.

The truth is, when leaders choose negativity, it usually comes from ego. It is easier to complain, criticize, compare, compete, and contend than to do the harder work of finding real solutions. Stephen Covey called these the four C’s, and I would add a fifth: contending. All of these keep us stuck.

What will actually change our industry is leaning into collaboration. Owners, designers, contractors, trade partners, vendors, supers, PMs, and workers are all on the same team. If I have ever been critical of a group like owners in the past, I was wrong. They face the same struggles we all face. The only way forward is together, with each of us contributing our unique strengths.

I don’t want us to waste time on LinkedIn fights, criticism in the cheap seats, or careers built on fearmongering. Our energy should go toward showing real solutions. That is what inspires, influences, and actually helps people live better lives.

On we go.

Key Takeaway
Negativity and criticism without solutions weaken our industry. True progress comes from collaboration, positivity, and offering real answers.