The Top 20 Books Every Superintendent Should Read
If you’re a superintendent or aspire to become one there’s no better way to grow personally and professionally than by reading. In this blog, I’ll share 20 essential books that have been carefully vetted by industry professionals and will equip you with the mindset, leadership skills, and technical know-how to thrive.
We’ll also provide a formatted book list for you at the end, so you can start working through them one by one.
Why Reading Matters for Superintendents:
One of the best pieces of advice I ever received was: “Read a book a week.”
Today, I read at 3.5x speed, taking just a couple of hours per book and more importantly, I retain and implement what I learn. This keeps me sharp and ahead of the curve.
Whether you read physical copies or listen on Audible, these 20 books can transform your career.
The 20 Must-Read Books:
- High Performance Habits – Brendon Burchard
A framework for building winning habits that will make you unstoppable when implemented consistently.
- Leadership & Self-Deception – The Arbinger Institute
Learn to control your emotions, avoid ego traps, and lead from a place of clarity and respect.
- How to Win Friends & Influence People – Dale Carnegie
A timeless classic on building relationships and inspiring cooperation on your job site.
- The Speed of Trust – Stephen M.R. Covey
Trust is the foundation of effective teamwork—this book shows you how to build it.
- It’s Your Ship – Captain D. Michael Abrashoff
Leadership lessons from the U.S. Navy that apply directly to running high-performing construction projects.
- Extreme Ownership – Jocko Willink & Leif Babin
Learn the “laws of combat” for leadership: build the team, simplify the mission, prioritize, and decentralize command.
- The Goal – Eliyahu M. Goldratt
An introduction to the Theory of Constraints, a must-read for understanding flow in projects.
- The Bottleneck Rules – Clark Ching
A practical follow-up to The Goal, teaching you how to identify and optimize bottlenecks.
- This Is Lean – Niklas Modig & Pär Åhlström
A deep dive into flow units, Little’s Law, and minimizing stops to improve efficiency.
- The Toyota Production System – Taiichi Ohno
Foundational lean concepts like takt time and pull production explained by the pioneer himself.
- The Lean Builder – Joe Donarumo & Keyan Zandy
A clear, practical guide to implementing lean construction principles right away.
- 2-Second Lean – Paul Akers
Simple, practical lean strategies you can apply to construction even though it’s written for manufacturing.
- Elevating Construction Superintendents – Jason Schroeder
Insights gathered from years of interviewing top superintendents across the country.
- Takt Planning – Jason Schroeder & Others
A system for creating reliable project schedules that actually finish on time.
- Takt Steering & Control – Jason Schroeder & Others
The follow-up to Takt Planning, teaching you how to keep projects on track.
- Elevating Pre-construction Planning – Jason Schroeder
A guide to building a lean operating system for your projects before construction even starts.
- How to Stop Worrying and Start Living – Dale Carnegie
Strategies for reducing stress, staying healthy, and avoiding burnout in high-pressure roles.
- The 33 Strategies of War – Robert Greene
Military strategies adapted for leadership and competition in the professional world.
- The Art of War – Sun Tzu
Timeless principles of strategy that apply to leadership, planning, and execution.
- Switch – Chip Heath & Dan Heath
How to create lasting change even when it feels impossible.
What You’ll Gain
If you work through these 20 books over the next couple of years, you’ll see:
- Better leadership skills.
- Improved project results.
- Higher pay and promotions.
- Less stress and more work-life balance.
These books are more than just good reads, they’re a blueprint for success in construction leadership.
Key Takeaway:
Reading the right books can fast-track a superintendent’s growth sharpening leadership skills, boosting project performance, and reducing stress. These 20 carefully selected titles provide a proven roadmap for excelling both on the job site and in life.
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
