What Is Our Legacy?, Feat. Steve Yots

Giving Back: Lessons from a Career in Construction

As I look at the last third of my career, one word keeps coming up for me: giving back. I have had the privilege of learning from incredible mentors over the past 20 to 30 years, people who pushed me hard, guided me through challenges, and showed me what it meant to lead in construction. Now, I feel an obligation to carry that torch forward, to pour into the next generation the same way others poured into me.

One story that shaped my perspective comes from a project that still stands out as a milestone in my career. It was a 1.3 billion dollar, one-million-square-foot project in downtown San Francisco. The site had zero lot line, so every inch of work had to be meticulously planned. What made that project extraordinary was not just its scale. It was the owner’s vision. They believed in lean principles and challenged us from the very beginning to be comfortable being uncomfortable. That motto shaped everything we did.

Instead of working in silos, the owner brought the designer and trade partners into an integrated form of agreement from day one. We were boots on the ground for validation and design, not just execution. That early collaboration created trust, and that trust fueled results. We built a million square feet, went 87 feet below street level, and despite countless changes and challenges, we never moved our end date. We finished on time and under budget, not because of rigid control but because we created flow together.

I still remember one powerful moment from that project. For six weeks, we asked every person on site a simple question: why construction? What do you love about it? People wrote their answers on the walls. With the help of a consultant, we distilled those words into a phrase that captured the heart of the entire team: Work with heart, build with care. That became the mantra on our tower crane and a symbol of what happens when people align around purpose.

The lesson I took from that job is one I carry with me to every project now: milestones matter. On that job, we created 19 key milestones and committed as a team that we would never move them. They were not arbitrary dates. They were promises we made to each other and to the owner. Once those were set, we invited the next layer of leaders to define intermediate milestones. That gave everyone ownership, created flow, and gave us meaningful points to celebrate. It also taught me that honoring commitments builds trust, and trust is the foundation of great teams.

Giving back is not just about sharing stories from big projects. It is about daily habits. Over the years, I have developed a simple framework that guides me: who did I teach today, who did I coach, who did I mentor, and what did I learn? I aim to touch four people every day in those ways. I do not bat a thousand, but the intention keeps me focused. It pushes me to look beyond schedules and budgets and invest in people, because that is what truly changes the industry.

Sometimes giving back is as simple as showing up. Recently, a project executive reached out with a question about resourcing. I could have handled it over a Teams call, but instead, I drove to his job site. I wanted to see, feel, and experience the situation through his eyes. It did not take long, but the impact was lasting. He told me later how much it meant that I adjusted my schedule to stand beside him in person. Those are the moments that stick, the moments that remind me why leadership is about presence as much as strategy.

Of course, giving back also means sharing beyond your own company. Too often, I see organizations hold their best practices close, worried that competitors will gain an edge. But when we hoard knowledge, we all lose. Why should one owner’s dream project be another’s nightmare simply because we did not share what we learned? If we are serious about raising the bar in construction, then we need to cooperate as much as we compete.

That is why I believe owners should reward collaboration as much as technical ability. Anyone can buy the tools. The difference comes from the teams who know how to work together, respect each other, and leave a project not just successful, but bonded as friends. Imagine if contracts incentivized collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and giving back. We would not just build better buildings. We would build a stronger industry.

Giving back is also about attitude. A while ago, I had a shirt made that says, Are you ready for my love? I wear it when I visit new projects. The story behind it is simple. I bring a lot of fire when I walk a site, and sometimes that energy can feel overwhelming. The shirt is my way of reminding people that everything I bring comes from a place of care. I want every team to succeed, and sometimes a little humor helps set the tone.

In the end, I believe the way we change this industry is one person at a time. Intentionally. With purpose. By teaching, coaching, mentoring, and learning every single day. By showing up when it matters. By sharing what we have learned, even with competitors. And by remembering that behind every milestone, every crane, and every set of drawings, there are people. People who deserve our respect, our gratitude, and our best effort.

Takeaway: Giving back is not a one-time act. It is a daily practice of teaching, mentoring, learning, and leading with heart.