This week's episode starts with a snowstorm… but it's not really about the weather.

It's about what happens when construction gets disrupted, and how the silent spaces right after hold more power than most designers realize.

Because when a project goes off track, the real work isn't about drywall or lost days. It's about who communicates what, when they communicate it, and whether that moment creates clarity or chaos.

So today, I'm breaking down:

• Why designers go quiet during construction (& what's really driving that silence)
• How not saying anything doesn't protect your authority — it quietly undermines it
• What you can say instead (even if you don't have all the answers yet)

This isn't about calling anyone out, it's about naming a pattern I see over and over again: Silence isn't neutral during construction. It's a leadership moment missed.

Let's talk through it (so you never have to white-knuckle an update email again).

Mentioned in this episode:

• Access the full video interview with Elana Steele of Steele Appliance here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/appliance

• Join the waitlist for my course here: https://www.reneedevignierdesign.com/construction-management-interior-designers

Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.com/why-silence-isnt-neurtral-during-construction