Construction is messy, stressful, and full of high-stakes moments but what if the best leaders aren’t the ones who yell the loudest, but the ones who stay calmest when the pressure is highest?

In this episode, I sit down with Chris Giaimo to talk about the art of calm under pressure. From growing up in the trades alongside his dad to building a reputation as the superintendent crews want to work for, Chris shares how preparation, organization, and respect, not intimidation, create trust and results on the jobsite.

We tackle the myth that you have to be “tough” or abrasive to earn respect in construction, and Chris explains why kindness, consistency, and gratitude are more powerful tools than a raised voice. Along the way, we dig into practical routines, leadership lessons, and the mindset that turns stressful jobs into steady progress.

If you’ve ever struggled with stress, conflict, or the old-school belief that being a jerk is the only way to lead, this conversation will challenge and inspire you.

If you like the Elevate Construction podcast, please subscribe for free and you’ll never miss an episode.  And if you really like the Elevate Construction podcast, I’d appreciate you telling a friend (Maybe even two 😊).

Also, here are links to our YouTube Channels:

· Jason Schroeder YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xpRYvrW5Op5Ckxs4vDGDg

· LeanTakt YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt

· LeanSuper YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured

· LeanSurvey YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw

What does it take to go from pushing brooms to leading as a superintendent in just a few years? In this episode, we sit down with Steven Shannon of Sky Blue Builders, alongside Kate Schroeder, to unpack the habits, systems, and mindset shifts that transformed his career and his life.

Steven opens up about his path in construction, the power of mentorship, and how lessons from our Super PM Boot Camp changed the way he works and leads. From implementing self-care routines to mastering pull planning and meeting cadences, he shares how small changes created big results.

But this conversation doesn’t shy away from the hard stuff. Steven gets real about mistakes that cost time and money and how his company’s culture of learning over punishment helped him grow stronger. Together, we explore why failure normalization matters, how to get teams to truly buy into new systems, and why rhythm not overexertion is the secret to sustainable success in construction.

This is an honest, practical, and inspiring episode for anyone who wants to build better, lead better, and live better.

If you like the Elevate Construction podcast, please subscribe for free and you’ll never miss an episode.  And if you really like the Elevate Construction podcast, I’d appreciate you telling a friend (Maybe even two 😊).

Also, here are links to our YouTube Channels:

· Jason Schroeder YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xpRYvrW5Op5Ckxs4vDGDg

· LeanTakt YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt

· LeanSuper YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured

· LeanSurvey YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw

What if you could combine the strengths of CPM with the power of Takt without falling into the traps that derail most projects? In this episode, Jason breaks down exactly how to align Takt and CPM so they work together, not against each other.

You’ll learn:

• Why Takt should always come first as your production plan.

• How to set up the deliverable and update cycles the right way.

• What superintendents, trade partners, and owners should actually see.

• The correct way to handle delays and keep projects legally covered without panic, overtime, or waste.

This is the roadmap for builders who want structure, flow, and clarity in their schedules. If you’ve ever wondered how to use CPM without letting it run your project, this episode will change the way you plan. 

Don’t just schedule build with flow. Listen now.

If you like the Elevate Construction podcast, please subscribe for free and you’ll never miss an episode.  And if you really like the Elevate Construction podcast, I’d appreciate you telling a friend (Maybe even two 😊).

Also, here are links to our YouTube Channels:

· Jason Schroeder YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xpRYvrW5Op5Ckxs4vDGDg

· LeanTakt YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt

· LeanSuper YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured

· LeanSurvey YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw

Construction is tough but does it have to break people? What if resilience could be built into our teams just like steel and concrete?

In this powerful conversation, Stephanie Wood (CEO of CoBuild Construction) and Jordan Leytem (Field Operations Manager) share how they’re reshaping construction culture by focusing on people first. Their work brings neuroscience, leadership, and heart together to create teams that don’t just survive the pressures of the industry but actually thrive.

We cover:

• The science of resilience: expanding and returning to your “window of tolerance”.

• Why grit and resilience aren’t the same and why you need both.

• Real strategies for helping supers, foremen, and trade partners regulate under stress.

• The power of naming emotions to reset thinking and problem-solving.

• How leaders can measure what truly matters: flourishing people, not just profits.

If you’ve ever felt the burnout, pressure, or fight-or-flight mode of construction leadership, this episode will give you a new framework and real tools for building trust, balance, and resilience on your projects and in your life.

🎧 Listen now and learn how to build people, not just projects.

If you like the Elevate Construction podcast, please subscribe for free and you’ll never miss an episode.  And if you really like the Elevate Construction podcast, I’d appreciate you telling a friend (Maybe even two 😊).

Also, here are links to our YouTube Channels:

· Jason Schroeder YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xpRYvrW5Op5Ckxs4vDGDg

· LeanTakt YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt

· LeanSuper YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured

· LeanSurvey YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw

What if working 70-hour weeks wasn’t the badge of honor the industry makes it out to be? What if the real mark of leadership was giving your teams the capacity to succeed and the freedom to thrive?

In this episode, Chris Pomey, field operations leader at Manhattan Construction shares how building capacity and focusing on the employee experience can transform both people and projects. From digging ditches and plumbing to leading national teams, Chris’s career is built on one principle: do the right things, at the right time, the right way.

We’ll cover:

• Why the industry’s obsession with long hours is broken and how to fix it.

• The mantra that drives discipline and frees up team capacity.

• How to avoid the “RFI death spiral” through better planning.

• Real-world lessons on balancing productivity, safety, and people’s lives.

• Why change isn’t hard when teams are hungry for a better experience.

If you want to lead projects without burning out your people and actually make construction fun again, this conversation will give you the tools and mindset to get there.

🎧 Listen now and discover how capacity creates innovation, balance, and remarkable results.

If you like the Elevate Construction podcast, please subscribe for free and you’ll never miss an episode.  And if you really like the Elevate Construction podcast, I’d appreciate you telling a friend (Maybe even two 😊).

Also, here are links to our YouTube Channels:

· Jason Schroeder YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xpRYvrW5Op5Ckxs4vDGDg

· LeanTakt YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt

· LeanSuper YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured

· LeanSurvey YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw

What does it mean to truly give back to the construction industry? For Steve Yots, it’s not just about completing projects, it’s about shaping the next generation, one person at a time.

In this episode, Steve shares the powerful story of a $1.3B mega-project that redefined collaboration, trust, and flow. From creating unmovable milestones to writing “Work with Heart, Build with Care” on the tower crane, his approach turned a complex build into a masterclass in teamwork.

We talk about:

• Why the best way to change the industry is one life at a time.

• How to balance competition with genuine cooperation.

• The four daily questions that keep Steve focused on teaching, coaching, mentoring, and learning.

• Why showing up in person, unplanned can transform relationships.

• The hilarious (and effective) “Are You Ready for My Love?” shirt story.

If you want to lead with purpose, build high-performing teams, and leave the industry better than you found it, this is the episode for you.

🎧 Listen now and get inspired to make giving back part of your daily plan.

If you like the Elevate Construction podcast, please subscribe for free and you’ll never miss an episode.  And if you really like the Elevate Construction podcast, I’d appreciate you telling a friend (Maybe even two 😊).

Also, here are links to our YouTube Channels:

· Jason Schroeder YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xpRYvrW5Op5Ckxs4vDGDg

· LeanTakt YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt

· LeanSuper YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured

· LeanSurvey YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw

Habits run our lives whether we like it or not. The question is: are they helping you succeed… or quietly holding you back?

In this episode, John Coffman shares decades of leadership wisdom on how habits shape your management philosophy, your career, and even your team’s success. You’ll hear why the easiest habits to form are usually the wrong ones, and how to intentionally replace them with routines that build trust, sharpen focus, and actually get things finished.

We’ll cover:

• How unconscious habits dictate your leadership style.

• The six-part framework that will keep any project or career on track.

• Why “finishing” is a habit most people fail to develop.

• Real stories of how small habit shifts created massive results.

Listen now and learn how to take control of your habits before they take control of you. If you like the Elevate Construction podcast, please subscribe for free and you’ll never miss an episode.  And if you really like the Elevate Construction podcast, I’d appreciate you telling a friend (Maybe even two 😊).

Also, here are links to our YouTube Channels:

· Jason Schroeder YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xpRYvrW5Op5Ckxs4vDGDg

· LeanTakt YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt

· LeanSuper YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured

· LeanSurvey YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw

What do high-performing construction crews and top-tier cooking shows have in common? Full kit - having everything you need in place before the work starts.

In this episode, Jason Schroeder break down why full kit isn’t just a Lean buzzword, it’s the difference between smooth production and chaos on site. Using the cooking show analogy, we’ll explore how foremen can set their teams up like master chefs, with every tool, material, and resource ready before “go time.”

You’ll learn:

• The real meaning of full kit and why it matters more than you think.

• How CPM thinking can derail production (and what to do instead).

• Why timing and preparation beat “critical path” obsession every time.

• How to eliminate the last-minute scrambles that kill flow.

If you want your crew to run like a well-produced cooking show, no missing parsley, no “where’s the measuring cup?” moments, this episode is for you.

If you like the Elevate Construction podcast, please subscribe for free and you’ll never miss an episode.  And if you really like the Elevate Construction podcast, I’d appreciate you telling a friend (Maybe even two 😊).

Also, here are links to our YouTube Channels:

· Jason Schroeder YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xpRYvrW5Op5Ckxs4vDGDg

· LeanTakt YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt

· LeanSuper YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured

· LeanSurvey YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw

Our jobsite boards are supposed to make things clearer but are they actually holding us back? In this episode, I break down the biggest mistakes the industry is making with field boards, from confusing “constraints” with “roadblocks” to locking critical look-ahead schedules inside the trailer where crews can’t see them.

You’ll hear:

• Why our visuals for the Last Planner System are nowhere near where they need to be.

• The difference between constraints and roadblocks and why mixing them up kills flow.

• How to rethink board placement so information actually reaches the field.

• The setup I recommend for maximum clarity, collaboration, and implementation.

If you want your boards to actually drive results instead of gathering dust, this one’s for you.

🎧 Listen now and rethink how your team uses field boards because the right setup can transform your entire project.

If you like the Elevate Construction podcast, please subscribe for free and you’ll never miss an episode.  And if you really like the Elevate Construction podcast, I’d appreciate you telling a friend (Maybe even two 😊).

Also, here are links to our YouTube Channels:

· Jason Schroeder YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xpRYvrW5Op5Ckxs4vDGDg

· LeanTakt YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt

· LeanSuper YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured

· LeanSurvey YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw

Inside “Final Phase” - The Cleaning Company Raising the Bar in Construction

What happens when a team obsessed with quality, lean principles, and customer care decides to start a construction cleaning company? You get Final Phase and it’s not your typical trade partner.

In this episode, Jason Schroeder sits down with Matthew, Kevin, and Emilio to reveal:

• The real story behind Final Phase’s launch and why it’s more than “just a cleaning company.”

• How Matthew grew a previous cleaning business from $300K to over $1.5M annually and plans to do it again (bigger this time).

• Why Elevate Construction’s brand and lean approach mean Final Phase can’t afford to do anything less than excellent work.

• How their systems, staffing, and obsessive attention to detail will deliver spotless results literally and figuratively.

• The big ask: why they want your projects and how they’ll turn them into showcases for the entire industry.

Whether you’re a GC, a trade partner, or just curious about building something remarkable, this is a behind-the-scenes look at launching a company that’s set to change the game in construction cleaning.

Listen now and see why “Final Phase” could be the partner your next project needs.

If you like the Elevate Construction podcast, please subscribe for free and you’ll never miss an episode.  And if you really like the Elevate Construction podcast, I’d appreciate you telling a friend (Maybe even two 😊).

Also, here are links to our YouTube Channels:

· Jason Schroeder YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xpRYvrW5Op5Ckxs4vDGDg

· LeanTakt YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt

· LeanSuper YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured

· LeanSurvey YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw