Elevate Construction

Jason and Hal Macomber dig deep into what real systems thinking looks like for Takt construction, breaking it down into three layers: measurement, assessment, and control. Hal introduces new ways to measure flow beyond outdated tools like PPC, including tracking how consistently trains finish within a set window of their Takt time, and using swing capacity and workable backlog to keep crews productive. They close with a powerful challenge rooted in trust and affection between trades, arguing that no amount of measurement fixes an industry that hasn't learned to depend on and care for the people working alongside them.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why old measurements like PPC, SPI, and CPI don't tell you what you actually need to know in Takt construction

• How to measure flow using the range and consistency of how close trains finish to their Takt time

• Why workable backlog and swing capacity need to be intentionally planned, not just talked about

• The difference between measurement, assessment, and control, and why "control" really means steering toward future milestones, not looking backward

• Why building real trust and affection between trades may matter as much as any technical system

What's one measurement or practice from this conversation you could start experimenting with on your own project this week?

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

Jason takes a victory lap in this episode, celebrating real momentum he's seeing across the construction industry: major contractors building out formal superintendent and project manager training programs, project conditions improving on big-name jobsites, and Takt construction scaling faster than he ever expected. He also teases an upcoming addition to the podcast, a new voice joining to dig into mental health in construction, a topic he's been wanting to approach carefully and substantively. This one is part update, part rallying cry for anyone already leaning into the changes happening in the industry.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why Jason believes multiple major contractors quietly building structured training programs signals a real industry shift

• How improving project conditions on major jobsites are raising the bar for the whole industry

• Why blaming workers for industry problems is usually a distraction from real system issues

• How fast Takt construction has scaled in just a couple of years, and why getting on board now matters

• A preview of an upcoming series on mental health in construction, aimed at real, usable training rather than generic awareness

If tacked construction and real training programs are scaling this fast, are you getting on the bus, or getting left behind?

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

Fresh off delivering what he calls the best superintendent and project manager boot camp yet, Jason lays out the complete career progression path he's built for builders who want a remarkable career. He walks through each stage step by step, from the Fundamental Builder Boot Camp and company onboarding, through key books and software skills, all the way to the Superintendent Project Manager Boot Camp and eventual Master Builder certification. This episode is a practical roadmap for anyone wondering what a real, structured path to growth in construction actually looks like.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• The full career progression path Jason recommends for superintendents and project managers

• Why the Fundamental Builder Boot Camp (surveying, quality, safety, personal organization) is the essential starting point

• A list of key books Jason recommends for anyone starting their construction career

• How the Superintendent Project Manager Boot Camp and its virtual follow-up help teams actually implement what they've learned

• Why having a clear, mapped-out path for new hires can dramatically improve how quickly they grow and stay engaged

Does your company have a clear, mapped-out path for someone to progress from their first day to becoming a true master builder, or are they left to figure it out on their own?

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

Recorded on the go before a field walk, Jason shares a powerful exercise a business coach gave him called the "triad," a way to intentionally get into your best, highest-performing state on demand. He breaks down the science behind focus, physiology, and language, showing why low-energy words and posture can actually program your brain against you. Then he walks through the full exercise step by step, including writing down the truth about yourself to override negative self-talk, so you can build your own personal triad and access your best state whenever you need it.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why focus, physiology, and language together determine whether you show up in a high-performance or low-performance state

• How saying "I will try" versus "I will" physically changes your body's response

• How to build your own personal "triad": the emotions, physiology, and language of your best self

• Why writing down and crossing out negative self-talk, then replacing it with the truth, can reprogram your mindset over time

• How practicing your triad three times a day can train you to access your peak state more consistently

What emotions, physiology, and words describe you at your absolute best, and are you living there today?

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

Jason and Brandon Montero dig into a realization that changed how Jason thinks about giving feedback: it should be tied to where someone actually wants to go, not just whether they're meeting the minimum bar right now. He breaks down the real difference between praise, feedback for improvement, and criticism, and why coaching someone toward their own personal goals, whether that's a promotion, more influence, or simply becoming their best self, is one of the most powerful gifts a leader can give. The conversation closes with a moving reminder of how one coaching conversation changed the trajectory of a team member's entire career.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• The real difference between praise, feedback for improvement, and criticism

• Why feedback should be tied to where someone wants to go, not just whether they've hit the minimum standard

• How knowing someone's personal goals changes the way you coach them on the job site

• Why noticing other people, not just focusing on your own performance, is essential to giving great feedback

• A real story of how one coaching conversation opened up a completely new career path for a team member

Do you know where the people around you actually want to go, or are you only telling them whether they've met the minimum today?

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

Jason brings his daughter Ava onto the podcast to talk about something she observed at a recent boot camp: a moment where peers were verbally encouraging someone struggling through an exercise instead of getting out there and doing it alongside them. Together they connect it to the Explain, Demonstrate, Guide, Enable method, using a story about teaching Ava to drive the boat, first by yelling instructions from the shore, and later by sitting right next to her, to show why modeling behavior beats just telling people what to do. It's a short, heartfelt episode about coaching, patience, and meeting people where they are.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why telling someone what to do often falls short compared to actually modeling the behavior with them

• The four steps of the Explain, Demonstrate, Guide, Enable method for teaching any skill

• Why starting with encouragement and support builds confidence faster than repeated failed attempts

• How this concept applies to trade partners, direct reports, and family members who learn differently than you do

• Why going to where the person is, physically and emotionally, matters as much as the instruction itself

Next time you're coaching someone who's struggling, will you tell them what to do, or will you get out there and do it with them?

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

Jason is joined by survey professional Brandon Montero to make the case for a simple but often skipped best practice: physically laying out the building on site before construction begins. Sharing real stories, including a duct bank running through a caisson and a water line that nearly caused a costly excavation conflict, they break down why string, spray paint, and lath can catch problems that never show up on a drawing set. It's a practical conversation about visualization, double-checking survey work, and coordinating utilities early so hidden conflicts don't become major roadblocks once construction starts.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why physically laying out a building's foundation and utilities before construction reveals conflicts drawings can miss

• How to combine BlueStake, private utility locates, potholing, and as-built data to avoid costly surprises

• Why double-checking survey work and property corners is a best practice, not a sign of distrust

• A real story about catching a water line conflict early enough to add shoring without delaying the project

• Why compiling field visualization data into CAD preserves it for future use instead of losing it to memory

Have you actually laid out your next project on site, or are you just trusting that the pad is ready to build on?

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

Recorded on the go from Sky Harbor Airport, Jason breaks down one of the most misunderstood Lean concepts out there: One Piece Flow. He explains why the key isn't just "doing one thing at a time," but correctly identifying what the actual piece or finished process is, using the classic envelope-stuffing game and a real story about an inspector who eliminated 40 backlogged reports simply by redefining what "done" meant for each visit. This is a short, practical episode that clears up why batching feels efficient but almost always costs more time in the end.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• The real difference between batching and One Piece Flow, and why batching only feels faster

• Why you have to correctly identify "the piece" before you can actually flow it

• A real story of an inspector who eliminated a 40-report backlog by finishing each report on-site instead of batching them

• Why the first finished piece arrives dramatically sooner with One Piece Flow than with batching

• How this concept applies to trade partners, shops, and entire construction projects, not just manufacturing

What's "the piece" in your own work that you've been batching instead of flowing all the way to done?

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

Recorded live from the road after a busy few days, Jason shares a deeply personal story about a friend from church, one of the "Lost Boys" of Sudan, whose humble words about receiving help sparked a reflection on why letting others give to you is its own kind of gift. He opens up about the many times in his own life he's been helped, from in-laws to church assistance to borrowed money, and makes the case that refusing to receive kindness can actually rob someone else of the chance to serve. It's a warm, honest episode about humility, gratitude, and the deeper meaning behind both giving and receiving.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why refusing to receive a gift can unintentionally take away someone else's opportunity to give

• How humility and gratitude go hand in hand when accepting help from others

• Why the ability to give and contribute is one of the deepest sources of meaning in life

• Personal stories of being helped through hard times, and what it taught Jason about paying it forward

Next time someone offers you help or kindness, will you let yourself receive it, knowing it might be the greatest gift you can give them in return?

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

Jason breaks down a concept he's touched on before but is finally naming outright: sneaker time. It's all the wasted motion, running around talking to people one-on-one, chasing down materials, and repeating information that eats up hours of a superintendent's day. He makes the case that effective, well-run huddles and meetings aren't the problem, they're actually the solution, since good coordination eliminates the need for all that scattered running around in the first place.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• What "sneaker time" is and why it's a hidden productivity killer on job sites

• Why motion, transportation, and waiting are wastes that steal hours from your day

• Why avoiding meetings often creates more wasted time, not less

• How well-run huddles eliminate the need to chase people down individually for information

• Why keeping the plan visible and coordinated beats keeping it in the superintendent's head

How much of your day is actually sneaker time, and what would a well-run huddle system give you back?

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