Elevate Construction

Jason tackles a listener question about the tight labor market and losing young talent, sharing his unfiltered take on why "company loyalty" is a myth and why paying people their real market value, before they go looking elsewhere, is simply smart business. He walks through Elevate's own Netflix-inspired compensation philosophy and the actual messages he's sent his team about pay and transitions. Then he pivots into an all-in, no-holds-barred case for why everyone needs to invest in real personal development training, using his own experience with Tony Robbins programs as proof of what's possible when you commit to leveling up.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why Jason believes there's no such thing as loyalty to a company, only to your God, family, and yourself

• How Elevate's "pay top of market before they ask" philosophy is designed to prevent losing good people

• Why helping someone transition well, even to another company, builds a healthier culture than shaming them for leaving

• The real cost of underpaying and under-appreciating high performers

• Why Jason believes investing in serious personal development training can transform your business and your life

If you found out today how hard your company would actually try to keep you, what would that tell you about where you stand?

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 John Coffman dig into a mindset that's defined both of their careers: problems are gift-wrapped packages, and solving them is how you get the gift. John tells the incredible story of getting called into a "forest fire" of a nuclear power plant job early in his career, a decision that shaped the rest of his path, and Jason revisits the SkyTrain survey disaster they solved together. Together they lay out a real, repeatable process for tackling tough problems instead of avoiding them, and make the case for why the people who learn to solve problems become the ones companies can't do without.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why running toward hard problems, instead of avoiding them, is what actually builds a remarkable career

• The step-by-step process for solving a problem, from defining it to identifying root cause to executing a plan

• Why gathering real data before acting is the key to solving almost any problem

• A real story about fixing a five-and-a-half-inch survey error on a major transit project under serious time pressure

• Why asking your team "what's keeping you awake at night" surfaces the problems that actually matter

Next time you see a hard problem coming your way, will you step back and avoid it, or will you dig in and go get the gift?

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 shares a short but powerful shift in how he thinks about buy-in, and admits he's failed at it plenty of times himself. He breaks down why forcing people into training, decisions, or new behaviors puts their brain into a fear response, while letting it be their genuine choice activates connection and a rise-to-the-occasion mindset instead. From trade partners to family to leadership teams, he makes the case that real commitment only happens when people choose it, not when it's forced down their throat.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why forcing people into decisions triggers a fear response instead of genuine commitment

• How letting people choose to participate changes the way their brain engages with the work

• Why applying to a course or bootcamp creates stronger buy-in than simply being assigned to it

• The power of literally asking someone's permission before coaching or challenging them

• Why the same principle applies to trade partners, leadership teams, spouses, and kids alike

Where in your own life or on your project are you forcing buy-in instead of letting it truly be someone's choice?

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 a wilderness survival challenge at the Tony Robbins Platinum Partnership event, Jason breaks down a simple truth that applies just as much to construction as it does to surviving in the wild: success comes down to the will to survive and the knowledge and use of the equipment. He connects the lesson to a home builder struggling to keep customers happy, showing how a lack of real skills and training pushes even a well-intentioned person into a victim mindset. This one's a powerful reminder that a winning attitude alone isn't enough without the actual training and tools to back it up.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why survival, and success in business, comes down to two things: the will to survive and the knowledge and use of the equipment

• How lacking real skills and training can push even a motivated person into a victim mindset over time

• Why just watching or experiencing something (like a home build or a catered event) doesn't mean you actually know how to run it

• Why so many builders default to blaming outside circumstances instead of addressing gaps in their own training

• Why companies that stop training their people are creating the very problems they blame on "not having good people"

Do you have the will to survive in your work, and just as importantly, the actual knowledge and use of the equipment to back it up?

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 shares memory techniques from two time memorization champion Ron White, breaking down the five steps of focus, filing by location, picturing with action, and reviewing, then connects it directly to how builders visualize a project in their mind.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why focus is the first step to remembering anything
• How filing images by location works like a mental filing cabinet
• Why pairing a picture with an action locks memory in place
• How reviewing keeps information from fading away
• Why visualizing the building this way helps builders recall every detail

What could you remember better if you filed it by location instead of leaving it in one big pile?

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 reflects on a day spent serving with a hunger relief organization in the Bahamas, then shares the story of Gail Halvorsen, the Candy Bomber, whose small acts of kindness during the Berlin Airlift became a lifelong lesson in service.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why service brought real fulfillment during hard, hungry days
• The story of the Candy Bomber and his gum drops for German children
• Why Halvorsen found his deepest purpose serving former enemies
• How small acts of kindness carried people through desperate times
• Why true happiness comes from giving with nothing expected back

What's your next opportunity to serve someone who can't repay 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

Jason shares lessons from a Tony Robbins networking event, opening up about his own discomfort meeting new people and how brief, genuine conversations gave him life changing advice in minutes. He makes the case that networking works the same way fresh eyes meetings do on a project, by leveraging the collective wisdom of people around you instead of trying to solve everything alone.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why real networking beats surface level small talk
• How brief authentic conversations can deliver years of wisdom in minutes
• Why authenticity and genuine interest build real relationships
• How giving value to others pays back in unexpected ways
• Why most of our problems are already solved in someone else's experience

Are you protecting your comfort, or missing out on wisdom that could move you forward faster?

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

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Jason shares his approach to professional development from the Tony Robbins Platinum Partnership training in the Bahamas. He breaks it down into shaping your daily habits, reading a book a week, investing in training even when it's a financial stretch, and finding mentors who are actually ahead of where you want to go.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why your habits shape your future more than anything else
• How reading a book a week accelerates personal growth
• Why investing in training is worth stretching your budget for
• How to know when a mentor is no longer qualified to guide you
• Why your dreams sit just outside your comfort zone

What's your next step outside your comfort zone?

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 John Coffman talk about the habit of calmness, why superintendents must train themselves to stay steady when something goes wrong. John shares the story of a tipped over backhoe handled methodically instead of in a panic, and both explain how neuro associative conditioning can rewire your default reaction to a crisis.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why calmness has to be built as a habit, not just a hope
• How a tipped over backhoe was handled through methodical teamwork
• Why a leader who loses composure risks losing the whole job
• What neuro associative conditioning is and how it rewires habits
• Why assertive, not aggressive, is the right response under pressure

What's your default reaction when something goes wrong on your job?

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 talks with Brandon Montero about a simple feedback model: state what you noticed, describe the specific path to improvement, then give the reason why it matters, so feedback lands as help instead of criticism.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why stating what you noticed beats stating a judgment
• How a clear path to improvement removes the guesswork from feedback
• Why explaining the why turns feedback into something people want
• How genuine care for someone's future makes feedback easier to give
• Why asking for feedback yourself helps normalize the whole process

If you have been avoiding giving someone feedback because it might sting, the honest question is whether staying quiet is really kinder than giving them a clear, caring path to something 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