Elevate Construction

Jason has fun with one of his favorite metaphors for the mindset the industry needs more of: the honey badger. He shares the story of trying to caption a LinkedIn post about Katie, the CEO of Elevate Construction, and landing on the perfect title (the "honeycorn," a honey badger with unicorn powers). He then walks through the honey badger's actual biological traits and turns each one into a leadership attribute, closing with the field engineer boot camp mascot Steve Snyder helped inspire and the standing charge: figure it out, enable the craft, and be the badger.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why Katie earned the title of "honeycorn" and what that says about leading a construction company

• The traits of the honey badger: strong, independent, defended, well nourished, nimble, intelligent, and long lived

• Why honey badgers are known for problem solving, escaping enclosures, and sleeping off snake bites

• Steve Snyder's origin of the field engineer boot camp mascot and the phrase "figure it out, enable the craft, and be the badger"

• The core mindset shift: most losses in construction aren't circumstantial, they're mental

Be the honey badger. Nurtured, fearless, tenacious, nimble, and not wasteful. That's the mindset construction actually 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

Jason takes Maslow's hierarchy of needs, which came up while he was reading Your Next Five Moves by Patrick Bet-David, and maps every layer of it onto the construction job site. He opens with a vulnerable personal story about counting change at a small Walmart when his first company's compensation wasn't keeping up with a growing family, and the wake up call that came when he finally moved to a company that met that basic physiological rung. He then walks each level (physiological, safety, belongingness, esteem, self actualization) and shows how bathrooms, lunch areas, huddles, tours, and continuous improvement videos are the practical construction expressions of each rung.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why Maslow's hierarchy of needs maps directly onto the construction job site

• The personal story of counting change at Walmart and what it took to finally leave a 14 year company

• The physiological rung in construction: bathrooms, lunch areas, clean water, warmth and cool, breaks

• The safety rung: physical safety, secure paycheck, and psychological safety

• The belongingness rung: worker huddles, barbecues, and identifying with the project vision

• The esteem rung: showcasing workers to owners, sharing their work on social media, thank yous

• The self actualization rung: Paul Akers style continuous improvement videos and the pride of "I built that"

The lower rungs aren't sentimental. They're the foundation for the productivity, quality, and total participation everyone says they want.

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 the scriptural phrase from Matthew 23:24, "ye blind guides which strain at a gnat and swallow a camel," and turns it into a leadership lesson for the industry. He walks through a recent story of a PM who balked at a $4,000 training bill while the same project was on track to lose hundreds of thousands to schedule slippage, turnover, and liquidated damages. He pulls in the John Wayne Hellfighters scene where an oil well fire specialist gets promoted to a board meeting arguing about bathroom paint colors and quits to go back to real work, and shares his own moment early at Elevate when he tried to hire his way out of managing the business.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• The Matthew 23:24 principle: fussing about trifles while ignoring the more serious matters

• Why leaders default to visible, unimportant issues instead of invisible, urgent ones

• The Hellfighters analogy: choose the well fire over the bathroom paint color debate

• LeGrand Richards' line: run to your work, not away from it

• The Hensel Phelps general superintendent principle: find the biggest problem first and take it down

• The self examination: are you finding the biggest dude in the bar or straining at the gnats

The gnats are easy to see. The camels are the problems you have to dig for. Stop straining. Start swallowing the ones that actually matter.

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 opens with a personnel story that most leaders won't tell publicly: a talented surveyor who kept making project altering, hundreds of thousands of dollars in delay mistakes because he didn't believe in his heart he needed to double check his work. Jason sent him home for three days without pay and put him on a performance improvement plan, and the team was uncomfortable with it. He uses that moment to draw the line the industry keeps blurring: mistakes and negligence are not the same thing. He walks through what makes a mistake acceptable, what makes an action negligence, and closes with a piercing analogy from cancer and leprosy about what happens when a team's immune system fails to recognize the disease inside it.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• The clear list that makes something an actual mistake: new task, asking for help, honest, doing the checklist, doing the pre activity meeting

• The clear list that makes something negligence: no care, no checklist, no double check, hiding it, being stubborn, not asking for help

• The blame framework: don't blame people, blame processes, cultures, and behaviors

• The cancer and leprosy analogy for what happens when a team can't recognize the disease inside it

• The Eric Thomas line applied: if you let it happen, you've told the team it's okay, and it becomes the culture

There should never be consequences for mistakes. There must always be consequences for negligence. If a leader allows negligence, it stops being that person and starts being the culture the leader created.

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

Red flags aren't just warnings—they're signals that something is about to go wrong, and ignoring them can cost time, money, or even safety. In this episode, Jason breaks down the concept of productive paranoia and explains why leaders must pay attention to behavioral or performance cues before they escalate. He shares real-life examples of foremen whose early warning signs were ignored, resulting in safety hazards, schedule delays, and poor execution. This episode gives practical guidance on spotting red flags, trusting your gut, and acting decisively to protect the project and your team.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• What a red flag is and why it triggers a deeper investigation
• How ignoring small warning signs can escalate into serious problems
• The importance of trusting your gut instincts, which are informed by experience
• Why leaders must act decisively instead of hoping issues will resolve themselves
• How to implement productive paranoia to prevent accidents, delays, and rework

Are you noticing red flags early, or waiting until the problem has already hit?

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

Digging deeper is what separates reactive leaders from multiplier leaders. In this episode, Jason shares real stories from field walks and Scrum board implementation to show why leaders must verify, question, and coach instead of assuming everything is fine. You'll learn how to uncover the real situation, get past excuses, and ensure processes are actually followed so teams can perform at a higher level. This is a practical reset on curiosity, accountability, and respectful verification in construction leadership.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Dig in: ask questions, observe, and verify processes instead of accepting verbal updates
• Get past excuses: uncover root causes and find practical solutions
• Coach and enable: guide employees respectfully while confirming standards are followed
• Assume nothing: even smart, motivated people need systems, double checks, and support
• Lead like a multiplier: verify, train, mentor, and scale communication to make teams autonomous

Are you digging deep to see reality, or settling for what people tell you on the surface?

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

Quality is not just a system it's a mindset and a culture that starts with leadership. In this episode, Jason breaks down quality at the source and why it's the responsibility of superintendents, foremen, and field engineers to stop bad work immediately. He shares real stories of rework avoided, inspections enforced, and accountability applied. You'll learn how clear expectations, enforcement, and leadership resolve quality issues before they reach the customer and keep projects flowing smoothly.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Stop bad work immediately and fix it at the source
• Set clear expectations for foremen, crews, and field engineers
• Enforce quality consistently or risk creating a culture of mediocrity
• Use visual checklists, feature-of-work boards, and inspections to maintain standards
• Leadership matters: you get what you tolerate, so hold the line firmly

Are you enforcing quality at the source, or letting bad work become the norm on your 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

Continuous improvement isn't just a buzzword it's a system that drives better performance every day. In this episode, Jason breaks down how to create a culture of continuous improvement: set targets, measure gaps, train people, provide time and resources, and incentivize contributions. He shares examples from construction projects, superintendent training, and operational excellence programs, showing how small improvements compounded daily can build a flywheel of success, reduce cycle times, and increase profits.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• How to set strenuous performance targets to create leverage for improvement
• Why identifying gaps and measuring them drives ownership and accountability
• How training, resources, and time empower teams to make improvements daily
• How to use visual tracking, videos, and before-and-after documentation to reinforce learning
• Why recognition, incentives, and reporting progress on KPIs sustain a culture of continuous improvement

Are you running continuous improvement as a system, or hoping it happens by chance on your 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

Running a project is about driving not pushing. In this episode, Jason explains why superintendents and foremen must lead with urgency, clear direction, and capacity building instead of throwing manpower and money at problems. Driving means bringing the team along, maintaining safety, proper sequence, and rhythm, and keeping everyone aligned toward the goal. Pushing leads to chaos, frustration, and unsafe conditions, while driving creates flow, communication, and measurable progress.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• The difference between pushing and driving on a project
• How to build capacity and remove roadblocks before work begins
• Why urgency with direction keeps teams safe, aligned, and productive
• How communication, planning, and integrated teams prevent frantic firefighting
• Why pushers fail and driving superintendents succeed in leading projects

Are you driving your project with clarity and urgency, or pushing and hoping it all works out?

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

Episode 500. Jason marks the milestone with a topic that's been on his mind from recent project walks: the morning hours wasted on workers walking around mobilizing materials instead of installing them. He shares the recent capstone event with Petticoid Smith, his first major speaking event in front of 200 to 250 people in downtown Phoenix, and then digs into the principle: workers have a limited amount of mental discipline each day, and the highest leverage hours (early morning before 10:30 or 11:00) need to be spent on the actual install, not on treasure hunts for the right materials and tools.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why workers have limited mental discipline daily and why most accidents happen after 10:30

• Why high focus work (lockout tagout, high risk install, switch gear, leading edges) belongs in the morning

• Why staging, cleanup, and prep belong in the afternoon

• The Takt simulation insight: pre staged materials are what gets the game under five minutes

• The reframe: would you rather know you're missing something the night before or the morning of

• The three ways to handle staging: a separate logistics crew, a staggered crew, or the same crew the afternoon before

• Why mornings on a busy site are exactly the wrong time to fight for the hoist, the forklift, and the crane

The sin of walking around. End it, and the morning becomes the most productive part of the day instead of the most wasted.

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