Calumet "K" is a story of an American Builder. The example of the main character, Bannon, is one of urgency and drive. He uses his attribute of tenacity as a master troubleshooter to navigate a number of problems and opportunities to ultimately finish an impossible project on time. Check out this first Chapter to being your journey in being more successful, and learning from the best builders of history.

In this episode we discuss

• What is the last planner system?
• What are the key components?
• What are the best behaviors within the system?
• What are the rules of last planner?
• How is it implemented?

If you like the Elevate Construction podcast, visit https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/elevate-construction/id1518326010 to subscribe 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 ).

In this episode we discuss

• Why cleanliness is a differentiator
• How can you begin this as a lifestyle
• What does an unclean life effect?

If you like the Elevate Construction podcast, visit https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/elevate-construction/id1518326010 to subscribe 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 ).

A great crew doesn't happen by accident; it's built through clear expectations, repeated communication, and a real orientation system that sets people up to win. In this Saturday "worker and foreman" episode, Jason shares a powerful story about one of the best foremen he's ever seen and how that foreman created A-player performance by onboarding every worker with a clear list of standards and reinforcing it weekly. You'll learn why it takes seven repetitions for messages to stick, how longer orientations reduce incidents, and why foremen must act as teachers and coaches not just "the toughest worker on site."

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why people don't need to be taught as much as they need to be reminded and why it takes seven repetitions for expectations to stick
• What "remarkable orientation" looks like at the company level and the project level (and why longer orientations reduce incidents)
• How one elite foreman onboarded workers with a written standards list and repeated it weekly to create consistent A-player behavior
• Why morning worker huddles and 25-minute crew prep huddles are the daily engine for alignment, planning, and total participation
• Why foremen must lead through others teaching, mentoring, coaching, correcting, and guiding all day

Are you hoping people "figure it out," or are you willing to orient, repeat, and coach until the standard becomes the culture?

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

Just-in-time isn't a buzz phrase; it's a real Lean system that cuts waste, lowers costs, and stabilizes your project by delivering only what's needed, when it's needed, in the amount needed. In this episode, Jason explains why just-in-time fails when schedules are constantly changing, and why predictable flow (especially with Takt planning) is what makes it possible. You'll learn how to right-size inventory buffers, break procurement and deliveries down by production areas, and "hold the line" with delivery control so your jobsite doesn't get buried in material, damage, and chaos.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Toyota's definition of just-in-time and why it's really about eliminating excess inventory and handling waste
• Why just-in-time requires schedule reliability and predictability (and why constant schedule "jockeying" creates inventory)
• How to right-size inventory buffers (enough to protect flow, not so much it creates waste)
• How to break materials and procurement down by production areas (area A/B/C—not "the whole floor") and control deliveries
• How Takt + Last Planner make just-in-time realistic: hold dates, use make-ready schedules, and enforce delivery coordination

If your site is drowning in material right now, what schedule habit do you need to change so you can actually run just-in-time?

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

In this episode, Jason sits down with Brandon Montero for a deep conversation on a simple question: what does it actually take to be a good person? They explore how "good vs. bad" gets shaped by culture, time, religion, and the preset templates we inherit and why those templates can help us… or mislead us. You'll hear a practical take on personal accountability, why the journey matters more than the destination, and the challenge of deciding what your own "recipe" for being good really is. If you've ever wanted a clearer internal compass for how you show up at work, at home, and with other people this one will hit.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why preset templates for "good" and "bad" can help you and where they can mislead you
• How culture and time shape morality, and why your personal compass still matters
• What accountability really means when you're trying to become better
• The question that changes everything: do you feel a responsibility to help others on their path?

When you put your head on the pillow tonight, what would have to be true for you to say, "I was a good person 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

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Waste is all around us but most teams don't see it, so they organize it, move it, and live with it. In this episode, Jason breaks down the 8 wastes in a way that's practical, memorable, and immediately usable on a jobsite, in the office, or even at home. You'll hear a real story that shows how "busy" can still be a waste, why motion is not productivity, and how Lean wins by lowering the water level so problems become visible and removable. If you want a team that can see waste, hate it, and fix it daily this is the episode.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• The 8 wastes (overproduction, inventory, waiting, transportation, overprocessing, motion, defects, unused creativity) and how to spot them fast
• Why overproduction creates inventory and how those two wastes create more waste downstream
• Why "busy workers" doesn't mean Lean and how wasted motion burns people out and increases injuries
• The "river of waste" concept: stop raising the water level with more resources and start removing roadblocks
• A simple system to build a Lean culture: learn the wastes, 3S daily, share improvements in huddles, and scale through videos

What waste have you been tolerating so long that you've stopped seeing it—and what will you fix today now that you can't unsee it?

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

If you want to start your Lean journey the right way, start here: 3S. In this episode, Jason explains why 3S (and 5S) is the foundational building block of Lean and why it's needed everywhere: jobsite, trailer, office, BIM files, gang boxes, laydown yards, and even at home. He breaks down the difference between 5S and the simplified 3S approach from Paul Akers, then shows how 3S helps you see waste, fix what bugs you, and build a culture of total participation through daily huddles and continuous improvement.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• What 5S is (Sort, Set in Order, Shine, Standardize, Sustain) and why Paul Akers simplifies it to 3S Why 3S is the fastest way to see waste and begin making real Lean improvement.
• How to build a simple culture loop: learn the 8 wastes → 3S → fix what bugs you → before/after videos → share in huddles
• Where 3S applies in construction: site conditions, gang boxes, cut stations, laydown, trailers, and even digital file organization
• How to make it fun (lean foam/shadow boards) and stop "getting used to the mess" as the normal way to live

What would change if your team had total participation 3S'ing daily, fixing what bugs them, and improving the system every morning?

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

Visual management isn't "extra"—it's how you get information out of your head and into the field so the whole team can see as a group, know as a group, and act as a group. In this episode, Jason explains what a true visual workplace looks like on a construction site and why Lean doesn't work without it. You'll hear practical examples—from Takt plans and visual planning boards to signage plans, day plan boards, hoist rules, lean boards on floors, and even Bluebeam photo-sketches—that make the plan obvious, reduce confusion, and create real operational control. If you want a jobsite that runs smoother with less babysitting, this is the blueprint.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why visual management creates a "self-ordering, self-explaining, self-regulating" jobsite and why Lean requires it
• How to use Takt plans and visual scheduling boards so crews can see the plan in seconds
• How to design project signage and interaction spaces so workers always know where to go and how to engage
• What visual day plans, floor lean boards, hoist rules, and color-coded deliveries look like in the field
• How to make coordination easier with visuals like Bluebeam photo-sketches, one-lines, and BIM views brought to the field

If your workers only understand 20% of the plan today, what visual system will you build first to get that number closer to 100%?

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

Bad days happen but you don't have to wake up like an accident and let the day run you. In this episode, Jason shares a practical morning routine to reset your energy, calm your mind, and become intentional about who you're going to be that day. He walks through box breathing, gratitude, visualization, affirmations, and purpose statements to help you control your "monkey mind" and show up as a giver instead of a victim. If you want more consistency, better leadership, and a stronger mindset even when life feels tipped over—this is your blueprint.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• How to use box breathing (inhale/hold/exhale/hold) to calm your mind and regain focus
• A simple gratitude practice that shifts you out of negativity and into intention
• How visualization and affirmations help you "create the person you want to be" every day
• How to choose the two key outcomes you'll own that day and execute with purpose
• Why routines beat willpower, and how a 12–14 minute system can change your consistency fast

Are you waking up like an accident or are you going to build who you want to be before the day even starts?

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