Elevate Construction

Are you an emotional one-trick pony who just pulls out the hammer every time, or do you have a tool belt full of emotional range? In this episode with Brandon Montero (the Chupacabra), Jason and Brandon unpack why emotional range isn't weakness, it's what it takes to fire someone with empathy, hold the line with vulnerability, and handle conflict without throwing hard hats. You'll learn the water balloon analogy for emotional capacity, why old school superintendents only had one tool in their bag, how to develop larger capacity through intentional practice, and the General Patton lesson: he was better than Eisenhower at combat strategy but lacked the emotional range to become Supreme Allied Commander. This is about showing up as your own environment, regardless of what's happening around you.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• What it takes = a wide range (vulnerability, empathy, patience, toughness to hold the line, ability to fire someone soberly), not just firmness

• The water balloon analogy: small capacity pops with one more drop; large capacity absorbs stress without changing shape

• How to develop emotional range: life experience, personal work through audiobooks and therapy, failing forward, learning from others, stewardship

• Why being married or in relationships is hard, but forces you to gain emotional range, being alone is easy, but doesn't build tools

• Brandon's challenge: decide to be happy as an emotional range tool you pull out daily, and become your own environment

Real power is when you have the power to throw someone out the window but choose not to; you keep your emotions in control and make decisions that win the war without fighting.

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

Do you know the seven wonders of the world? Not the pyramids and Taj Mahal, a girl from Ecuador wrote down the real ones: touch, taste, see, hear, feel, laugh, and love. In this episode with Dr. Steve and Amanda Hill from Bio Health Management, Jason unpacks what we intake through these seven wonders and how it determines our outputs at work and home. You'll learn the vessel analogy (you can fill yourself with light or darkness), why good relationships need to be nurtured like ovens not microwaves, the quote "don't get upset by the results you didn't get with the work you didn't do," the 40-year retiree who said "they had the work of my hands when they could have had my hands, mind, and heart," and Dave Graham's wisdom that foremen who use their people get lower response, but foremen who utilize their people get teamwork.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• The seven wonders: touch, taste, see, hear, feel, laugh, love—inputs through our senses determine our outputs in life and work

• See: watch inspiring media, see people (not just look at them), see your kids play, take your eyes off your phone

• Touch: hugs, connection, kinesthetic learning, feeling the sand and ocean things that touch us emotionally like music

• Hear: silence so your brain can rest, good music, kids calling your name, positive tone (not putting anger on others)

• Taste and feel: good food creates experiences, cognitive performance depends on what we eat, and serotonin lives in your gut

• Laugh and love: create environments people love (not just making people like you), love your people vs. using them as tools

If the circle of friends you hang out with doesn't inspire you, you're no longer in a circle; you're in a cage. The only competitor you have is the person you were yesterday.

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 construction's industrial revolution is in the future, not the past? In this special episode with Charlie Dunn from DPR Construction, Jason and Charlie explore the future of prefabrication, why empathy will create the most value in construction by 2030, and how we must default to everything prefabricated unless it's a negotiated exception. You'll learn why prefab adapts the work to the worker instead of the worker to the work, how 70% design reuse could transform our industry, why production design principles mean beginning with the end in mind, and the BSRL research laboratory's story of pre-cutting everything from studs to MEP spools. This is about falling in love with your problems, not your solutions—and building the industrial revolution we haven't unleashed yet.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Charlie's three things for 2030: empathy enabled by vertically integrated owners, production design (designing with the end and the worker in mind), and design reuse (starting from 50-70% instead of zero)

• Why prefab creates parallel spaces and times—you can never create more space or time on site, but you can off-site

• The default presumption: everything will be prefabricated, hard stop, anything not is a negotiated exception

• How prefab adapts the work to the worker with safe, well-lit, decongested environments instead of bending, reaching, and unsafe conditions

• The BSRL story: pre-fabricating overhead MEP in spools, pre-cutting all studs and headers, room kitting, and why that prevents design issues before they become schedule impacts

Fall in love with your problems, not your solutions. Construction's industrial revolution is in our future, and prefab is how we unleash standardized parts, assembly lines, and automation

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

Why do people say team kickoffs are fluffy and ineffective? Jason argues they're scared, they've been hurt by evil bosses, and being vulnerable means they could be hurt again. In this episode, Jason unpacks why great teams build great projects, reveals the three things every team needs to succeed (multiplier leader, clarity on direction, and engaged people), and walks you through the five key things to establish in a kickoff: conditions of satisfaction, design vision, team structure, meeting structure, and team culture. You'll hear the research laboratory pre-flight story and the "win all you can" game that predicted exactly who would struggle on the team. This is about building the team first because if you build the team first, you've already started building the project.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why people who resist team building are typically scared, not transparent, competitive, siloed, and riddled with fear

• The three things teams need: multiplier leader (attracts talent, creates space for thinking, extends challenges), clarity on direction (big, hairy, audacious goal, mission, values), and engaged people (relevance, measurement, connection)

• Five key things to establish in a team kickoff: conditions of satisfaction, design vision, team structure, meeting structure, and team culture

• The research laboratory pre-flight kickoff story and the "win all you can" game that revealed problem people from day one

• Why is clear kind and unclear is unkind, fearful? People are safest in silos, so they resist clarity

Great teams build great projects. Bottom line. Build the team first, and you've already started building the 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

Jason reveals why Disney's Home on the Range was garbage and how Pixar's brutal first review meetings (where teams leave dejected knowing everything will change) produce emotionally moving, visually stunning films. He explains the cultural shift needed to declare breakdowns: we've been programmed to shut up in school and bad jobs, we don't have eyes to see problems because we're conditioned for mediocre, and Americans just aren't accountable people (compare to Japan's duty-driven culture). The problem bowl technique helps teams detach emotion and realize problems belong to the group, not the person.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Disney story: Home on the Range flopped, Pixar came in with brutal first reviews that tear everything apart to get it right
• Four cultural needs: Shift to speaking up, eyes to see (higher mental setpoint), more accountability, understand problems not a problem
• Americans not accountable: Japan puts credit card on tray with duty, we throw trash and say "not my problem"
• Problem bowl technique: Write breakdowns on sticky notes, throw in bowl, team discusses together, detaches emotion
• When to declare: Disconnect with team, waste, defects to customer, disrespects people, confusion, results not what you want
• Safety and respect rule: Stop immediately, doesn't matter if you agree, be considerate enough to listen

The current condition is we don't speak up, we make crap work, sometimes push it to customer, people don't feel authorized, we reinforce disconnected 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

Jason reveals why personality profiles are like blood tests for teams, getting actual data instead of guessing what's wrong and masking problems with pills of consequences (firing, moving, black clouding people). He shares the story of a project manager who hated emails and wanted verbal communication, once Jason knew this their relationship blossomed. Player cards summarize key characteristics so teams know how to interact, give feedback, have conflict, and build safe pathways to communication. The three best profiles: Myers-Briggs, StrengthsFinder, Six Working Geniuses. Teams that communicate more effectively are the winning teams.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Player cards: Summarized cards showing key characteristics, how someone wants feedback, strengths, weaknesses, how to support them
• Top 3 personality profiles: Myers-Briggs (MBTI), StrengthsFinder, Six Working Geniuses for $60-110 per person
• Cancer and leprosy analogies: Body doesn't know the problem so can't fix it, same with teams
• Naturopathic doctor story: Blood tests with 100 data points fix root cause vs regular doctors guessing and prescribing pills to mask problems
• Black boxes from airplane crashes: Difference between wrecking and not wrecking is how much captain and first officer communicated
• Six steps not five: Know each other, trust, healthy conflict, set goals, accountability, perform

You can't trust each other unless you know each other, why would we guess what's wrong when we could get data and fix the root cause?

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 his 12 Days of Christmas family plan (reflection, vision, goals, habits) before diving into total participation as the new construction industry buzzword. Then he reveals why most leaders rush to solutions without defining the problem first. Through a personal church story, he admits he pushed missionary work programs for months when the real problem was basic connection and scripture reading. Like cancer cells the body doesn't recognize or leprosy destroying nerve endings, if you don't know the problem, you can't fix it. The WRAP process helps: Widen options, Reality test assumptions, Attain distance, Prepare to be wrong.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Total participation: Days of leaders deciding for everyone and shoving it down throats are over
• Church story failure: Pushed missionary work programs when real problem was basic connection, joy, scripture reading
• Cancer analogy: Body doesn't recognize cancer cells as enemy, can't attack what it doesn't detect
• Leprosy analogy: Destroys nerve endings so body doesn't know there's damage to repair
• Ask introverts: They take 24 hours but give well thought out opinions, help define problem first
• WRAP process from Decisive book: Widen options, Reality test, Attain distance before deciding, Prepare to be wrong

The current condition is we go straight to solutions without really knowing the problem, especially extroverts who access front part of brain for quick opinions.

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 announces he's pausing Saturday and Sunday worker and field engineer topics to focus on the upcoming book and boot camps. Then he shares his nightmare story of running a job without field engineers, spending $250k from contingency on layout mistakes that would've been prevented. He walks through the 43-step process of what field engineers should actually be doing, from personal organization and the Field Engineering Methods Manual to primary control, baselines, lift drawings, and quality checks. Field engineers aren't personal assistants, they're professional construction managers training to become superintendents.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Nightmare story: Job without field engineers cost $250k in contingency from layout and general mistakes
• Success story: Roman Lug Cruz, craft worker who only spoke Spanish, trained to be field engineer in eight months
• Field Engineering Methods Manual: Chapters 1-8 are the Bible for organization, layout, total stations, levels, lasers
• 43-step startup process: Tools, testing area, primary control, secondary control, baselines, benchmarks, lift drawings
• What field engineers really do: Professional construction managers doing layout, quality, safety, RFIs, not personal assistants

If you're a general contractor saying "I wish I had better supers," field engineering is your silver bullet for training future superintendents.

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 The Bridgebuilder poem and delivers tough love to workers and foremen: you're not investing in yourself. He breaks down the wasting time list (too much TV, video games, complaining, comparing) versus the investing time list (courses, networking, learning skills, gym). Then he confronts the lie that you can't progress in construction without college. You can become a field engineer, superintendent, or business owner if you read books, listen to podcasts, develop morning routines, and stop the hedonistic pursuit of pleasure as a way of life.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• The Bridgebuilder poem: Old man builds bridge for youth coming behind him, we learn from wisdom not sad experience
• Wasting time: TV, video games, negative news, bad friends, too much alcohol, being lazy
• Investing time: Courses, networking, learning skills, side hustle, gym, reading books
• The lie society tells: You didn't go to college so you can't be VP, director, business owner
• Top five changes: Read scriptures daily, read books, stop negative media, date night with spouse, set goals and grind

We can choose to be animals looking for pleasure or creators looking for opportunity, the world pays you what it thinks you're worth based on what you've trained your mind to do.

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 reveals the system that achieved zero roughin rework after drywall at his research laboratory. After ripping out 20 to 30% of inwall roughin at the cancer center because of coordination failures, he developed room kitting, a prefabrication approach where every wall gets coordinated in Revit, reviewed by end users, pre-cut, and delivered in blue bins with laminated drawings that get screwed to the wall for framing, roughin, and inspections. Electricians stop guessing with four different drawing sets, inspectors sign off on the wall drawings, and asbuilts write themselves.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• The problem: Cancer center had 20 to 30% roughin rework, electricians guessing with multiple drawing sets
• Room kitting process: BIM creates cut sections, trade partners mark dimensions in Blue Beam, page flip with designers and end users
• Pre-cut delivery system: Parts come in blue bins with barcode, bill of materials, and room drawings ready to install
• Wall drawings: Laminated 11x17 screwed to wall, used for framing, roughin, inspections, then archived for asbuilts

Research lab results: Zero roughin rework after drywall in complex laboratory, inspectors love the system

The current condition is electricians go out with four different drawing sets, guess at best, put it in wrong, and even if it's right it's still not where the user wants 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