Elevate Construction

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

If you're losing motivation because your supervisor is cold, inconsistent, or only shows up to criticize, you're not "too sensitive" ; you're missing what every direct report needs: connection, relevance, and measurement. In this episode, Jason responds to a listener's question and explains why leaders can't hide behind "I'm not here to make friends" when they're responsible for someone's career, growth, and confidence. You'll learn how to coach up, ask for the communication you need, decide whether a change is a destination or an escape, and make career moves that protect your family and align with your core purpose.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why direct reports need connection, relevance, and measurement and why people quit bosses, not companies
• How to ask for more communication/support (field walks, daily/weekly touchpoints, and clear expectations)
• How to stop taking it personal, shift toward growth/contribution, and get out of the "crazy cycle"
• How to decide if leaving is a destination or an escape and how to plan a smart transition or side hustle
• Why loyalty belongs to God and your family first and how to make decisions without fear, pride, or pressure

Are you going to keep tolerating a leadership environment that drains you or are you ready to take intentional action and go get what you need?

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're losing motivation because your supervisor is cold, inconsistent, or only shows up to criticize, you're not "too sensitive" ; you're missing what every direct report needs: connection, relevance, and measurement. In this episode, Jason responds to a listener's question and explains why leaders can't hide behind "I'm not here to make friends" when they're responsible for someone's career, growth, and confidence. You'll learn how to coach up, ask for the communication you need, decide whether a change is a destination or an escape, and make career moves that protect your family and align with your core purpose.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why direct reports need connection, relevance, and measurement and why people quit bosses, not companies
• How to ask for more communication/support (field walks, daily/weekly touchpoints, and clear expectations)
• How to stop taking it personal, shift toward growth/contribution, and get out of the "crazy cycle"
• How to decide if leaving is a destination or an escape and how to plan a smart transition or side hustle
• Why loyalty belongs to God and your family first and how to make decisions without fear, pride, or pressure

Are you going to keep tolerating a leadership environment that drains you or are you ready to take intentional action and go get what you need?

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

Most people don't get stuck because they're not capable, they get stuck because they're managing themselves (and their teams) around weaknesses instead of leveraging strengths. In this episode, Jason shows how tools like StrengthsFinder, the "hedgehog concept," and the Six Types of Working Genius can help you understand what you're naturally great at—and how to put yourself and your people in the right seats. He explains why performance often drops when someone is working in frustration instead of genius, and how focusing on advantages creates happier teams, higher capacity, and faster progress.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why focusing on strengths creates faster progress than dwelling on weaknesses
• How StrengthsFinder can reveal your top themes and help you align your career and leadership style see them clearly
• What the "hedgehog concept" is and how to use it for your life, your project, and your company
• How the Six Types of Working Genius helps place people in roles where they thrive (and why "misfit roles" create misery)
• Why leaders must stop assuming "low performance = laziness" and start designing roles around genius

Are you running your life and team based on strengths or forcing people to live in frustration and calling it "normal"?

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

Takt planning is more than a schedule; it's a visual, rhythmic system that brings flow, predictability, and teamwork to the whole project. In this episode, Jason breaks down exactly how to create a Takt plan from scratch: how to define zones, sequences, bottlenecks, and flow across interiors, exteriors, and site work. You'll hear real examples of how Takt solves chaos in scheduling, improves supply chain consistency, and simplifies complex coordination for the whole team. This episode gives you the full blueprint to build and manage a project plan that everyone can actually see and follow.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• How to build a Takt plan from start to finish zones, trains, work packages, and steps
• Why Takt beats CPM for supply chain consistency and predictable material deliveries
• How to run exterior, interior, and site Takt plans that actually align with trade flow
• The difference between bottom-up and top-down Takt planning (and when to use each)
• Why transparency, rhythm, and flow not complexity create remarkable project results

If anyone on your team can't see the plan in five seconds, you don't have one so what will you simplify 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

Takt planning isn't just a scheduling tool it's a jobsite management system that makes the plan visual, predictable, and easy to run in the field. In this episode, Jason explains how Takt can partner with CPM to keep schedules realistic, crew-tied, and flow-based, while shifting the team's energy away from endless schedule updates and toward fanatical roadblock removal. You'll learn the core mechanics throughput, bottlenecks, and stagger (Takt time) and how to "hold the line" with just-in-time deliveries and finish-as-you-go quality so the system actually works. If you want less chaos, fewer meetings, and more control, this is the playbook.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why Takt planning is the simplest way to manage a project and how it pairs with CPM as an accountability partner
• How to think in throughput, identify bottlenecks, and align the whole team to one sustainable production rate
• What "stagger" (Takt time) means and how it creates predictable handoffs and geographic control
• The rules of Takt: hold the line, schedule deliveries, finish as you go, protect areas, and don't dispatch early
• How to run visual meetings with Takt plans + roadblock maps (including a practical Bluebeam workflow) so roadblocks surface early and get removed fast

Are you managing a schedule or are you managing a system that makes roadblocks visible and flow inevitable?

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

Scheduling doesn't need to be a complex mystery that only a CPM expert can manage—it can be simple, visual, and built around flow. In this episode, Jason introduces tech planning and sets up a deep dive into Takt planning as a game-changing way to plan projects with rhythm, predictability, and geographic control. You'll learn why constantly pushing work "to the left" creates chaos in the supply chain, increases inventory, and overburdens project teams. This is the start of a series designed to help you build a one-page plan, hold the dates, and shift your energy from schedule babysitting to fanatical roadblock removal.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• What Takt planning is and how it uses rhythm, stagger, and flow to make the plan predictable
• Why CPM schedules often drive non-collaborative "push" behavior and create variation on projects
• How a one-page Takt plan helps the supply chain deliver materials closer to the right time and reduce inventory
• Why holding the dates matters and how moving crews early can throw the entire project into chaos
• The non-negotiables for making Takt work: roadblock removal, finish-as-you-go quality, and geographic control

If you stopped trying to manage the schedule and started clearing roadblocks for flow, how different would your project feel?

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

The skilled craft aren't just part of the project, they're the heroes who make the money, fund the paychecks, and carry the work with their bodies. In this episode, Jason challenges the industry's habits that disrespect workers and lays out practical ways leaders can rebuild trust through humility, service, and real support. You'll hear a field story about jumping in with the crew during a tough concrete placement and how that simple act of solidarity transformed the job into a true team effort. This is a direct call to change your mindset, your systems, and your daily behaviors so the craft are treated like the priority they deserve to be.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why the skilled craft are the real value-add and why they should be treated as the heroes on site
• How humility and service (picking up trash, helping in the field) build instant rapport and trust
• Why clean bathrooms, lunchrooms, parking, and jobsite conditions are non-negotiable signs of respect
• How to organize communication and office systems around the field not around management convenience
• Daily leadership habits that prove respect: eat lunch with craft, ask for advice, and actively serve crews

If the craft truly became your #1 customer, what would you change on your project site 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

Don't settle for the life you "ended up with" , decide who you're going to be, then start acting like it today. In this hard-talk message for foremen and workers, Jason challenges the excuses, the distractions, and the self-limiting beliefs that keep people stuck. You'll hear a practical formula to simplify your life, leverage your strengths, accelerate your progress, and multiply your impact by helping others. If you're ready to expect more and live a remarkable life, this is your wake-up call.

What you'll learn in this episode:

• Why you are responsible for where you are and how to decide your next step on purpose
• How hedonism and distractions (TV, alcohol, drugs, video games) quietly steal your future
• How to use the 80/20 rule to focus on the few habits that create most of your results
• Why your friends, your inputs, and your daily habits determine who you become
• The "Simplify, Leverage, Accelerate, Multiply" formula to build a better life and help others

What are you tolerating today that proves you're settling and what will you purge so you can rise?

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

Trade partners don't "just work for us" they're the reason we make progress at all. In this episode, Jason lays out why a general contractor can't win unless trade partners are profitable and successful, and how to build real collaboration through culture, team systems, and accountability. You'll hear practical ways to remove the office-vs-field divide, create true PM/Super partnership, and implement simple feedback loops that force continuous improvement.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE:

• Why a GC can't be successful unless trade partners are successful and profitable

• The real definition of "project success" (and why schedule alone doesn't count)

• How "total participation" becomes the unlock for buy-in and collaboration

• Why trade partners suffer when the schedule has no flow and what to do about it

• How Takt planning and Last Planner create predictable workflow for trades

• How to eliminate the office vs. field mentality with proximity and shared systems

• Why PMs and supers must operate as equal partners (and what breaks when they don't)

• How to stop gossip-and-complaint cycles by forcing issues into direct conversation

• Why involving supers in buyout and PMs in planning kills blame and finger-pointing

• The fastest accountability system: weekly trade grading of the GC (and GC grading of trades)

Pick one of the systems from this episode and implement it this week don't "talk about it." Start with the simplest: a weekly scorecard where trade partners grade the GC team and the GC grades trade partners, then share the results every Friday so everyone can see the trend and improve.

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