What Superintendents Really Leave Behind

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Advocacy, mentorship + developing next-gen leaders   By Kiersten “KZ” Kaplan In more than 25 years in the industry, I’ve built almost everything except a bridge or a stadium. Today, I’m leading a major project in Baltimore, Maryland that will add more than a half-million square feet of life sciences research space. But it’s also an opportunity to reach more than 1,000 people, from carpenters and laborers to young professionals starting their careers. I’m at a point where I’m not just building projects; I’m building people. And that means I can help affect how my company shows up in our … Read more

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The Real Work of Leading in Construction

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Building trust, culture + people By Kurt Zuegel Ask anyone who’s spent real time in construction what the job demands, and you’ll get some familiar answers. Fast decisions. Clear communication. Problem-solving on the fly. Keeping schedules moving, trades aligned, clients informed. But here’s what doesn’t get said enough: if you want to lead a team that can actually handle all that, you’d better be building more than just buildings. You need to be building trust, building culture and building people.In the field, leadership develops over time. It’s not about control. It’s about consistency. It’s about showing up in a way … Read more

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3 Strategies to Bridge Experience Gaps on the Jobsite

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Lessons learned from systematic approach to knowledge sharing By: Josh Young The construction industry faces a critical challenge: Valuable lessons learned on one project often don’t make it to the next, leading to repeated mistakes and lost institutional knowledge. As experienced workers approach retirement, this knowledge transfer problem becomes even more urgent. The following are three proven strategies to bridge experience gaps and create a culture of continuous learning. Tip 1: Implement regular jobsite lessons learned meetings The strategy: Incorporate structured lessons learned sessions into your regular meeting schedule to capture insights while they’re fresh and actionable. How it works: … Read more

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From Trailer to Tablet: Making Schedules Work Where the Work Happens

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By Nitin Bhandari For most superintendents, the project schedule is both the north star and a constant source of frustration. It dictates everything from when concrete is poured to when drywall goes up. Yet, too often, the schedule is a dense printout in a trailer — or worse, a PDF emailed from an office far away. The gap between the schedule as planned and the schedule as lived on the jobsite is wide. A new approach — visual construction scheduling — is beginning to bridge that gap. Unlike traditional scheduling platforms, visual scheduling puts information in a format that is … Read more

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From the Field Up: Rethinking Career Paths in Construction

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By Emory Sweeney Across the construction industry, companies are working to address the labor shortage by promoting the opportunities available in the skilled trades. For general contractors, the challenge is twofold: attracting new recruits while also supporting the career growth of current employees. A key part of this effort is shifting perceptions about what a career in the trades really looks like. Our industry already talks about changing the prevalent narrative in America that college and careers in services are the only path to success. We know the trades offer great earnings without college debt. One blind spot, however, has … Read more

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