Elevate Construction

Jason Schroeder

Elevating construction with interviews, training, and techniques that will make the build environment better for workers, our customers, companies, and the industry as a whole.

  1. -20 H

    Ep.1553 - A Lecture to Civil Contractors

    In this episode, Jason delivers a passionate wake-up call to the civil construction industry: large batch roadwork is destroying productivity, wasting money, and disrespecting the public. After driving across multiple states and witnessing miles upon miles of open roadway, idle traffic control, unused K-rail, and inactive work zones, Jason breaks down what he sees as a systemic production failure  not a funding problem, not a labor shortage, but a thinking problem. What you'll learn in this episode: Excessive traffic control rental. Idle equipment and diesel burn. Regrading and rework. Stormwater and erosion costs. Public disruption and safety risk. Workforce dilution across too many fronts. This episode challenges civil contractors to rethink batching, rethink flow, and stop normalizing waste disguised as "how we've always done 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

    13 min
  2. -21 H

    Ep.1552 - Takt Planning As Trains & Cars & Trucks.

    In this episode, Jason shares two breakthrough insights about Takt planning that will change how you see flow forever. Using the analogies of trains and freeways, he explains why some Takt scenarios appear to "slow down" when zones are adjusted and what's really acting as the governor in your system. He also clarifies the difference between wagon-based (single-train) Takt and task-based (multi-train) Takt, showing how both approaches create rhythm in different ways. If you've ever struggled to understand how Takt really works in the field, this episode will make it click. What you'll learn in this episode: What actually limits the speed of your train of trades. How standard space units and standard time units act as system "governors". Why rounding Takt time (like to one day) changes phase duration. The difference between wagon-based and task-based Takt planning. How the train analogy and the freeway analogy both explain flow. Why Takt is about rhythm not forcing everything into identical boxes. Are you trying to force every trade onto the same train or have you built the right freeway for flow? 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

    15 min
  3. -21 H

    Ep.1551 - Family Series - Cleaning the Backyard

    In this special episode, Jason begins what he calls the "Family Series" stories he hopes will matter not just to the construction industry, but to his own family one day. What started as a frustrated 13-year-old clearing out two and a half acres in the California high desert became the foundation for a lifelong obsession with cleanliness, organization, discipline, and 5S. From grading sand berms and restacking materials to organizing concrete trucks, wiring irrigation pivots in Texas, and eventually embracing lean principles, Jason connects the dots between childhood experience and professional success. What you'll learn in this episode: How a teenage decision shaped a career. The emotional roots of discipline and hard work. Why cleanliness and organization drive performance. Lessons from Japan, Germany, and lean thinking. How 3S and 5S impact mental health and leadership. The hidden connection between approval, work ethic, and growth. This isn't just about cleaning a yard. It's about identity, discipline, and building something that lasts. 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

    16 min
  4. -23 H

    Ep.1550 - Project Status Report

    In this episode, Jason takes on a sacred cow in construction: project status reports. Jason explains why most monthly status reports fail to drive real improvement. Too often, they become a substitute for going to the gemba, the place where the work actually happens. Leadership reviews numbers from afar, project teams generate reports they don't benefit from, and nothing meaningful changes. But it doesn't have to be that way. What you'll learn in this episode: Why traditional status reports rarely improve performance How reporting can unintentionally disconnect leadership from the field What KPIs actually drive the right behaviors Why Deming's principles matter in executive reporting How to align financial, schedule, and quality indicators with prevention Why executives should review reports on-site not just via email If you're an executive, director, or project leader, this episode will challenge you to rethink how you connect to your projects. 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

    10 min
  5. -1 J

    Ep.1549 - Reactors vs Preventors

    In this episode, Jason delivers a powerful message about mindset: reactors vs. preventers. Using lessons from Coach Carter, construction leadership, and even Antarctic exploration, Jason breaks down the dangerous "victim mentality" that shows up in project management blaming design, blaming time, blaming trades, blaming the owner instead of building systems that prevent failure in the first place. He challenges superintendents, project managers, and leaders to stop glorifying job recoveries and crisis fixes and instead build disciplined systems that eliminate the need for them. What you'll learn in this episode: Why reacting is not leadership. How CPM culture reinforces victim behavior. Why prevention is more valuable than heroic recovery. The difference between fixers and builders. How preparation creates control and accountability. Why disciplined pre-construction and weekly planning matter. True builders don't brag about saving a broken project.They build systems so it never breaks in the first place. 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

    12 min
  6. 23 FÉVR.

    Ep.1544 - Email is Only Fun for Delegators

    In this episode, Jason tackles a modern construction epidemic: email overload. For the sender, it feels productive. You fire it off, get a dopamine hit, and move on. But for the receiver especially project managers and project engineers it becomes an endless queue of stress, batching, and overwhelm. Jason explains why email as a primary internal communication tool slows projects down, increases stress, and hides capacity issues. He challenges leaders to rethink how they delegate and to use better systems like Scrum, Kanban boards, and task management platforms to create flow instead of chaos. What you'll learn in this episode: Why email multiplies communication time by 4x. How batching and queueing create hidden work-in-progress. Why email culture overwhelms PMs and PEs. The leadership responsibility behind delegation overloa. Better alternatives for managing internal work and communication. If your team is drowning in inboxes… Is it because of workload or because of how you're assigning 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

    7 min
  7. 23 FÉVR.

    Ep.1543 - Victims & Losers love CPM

    In this episode, Jason tackles a controversial but important topic: CPM as a tool for playing the victim.He shares real-world experiences where high-performing, flow-based projects were challenged not because they were failing, but because they didn't fit a legal or delay-driven CPM narrative. The deeper question becomes: Why do some organizations resist production systems that actually work?Jason breaks down how traditional CPM culture can incentivize blame, delay claims, and victim positioning instead of accountability, collaboration, and flow. He uses a powerful analogy from a road trip to explain the difference between consistent production flow and rush-push-panic behavior. What you'll learn in this episode: • Why CPM often creates a "victim mindset" culture. • How flow-based systems can outperform traditional schedules. • Why some organizations resist buffers and proper zoning. • The difference between legal positioning and real production control. • How accountability and respect for trades change project outcomes. If your schedule is designed to prove you're behind… Are you actually trying to win? 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

    10 min
  8. 23 FÉVR.

    Ep.1542 - Pushing is the Alternative to Good Think

    In this episode, Jason talks about a powerful realization: pushing is the alternative to good thinking. When leaders rush, panic, throw more people at a problem, or overload a job site with materials, it's usually not a strategy,  it's compensation for poor pre-planning and lack of flow. From Super PM Boot Camp in Atlanta, Jason reflects on leadership health, proactive thinking, and the core systems that prevent chaos on a construction site. What you'll learn in this episode: Why pushing, rushing, and panic are signs of poor planning. The difference between good thinking and reactive firefighting. The top five causes of constraints and roadblocks on job sites. Why pre-con meetings, pull planning, and look-ahead planning matter more than overtime. How leader health directly impacts decision quality and morale. Are you solving problems with strategy  or just pushing harder? 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

    9 min
4,9
sur 5
139 notes

À propos

Elevating construction with interviews, training, and techniques that will make the build environment better for workers, our customers, companies, and the industry as a whole.

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