The Construction Leadership Podcast: Executive Strategies to Build Elite Teams & Consistently Deliver On-Time, Under Budget

Bradley Hartmann
  • 4.8 (93)
  • MANAGEMENT
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Are you spending more time solving problems than actually leading in your construction business? The Construction Leadership Podcast helps executives build high-performing teams, finish on time and under budget—without all the firefighting and babysitting—so you can lead with clarity, consistency, and control. Hosted by Bradley Hartmann—author of 15 books for the construction industry who teaches leadership in the University of Oklahoma's Master's program for construction professionals—each episode delivers real-world lessons for real-world builders. You'll learn how to: • Lead change with less resistance using field-tested strategies that increase engagement • Build a culture of accountability—without micromanaging or constant confrontation • Eliminate confusion with mental models and tools that drive confident execution New episodes drop every Tuesday and Thursday. Ready to jump in? Start with episode 470: The Glock 17, a Billionaire, and the Leadership Lesson That Will Transform Your Team's Change Management. It's a listener favorite and will shift how you lead through resistance.

  1. 3D AGO

    507 :: What a Leadership Book Featuring Jordan, Messi, & Bear Bryant Taught Me About Ambition and Sacrifice

    Are you trading time, health, or relationships in pursuit of your goals—and not even realizing it?   In this episode, Bradley Hartmann shares a powerful non-obvious leadership book, The Cost of These Dreams by Wright Thomson, that reframes ambition, success, and the unseen sacrifices we make to chase big dreams.    Through stories of iconic figures like Michael Jordan, Lionel Messi, Urban Meyer, Pat Riley, and Dan Gable, we explore what it really costs to lead at a high level—and whether we're willing to pay that price.   In this episode you will:   Discover how world-class performers balance — and often fail to balance — success and self. Learn how ambition, if unchecked, can erode the very things you're working to protect. Reflect on your own leadership path and how to pursue excellence without losing yourself in the process.   Listen now to discover what elite competitors reveal about success, sacrifice, and how to lead with greater clarity and intention in the construction industry.   At Bradley Hartmann & Company, we help construction teams improve sales, leadership,  and communication by reducing miscommunication, strengthening teamwork, and bridging language gaps between English and Spanish speakers. To learn more about our product offerings, visit bradleyhartmannandco.com.   The Construction Leadership Podcast dives into essential leadership topics in construction, including strategy, emotional intelligence, communication skills, confidence, innovation, and effective decision-making. You'll also gain insights into delegation, cultural intelligence, goal setting, team building, employee engagement, and how to overcome common culture problems—whether you're leading a crew or managing an entire organization.   Have topic ideas or guest recommendations? Contact us at info@bradleyhartmannandco.com.   New podcasts are dropped every Tuesday and Thursday.     This episode is brought to you by The Construction Spanish Toolbox —the most practical way for construction teams to learn jobsite-ready Spanish in just minutes a day over 6 months.

    16 min

  2. 5D AGO

    506 :: Why "Psychological Safety" Is Overrated—And How Dead Poets Society, Enron & a Pair of Construction Legends Changed My View on Leadership

    Two quick questions:   1.      Do you value independent thinking—from yourself and your team? 2.      How do you create space for it on your team?   Most construction leaders say they value open dialogue, critical thinking, and intelligent, amicable debate . . . yet many unwittingly shut it down.   In this episode, host Bradley Hartmann uncovers the hidden habits that silence your team, the myth of "making people feel safe," and how to rethink your leadership to drive better decisions on the jobsite and in the boardroom.   In this episode you'll:   ·       Learn why independent thinking isn't about being contrarian—and why your team might be holding back. ·       Discover the subtle ways leaders kill creativity (even when trying to be supportive). ·       Examine the new talent on your team and question the risk of potential "organ rejection" ·       Walk away with simple changes to your next meeting that will encourage better input, challenge assumptions, and improve outcomes.   Listen now to discover how to lead with clarity, create space for real thinking, and build a team that speaks up when it matters most.   At Bradley Hartmann & Company, we help construction teams improve sales, leadership,  and communication by reducing miscommunication, strengthening teamwork, and bridging language gaps between English and Spanish speakers. To learn more about our product offerings, visit bradleyhartmannandco.com.   The Construction Leadership Podcast dives into essential leadership topics in construction, including strategy, emotional intelligence, communication skills, confidence, innovation, and effective decision-making. You'll also gain insights into delegation, cultural intelligence, goal setting, team building, employee engagement, and how to overcome common culture problems—whether you're leading a crew or managing an entire organization.   Have topic ideas or guest recommendations? Contact us at  info@bradleyhartmannandco.com.   New podcasts are dropped every Tuesday and Thursday.     This episode is brought to you by The Construction Spanish Toolbox —the most practical way for construction teams to learn jobsite-ready Spanish in just minutes a day over 6 months.

    18 min

  3. JAN 22

    505 :: How a Century-Old Essay Changed My View of Growth in Construction (And Why It Still Matters Today)

    What's the right size for your business? If your gut response is, "As big as possible!" you're not alone.    But that mindset can quietly invite unnecessary complexity, friction, and risk into your operation—especially when growth isn't planned or sustainable.    In this episode, we challenge the default assumption that bigger is always better in construction. Using insights from a legendary 100-year-old essay by biologist JBS Haldane, we explore how biological limits in nature mirror organizational limits in business—and why ignoring them could be hurting your team more than helping it. In this episode you will:    Discover the hidden trade-offs of scaling your construction business too soon Learn how biology explains why your systems are breaking as your team grows Get 3 crucial questions to ask before making your next big hire or opening a new branch   If you're leading a growing team and feeling the strain, press play now to rethink your approach and regain control.   P.S. If you're a Charlie Munger fan/disciple like host Bradley Hartmann, this episode is a prime example of Munger's call to think multidisciplinary—using insights from biology to sharpen leadership and decision-making in construction.   At Bradley Hartmann & Company, we help construction teams improve sales, leadership,  and communication by reducing miscommunication, strengthening teamwork, and bridging language gaps between English and Spanish speakers. To learn more about our product offerings, visit bradleyhartmannandco.com. The Construction Leadership Podcast dives into essential leadership topics in construction, including strategy, emotional intelligence, communication skills, confidence, innovation, and effective decision-making. You'll also gain insights into delegation, cultural intelligence, goal setting, team building, employee engagement, and how to overcome common culture problems—whether you're leading a crew or managing an entire organization. Have topic ideas or guest recommendations? Contact us at info@bradleyhartmannandco.com. New podcasts are dropped every Tuesday and Thursday.   This episode is brought to you by The Construction Spanish Toolbox —the most practical way for construction teams to learn jobsite-ready Spanish in just minutes a day over 6 months.

    12 min

  4. JAN 20

    504 :: Beer and Immunity: What Construction Leaders Can Learn From Jamie Dimon, CEO of JP Morgan Chase

    When it comes to the behaviors on display during meetings—virtual or in person—do they meet your standards?   In this episode, Bradley Hartmann breaks down exactly why most leadership problems in construction aren't about people or strategy—they're about attention.    Through insights from Jamie Dimon (the JP Morgan CEO), you'll see how distraction, disconnection, and lack of curiosity silently sabotage your culture and performance.   In this episode you will:   Learn 3 leadership habits you can apply this week to improve meetings and build trust—without adding software, policies, or bureaucracy. Understand the true impact of presence and curiosity on team performance and morale. Discover the power of "Beer and Immunity" and how to apply this field-tested approach to get real answers from your frontline crews.     Hit play now to learn how a few small leadership shifts can dramatically reduce rework, turnover, and meeting fatigue—starting today.   At Bradley Hartmann & Company, we help construction teams improve sales, leadership,  and communication by reducing miscommunication, strengthening teamwork, and bridging language gaps between English and Spanish speakers. To learn more about our product offerings, visit bradleyhartmannandco.com. The Construction Leadership Podcast dives into essential leadership topics in construction, including strategy, emotional intelligence, communication skills, confidence, innovation, and effective decision-making. You'll also gain insights into delegation, cultural intelligence, goal setting, team building, employee engagement, and how to overcome common culture problems—whether you're leading a crew or managing an entire organization. Have topic ideas or guest recommendations? Contact us at info@bradleyhartmannandco.com. New podcasts are dropped every Tuesday and Thursday.     This episode is brought to you by The Construction Spanish Toolbox —the most practical way for construction teams to learn jobsite-ready Spanish in just minutes a day over 6 months.

    17 min

  5. JAN 15

    503 :: She Took Drucker's Framework to Her Executive Team—Here's What I Forgot to Give Her (And How This PDF Fixes It)

    What if your leadership's team's biggest risk isn't bad strategy, but unspoken, outdated assumptions?   In this episode, Bradley Hartmann reveals why even powerful mental models like Dr. Peter Drucker's Theory of the Business often get ignored by executive teams—and what you can do to change that.    Based on the recent outreach of a Construction Leadership Podcast listener, this episode uncovers how you can bridge the gap between strategy and action using a practical new diagnostic tool you can download below.    In this episode you will:   Learn how to frame Drucker's model in a way that actually resonates with your leadership team. Discover the 6 critical assumptions every business needs to challenge—and how to map them. Get a proven tool to document your team's thinking, surface hidden gaps, and lead with clarity.     Listen now to learn how to align your executive team around what really matters—using one simple framework that drives results.    You can download the tool here.   The Construction Leadership Podcast dives into essential leadership topics in construction, including strategy, emotional intelligence, communication skills, confidence, innovation, and effective decision-making. You'll also gain insights into delegation, cultural intelligence, goal setting, team building, employee engagement, and how to overcome common culture problems. Whether you're leading a crew or managing an entire organization, these conversations will equip you with tools to lead smarter and build stronger teams.      This episode is brought to you by The Construction Spanish Toolbox —the most practical way for construction teams to learn jobsite-ready Spanish in just minutes a day over 6 months.   *** If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your feedback will help us on our mission to bring the construction community closer together. If you have suggestions for improvements, topics you'd like the show to explore, or have recommendations for future guests, do not hesitate to contact us directly at info@bradleyhartmannandco.com.

    11 min

  6. JAN 13

    502 :: How U of Michigan Football Won Big While Maintaining a Toxic Climate—And What Construction Leaders Can Learn From It

    Are your construction projects successful on paper, but your team still feels chaotic, disconnected, or hard to manage? In this episode, Bradley Hartmann digs deeper into the concept of organizational climate—a hidden force that could be sabotaging your team's cohesion and long-term success, even if you're hitting your deadlines.    Whether it's innovation being stifled by red tape or behavioral standards being overlooked for results, this episode helps you uncover what's really going on beneath the surface.   In this episode you will: Learn the 6 key elements that define your team's climate—and how you directly influence each one. Discover one practical self-assessment question for every climate factor so you can spot trouble before it turns into turnover or safety issues. Hear how a winning football program masked a broken culture—and what you can do differently as a construction leader. Press play now to gain the clarity you need to lead with purpose, improve your team's performance, and fix the hidden cracks in your culture before they become chaos.   The Construction Leadership Podcast dives into essential leadership topics in construction, including strategy, emotional intelligence, communication skills, confidence, innovation, and effective decision-making. You'll also gain insights into delegation, cultural intelligence, goal setting, team building, employee engagement, and how to overcome common culture problems. Whether you're leading a crew or managing an entire organization, these conversations will equip you with tools to lead smarter and build stronger teams.    This episode is brought to you by The Construction Spanish Toolbox —the most practical way for construction teams to learn jobsite-ready Spanish in just minutes a day over 6 months.   *** If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your feedback will help us on our mission to bring the construction community closer together. If you have suggestions for improvements, topics you'd like the show to explore, or have recommendations for future guests, do not hesitate to contact us directly at info@bradleyhartmannandco.com.

    14 min

  7. JAN 8

    501 :: What Netflix, Procore, and Trunk Tools Can Teach You About Strategic Assumptions

    Is it possible you're making silent strategic assumptions that could backfire?   Whether you're leading a construction firm or scaling a tech-driven business, one of the biggest risks you face isn't your competition—it's outdated assumptions.    In this episode, you'll hear how Procore and Trunk Tools in our construction space—as well as traditional movie studios and Netflix, more broadly—found themselves on shifting ground when partnerships turned into rivalries and when core beliefs about their business models no longer matched reality.   In this episode you will learn:   A powerful mental model to evaluate your assumptions before they lead to strategic missteps A real-world breakdown of how Netflix disrupted an industry—and how that mirrors what's happening in construction tech Lessons from the Procore and Trunk Tools story that every construction executive should consider before heading into 2026     Hit play to learn how to future-proof your leadership strategy by challenging the assumptions you may not even realize you're making.   The Construction Leadership Podcast dives into essential leadership topics in construction, including strategy, emotional intelligence, communication skills, confidence, innovation, and effective decision-making. You'll also gain insights into delegation, cultural intelligence, goal setting, team building, employee engagement, and how to overcome common culture problems. Whether you're leading a crew or managing an entire organization, these conversations will equip you with tools to lead smarter and build stronger teams.    This episode is brought to you by The Construction Spanish Toolbox —the most practical way for construction teams to learn jobsite-ready Spanish in just minutes a day over 6 months.   *** If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your feedback will help us on our mission to bring the construction community closer together. If you have suggestions for improvements, topics you'd like the show to explore, or have recommendations for future guests, do not hesitate to contact us directly at info@bradleyhartmannandco.com.

    13 min

  8. JAN 6

    500 :: 499 Episodes Later: The 10.5 Leadership Lessons That Changed My Life (and Might Change Yours)

    After 499 episodes of interviewing experts, walking job sites, and reflecting on real-world leadership challenges in the construction industry, I've uncovered 10.5 powerful truths that completely reshaped how I lead, work, and think.    These aren't recycled clichés—they're earned insights that go deeper than job titles or org charts. Whether you're managing a crew or leading a company, these truths could shift everything for you too.   In this episode you will:   Hear the mental model that redefined what leadership actually is for me Understand why your environment may matter more than your intentions Discover the silent leadership killer almost no one talks about—and how to stop it from holding you back   Listen now to uncover the 10.5 hard-won leadership truths that not only shaped this podcast, but also transformed how I lead—and just might change the way you lead too.   And as a bonus, click here, Lesson 10.5 offers a powerful three-part framework for understanding leadership at any level.   The Construction Leadership Podcast dives into essential leadership topics in construction, including strategy, emotional intelligence, communication skills, confidence, innovation, and effective decision-making. You'll also gain insights into delegation, cultural intelligence, goal setting, team building, employee engagement, and how to overcome common culture problems. Whether you're leading a crew or managing an entire organization, these conversations will equip you with tools to lead smarter and build stronger teams.    This episode is brought to you by The Construction Spanish Toolbox —the most practical way for construction teams to learn jobsite-ready Spanish in just minutes a day over 6 months.   *** If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your feedback will help us on our mission to bring the construction community closer together. If you have suggestions for improvements, topics you'd like the show to explore, or have recommendations for future guests, do not hesitate to contact us directly at info@bradleyhartmannandco.com.

    27 min
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About

Are you spending more time solving problems than actually leading in your construction business? The Construction Leadership Podcast helps executives build high-performing teams, finish on time and under budget—without all the firefighting and babysitting—so you can lead with clarity, consistency, and control. Hosted by Bradley Hartmann—author of 15 books for the construction industry who teaches leadership in the University of Oklahoma's Master's program for construction professionals—each episode delivers real-world lessons for real-world builders. You'll learn how to: • Lead change with less resistance using field-tested strategies that increase engagement • Build a culture of accountability—without micromanaging or constant confrontation • Eliminate confusion with mental models and tools that drive confident execution New episodes drop every Tuesday and Thursday. Ready to jump in? Start with episode 470: The Glock 17, a Billionaire, and the Leadership Lesson That Will Transform Your Team's Change Management. It's a listener favorite and will shift how you lead through resistance.

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