Elevate Construction

What happens when a Harvard reject turned powerhouse engineer challenges every norm in a male-dominated industry and wins? In this unmissable episode, Jason Schroeder sits down with Dr. Gretchen Gagel, an executive, author, professor, and trailblazer in the construction world, to talk about what it really means to empower women in the workplace and why it's everyone’s business. From powerful personal stories of overcoming bias, to practical advice for men and women navigating leadership, to straight-up truth bombs about how unconscious bias still shows up on job sites and boardrooms, this episode is as real as it gets. ✔️ Why “woman leader” isn’t a dirty phrase. ✔️ The #1 microaggression women face on the job. ✔️ What true allyship looks like (hint: it’s not performative). ✔️ How companies can create space for authenticity not just diversity stats. ✔️ And yes… what to say when someone still hands your credit card to the man in the room. If you’re a leader who gives a damn about inclusion, equity, and building a future where everyone belongs this is your episode. 🔊 Listen now. Reflect later. Lead better.   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 [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xpRYvrW5Op5Ckxs4vDGDg] · LeanTakt YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt [https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt] · LeanSuper YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured] · LeanSurvey YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw]

What if your biggest letdowns were actually your most valuable lessons? In this powerful episode, Jason Schroeder reframes disappointment with one unforgettable truth: Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted. Whether it’s a cancelled project, a scrapped plan, or a tough mistake in the field, it’s never wasted if your team walked away stronger. Here’s what you’ll take away: * A mindset shift to transform “failure” into long-term leadership growth. * How to view cancelled projects and setbacks as crucial training grounds. * The hard truth about sub-optimization and how trade contractors can better align. * A direct answer to a real superintendent’s challenge with flow and mechanical work across zones. * Why learning, not just outcomes, should guide your progress in construction. This isn’t just another motivational pep talk, it’s a real-world lesson from the trenches, filled with practical insights and raw honesty. 🎧 If you're building people, you're never wasting time. Tune in now.   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 [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xpRYvrW5Op5Ckxs4vDGDg] · LeanTakt YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt [https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt] · LeanSuper YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured] · LeanSurvey YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw]

If your team is drowning in complexity and still losing clarity, this episode is your wake-up call. We’ve been trained to worship detail but is more always better? Jason Schroeder unpacks why obsessing over every task, schedule, or CPM activity might actually be slowing your project down… and what real builders do instead. In this bold and practical episode, you'll learn: * Why macro-level strategic planning is not optional. * How “comfort in detail” kills innovation, overwhelms teams, and delays success. * The art form of building trust in zoning, flow, and phase planning. * How to break the addiction to premature over-planning and think like a master builder. From boat trips to AI breakthroughs to brutally honest field lessons, Jason takes you behind the scenes on a journey that will challenge your approach to planning and performance. If you're ready to think deeper, lead smarter, and build with clarity, hit play now. 🎧 Let go of the false comfort of complexity. Master the art. 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 [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xpRYvrW5Op5Ckxs4vDGDg] · LeanTakt YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt [https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt] · LeanSuper YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured] · LeanSurvey YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw]

Disagreeing doesn’t have to mean disconnecting. In this episode, Jason Schroeder shares powerful scripts and mindset shifts that can transform tension into teamwork and turn conflict into progress. Learn how to: * Push back without triggering egos. * Use disagreement to build credibility, not break relationships. * Navigate critical feedback in high-pressure environments. * Stay human, kind, and effective even when emotions run high. Whether you're a foreman, leader, or project manager, this episode is your crash course in respectful dissent with wisdom pulled from Jason’s real-world experience and books like How to Win Friends and Influence People and Changeable. If you’ve ever been told you’re “too direct" or you’ve stopped speaking up to avoid drama, this one’s for you. 🎧 Listen now and start disagreeing the right way. 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 [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xpRYvrW5Op5Ckxs4vDGDg] · LeanTakt YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt [https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt] · LeanSuper YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured] · LeanSurvey YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw]

🎙️Mentoring the Boss: How to Coach Construction Executives We talk a lot about mentoring field teams but what about mentoring up? In this insightful (and hilarious) episode, Jason Schroeder teams up with two of his favorite humans, Mark Story and Jake Smaellie to flip the script on coaching in construction. Instead of just mentoring superintendents and project engineers, the trio dives into what it really takes to coach executives and why it matters more than you think. 🔥 Tune in for: * How to coach the people at the top without losing your head. * Why some of the best leaders are also the best students. * The power of approachability (and how it builds trust on jobsites). * Real talk on “sidecars,” compliment sandwiches, and leadership brands. * And yes… a few legendary stories about yelling on staircases, emotional feedback, and bear encounters. Whether you're in the trailer, the boardroom, or somewhere in between, this episode will leave you with practical takeaways on humility, mentoring, and leading by example. 👷‍♂️ If you want better leaders, be one and press play.   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 [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4xpRYvrW5Op5Ckxs4vDGDg] · LeanTakt YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt [https://www.youtube.com/c/leanTakt] · LeanSuper YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzQDevqQP19L4LePuqma3Fg/featured] · LeanSurvey YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Ztn3okFhyB_3p5nmMKnsw]