How vital do you consider training to be? How about relationship-building on the job? Join host Todd and guest Rebecca Lewis as they discuss misconceptions around “blue collar” and “white collar” jobs, the strange competition between trade schools and colleges, the best way to defend tech adoption to naysayers, and the biggest hurdles that currently face the industry. Rebecca Lewis is an Electrical Revit & CAD Design Engineer at Allison-Smith Company LLC in Atlanta, Georgia.   Before I share my Todd Takes, I wanted to give a shout out to a past guest Walker Lockard of DADO for setting up the introduction with Rebecca. I hope you enjoyed hearing her perspective as much as I did. Personally, I walked away with so many points to think about it was difficult to narrow it down to just 3 takes.   TODD-TAKES To Rebecca’s point on taking pride in your work, we as tech providers need to communicate better how technology actually enables field workers to regain pride in their work they feel may be threatened. It starts by taking the time to listen, engage and truly empathize. Then take the needed action to meet them where they are and make it easy to use. Training that resonates is a critical component as well. By making it more of a hands-on job simulation you increase the likelihood of retention. Take time to explain the why behind the what you are doing. Intentionality will always rule the day with everything from a new tool to leveraging BIM. Get everyone on the same page from the start. Construction is a relationship business. Do not discount any relationship along your path. The simple fact is that you have to get along with people in order to get any results.

Join host Todd and guest Sameer Merchant as they discuss the recent developments and “skyrocketing” tech adoption within Autodesk, how the industry has been reinventing itself over the years, the advent of Autodesk Bridge and how it relates to current workflows and software, and what sustainability will look like in the future of construction.

How do you avoid overcomplicating construction? What should the role of innovation be in construction firms? What is the true potential of Industrialize Construction? Join host Todd and guests Jeevan Kalanithi and Adam Settino as they discuss the story behind OpenSpace.ai, setting aside time and space for innovation on the job, the importance of finding and considering different perspectives, the role of Industrialized Construction moving forward and more.

Are the lines between construction and manufacturing starting to blur? What does that mean for you? Join host Todd and guest Gil Mayron as they discuss the ins and outs of 3D printing, the competition and dedication that goes into automation, recent shifts in perception in the industry, and more. Gil Mayron is the Founder and CEO of Cobot Nation, Architects of Automation™. He is a pioneer of the consumer 3D Printing industry as the Founder and CEO of Botmill 3D, which manufactured and sold the first fully-assembled consumer 3D printers. Mr. Mayron continued to lead corporate development strategies for the consumer division at 3D Systems. He composed the first ever licensing deals involving 3D printing with Sony, Viacom, NBA, DreamWorks and many others.

What is the future of the skilled labor trades market? Why do younger workers seem to be moving away from it? Join host Todd and guest David Broomhead as they discuss making the skilled trades more attractive to the younger generation, the opportunities for change that arise with “the great resignation,” the role that technology plays in the industry’s future, and more. David Broomhead is the CEO and Founder of Trade Hounds, a construction-only platform that allows Tradespeople to network and improve their craft through engaging our community. David likes the mighty North Queensland Cowboys, the New England Patriots, surfing, traveling and spending time with family and friends. TODD-TAKES 1. We have talked about it before but there is a great need in the industry for everyone to come together and share a collective message that resonates with those outside the industry. The labor shortage is a problem the effects all of us and so all of us need to band together to solve it. 2. I think it is time to do away with the outdated “blue collar” vs. “white collar” branding divide. It creates a false perception and does not adequately show the full extent of options and possibilities in the construction industry. 3. Be proactive in reaching out to the younger generation. David and I talked about creating apprenticeship programs to provide exposure to the industry. I think that is a great idea to get people excited and knowledgeable on what is happening in this great industry.

What does it mean to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and understand their pain points when it comes to data strategy? Is this important? Join host Todd and guest Justin Fellows as they discuss starting with the right mindset, how to change from being reactive to proactive, common hurdles in tech adoption, developing the right data strategy and much more. Justin Fellows is the Founder and Claims Consultant at 53 Quantum LD. He helps senior commercial directors, contract directors, planners and lawyers in the construction industry clarify construction data, minimize exposure to future disputes and financial risk, reduce delays and overruns and minimize the costs associated with them by using emerging technology such as machine learning and AI to provide results faster and more accurately.

What is the importance of social dynamics in the industry? Are those dynamics underrated? Join host Todd and guest Carole Filion as they discuss the dreams versus realities of the construction industry, how to engage in company-wide efforts in “broadening your scope,” and the surprising commonalities between wine and construction. Carole Filion is a Construction Technology Specialist and Marketing Director. She is a fluently bilingual (French and English) creative problem-solver, trainer, coach, and writer for both technical and marketing communications to B2B audiences and internal business units. Her strengths are inter-personal, technical, marketing, leadership, and motivational skills. She claims focused vertical expertise in both the construction technology sector and wine industry. In addition, she is a strong strategic planner with proven results in creating measurable ROI for organizations.

What should leadership development look like? Does it need to involve a change in mindset? Join host Todd and guest Nanette Miner as they discuss job-hopping, how to know the difference between positive change and “indoctrination,” how to “step up” in your industry, what a good leader looks like, and much more. Nanette Miner is a Consulting Manager/Learning Officer at The Training Doctor, LLC. She has additional experience as a Contributor to Leadership Development for Forbes Coaches Council and a Facilitator for the Association for Talent Development. She is passionate about developing leadership in organizations. She has spent 20+ years consulting to the Fortune 500.

When it comes to how things “used to be done,” what should we retain and from what should we move on? Join host Todd and guests Nolan Browne and Diana Fisler as they discuss bringing a high-level attitude into the construction industry, how we’re accomplishing “incremental innovation,” encouraging growth mindsets, systemic barriers in the industry, and much more. Diana Fisler is a Sr. Principal at ADL Ventures. She is an experienced industrial scientist and a variety of materials-related fields with a demonstrated history of working in the building materials industry and managing laboratories. Nolan Browne is the Co-Founder of FieldNav, Inc. and the Founding Partner of ADL Ventures. Nolan combines his deep background in CleanTech and BuildingTech commercialization for the Fortune 1000 with nearly a decade of venture-backed founder / executive experience in Silicon Valley and Boston to help the world’s leading companies find, develop and scale deployment of CleanTech and AI solutions to simultaneously become more profitable and sustainable. TODD-TAKES 1. Create a culture of continual improvement and innovation. When you give people not only the space but the permission to explore and test ideas, you will be amazed at the creativity and the initiatives that will come back. I was recently at the AEC iSummit presented by the Construction Progress Coalition where teams where essentially tasked with this mission. It was inspiring to see people throughout the industry come together to innovatively address and seek to solve systemic problems in workflows. It is possible. 2. Avoid the “Kodak Moment” in construction. As we discussed at length in this conversation, Kodak made the mistake of playing it too safe instead of playing to win. Instead, you should seek for daily small improvements that add up. I get it changing a mindset and process is really hard and uncomfortable. However, it pays dividends in the long run against your competition. 3. It may seem like looking back change happens with a “poof”, but as Diana said “when you are in the middle of the poof it feels like a series of pressures instead.” I love that line but it is so true. We are in the middle of the construction poof. There are so many internal and external pressures being placed on the industry to change. It is going to be exciting to look back and know we thrived in and after the “poof” of change.

What is an EOS? How does it impact you, and how do you leverage it? Join host Todd and guest Mel Towey as they discuss maintaining “a grip” on one’s business, the six components we use to define our business issues, how to best utilize each and every tool that is available to us in the industry, and the importance of strategy. As a Professional EOS® Implementer and Business Coach, Mel Towey acts as a teacher, coach, and facilitator, helping business leaders transform their companies and, ultimately, their lives. She helps to implement a complete, proven system with simple, practical tools to help business leaders achieve three things: vision, traction and health. TODD-TAKES I talk a lot about taking time to think through your thoughts. It is so important to allow yourself some “white space” time to proactively assess where you are and where you need to go. Mel said “less is more with accountability”. You cannot have 20 top priorities and effectively execute on them all. It is impossible. Identify what your top 3 are and then develop an accountability component to your goals in order to provide the best chance of success. When you are organizing your workflows, time and priorities, start with the big “rocks” that are must dos. After you have put those in your vase, you can add in some smaller rocks. Finally, you will be able to fill in the rest of the vase with everything else that needs to be done. When you organize in this, you assure the main essentials are completed first. You will also be amazed at how much more you will be able to accomplish.