The NEXT Academy

The Goods is a new series that delivers wisdom for personal and professional growth. In today's episode, Michael traces Florence Nightingale from lamplit wards to data-driven reform, showing how a single visual made invisible harm undeniable. Learn how pairing compassion with clear evidence—and turning metrics into fixes—can bend the curve on any team’s toughest problems. Enjoy Episode 38 of T...

Two lifts, one corridor, zero patience—sound familiar? In this episode, watch a superintendent turn a brewing standoff into smooth flow with a simple, repeatable play: a 2-minute F-I-O-D huddle (Facts, Interests, Options, Decide), a one-page  Corridor Rules  board, a tongue-in-cheek “Peace Line” down the floor, and a  10-Foot Talk  that certifies areas  truly  ready. You’ll leave with field script...

The Search for Fulfillment is a new short series released each Friday where we uncover lessons of the greatest minds to help you live with purpose, passion, and peace. In today's episode, Brian asks, "What is one way you can focus on the present moment today, and how might embracing the now bring you a deeper sense of fulfillment?" Enjoy Episode 36 of The Search for Fulfillment. #BeNEXT

The Goods is a new series that delivers wisdom for personal and professional growth. In today's episode, Michael boards the USS  Santa Fe  to relive the moment a helmsman revealed an order that didn’t exist—and how Captain David Marquet transformed blind compliance into intent-based leadership. Learn how to push authority to where the information lives, make truth safe to tell, and train judgm...

Busy isn’t progress. In this  Hard Hat Headspace  episode, walk a school renovation with a foreman who caps chaos using simple, field-ready tools: two “work tokens” per installer, a red/green room tag for  Next Trade Ready , and a hallway kanban that makes starts—and finishes—visible. You’ll learn how small batch flow cuts rework, pulls inspections sooner, and steadies labor curves; how to pair pr...

The Search for Fulfillment is a new short series released each Friday where we uncover lessons of the greatest minds to help you live with purpose, passion, and peace. In today's episode, Brian asks, "How can you embrace your unique journey today, and what steps can you take to live more authentically and without comparison?" Enjoy Episode 35 of The Search for Fulfillment. #BeNEXT

The Goods is a new series that delivers wisdom for personal and professional growth. In today's episode, Michael revisits the Golden Gate Bridge build and how Chief Engineer Joseph Strauss’ unseen safety net saved lives and redefined success. Discover why great leaders invest in protections no one applauds—putting people before progress, designing safety into the work, and turning honest signa...

When the clock is ticking and the AHJ is waiting, great crews don’t panic—they prepare. In this episode, you’ll learn a fast, field-tested playbook for high-stakes moments: a five-minute pre-mortem (hat tip Gary Klein), a simple Risks-Signals-Actions board (Karl Weick), a 60-second challenge-response checklist (Atul Gawande), intent-based leadership you can use today (“I intend to…”), and a two-mi...

The Search for Fulfillment is a new short series released each Friday where we uncover lessons of the greatest minds to help you live with purpose, passion, and peace. In today's episode, Brian asks, "What part of yourself can you embrace more fully today...aka Hugging the Cactus... and how might that help you become the person you are meant to be?" Enjoy Episode 34 of The Search for...

The Goods is a new series that delivers wisdom for personal and professional growth. In today's episode, Michael revisits Abraham Lincoln’s unsent letter to General Meade—a quiet act of restraint that protected dignity and kept the mission on course. Hear how pausing before you press “send” can turn reaction into leadership, preserving trust while focusing energy on the next right decision! En...

Speaking up shouldn’t be a career risk. In this episode of  Hard Hat Headspace , we step onto a high-stakes healthcare build where a rookie’s question prevents a costly mistake—because the foreman has hardwired “If you see it, say it.” You’ll learn field-ready moves: two-question safety openers, 120-second micro-debriefs, and visible close-the-loop boards that turn near-misses into next-day wins....

The Search for Fulfillment is a new short series released each Friday where we uncover lessons of the greatest minds to help you live with purpose, passion, and peace. In today's episode, Brian asks, "How can you serve others today, and how might that act of giving bring you a deeper sense of fulfillment?" Enjoy Episode 33 of The Search for Fulfillment. #BeNEXT

The Goods is a new series that delivers wisdom for personal and professional growth. In today's episode, Michael revisits the Johnson & Johnson’s 1982 Tylenol crisis and the moment CEO Jim Burke pointed to the Credo, choosing people over profit with a full recall and radical transparency. Learn how values-first decisions, telling the whole truth fast, and innovating as part of the apology...

Noise isn’t the problem—confusion is. In this episode, we follow a superintendent who turns hallway chaos into clean handoffs using a 30-second clarity test (3W1H: What, Why, Who, How), micro-updates (7 a.m., lunch, close-out), and simple visuals—taped zones, QR-linked specs, and bright RFI tags. You’ll get field-ready scripts that any foreman, super, or craft lead can use to cut rework and keep f...

The Search for Fulfillment is a new short series released each Friday where we uncover lessons of the greatest minds to help you live with purpose, passion, and peace. In today's episode, Brian asks, "What is one area of your life where you can let go of control, and how might that bring you more peace and fulfillment?" Enjoy Episode 32 of The Search for Fulfillment. #BeNEXT

Before 7:00 a.m., your day is already won—or lost. In this kickoff to  Hard Hat Headspace , we step onto the jobsite with a foreman who turns a shaky morning into a smooth-flowing shift using a two-minute huddle, a visible plan, and a no-drama constraint log. Keeping with the foundation of The NEXT Academy, this episode is backed by insights from FMI, McKinsey, and Harvard Business Review. You’ll...

The Goods is a new series that delivers wisdom for personal and professional growth. In today's episode, Michael takes us to a chaotic hospital jobsite, where a superintendent turns blue painter’s tape into a daily ritual that transforms blame into fixes and stalled schedules into momentum. Discover how making work visible, shrinking problems to “tomorrow-sized” steps, and elevating frontline...

The Search for Fulfillment is a new short series released each Friday where we uncover lessons of the greatest minds to help you live with purpose, passion, and peace. In today's episode, Brian asks, "What unanswered questions in your life can you embrace with patience, and how might that perspective bring you greater fulfillment along your journey?" Enjoy Episode 31 of The Search fo...

The Goods is a new series that delivers wisdom for personal and professional growth. In today's episode, Michael relives the Berlin Airlift through Lieutenant Gail “Hal” Halvorsen’s heart‑lifting “Candy Parachutes” and shows how a pocketful of gum reshaped an entire mission’s morale. This episode reveals why small acts of empathy and creativity can ripple into large‑scale change, teaching leaders...

The Search for Fulfillment is a new short series released each Friday where we uncover lessons of the greatest minds to help you live with purpose, passion, and peace. In today's episode, Brian asks, "How can you shift your mindset today to focus on positive thoughts, and how might that shift impact your sense of fulfillment?" Enjoy Episode 30 of The Search for Fulfillment. #BeNEXT

Hot Wire is a new series that dives deep into complex leadership challenges on construction sites and offers tangible solutions to explore as you face these obstacles head on. In today's episode, Alex takes a look at navigating strategic decision-making in high-stakes construction projects. How do you make sound, high-level decisions in an industry known for its unpredictability? Let’s find out. E...

The Goods is a new series that delivers wisdom for personal and professional growth. In today's episode, Michael follows Mei’s five‑year vigil over a seemingly barren patch of soil that suddenly erupts into a ninety‑foot bamboo grove, revealing the power of unseen growth. Discover why patience, daily consistency, and faith in long‑term vision are the leadership roots that eventually shoot sky‑high...

The Search for Fulfillment is a new short series released each Friday where we uncover lessons of the greatest minds to help you live with purpose, passion, and peace. In today's episode, Brian asks, "What imperfections in your life can you embrace today, and how might accepting them lead to a deeper sense of fulfillment?" Enjoy Episode 29 of The Search for Fulfillment. #BeNEXT

The Goods is a new series that delivers wisdom for personal and professional growth. In today's episode, Michael recounts how Japanese consul Chiune Sugihara defied orders in 1940 to handwrite thousands of life‑saving visas for Jewish refugees, sacrificing his career to uphold a deeper moral code. Tune in to explore what his “Visas at Dawn” teach us about choosing values over directives, actin...

The Search for Fulfillment is a new short series released each Friday where we uncover lessons of the greatest minds to help you live with purpose, passion, and peace. In today's episode, Brian asks, "How can you practice being more present in your daily life, and how might that enhance your sense of fulfillment?" Enjoy Episode 28 of The Search for Fulfillment. #BeNEXT