Constructive Behaviors

Were you intimidated the first time you walked onto a commercial jobsite?  Maybe you are intimidated EACH time you walk onto a jobsite.  In this episode, I will tell you about MY first day...the anxiety, the embarrassment, AND the lessons learned. Looking for a Construction Industry Speaker that has Real Construction Experience? Someone your audience can truly relate to? Check out my Key...

What is the WORD of 2023? According to Merriam-Webster, the word is "AUTHENTIC". As warm and fuzzy as the word may sound, the reality is that Authenticity can be EXTREMELY DIFFICULT for women in any male dominated field, which is why I believe AUTHENTICITY should be a CHOICE.  A choice that each of us gets to make based on our own personal situations and that we should be able to do so WITHOU...

Do you SAY you value your clients?  Or do your actions PROVE that you value your clients?  Client Centered and Client Focused are words companies like to throw around, but rarely provide effective training.  Your first interaction and your last, and the manner in which you handle every difficult conversation in between, is what proves AT WHAT LEVEL you truly value your clients...and...

How can you choose something if you don't know it exists?  It's one of the biggest challenges the construction industry is currently facing.  People may know it exists, but they don't know about all of the amazing and lucrative opportunities that exist inside of it.   Boyd Worsham , President of NCCER , and I talk about ways to connect people to construction, how HANDS ON EXPERIENCE...

Ever been promoted and then realized that you didn't get the authority that should have come with that promotion? Unfortunately, this is more common than you might think, particularly for women in construction. Misha Homara , CEO of Tricore Panels , and I discuss her experience with this and how she overcame it.  We also talk about SEO, HIGH SCHOOL interns, and finding a place where you FEEL...

What can the Consturction Industry learn from Sports Illustrated SWIMSUIT?  You are about to find out!  In this episode with Darcie Burroughs , a former Sr. Editor for SI Swimsuit, we talk about changing the perception of what a Woman In Construction looks like, and the effect that can have on our industry.  We also talk about her current roles as co-owner of Steel Pines (with which...

Ever feel like you are drinking from a firehose?  Ever thought there might be a way in which to do it effectively? Cory Fisk , a veteran construction professional and the CREATOR of Construction Management Online , is going to give us the secret.  Cory and I also have an interesting discussion about Bluerooms (portable toilets) before we get into the purpose behind, the creation of, and...

“Why are we still talking about women’s equality in construction? Things are much better than they used to be. Are women REALLY STILL facing hardships? Can’t we just focus on hiring and promoting the BEST candidates and set gender aside?” These are questions I have heard from men in our industry. Sometimes they are well intentioned questions in which the person truly wants to know and understand t...

Have you ever been on a jobsite, or anywhere for that matter, where your language was not the predominate language? If so, you can empathize with why it is so important to break down language barriers.   Loretta Mulberry , the Business Development Manager for Terra Translations is working to breakdown those language barriers in Construction and Manufacturing so that we can have more productiv...

Where do the best Project Managers come from? ANYWHERE.  Finding the right candidates means focusing more on the qualities and skillsets you desire for the position, than on experience.  An employee with the ability to communicate, great organizational skills, exceptional follow through and DRIVE can absolutely be your next project manger...even without experience. Thanks to personal dri...

Ever thought about changing your career WITHIN the construction industry?  Ever been caught off guard when someone asked you to consider changing roles within your company? Dustin Minor , the Quality Director at Satterfield and Pontikes , was on the Superintendent ladder when he was asked to consider another position.  I will vouch that Dustin was an EXCELLENT superintendent, so the requ...

Ever felt like you needed more experience before stepping up?  before speaking up?  We hold ourselves back thinking that we have to be masters before we jump in...this is FALSE thinking that is holding us back!! We don't have to be experts before making our next big move. Listen to Jen Stockwell tell her story of STARTING her own design & construction business, Stockwell Homes , with...

Ever see a Female Leader in Construction and think "HAS SHE ALWAYS BEEN THIS WAY"?  In this mini episode, you get to PEEK INSIDE THE MINDS OF WOMEN in male dominated fields... from the time they start in the industry, until they reach the top. Click to watch this episode on YouTube . Looking for a Construction Industry Speaker that has Real Construction Experience? Someone your audience can t...

Are you someone who appreciates data and stats, especially related women in construction? Tim Taylor , the Director of Research for NCCER , led a research study in 2022/2023 with nearly 1000 participants to determine exactly WHAT EXPERIENCE WOMEN ARE HAVING in construction TODAY.  The study is titled " In Her Own Words ".  Tim and I discuss the findings of this study and how to make an i...

Short and Sweet but an episode YOU can benefit from....TODAY. Looking for a Construction Industry Speaker that has Real Construction Experience? Someone your audience can truly relate to? Check out my Keynotes at ConstructionBarb.com and let's start a conversation to ensure your next event gets rave reviews! Barb@ConstructionBarb.com Have you heard of the 14%ers Quarterly Subscription box curated...

Do the people that matter know your career goals, or are your goals your own little secret? You are fully capable of accomplishing goals on your own, but you can reach them faster, and they can be more rewarding, when you have people helping you.  In this interview with Brandy McCombs , owner and president of IBC Carpentry and IBC Traffic , as well as THE FIRST FEMALE CHAIR of The Builders' i...

Do you ever feel like you have to be someone different when you are at work?  Do you have a different persona you utilize to be successful on the jobsite?  #NOGATE is a new phrase to me, but hit home HARD when I learned what it meant.  Can you relate? Looking for a Construction Industry Speaker that has Real Construction Experience? Someone your audience can truly relate to? Check o...

You may know your employees....but do they know each other? Companies lose time and money when INTERNAL project teams are left to their own devices to figure out how to best work together. Accelerate the learning curve AND increase project performance and profitability through INTERNAL PARTNERING sessions at the onset of new projects. Request an introductory call to learn more. barb@levocityforcha...

Have you ever been on a job site where it's clear that the project manager and the Superintendent do not get along? Or that the PM & Supt are clearly not on the same page? And have you felt how that dynamic affects meetings, interactions, and the jobsite as a whole?   Coy McKinney and I talk about what we did well, and where there was room for improvement, when we were paired as the PM/Su...

Are you Competing or Collaborating with other women in the Construction Industry? Construction business owner, podcast host, wife, mother of 4, and friend Coralee Beatty tells her story of getting into the industry and talks about the importance of women CHOOSING to collaborate. Coralee started ThriveHQ to help women in construction build businesses with greater profitability, flexibility, and fre...

Networking doesn't have to be scary, intimidating, or feel like work!  Networking is vital for our careers, jobsites, and companies, but too many times we choose to stay inside of our comfort zone, instead of meeting new people or trying to get to know them better.  In this episode, you will learn the benefits of networking, specifically at conferences, and tips to help even the most int...

Are you relying on traditional ways to attract women to construction?  How's that working?  In this interview with Business Owner, Carpenter, Remodel Your Life Podcast Host , and Recruiter Extraordinaire, Camille Finan talks about Outside the Box ways that she attracted WAITRESSES, SINGLE MOM'S, and small project DIYers she found IN THE AISLES OF LOWES, to join the construction industry....

"Women don't want to work in construction" IS A MYTH THAT NEEDS TO BE BUSTED! In this episode, Barb will share her story of stumbling upon a career in construction and some of the biggest reasons women aren't currently flocking to our industry.  She will also share how we as an industry can begin to grab women's attention and draw them into the amazing and rewarding careers that construction...

Too often people say "Women can't do THIS job" when talking about a particular job within the construction industry. Steering an entire gender population away from lucrative, interesting, and rewarding jobs...with a single phrase.  This episode dives deeper into the falsity of that claim and how to constructively reframe the conversation. Looking for a Construction Industry Speaker that has R...

20 years ago this summer, I was running my first job as THE Superintendent. In this episode I share 5 lessons I learned on that project that benefitted the rest of my career...and can benefit YOURS as well! Looking for a Construction Industry Speaker that has Real Construction Experience? Someone your audience can truly relate to? Check out my Keynotes at ConstructionBarb.com and let's start a con...