The NEXT Academy

In this episode of The Builder's Bookshelf, we break down Dan Heath’s Upstream and translate prevention-based problem solving into the construction world, where teams often spend too much time reacting to the same delays, gaps, and emergencies. You’ll learn how to move upstream, identify recurring patterns, and build systems that prevent problems before they become expensive jobsite fires.Enjoy today's Episode and #BeNEXT

In this episode of The Builder's Bookshelf, we break down Never Split the Difference and translate Chris Voss’s negotiation tools into the construction world, where schedule pressure, scope gaps, change orders, and difficult people are part of everyday leadership. You’ll learn how tactical empathy, mirroring, labeling, and calibrated questions can help you lower defensiveness, protect your position, and turn tense conversations into better outcomes.Enjoy this Episode and #BeNEXT

In this episode of The Builder's Bookshelf, we break down Made to Stick and translate Chip and Dan Heath’s communication framework into the construction world, where unclear messages can lead to missed details, rework, safety issues, and frustration. You’ll learn how to make your ideas simple, concrete, credible, emotional, and memorable so your team does not just hear the message—they carry it into the work.Enjoy this episode and #BeNEXT

In this episode of The Builder's Bookshelf, we break down Patrick Lencioni’s The Five Dysfunctions of a Team and translate its lessons into the construction world, where trust, conflict, commitment, accountability, and results determine whether teams actually perform under pressure. You’ll learn how to identify the hidden cracks in your project team and start rebuilding the foundation that makes honest communication, ownership, and collective success possible.Enjoy the Episode and #BeNEXT

Back by popular demand, our discussion from 2021 with Dr. Kevin Elko.Are you thinking to your full potential? How do you think? Do your thoughts lift you up, give you hope, and look toward a bright future? Or do they constantly focus on the negative and leave you self-defeated? Your thoughts have the power to change your reality and lead you to your best possible life. In Believing is Seeing, Dr. Kevin Elko and Rev. Duane Thompson share what they have learned through decades of helping others reframe their mindsets and change their lives. They have seen just how powerful the right attitude can be, if you choose to unleash it. Believing is Seeing offers ten steps to transform your thinking so you live with a new purpose and boldness. Your best life is waiting for you!Today, Dr. Elko joins NEXT Academy Co-Creators Chad Jones and Cody Phillips as they discuss “Believing is Seeing” and pull out leadership lessons that they feel can help contractors create a competitive advantage by utilizing these 10 transformative steps! This book is #AWESOME 🔥🔥#BeNEXT #UnionConstruction #UnionContractor #Contractor #ElectricalContractor #MechanicalContractor #Leadership #LeadershipDevelopment #Construction #ConstructionLeadership #Future #Startups #BuildingConstruction #Technology #Careers #Management #Entrepreneurship #BuildingTrades

In this episode of The Builder's Bookshelf, we break down Crucial Conversations and translate its lessons into construction, where the toughest project issues often come down to whether leaders can tell the truth without destroying trust. You’ll learn how to handle high-stakes conversations about safety, schedule, performance, and money with more clarity, courage, and respect.Enjoy the Episode and #BeNEXT

In this episode of The Builder's Bookshelf, we break down General Stanley McChrystal’s Team of Teams and translate its lessons into construction, where silos, slow approvals, and disconnected teams can quietly choke project performance. You’ll learn how shared consciousness and empowered execution help teams move faster, make better decisions, and operate as one connected system instead of separate departments fighting their own battles.Enjoy this episode and #BeNEXT

In this episode of The Builder's Bookshelf, we break down Simon Sinek’s Start with Why and translate purpose-driven leadership into the construction world, where people need more than tasks, deadlines, and pressure to do their best work. You’ll learn how to connect daily jobsite responsibilities to deeper meaning so your team moves from simple compliance to real commitment.Enjoy this episode and #BeNEXT

In this episode of the Builder's Bookshelf, we break down Ryan Holiday’s The Obstacle Is the Way and translate Stoic resilience into the real world of construction, where delays, conflicts, and pressure are part of the job. You’ll learn how to shift your perception, take disciplined action, and become the kind of leader who turns obstacles into the very path forward.Enjoy Today's Episode and #BeNEXT

In this episode of the Builder's Bookshelf, we break down Steven Pressfield’s The War of Art and translate “resistance” into the real world of construction leadership—where procrastination, perfectionism, fear, and busyness quietly keep us from doing the work that matters most. You’ll learn how to “turn pro,” show up consistently, and take the next disciplined action even when the job is chaotic and motivation is nowhere to be found.Enjoy Episode 28 and #BeNEXT

In this episode of The Builder's Bookshelf, we break down Daniel Coyle’s The Culture Code and translate its lessons into the construction world, where safety, trust, vulnerability, and purpose determine whether teams speak up early or hide problems until they become expensive. You’ll learn how to build belonging, model honest vulnerability, and establish a clear purpose so your project team performs with more trust, speed, and resilience under pressure.Enjoy Episode 27 and #BeNEXT

In this episode of The Builder's Bookshelf, we break down The Checklist Manifesto and translate Atul Gawande’s lessons into the construction world, where complexity, pressure, and handoffs can cause even great teams to miss critical steps. You’ll learn how simple, well-designed checklists can reduce rework, improve safety, strengthen communication, and help skilled professionals consistently get the most important things right.Enjoy Episode 26 and #BeNEXT

In this episode of The Builder's Bookshelf, we break down Liz Wiseman’s Multipliers and explore why some construction leaders unlock the intelligence, ownership, and capability of everyone around them while others unintentionally cause good people to stop thinking. You’ll learn how to become a Talent Magnet, Liberator, Challenger, Debate Maker, and Investor—and build a team that solves more problems without waiting for you to provide every answer.Enjoy Episode 25 and #BeNEXT

In this episode of The Builder's Bookshelf, we break down Patrick Lencioni’s The Motive and confront the uncomfortable difference between leaders who pursue the rewards of authority and those willing to accept its responsibilities. You’ll learn why great construction leaders build cohesive teams, manage their people, have hard conversations, run meaningful meetings, and communicate relentlessly—even when none of it is glamorous.Enjoy Episode 24 and #BeNEXT

In this episode of The Builder's Bookshelf, we break down Turn the Ship Around! and translate Captain David Marquet’s leader-leader model into the construction world, where too many projects slow down because every decision has to climb the chain of command. You’ll learn how to move authority closer to the work, use “I intend to” leadership, and build the competence and clarity your team needs to stop waiting for orders and start owning the outcome.Enjoy Episode 23 and #BeNEXT

In this episode of The Builder's Bookshelf, we break down Annie Duke’s Thinking in Bets and translate decision-making under uncertainty into the real world of construction, where every schedule, estimate, and recovery plan is a bet made without all the facts. You’ll learn how to separate good decisions from lucky outcomes, think in probabilities, invite dissent, and become the kind of leader who makes sharper calls when the project gets messy.Enjoy Episode 22 and #BeNEXT

In this episode of The Builder's Bookshelf, we break down Brené Brown’s Dare to Lead and translate courageous leadership into the real world of construction, where avoided conversations, weak trust, and vague values can quietly create major project risk. You’ll learn how to rumble with vulnerability, live values visibly, build trust through specific behaviors, and lead teams that can tell the truth, recover from mistakes, and do hard things together.Enjoy Episode 21 and #BeNEXT

In this episode of The Builder's Bookshelf, we break down The Fifth Discipline and translate Peter Senge’s idea of the learning organization into the real world of construction, where recurring rework, poor handoffs, and “same old problems” are usually signs of a broken system, not bad luck. You’ll learn how systems thinking, shared vision, and better team learning can help you stop treating symptoms, start seeing patterns, and build a company that actually gets smarter over time.Enjoy Episode 20 and #BeNEXT

In this episode of The Builder's Bookshelf, we break down Essentialism and translate Greg McKeown’s “disciplined pursuit of less” into the real world of construction, where leaders are constantly pulled by urgent demands, shifting priorities, and the pressure to say yes to everything. You’ll learn how to protect the critical few, stop confusing activity with contribution, and build a week, a project, and a career around what actually matters most.Enjoy Episode 19 and #BeNEXT

In this episode of The Builder's Bookshelf, we break down Atomic Habits and translate James Clear’s ideas into the real world of construction, where small daily behaviors quietly shape schedule, safety, communication, and culture. You’ll learn how better systems beat bigger goals, why every action is a vote for the kind of leader you’re becoming, and how tiny improvements can compound into remarkable results on the jobsite.Enjoy Episode 18 and #BeNEXT

In this episode of The Builder's Bookshelf. we break down The Goal and translate Goldratt’s Theory of Constraints into the real world of construction, where one bottleneck can quietly dictate the pace of an entire project. You’ll learn how to find your job’s “Herbie,” stop mistaking busyness for progress, and lead work in a way that improves flow, protects margin, and gets the whole system moving faster.Enjoy Episode 17 and #BeNEXT

In this episode of The Builder's Bookshelf, we unpack Ron Shaich’s Know What Matters and explore how construction leaders can stop confusing busyness with progress by telling themselves the truth, identifying what actually matters, and acting on it with intention. You’ll learn how future-back thinking, smart bets, and honest priorities can help you build not just a stronger company, but a life and career you’ll respect when you look back.Enjoy Episode 16 and #BeNEXT

In this episode of The Builder's Bookshelf, we break down The Founder’s Mentality and explore why so many growing construction companies lose the very edge that made them successful in the first place—speed, clarity, and obsession with the front line. You’ll learn how to protect an insurgent mission, stay close to the field, and build an owner’s mindset so your company can grow without becoming slow, bloated, and forgettable.Enjoy Episode 15 and #BeNEXT

In this episode of The Builder's Bookshelf, we break down Daniel Pink’s Drive and translate autonomy, mastery, and purpose into the jobsite—where “carrots and sticks” might get compliance, but rarely get commitment. You’ll learn how to motivate construction teams without micromanaging, build pride in craft, and create a culture where people bring their brains to work, not just their bodies.Enjoy Episode 14 and #BeNEXT

In this episode of The Builder's Bookshelf, we break down Move Fast and Fix Things and translate its “trusted leader” playbook into the jobsite—where speed is often demanded, but trust and clarity are the real fuel. You’ll learn how to fix the system (not blame the people), build psychological safety so bad news travels fast, and create faster, cleaner execution without breaking your team.Enjoy Episode 13 and #BeNEXT

In this episode of The Builder's Bookshelf, we break down Leadership on the Line and explore why leading real change is dangerous—because it threatens people’s habits, identities, and comfort, not just their to-do list. You’ll learn how to “get on the balcony,” manage the heat, give the work back to the team, and stay steady long enough for adaptive change to actually stick.Enjoy Episode 12 and #BeNEXT

In this episode of The Builder's Bookshelf, we break down Adam Grant’s Think Again and translate the “scientist mindset” into the real world of construction—where strong opinions, jobsite folklore, and ego can quietly cost you time, money, and trust. You’ll learn how to rethink faster, argue less, learn more, and become the kind of leader who stays adaptable, sharp, and dangerous in a changing industry.Enjoy Episode 11 and #BeNEXT

In this episode of The Builder's Bookshelf, we break down The Outsiders and explore how eight low-ego, radically rational CEOs built extraordinary results by mastering the unsexy skill that actually drives long-term success: capital allocation. You’ll learn how to think like an owner, avoid “growth for growth’s sake,” and make calmer, smarter decisions about where your time, money, and attention should go—on projects and in business.Enjoy Episode 10 and #BeNEXT

In this episode of The Builder's Bookshelf, we unpack Michael Watkins’ The First 90 Days and turn it into a practical game plan for stepping into a new role in construction—whether you’re a first-time PM, a new superintendent, or taking over a tough project. You’ll learn how to accelerate your learning, secure early wins, align with your boss and stakeholders, and treat your first three months like critical path for your leadership career.Enjoy Episode 9 and #BeNEXT

In this episode of The Builder's Bookshelf, we unpack Jocko Willink and Leif Babin’s Extreme Ownership and translate its combat-tested leadership lessons directly onto the jobsite—where excuses are common, stakes are high, and results are visible in concrete and steel. You’ll learn how taking radical responsibility for schedule, safety, quality, and communication can transform you from a finger-pointer into the kind of leader people trust, follow, and willingly go the extra mile for.Enjoy Episode 8 and #BeNEXT

In this episode of The Builder's Bookshelf, we unpack Jim Collins’ Good to Great and translate its biggest ideas into the world of construction—Level 5 leadership, getting the right people on the bus, finding your “Hedgehog,” and pushing the flywheel project after project. You’ll learn how disciplined people, disciplined thought, and disciplined action can transform a “good contractor” into the firm everyone else is quietly chasing.Enjoy Episode 7 and #BeNEXT

In this episode of The Builder's Bookshelf, we unpack Daniel Goleman’s Primal Leadership and explore how a leader’s mood, presence, and emotional intelligence quietly drive safety, performance, and culture on every jobsite. You’ll learn how to use the six leadership styles to create resonance instead of burnout, and become the kind of PM, superintendent, or foreman people actually do their best work for.Enjoy Episode 6 and #BeNEXT

In this episode of The Builder's Bookshelf, we break down Blue Ocean Strategy and show construction leaders how to escape the bloody low-bid race by designing offers that make competitors almost irrelevant. You’ll learn how to use value innovation to eliminate waste, raise what owners truly care about, and carve out a market space where your firm is the obvious, uncontested choice.Enjoy Episode 5 and #BeNEXT

In this episode of The Builder's Bookshelf, we unpack Clayton Christensen’s The Innovator’s Dilemma and explore why even the best-run construction companies can get blindsided by prefab, modular, drones, and AI. You’ll learn how to spot disruptive shifts early, run experiments without wrecking your core business, and become the builder that drives the change instead of getting run over by it.Enjoy Episode 4 and #BeNEXT

In this episode of The Builder's Bookshelf, we unpack Playing to Win and translate Lafley & Martin’s strategy playbook into the world of bids, projects, and construction companies that are tired of just “staying busy.” You’ll learn how to choose where you’ll play, how you’ll win, and how to align your people, processes, and projects so your firm stops playing not to lose and starts truly playing to win.Enjoy Episode 3 and #BeNEXT

In this episode of The Builder's Bookshelf, we break down John Kotter’s Leading Change and translate his 8-step playbook into the messy, real world of jobsites, bid boards, and “we’ve always done it this way” culture. You’ll learn how to create true urgency, build a guiding coalition, secure quick wins, and actually embed lasting change in your construction company instead of watching another initiative quietly die in the job trailer.Enjoy Episode 2 and #BeNEXT

In this episode of The Builder's Bookshelf, we break down Zero to One and translate Peter Thiel’s biggest ideas into the real world of construction—bids, boots, blueprints and all. You’ll learn how to escape the race to the bottom, find your “secret” edge, and start building a career and company that go from just another contractor… to the only one people call. Enjoy Episode 1 and #BeNEXT

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 area of personal growth are you most excited to focus on, and how can you start taking action toward that growth today?" Enjoy Episode 50 of The Search for Fulfillment. #BeNEXT

The Goods is a new series that delivers wisdom for personal and professional growth. In today's episode, Blake steps inside Pixar’s Braintrust to show how radical candor without authority turns rough early cuts into remarkable films. Learn how keeping decisions with the builders, critiquing the work (not the worker), and scheduling the next messy version can supercharge any team’s results.Enjoy Episode 50 of The Goods. #BeNEXT

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 area of personal growth are you most excited to focus on, and how can you start taking action toward that growth today?" Enjoy Episode 49 of The Search for Fulfillment. #BeNEXT

The Goods is a new series that delivers wisdom for personal and professional growth. In today's episode, Blake boards the USS Benfold to see how Captain D. Michael Abrashoff turned low morale into standout performance by listening first and handing real ownership to the crew. Learn how pushing authority to the edge, cutting dumb friction, and celebrating smart signals can transform compliance into pride—and results.Enjoy Episode 49 of The Goods. #BeNEXT

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 decision you've been hesitating to make, and what small step can you take today to move forward with confidence?" Enjoy Episode 48 of The Search for Fulfillment. #BeNEXT

The Goods is a new series that delivers wisdom for personal and professional growth. In today's episode, Blake revisits Andy Grove and Gordon Moore’s 1985 pivot at Intel—asking what a successor would do, then doing it themselves by exiting DRAM and betting on microprocessors. Learn how one brave “no,” clear communication, and wiring mechanisms to match the new strategy can turn a company’s identity crisis into its competitive edge.Enjoy Episode 48 of The Goods. #BeNEXT

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 embrace progress over perfection, and how might that shift lead to a deeper sense of fulfillment?" Enjoy Episode 47 of The Search for Fulfillment. #BeNEXT

The Goods is a new series that delivers wisdom for personal and professional growth. In today's episode, Blake relives Fred Rogers’ 1969 Senate testimony, where calm purpose and clear human stakes persuaded a tough appropriations chair to restore funding for public television. Learn how leading with respect, translating value into real outcomes, and making promises you intend to keep can win the highest-stakes conversations.Enjoy Episode 47 of The Goods. #BeNEXT

Thanksgiving Bonus Edition 🙌🏼 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, "In what area of your life can you begin to trust your own worth more deeply, and how might that shift... lead to greater fulfillment?"Enjoy Episode 46 of The Search for Fulfillment. #BeNEXT

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 embrace uncertainty and take a risk? How might that lead you toward greater fulfillment?" Enjoy Episode 45 of The Search for Fulfillment. #BeNEXT

Field Notes That Win Fights — Documentation as a Daily HabitStop arguing and start showing. In this Hard Hat Headspace episode, walk a stadium retrofit with a foreman who turns four quick photos and a 5-line Doc Card into faster RFIs, cleaner change orders, and fewer “we’ll circle back” delays. You’ll learn the four-shot rule (wide → medium → detail → measurement), wall-posted plans with QR folders, a visible decision clock that kills email limbo, and simple impact math (crew × minutes) that gets you paid. Backed by industry research and real jobsite wins, this is the field-ready documentation playbook every foreman and super can use—today—to protect crews, accelerate decisions, and keep work moving. #BeNEXT

The Goods is a new series that delivers wisdom for personal and professional growth. In today's episode, Michael drops into an airline ops center during a blizzard, where one manager turns chaos into cadence with three columns—Protect, Recover, Communicate—and a bell that celebrates every saved flight. Learn how visible priorities, time-boxed decisions, synchronized updates, and a quick hotwash can steady any team in a storm.Enjoy Episode 46 of The Goods. #BeNEXT

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 small step you can take today toward progress, and how might that action bring you closer to a fulfilling life?" Enjoy Episode 44 of The Search for Fulfillment. #BeNEXT