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- Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
- Kategorie: Fachliteratur
- Sprache: Englisch
"In the decades I’ve known Gretchen, I have watched her grow and excel as a mother, a civic and business leader, and an influencer in the construction industry. We are so fortunate that Gretchen carved out the time to write this seminal book on women’s leadership and I am confident that all will benefit from the knowledge she shares. Gretchen is a remarkable leader and role model who cares deeply for the construction industry, and her passion for helping women thrive helps us build a more inclusive industry."
—Mary K. Rhinehart, Chair, Johns Manville Corporation.
Practical leadership guidance, inspiring stories, and actionable strategies for women and their male allies to elevate their careers in construction
Building Women Leaders: A Blueprint for Women Thriving in Construction is a guide to becoming a successful female leader in the construction, engineering, mining, and energy industries. Featuring real-world case studies, inspiring stories of successful women leaders, and actionable strategies, this book serves as a catalyst for transformation, enabling organizations to harness the untapped potential of their female talent and drive innovation and growth.
Leveraging the author’s 40-year industry career as a construction industry executive, female trailblazer, and advocate for women empowerment in the workplace, Building Women Leaders includes information on:
- Techniques for navigating a male-dominated industry, including understanding “dominant culture” and unconscious bias
- The qualities of successful leaders in these industries, including what it means to lead versus manage and how Grounded Self-leadership is critical to authenticity
- Guidelines for building strong relationships and leading a diverse team with confidence, courage, and humility
- Ways to handle difficult conversations and conflicts, and the role of trust and vulnerability in these situations
- How to build support via professional organizations, networking groups, and training and development opportunities for women leaders
Building Women Leaders is a timely, essential, up-to-date resource on the subject for leaders of all genders and at all levels and occupations in the engineering, construction, mining, and energy industries looking to harness the power of women in the workforce.
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Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025
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Table of Contents
Cover
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
About the Author
Foreword by Janice L. Tuchman
Foreword by Hugh L. Rice
Preface
References
Acknowledgments
Testimonials
Introduction
ME
WE
US
References
Part I: “Me” – The Lived Experience of the Construction Industry
1 Exploring Unconscious Bias and Dominant Culture
Introduction
The Lived Experience of Women in the Construction Industry
Understanding Unconscious Bias
Understanding Dominant Culture
Conclusion
References
Part II: “Me” – Grounded Self‐Leadership – Introduction
2 Defining Leadership and Your Leadership Aspirations
Introduction
Defining Leadership
Leadership Styles
Leadership Versus Management
Your Leadership Aspiration
Conclusion
References
3 Living Your Life Purpose and Value
Introduction
Personal Purpose
Personal Values
Conclusion
References
4 Feeling Courageous and Confident with Humility
Introduction
Belonging
Courage
Confidence with Humility
A Note on Imposter Syndrome
Conclusion
References
5 Thinking Critically, Learning, and Reflecting
Introduction
Utilizing Your Brain – Critical Thinking
Utilizing Your Brain – Learning and Curiosity
Utilizing Your Brain – Becoming Comfortable with Failure
Caring for Your Brain – Reflection
Caring for Your Brain – Creativity
Conclusion
References
6 Telling Your Leadership Story
Introduction
Having Voice
Your Leadership Brand
Storytelling
Conclusion
References
Part II: “Me” – Grounded Self‐Leadership – Conclusion
Part III: “We” – The Supporting Cast – Introduction
7 Learning from Mentors, Sponsors, and Coaches
Introduction
Mentors
Sponsors
Coaches
Conclusion
References
8 Experiencing Allyship
Introduction
Defining Allyship
Woman‐to‐Woman Allyship
Male Allies of Women
Conclusion
References
9 Building Powerful Networks
Introduction
Your Industry Networks
Networking Outside of Your Industry
Conclusion
References
Part III: “We” – The Supporting Cast – Conclusion
Part IV: “We” – Building Strong Relationships – Introduction
10 Being Present, Listening, and Asking Great Questions
Introduction
Being Present
Listening
Asking Great Questions
Conclusion
References
11 Utilizing Power to Influence
Introduction
Defining Power and Influence
Regulating Our Power Level
Conclusion
References
12 Leveraging Emotional Intelligence
Introduction
Defining Emotional Intelligence
Emotional Self‐Awareness
Emotional Self‐Regulation
Emotional Social Awareness
Conclusion
References
13 Building Trust and Psychological Safety
Introduction
Defining Trust
Actions That Build Trust
Psychological Safety
Conclusion
References
14 The Three “C's” – Communication, Collaboration, and Conflict Resolution
Introduction
Communication
Collaboration
Conflict Resolution/Negotiation
Salary and Benefit Negotiations
Conclusion
References
15 Clarifying Expectations and Providing Feedback
Introduction
Clarifying Expectations and Providing Direction
Providing Feedback
Conclusion
References
Part IV: “We” – Building Strong Relationships – Conclusion
Part V: “Us” – Leading and Influencing Teams and Organizations – Introduction
16 Defining Purpose, Goals, and Objectives
Introduction
Team/Organization Purpose
Team/Organization Goals and Objectives
Conclusion
References
17 Building Organization Culture and Values
Introduction
Defining Organization Culture
Measuring Organization Culture
Conclusion
References
18 Executing Strategies and Tactics
Introduction
Defining Strategies
Defining Tactics
Conclusion
References
19 Utilizing Team Norms and Social Contracts
Introduction
Defining Teams
High‐Performing Teams
Conclusion
References
20 Attracting, Hiring, and Retaining Diverse Talent
Introduction
Attracting Diverse Talent
Hiring Diverse Talent into the Right Roles
Keeping the Right People
Selecting the Right Managers and Leaders
Conclusion
References
21 Creating Agile Teams and Organizations
Introduction
People and Change
Defining Organization Agility
Leader Behaviors that Support or Inhibit Organization Agility
The Role of Organization Ambidexterity in Organization Agility
Conclusion
References
Part V: “Us” – Leading and Influencing Teams and Organizations – Conclusion
Part VI: “Us” – Leading an Inclusive Construction Industry
22 Leading an Inclusive Construction Industry
Introduction
Individual Actions to Lead the Industry
Conclusion
References
Conclusion
References
Appendix A: Construction Industry Leaders Interviewed for This Book
Appendix B: Greatness Podcast Guests Included in This Book
Index
End User License Agreement
List of Tables
Chapter 14
Table 14.1 Win as Much as You Can Voting Payoff Schedule.
Chapter 21
Table 21.1 Gagel Research: Leadership Behaviors that Support Organization Ag...
List of Illustrations
Preface
Figure 1 Dr. Edgar Schein and Dr. Gretchen Gagel, June 27, 2017, Palo Alto, ...
Chapter 2
Figure 2.1 Example: Current Allocation of Time.
Figure 2.2 Example: Ideal Allocation of Time.
Chapter 3
Figure 3.1 Pie of Life: Example, Early Career.
Figure 3.2 Pie of Life: Example, Mid‐Career.
Figure 3.3 Pie of Life: Gretchen Example.
Figure 3.4 Putting the Big Priorities in the Jar First.
Chapter 12
Figure 12.1 Plutchik's Wheel of Emotion
Chapter 15
Figure 15.1
Radical Candor: Be a Kick‐Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity
...
Figure 15.2 The Point Easy Conversation; Mickey Connelly, Conversant.
Chapter 17
Figure 17.1 Edgar Schein's Model of Organization Culture. Source: Skyline Gr...
Chapter 19
Figure 19.1 Tuckman Stages of Teams.
Figure 19.2 Example Team Social Contract.
Figure 19.3 Engineering Team – Measuring High Performance, Baseline, and Yea...
Chapter 21
Figure 21.1 Gagel Model of Change Momentum.
Chapter 22
Figure 22.1 WILD DUCKS CONGREGATE HERE Sign Circa 1996.
Figure 22.2 Image Maja Rosenquist Social Media Post.
Part II
Figure II.1. Grounded Self‐Leadership Framework.
Guide
Cover
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
About the Author
Foreword by Janice L. Tuchman
Foreword by Hugh L. Rice
Preface
Acknowledgments
Testimonials
Begin Reading
Conclusion
Appendix A: Construction Industry Leaders Interviewed for This Book
Appendix B: Greatness Podcast Guests Included in This Book
Index
End User License Agreement
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Building Women Leaders
A Blueprint for Women Thriving in Construction
Gretchen Gagel, PhD
Copyright © 2025 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved, including rights for text and data mining and training of artificial technologies or similar technologies.
Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.Published simultaneously in Canada.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per‐copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750‐8400, fax (978) 750‐4470, or on the web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748‐6011, fax (201) 748‐6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permission.
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Library of Congress Cataloging‐in‐Publication Data
Names: Gagel, Gretchen authorTitle: Building women leaders : women thriving in construction / Gretchen Gagel.Description: Hoboken, NJ : Wiley, [2025] | Includes bibliographical references and index.Identifiers: LCCN 2025002987 (print) | LCCN 2025002988 (ebook) | ISBN 9781394251384 paperback | ISBN 9781394251421 adobe pdf | ISBN 9781394251407 epubSubjects: LCSH: Leadership in women | Construction industry–Vocational guidanceClassification: LCC HD6054.3 .G33 2025 (print) | LCC HD6054.3 (ebook) | DDC 658.4/09082–dc23/eng/20250321LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2025002987LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2025002988
Cover Design: Wiley
This book is dedicated to my two beautiful children, Holden and Regan, who are the joy of my life and the inspiration for all I do in the world; and to the memory of Edgar Schein, my friend and coach, amazing author, academic, consultant, and thinker. You are missed and I think you would be proud.
This book is also dedicated to the millions of people in the construction industry who work tirelessly to build and maintain the physical assets of civilization with humility and grace.
About the Author
Dr. Gretchen Gagel is passionate about leveraging her successful career as a construction industry leader to continue influencing positive change in the industry she loves. Gretchen serves as a leadership role model via her industry board and committee positions, and supports the development of leaders through her leadership programs and executive coaching. Gretchen is also the Founder of Women Thriving in Construction: A Global Institute (www.womenthrivinginconstruction.org). Gretchen is a sought‐after speaker on a variety of topics.
Gretchen is grateful to have wonderful friends and family, including her two beautiful grown children, and is a passionate golfer and enthusiastic world traveler.
You can find out more about Gretchen at gretchengagel.com or connect with her on LinkedIn.
Foreword by Janice L. Tuchman
I've been observing Gretchen Gagel for more than 25 years—basking in her big smile, benefitting from her wonderful connections, and marveling at her productivity and leadership. Now I find out that she also excels at storytelling! The following book offers both personal stories and stories Gretchen relays from her collection of accomplished friends and colleagues. It offers a wide array of ideas, tips, and resources for women who lead or aspire to lead in the construction industry, as well as those who work with women leaders.
Gretchen and I have a mutual admiration for each other's broad networks in the industry, and it's been a two‐way street on mentoring. We met as speakers at a West Coast construction owner's association meeting. I was daunted to follow her at the podium. She is such a natural presenter—so poised and knowledgeable. No written‐out speeches for her. It made me realize I should step up my game. And her outfit! A new generation of women now are taking their cue to business style from Kamala Harris—but it was Gretchen Gagel who inspired my wardrobe shift to presenting in a pantsuit.
Gretchen gives readers permission up front to “snack” on this book—to poke through and consume it either all at once from beginning to end (as the engineer readers almost surely will do) or instead to jump to a chapter that sparks interest, read some nuggets, and then jump ahead or back to a different section of interest on a particular day.
What did I read first? When Gretchen sent the final draft to fellow foreword‐writer Hugh Rice and me, she told us the chapters where she quoted us. Curiosity sent me first to Chapter 22, where both of us make an appearance—among her interviews with 100‐plus women and men. The discussion is about leading not just our own teams and organizations, but also working to help shape the future of construction. Throughout the book, Gretchen gives lots of ideas about how that can be done. For example, she advocates getting involved in industry groups, raising your hand for a committee or job, and taking action about an issue you feel passionate about.
One of the issues both Gretchen and I feel passionate about is how infrastructure can help underserved communities. In 2015, at the invitation of its brilliant and charismatic CEO Avery Bang, we both joined the board of directors at the nonprofit Bridges to Prosperity. B2P builds footbridges to connect remote communities cut off by raging rivers from schools, jobs, and health care. It now works actively in East Africa where the need is great, and the population density is high. Research has shown that adding a footbridge can raise a community's income by up to 30%—and particularly, it helps get girls to school. About five years into our terms, Gretchen was a natural to become the next board chair. She had led consulting companies. She studied leadership theory for her doctorate. Her list of positive impacts was long. When her term was up, a journalist—me—was a less‐obvious choice. But I raised my hand—with Gretchen's encouragement and advice—and found my collaboration and problem‐solving skills did help the group during a time of transition.
Back in Chapter 1, I found Gretchen's personal and related stories about sexual harassment, bullying, and unconscious bias both compelling and frank. She lays out the issues, explains how personal experiences frame her views, and analyzes how such situations make it hard to achieve an inclusive workplace. One of the stories made me think of a small printed sign I had on my wall at Engineering News‐Record in the late 70s. It said, “Women have to do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Fortunately, this is not hard.” I relished how peeved the little sign made my male manager at the time. But Gretchen's chapter made me think through the experiences that led to the need for my show of bravado.
Throughout, Gretchen lays out her vision for construction as an inclusive industry and her belief that this vision is achievable. That's why she gravitated to the title: Building Women Leaders: a Blueprint for Women Thriving in Construction. Thank you, Gretchen, for sharing your vision and for laying out a critical path to that future.
Janice L. Tuchman
ENR Editor‐in‐Chief Emeritus and Events ConsultantMember, National Academy of Construction
Foreword by Hugh L. Rice
This is a book on leadership. But it is not a typical high‐level overview of leadership theory. It is rather a “How To” book. It is a practical step‐by‐step guide to the discipline of leadership and management. Also, this book is the personal story of Gretchen Gagel's journey through her education and career choices and the discoveries she made about how to be a leader. And not just a leader, but a leader in the male‐dominated construction industry. And finally, this book is a call to arms and guide for women who want to become leaders and to do it in the patriarchal world of construction. Leadership is important. Leadership is critical. We all know organizations where the person at the top is the key to success or failure. Leadership matters.
Women make up roughly 50% of the U.S. labor force. But the work force of the construction industry is between 5 and 10% female, depending on how you count. And most of those are in office/administrative roles. The construction industry is ignoring half of the American labor force—and it is the smart half! Gretchen describes in detail her experience with bias, prejudice, and condescension while working in the male‐dominant culture of the manufacturing and construction industries. She succeeded through hard work and force of personality and is passionate about helping other women succeed also.
It has been well documented over the past couple of decades that diversity works. Diverse groups inevitably produce better outcomes than homogeneous groups. It is true in committees, business units, and organizations of all types. Since the United States has a multicultural, multi‐gender, and multiethnic work force, no country is better equipped to capitalize on diversity in the work force. In fact, given the labor shortages facing construction and other industries, having a diverse work force is mandatory. There are simply not enough white males, or males of any type, to meet the needs of the construction industry. Women are the obvious underutilized segment of the labor force who can fill the void.
One thing you will notice about this book is that Gretchen has a unique personal perspective on being inclusive and breaking into a new culture. She has 40 years of lived experiences that she shares freely. Gretchen is a student of leadership and management in construction, both academically and as a practitioner. She learns from others and internalizes everything. She never forgets anything that she hears, reads, or experiences, or anyone she meets. Since Gretchen is a consummate networker and relationship builder, we all have the benefit of what she has learned from hundreds of people in the industry.
Reading this book reinforces a belief that I have had for many years—the world would be a kinder, gentler, safer, and more prosperous place if all heads of state on the planet were women. Now I would add that at least half of the CEOs of construction firms should be women. Someday it will be so.
Hugh L. Rice
Chair Emeritas, FMI CorporationMember, National Academy of Construction
Preface
In 1981, at the age of 17, I told my father I wanted to go to engineering school. His response? “Girls don't study engineering.” Dad wanted me to get my MRS degree to find a nice man who would take care of me as he had taken care of my mother. When I turned down my acceptance to Harvard to attend engineering school at Southern Methodist University, dad disowned me, and we did not speak for quite some time. In the end, he was proud of my career, but it was a difficult time for me. I believe this experience fueled my desire to succeed and created a strong awareness of the unconscious bias many of us face.
I spent the next 35 years “succeeding” as the only female engineering intern at Lone Star Gas in 1983; the first female operations manager at Ralston Purina in the United States with 62 male peers in 1986; the second female consultant, third female director/shareholder, and first female business unit managing director at FMI; the first female CEO/president of Continuum Advisory Group; the first female chair of Brinkman Construction; and in starting up my own companies in both the United States and Australia. Rarely did I think of myself as a role model paving the way for other women in the construction industry. I was just doing the things I loved to do. Was it hard? Yes. I am confident my father's words to me were often ringing in my ears as I strove to succeed.
My 2021 induction into the US National Academy of Construction was a liberating moment for me. I realized that I had nothing left to prove to my father or anyone else in the construction industry who may have doubted my abilities because of my gender. I also realized that my time away from the construction industry from 2006 to 2012—in part as CEO/president of The Women's Foundation of Colorado (WFCO)—was an incredible opportunity to build a network of women friends and mentors that I would not have experienced had I not left the construction industry. This, combined with my experience of starting a women's leadership development program for the Australian Pipelines and Gas Association (APGA) in 2019, fueled my passion for helping other women thrive in the construction industry. In 2022, I started to think big. Maybe I could impact 10,000 or 100,000 women in the construction industry, and in turn help shape a more inclusive industry. Maybe I could build a movement.
I also realized during my PhD studies that most of the business and personal development authors I admired were men—Jim Collins, Michael Beer, Stephen R. Covey, Peter Senge, and Peter Drucker. Why weren't their more top‐selling business books by and for women? Friend, speaker and author Holly Ransom was inspired to write her book The Leading Edge based on her leadership research during her time as a Fulbright Scholar at Harvard. “There were two things that really struck me. One is it's a pretty one‐dimensional set of leaders that we hold up as exemplars. They're overwhelmingly people that are from a military context, maybe from an industrial age business model, the Jack Welsh's of the world, the Silicon Valley CEO types. There was a real lack of the stories of women. There was a real lack of cultural diversity. There was a real lack of generational diversity. This idea that leadership can take many forms and can come from anywhere didn't seem to be as well reflected for me in the leadership literature” (Ransom, 2021; Holly Ransom, speaking to Gagel, 2022 Greatness Podcast).
I feel fortunate that Kalli Schultea at Wiley Publishing began following me on LinkedIn and said, “I think this person has something to say about women leading in construction.” When Kalli approached me about writing this book, I realized that yes, I do have something to say on this topic. I love the construction industry and have worked on systemic change within the industry my entire career. My 2018 PhD in leadership, organization culture, and organization change and agility—along with four decades of observing thousands of leaders and my own leadership experiences—provided the expertise, and my passion for helping women provided the motivation.
The purpose of this book evolved over time. Initially, I wanted to inspire women to want to enter, stay, and thrive as leaders in the construction industry. Then, I realized I also wanted to help people who do not identify as women understand how to help women enter, stay, and thrive as leaders in the construction industry. Thank you to the people who identify as male who are reading this book. I hope this book helps you thrive as a leader and understand how to help the women around you thrive as well. As I began writing, I realized there was also an autobiographical purpose to capture my experiences, my stories, my successes and failures, and the lessons I have learned.
I wrote this book from the perspective of a person who identifies as female and Caucasian in the construction industry, but many of the ideas I share apply to other underrepresented communities in a variety of industries. I have included the voices of over 100 additional people I admire, people who have appeared as guests on my Greatness Podcast, and the women and men I interviewed specifically for this book. Their stories bring the ideas I share to life.
Figure 1 Dr. Edgar Schein and Dr. Gretchen Gagel, June 27, 2017, Palo Alto, California.
I mention the wonderful Edgar Schein and his son Peter often in this book. I discovered Edgar and his work during my PhD studies—an amazing MIT academic, consultant, and author of over 40 books on leadership and organization culture. I worked up the courage to reach out to Edgar via email to tell him how much I admired his work, and he invited me to visit him, which I did on June 27, 2017 (Figure 1). In early 2021, I reached out to Edgar for advice about my complicated life and he became my coach for a year before sadly passing away at the age of 94 in January 2023. I am grateful for the many gifts Edgar gave me as he shared his wisdom, and I am excited to have the opportunity to share much of his knowledge and my learnings from him in this book.
I hope you enjoy reading this book as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thank you for including me in your leadership journey.
References
Gagel, G. and Ransom, H. (2022).
Holly Ransom discusses her book The Leading Edge
[Podcast]. 30 September. Available at:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/0M5G6yRwqvbBlKa302wmKb
[Accessed: 1 May 2024].
Ransom, H. (2021).
The leading edge: Dream big, spark change and become the leader the world needs you to be
. North Sydney: Penguin Random House Australia.
Acknowledgments
I am grateful for the many people who helped me complete this book, including the friends and family who supported my writing journey. My friend Jill Tietjen, fellow member of the National Academy of Construction and author of several books, read the initial draft of this book and provided many insightful comments—thank you! Fellow Wiley authors such as Gabrielle Dolan and Rania Anderson also gave me wonderful guidance along the way. Many, many people have taken the time to be interviewed or appear on my Greatness Podcast. Thank you for your contributions to the knowledge contained in this book.
Thank you Ha P. Tran for your work on many of the images included in this book. Thank you as well to the entire Wiley Publishing Team, including Nandhini Karuppiah, Hariharan Jayamoorthy, and Jeevaghan Devapal. Of course, it all started with Kalli Schultea—thank you for finding me and giving me voice.
Testimonials
“Observing Gretchen's leadership as Chair of international non‐profit Bridges to Prosperity and experiencing our friendship, I am confident that this book will benefit many. As a leader, Gretchen is not afraid of making the tough decisions, is adept at handling conflict, and works hard to ensure other's voices are heard. I am thrilled that she is sharing her leadership insights and her passion for helping women thrive in the construction industry with the world.”
—Carole Bionda, Owner, CLBionda Consulting, and retired Vice President, Nova Group, Inc.
“In the six short years that Gretchen has been in Australia, it has been evident that she is passionate about the construction industry and driven to help women succeed. To reestablish yourself in our industry as a woman in her fifties took grit and determination. Gretchen's genuineness is apparent, and I know many will benefit from her knowledge of the elements of great leadership and how women can succeed in our industry.”
—Meg Redwin, General Counsel and Executive Director at Multiplex
“Gretchen is a force of nature and true champion for change in the construction industry. Along with our current ACA President Annabel Crookes, and the many women who serve on our board, she is paving the way for the women leaders we need if this industry to be successful. This book is an important resource for us to understand the role we all can (and must) play in creating a more diverse and sustainable industry.”
—Jon Davies, CEO, Australian Constructors Association
“Working with Gretchen over the past thirty years has been a true pleasure. As a leader, she excels at maximizing the potential of individuals, teams, and organizations within our industry. Gretchen embraces her role as a positive disruptor, motivating us to reach new heights. Her dedication to empowering women in our field is particularly noteworthy, reflecting her commitment to fostering growth and innovation for all.”
—Michael Mayra, retired Construction Group Manager, General Motors
Introduction
I learned two things from the experience of my father telling me I could not attend engineering school because “girls don't do engineering.” I learned that there are people in the world who have opinions about what other people can or cannot be because of unconscious bias, and I learned that I have the confidence to make what I believe are the best decisions for my happiness and success. This experience laid the groundwork for my passion for ensuring that all people are able to pursue their dreams regardless of their gender identity, skin color, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, or any other unique characteristic. We all belong in the construction industry, and the construction industry needs all of us.
We must attract women and other underrepresented groups to our industry—not because it is “nice,” but because it is a business imperative for these reasons:
1)
Our ongoing talent shortage:
This is an issue the construction industry has faced for decades. As an example, in 2023, the US construction industry faced a shortage of roughly 650,000 people (LaRocco and Goldberg,
2023
).
2)
The benefits of diverse thinking:
Diverse thinking brings about better team performance. For example, research demonstrates that teams with women on them outperform teams without women in solving problems (‘What makes a high‐performing team? The answer may surprise you,’
2017
).
As Andre Noonan, Chief Operating Officer of ACCIONA Australia and New Zealand shares,“It is a great industry that I love, and it really irks me that ninety percent of the people within the industry are from fifty percent of the population. It's just nonsensical. The other fifty percent are missing out on what is so great.”
(Andre Noonan, speaking to Gagel, 2022 Greatness Podcast)
The intent of this book is to: (1) help us examine the lived experience of all people—especially women—in the construction and related industries such as engineering, energy, and mining; (2) help all people thrive as leaders by exploring what I believe are the critical elements of great leadership; and (3) help us build a more inclusive construction industry. This book is a culmination of my 40 years in the construction industry as a leader and developer of leaders and my study of leadership theory during my PhD. Many of my life stories are included in these pages, along with the stories of over 100 incredible thought leaders who have appeared as guests on my Greatness Podcast or whom I have interviewed for this book.
I asked every person I interviewed to share their thoughts on what skills had contributed to the success of the women they admire in the construction industry, and several themes arose. The first is that you must be technically competent in your area of expertise (such as engineering, project management, accounting, marketing, or business development), as this is the ticket to the dance. You may not know everything in your field; the point is that you have knowledge and expertise, and you are working hard to continue learning your craft. The people I interviewed also believed that what truly propelled women's success in the construction industry was a belief in themselves as leaders and others believing in them (sometimes even more than they did themselves) and all of those really “hard skills” that have gained the misnomer of the “soft skills” (the ability to communicate, build relationships, garner trust, and resolve disputes, for example). These are the topics I have focused on in this book.
As construction industry leader Donna McDowall shares, “Know your value and be sure of yourself. Be okay being the diverse you and recognize it takes every skill set to make a project; and don't give up. It is a good industry.”
(McDowall, 2023)
The book's content follows a framework of leadership I have labeled the “ME, WE, and US” of leadership, first focusing on the “ME” of Grounded Self‐Leadership, then the “WE” of building strong individual relationships, and finally, the “US” of effectively leading teams, organizations, and even the construction industry as a whole.
ME
While the intent of this book is to be inspiring and future‐focused by exploring how women thrive in the construction industry and how our allies support us, I felt it would be remiss not to first reflect upon the lived experience of women in the construction industry. Part 1 of “ME,” The Lived Experience of the Construction Industry, touches on this topic, including the presence of unconscious bias in our industry and the realities of our dominant culture.
Part 2 of “ME” is an exploration of self‐leadership. I have labeled this the Grounded Self‐Leadership Framework because I believe being an authentic leader must come from a place of strong self‐identity and knowledge of our uniqueness and that this is “grounded” in our purpose and values. The topics covered in Part 2 include:
Defining Leadership and Your Leadership Aspirations
– An exploration of what leadership means to you, how leadership differs from management, and your leadership aspirations.
Living Your Life Purpose and Values
– An exploration of why you exist in the world and your personal values as the foundation you stand upon as a leader.
Feeling Courageous and Confident with Humility
– An exploration of the courage, confidence, and humility required to lead and influence, especially as women in male‐dominated industries.
Thinking Critically, Learning, and Reflecting
– An exploration of how we effectively utilize our brains to think and learn, as well as rest to fuel innovation and creativity.
Telling Your Leadership Story
– An exploration of the importance of being able to tell the story of our leadership brand to others and have a voice.
These elements form who you are as an authentic, unique, and grounded leader.
WE
The “WE” portion of the book explores how we build strong one‐on‐one relationships and leverage the help of others to thrive as leaders. Part 3 of “WE,” Your Supporting Cast, focuses on the amazing people who guide and support us (that I refer to in my life as “Team Gretchen”). This includes individuals—mentors, sponsors, coaches, and allies—and our networks both inside and outside of the industry.
Part 4 of “WE” focuses on Building Relationships with people, which is the next critical step in leadership. The topics covered in Part 4 include:
Being Present, Listening, and Asking Great Questions
– An exploration of how being in strong relationships begins with the ability to be fully present with someone, including the ability to listen and ask great questions.
Utilizing Power to Influence
– An exploration of our sources of power and how to use an appropriate level of power to influence others.
Leveraging Emotional Intelligence
– An exploration of how we experience and control our own emotions to avoid triggered reactions, and how we have empathy for others' emotions.
Building Trust and Psychological Safety
– An exploration of how we effectively build the trust and psychological safety necessary for meaningful relationships.
Collaboration, Communication, and Conflict Resolution
– An exploration of what I call the “Three Big C's” that are critical to our relationships with others.
Clarifying Expectations and Providing Feedback
– An exploration of the skills that are critical in helping others understand what a “good job” looks like and coaching them to success.
These elements provide the skills necessary to form strong relationships with those you lead and influence.
US
The third portion of the book broadens our viewpoint to leading and influencing collective groups of people. Part 5 of “US,” Leading Teams and Organizations, covers these important topics:
Defining Purpose, Goals, and Objectives
– An exploration of how teams and organizations align on why they exist and what they are trying to achieve.
Building Organization Culture and Values
– An exploration of how teams and organizations define their culture and the critical values that are the foundation of this culture.
Executing Strategies and Tactics
– An exploration of how teams and organizations develop and execute strategic and tactical plans to achieve the purpose, goals, and objectives of the organization.
Utilizing Team Norms and Social Contracts
– An exploration of team dynamics and the use of norms and social contracts to drive team performance.
Attracting, Hiring, and Retaining Diverse Talent
– An exploration of how we ensure that the right people with the right skills are in the right positions on teams and within organizations.
Creating Agile Teams and Organizations
– An exploration of how we lead change and develop agile teams and organizations that are able to morph to remain effective over time.
These elements are the foundation of leading teams and organizations to success.
Finally, Part 6 of “US,” Leading an Inclusive Construction Industry, explores how each of us is responsible for continuing to shape the future of our industry. Included are specific suggestions for how to lead the industry, including strategies for joining others in affecting systemic change.
Throughout the book, I focus on describing the inclusive industry I believe we all desire.
After the first day of an Australian Pipelines and Gas Association (APGA) women's leadership program, all 26 women boarded a bus to attend an APGA networking event at the Adelaide Zoo. This was our first experiment with taking an entire women's leadership group to an APGA networking event, and I was interested in seeing how it would turn out. I would guess that there were about 30 women and 30 men at the event. Had we not brought the women's leadership group, it would have looked much more like a typical event, with five women and 30 men in attendance. I was a bit worried it was going to resemble a 1950s high school dance with women on one side, and men on the other. But to my relief and joy, it looked like a normal event in the world, with groups of men and women talking naturally to one another. It was a heartening sight.
This is inclusion—“the act or practice of including and accommodating people who have historically been excluded (because of their race, gender, sexuality, or ability)” (‘Inclusion,’ 2024). Inclusion is an action, and it is deliberate. It is thinking, “Perhaps this person does not feel like they belong. What can I do to help?” Building an inclusive team, organization, and industry starts by valuing diverse people and the unique perspectives each brings to our thinking and problem solving. To be an inclusive leader, you talk about diversity and you measure diversity. You also ask people about their experience on your team and within your organization. You create a safe space for people to share whether they feel like they belong or not, and what actions their teammates might take to help them feel like they belong. You also have zero tolerance for behavior that challenges inclusion. Period.
As author and social justice advocate Howard Ross shares, “Much of the work that was being done in diversity was events. We'll do a diversity training. We'll have a black history month celebration and an international foods day celebration in a cafeteria, and we could check off a diversity program. We were approaching this in a way that we wouldn't approach any other serious topic. Most construction companies that I've interacted with have safety protocols and those safety protocols are in every aspect of the organization. We buy products that are safer, we train people on how to use them safely, we have reporting mechanisms, we know what to do when somebody breaks the rules and puts other people in danger. There are hundreds of ways that we build a safety perspective for organizations that do it well and keep people safe. It's not just, ‘do these quick three things and check it off.’ People need to take the same kind of systemic look at our organizations relative to diversity and inclusion and accessibility.”
(Howard Ross, speaking to Gagel, 2023 Greatness Podcast)
As you read this book, I encourage you to deeply reflect about yourself as a leader, including your natural gifts and challenges, your aspirations as a leader, and how your leadership can help us build a more inclusive industry. One of my PhD professors advised us that some books are to be devoured and some are to be nibbled. I encourage you to take one of these two approaches for this book: devour it in its entirety and then go back and nibble on sections you would like to further explore, or nibble on the book topic by topic, taking time to reflect upon each topic that seems important to you at this point in your leadership journey. You might document a leadership “playbook” of the ideas that are important to you. I also hope this book will inspire you to dive deeper into one or more of the topics I have included via other resources.
To learn and grow, you must act upon what you learn. This is not a rhetorical exercise; this is about becoming a better leader in leading yourself, your team, your organization, and the industry. Leadership is not about a title; leadership is about the ability to influence others and help others succeed. It requires practice and trying new things. I suggest you engage with a mentor, sponsor, coach, or accountability buddy of some type as you hone your leadership skills. Share your reflections from the book with that person and tell them what new tactics you are trying as a leader, as well as what skills you hope to enhance. Speak with them about what has worked, what has not, what adjustments you will make, along with what new things you will try.
I have many favorite books that I periodically revisit when I need to be reminded of the wonderful ideas shared in them. I hope this book is that for you—a book you keep on your shelf and sometimes think, “I need a refresher on this topic.” As I say to my clients and students, I am always here for you… and I see a great leader in all of you!
References
Gagel, G. and Noonan, A. (2022).
Andre Noonan discusses gender diversity in construction
[Podcast]. 7 January. Available at:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5aM6gnz96oIbulicBcEI5Z
[Accessed: 1 May 2024].
Gagel, G. and Ross, H. (2023).
Howard Ross discusses unconscious bias and inclusion
[Podcast]. 30 June. Available at:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/626OFIWKg1RBJr8CWFC6iq
[Accessed: 2 May 2024].
‘Inclusion.’ (2024).
Merriam‐Webster Online Dictionary
. Available at:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inclusion
[Accessed: 1 July 2024].
LaRocco, L. A. and Goldberg, N. R. (2023). ‘
The iconic American hard hat job that has the highest level of open positions ever recorded
,’ [CNBC]. 29 July. Available at:
https://www.cnbc.com/2023/07/29/the-hard-hat-job-with-highest-level-of-open-positions-ever-recorded.html
[Accessed: 1 July 2024].
McDowall, D. (2023). Interview by Gretchen Gagel [Zoom], 30 November.
‘What makes a high‐performing team? The answer may surprise you.’ (2017).
[MIT Management Executive Education]
, 22 March. Available at:
https://exec.mit.edu/s/blog-post/what-makes-a-high-performing-team-the-answer-may-surprise-you-MCIE4TDCCNFZAL7MK6DYC2S6TEK4
[Accessed: 1 July 2024].
Part I“Me” – The Lived Experience of the Construction Industry
1Exploring Unconscious Bias and Dominant Culture
Introduction
Recently, I took the ferry to Raymond Island in Australia to see the koalas that were introduced to the island in 1953. I had visited the island twice before, and knew that over 200 koalas lived there. Easy to see, right? Not that afternoon. After about 25 minutes of walking on the “koala trail,” I thought to myself, “I'm never going to see one!” Then I remembered the advice of one of my PhD professors, Dr. Susan Lynham, originally from South Africa: you must have “soft eyes” to find the animals. I relaxed and focused on my “soft eyes,” and yes, there was one koala—and another, and another.
I believe concepts such as unconscious bias and dominant culture in the construction industry require those same “soft eyes” to see, and that understanding these concepts is a critical step in creating a more inclusive industry. In the US, men make up approximately 90% of the construction industry, and many of us grew up in a patriarchal society (Gallagher, 2022). These facts contribute to the unconscious bias and dominant culture of the construction industry that causes some people to feel as though they do not belong. This is not a slam of men. Most people are not mean‐spirited and are not deliberately trying to make people feel like they do not belong. Men, if you are reading this book, you are amazing because you are seeking to learn more about the lived experience of those who do not look like you, and you want to understand how you can help women thrive in the construction industry. Men may feel like parts of the world and our industry are against you, and I hope you realize we are not.
“My advice would be to embrace change in our industry. Sometimes, unfortunately, human nature being what it is, your first reaction can be protectionist of yourself and you're looking inward. Don't fight what we're talking about here, embrace it, be a champion of it, accept it and don't feel as though, ‘oh well, it's fifty percent of the opportunities’ because that's just a pure evolutionary thing. Fundamentally it makes good business sense.”
(Andre Noonan, speaking to Gagel, 2022 Greatness Podcast)
In the book Immunity to Change, authors Kegan and Lahey refer to three stages of adult learning that I feel are important to consider in this discussion of unconscious bias and dominant culture (Kegan and Lahey, 2009):
1)
The Socialized Mind
– About 58% of adults operate with a socialized mind, meaning their actions are dictated by the social norms of the groups they operate in. If you spend most of your time with people who hate, you may believe it is okay to hate. You are a team player and follower who looks to others for direction and social norms.
2)
The Self‐Authoring Mind
– About 35% of adults operate at the self‐authoring mind level, meaning their actions are determined by the communities they operate within and the decisions they reach through their own critical thinking. You have your own perspective on the world and how you want to live in it, and you probably influence the thinking of others.
3)
The Self‐Transforming Mind
– Only 1–2% of adults reach the self‐transforming level of thinking. I describe this level as almost being able to step outside of your body, to view yourself in the world and deeply reflect upon your actions, your decisions, your feelings, and the impact you have on others. I believe that many people think they are operating at this level when they are in fact operating at one of the first two levels of thinking.
I believe that the pace of today's world and the amount of information we are bombarded with each day create an even greater barrier to operating with a self‐transforming mind because this level requires time spent on reflection, and that time is difficult to find. Having said that, striving as leaders to think critically and be present to the lived experience of others is important.
The construction industry of today is very different from what I experienced 40 years ago. We are not an industry that is “broken.” We are an industry that is evolving—that is becoming more inclusive because we understand that diverse thinking is better thinking—and that is exciting. There is room for improvement, and a deeper understanding of people's lived experiences (including unconscious bias and dominant culture) will help us all.
As James Breen, Vice President Pharmaceutical Global Engineering and Technology for Johnson & Johnson, shares: “We have a long way to go in our industry, but we've made huge progress since the ‘80's. People are not clear on what inclusion is, that it is much more than gender. Women are half the population and have half the good ideas, and we need to leverage that as an industry.”
(Breen, 2023)
As you read through this chapter, I encourage you to ask yourself these questions: “Do I follow the lead of others, or do I think for myself? Am I presenting nuanced concepts like unconscious bias as they unfold before me, or do I walk by without noticing? Am I present to the lived experience of people who do not look like me?”
The Lived Experience of Women in the Construction Industry
Before we dive into the topics of unconscious bias and dominant culture, it is important to understand how these concepts shape the lived experience of women in the construction industry. While this book is intended as a positive, uplifting contribution to your leadership journey and an exploration of how we all help women and other underrepresented communities thrive in the construction industry, I would be remiss if I did not explore the challenges of women in our industry.
I found this comment by a respected woman leader in our industry during our interview for this book shocking: “Aggressive is worse than crude. I will sit through locker room talk, but when people raise their voice, curse at me, that is where I draw the line. The last time I was physically threatened at work was in 2001 when he came over the table. Now it's happening again the last couple of years, post Covid with more stress in the environment. I'm being cursed at by clients, physically threatened. Maybe it's just the projects I'm on right now.”
(Anonymous)
During my first two years as a manufacturing operations manager in the 1980s, I had multiple experiences of sexual harassment and bullying. During arbitrated union negotiations, I walked into the processing portion of the plant to find “F‐‐k Gretchen” painted in six‐foot lettering on a large processing tank. I politely and firmly asked one of the processing operators to call maintenance to have it painted over. One of the supervisors who worked for me walked up behind me while I was sitting at my desk and kissed me on the back of the neck. I politely and firmly asked him to never touch me again. A maintenance worker I had refused to date started yelling at me in the plant one day. I politely and firmly asked him to meet with me with his supervisor. During that meeting, he told me that I had walked by him without saying “hello,” that I acted better than him, and that God said we were all created equal. I politely and firmly stated to him, in front of his supervisor, that I was not ever going out with him, that within this plant we were not equals, and that it was not okay to treat me disrespectfully.
When I was transferred to manage a cereal plant in Davenport, Iowa, in 1988, my first shift supervisor insisted upon calling me “boss lady” and dropped as many f‐bombs as possible until he realized it was okay to have a woman as his manager. During the plant's nine‐hole Tuesday night golf league, I was constantly asked if I was going to join the men for their weekly visit to the strip club afterward. One day, I finally said, “Great, yes, I'll be happy to join you on the last night of the golf league.” That final evening during golf, they joked around with each other, saying, “Hey, Gretchen's coming tonight.” The looks on their faces when I calmly walked into the strip club were priceless. I had one drink and left. I had made my point—don't ask for it if you don't want it.
As I transitioned into management consulting in the construction industry, I experienced more of the same—late‐night calls to my hotel room from men attending my meetings, and a construction industry executive placing his hand on my thigh, twice, during a dinner in Houston. After lifting his hand off the second time, I politely said to him that if he wanted a fork in the back of his hand, he would do it one more time. Sadly, I felt the need as a 50‐year‐old woman to ask one of the other men at the dinner to walk the two blocks to our group's hotel with me, as I did not feel safe. One day, one of our administrative assistants overheard a fellow consultant speaking to a potential client about me—“Don't worry, she's not too good‐looking, she just had two kids and is a bit of a battle‐ax.” He was reminded by our leader of the inappropriateness of his words.
Those are the egregious examples. The more subtle behaviors were at times more challenging, such as people assuming I was an administrative assistant instead of a consultant, or questioning if I had the knowledge required to help them just because I was a woman.
What gave me the fortitude to stay in the construction industry? I believe my father telling me I could not attend engineering school laid the groundwork. No one was going to tell me what I could or could not do; no one was going to ruin my career because of their bad behavior. I just would not let it happen. I also love the construction industry. I love the problems we solve and the amazing contribution we make to society. And so, I stayed.
I also realize that my lived experience in the construction industry is different from the lived experience of women of color in the construction industry. Friend and construction industry leader Denise Burgess has recounted her frustration with people assuming her father had sent her to take the meeting notes, and of having to constantly reprove herself as a Black woman. “I was doing a project in Utah, and I walked into a meeting of all men, and they looked at me and said, ‘Oh, we thought it was Dennis, we thought it was a typo.’ I was negotiating a contract and they said, ‘Did you want to wait for someone?’ I'd think, did they not like me because of my gender or not like me because of my race? And my dad would say, does it matter?” (Denise Burgess, speaking to Gagel, 2023 Greatness Podcast).
Friend and construction industry leader Suzanne Arkle, a woman of color who is African American/Japanese, shares this about her experience as a woman in construction: “We were looking at the metrics of participation for this particular owner who wanted to look at race, and I said something about being an African American businesswoman. She looked at me and she said, ‘You're African American? I thought you were Oriental. That's why you're so smart!’ I was taken aback but I knew it was not coming from a bad place. The first thing I said, “It's not Oriental anymore … you can say Oriental rug but not Oriental person.' She was embarrassed but I knew that she would receive it” (Suzanne Arkle, speaking to Gagel, 2024 Greatness Podcast).
I met Laura Miranda, co‐founder of the You Don't Look Like an Engineer Podcast, during a construction conference where I heard her story of coming to Australia as a young woman without strong English skills. “Just be authentic as to who you are. Sometimes your career path doesn't make sense to other people, and it doesn't have to as long as you're happy with the decisions you're making, and you are being authentic to yourself. They don't have to behave like the boys to fit in and I think when we talk about leadership that's one of the things that sets us apart from men” (Laura Miranda, speaking to Gagel, 2024 Greatness Podcast).
Construction User Roundtable (CURT) Chair and Ellisian CEO Jim Ellis put it well during our interview for this book: “Women, African Americans – we just flat out don't pay attention to it. Why would they want to work in the good old boy's club, deal with graffiti, not having the right facilities? Look at the numbers.”
(Ellis, 2023)
