Leading a successful construction project from concept through completion is challenging, especially with today’s supply and labor shortages. You need to build a team that can weather the storm, figuratively and literally. That’s where leadership training in construction can help.

Right now, the construction industry is poised for substantial growth as it rebounds from the pandemic slowdown and takes on a new vigor from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). With current labor shortages and the retirement of baby boomers, positions are open at every level.

This presents an opportunity for the industry to welcome diversity and embrace new leadership styles that value innovation and fresh perspectives. Having women at all levels in construction can spur innovation and increase profits according to several studies on diversity in the workforce.

According to research by global management consulting firm McKinsey & Company, the leadership traits most valuable for future global challenges are: intellectual stimulation, inspiration, participative decision making, expectations and rewards, people development, role modeling, efficient communication, control and corrective action, and individualistic decision making. As shown below, the results of their survey suggest that women are more likely to demonstrate these leadership traits.