Ambition Theory: Rethinking Leadership in the Built World

We keep promoting people because they're great at the work, then handing them a team and hoping they figure out the rest. Across a year of in-depth conversations with leaders throughout the industry, this was one of four patterns that kept coming up, no matter who we were speaking to.

In this solo episode, Andrea Janzen breaks down those four patterns, then takes on the question almost everyone asked during our conversations: how do you actually know whether the money you put into leadership development is doing anything? What’s the ROI on leadership development?
In this episode, we cover:
Why "They’re good at the work, so we made them a manager," keeps producing leaders who were never taught to lead
The same realization from people across the industry who’d never met: you can teach the technical side, but leading people is the hard part
Why the best companies hire and promote on potential, not only years of experience
What's worth measuring to know your leadership development is working
Where to start: don’t get overwhelmed starting huge – name the two or three people you're counting on in three years
The 2025 Building Better report referenced in this episode is Ambition Theory's research partnership with the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER).
Rethinking Leadership in the Built World is hosted by Andrea Janzen, founder of Ambition Theory. Each episode gets into what it actually takes to develop strong leaders in construction and the built world.
Learn more at ambitiontheory.com. If something here resonated, send it to one person who'd want to hear it.

Welcome to Rethinking Leadership in Construction. This is where we unpack what’s getting in the way of progress—and explore the ideas, people, and strategies that can actually move the industry forward. From workforce challenges to culture shifts, we’re here to spark the conversations that create real change.

In this episode, Ambition Theory's CEO, Andrea Janzen, and Director of Marketing, Amanda Portinari, reveal why they've rebranded and shifted focus to transformational leadership for everyone in construction. What if the secret to overcoming industry challenges isn't pushing harder, but equipping every leader to inspire, collaborate, and empower their teams?

Andrea and Amanda dive into their 2025 Building Better: Rethinking Leadership in Construction report, which found a startling truth: 68% of women say poor leadership is driving them out of the industry. This isn't just a "women's issue"—it's a leadership issue impacting everyone, demanding a new approach.

What You'll Learn:
The Rebrand & The Why: Understand Ambition Theory's shift and how it reflects the industry's evolving needs.
Beyond Check-the-Box DEI: Discover why traditional programs often fail and how focusing on business outcomes through transformational leadership delivers measurable results.
The Power of Transformational Leadership: Grasp the core principles of collaboration, inspiration, and trust that empower teams.
Real-World Impact: Hear how one project manager, by applying transformational leadership, generated an incredible $2 million in additional sales.
New Podcast Focus: Get a sneak peek into future episodes featuring leaders demonstrating transformational skills in transactional environments.
Ready to move beyond outdated leadership and cultivate a thriving, productive workforce? This episode is your blueprint. Discover how embracing transformational leadership can improve retention and morale, directly impacting your company's bottom line.

Connect with Ambition Theory:

Download the Report: Get your copy of the Building Better: Rethinking Leadership in Construction report.
Join the Rethink Series: Learn about Ambition Theory's unscripted roundtable series.
Website: ambitiontheory.com
LinkedIn: Connect with Ambition Theory on LinkedIn.

Welcome to Rethinking Leadership in Construction. This is where we unpack what’s getting in the way of progress—and explore the ideas, people, and strategies that can actually move the industry forward. From workforce challenges to culture shifts, we’re here to spark the conversations that create real change.

Join Ambition Theory's CEO, Andrea Janzen, and Director of Marketing, Amanda Portinari, reveal why they've rebranded and shifted focus to transformational leadership for everyone in construction. What if the secret to overcoming industry challenges isn't pushing harder, but equipping every leader to inspire, collaborate, and empower their teams?

Connect with Ambition Theory:

Download the Report: Get your copy of the Building Better: Rethinking Leadership in Construction report.
Website: ambitiontheory.com
LinkedIn: Connect with Ambition Theory on LinkedIn.

In this conversation, we reverse-engineered the behaviors and steps required to start a sponsorship relationship. We also discussed what was in it for Sophie (the protege), what was in it for Brian (the sponsor), and what the value was to Kiewit, the company where they both work.

If you want to learn how to start using sponsorship to advance your career,  uplift others, and provide exponential value to your company, this episode is for you. 

Highlights 

How sponsorship creates value for a company. 

What a Sponsorship - Protegé relationship looks like.

How you can sponsor the next generation of leaders. 

Links: 

Download the Building Better Report https://ambitiontheory.com/building-better-report/ 

Book a Call with us at ambitiontheory.com/bookacall

Leadership Accelerator Program Details: https://ambitiontheory.com/lap

In this episode, Dr. Giovanna Brasfield (Popularly known as Dr. G), the CEO and Principal Consultant at Brasfield Associates, discusses her journey in the construction industry, focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Dr. G is an award-winning diversity equity and inclusion (DEI) advocate and changemaker with over 18 years of experience in leadership consulting and DEI program development, training, education, and outreach for the construction industry and construction-related trades.

At Brassfield & Associates, she offers inclusive strategies for large infrastructure projects and supports employee resource groups with a keen focus on developing sustainable actions for employee engagement and retention. Dr. Brasfield shares her passion for construction and how her work integrates communities often overlooked, ensuring they have an equal voice in projects. 

The conversation delves into the importance of allyship, the evolution of DEI efforts from project-driven to organization-wide initiatives, and the critical role of leadership in fostering a culture of inclusion.  Her insights highlight the significance of listening tours, employee feedback, and strategic DEI planning in addressing the talent shortage and improving workplace culture.

Highlights

00:00 Dr. Giovanna’s journey in diversity, equity, and inclusion in the construction industry.

03:12 Focusing on the positive impact that the construction industry has on communities.

09:08 Diversity, equity, and inclusion in large infrastructure projects and construction.

14:52 Tackling the talent retention and shortage conundrum in the construction industry.

28:21 The best ways to start and manage diverse employee resource groups.

33:35 How the Great Resignation affected the construction industry and the labor market in general.

37:05 Programs that organizations can implement to attract and retain talent.

Links

Download the Building Better Report - https://ambitiontheory.com/building-better-report/ 

Book a Call with us at https://www.ambitiontheory.com/bookacall 

Leadership Accelerator Program Details - https://ambitiontheory.com/lap 

Resources Mentioned

Diversity Wins and How Inclusion Matters By McKinsey & Company

Dr. Giovanna Brasfield’s Website - https://drgiovannabrasfield.com/

Connect on LinkedIn

Ambition Theory - https://www.linkedin.com/company/ambition-theory/

Andrea Janzen - https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreajanzen/

Dr. Giovanna Brasfield - https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-giovanna-brasfield-0a90a78/