Are your best people underperforming despite their experience and talent?

This episode challenges ones of the most dangerous assumptions leaders make: that underperformance is a talent issue instead of a system problem.

Using lessons from NFL quarterbacks and a powerful leadership mental model, Bradley Hartmann explores why complexity is often the real enemy on your job sites – and how to fix it.

In this episode you will:

· Discover how elite athletes like Donovan McNabb can still fail under the wrong system – and what it means for your team.

· Learn how to run the "McNabb Test" on your processes to spot complexity bottlenecks.

· Understand how simplifying your communication can unlock execution, speed, and confidence in your crews.

Listen now to learn how reducing complexity in your leadership approach can help your best people perform at the best – consistently.

The Construction Leadership Podcast dives into essential leadership topics in construction, including strategy, emotional intelligence, communication skills, confidence, innovation, and effective decision-making. You'll also gain insights into delegation, cultural intelligence, goal setting, team building, employee engagement, and how to overcome common culture problems. Whether you're leading a crew or managing an entire organization, these conversations will equip you with tools to lead smarter and build stronger teams.

This episode is brought to you by The Construction Spanish Toolbox —the most practical way for construction teams to learn jobsite-ready Spanish in just minutes a day over 6 months.

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If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your feedback will help us on our mission to bring the construction community closer together.

If you have suggestions for improvements, topics you'd like the show to explore, or have recommendations for future guests, do not hesitate to contact us directly at info@bradleyhartmannandco.com.

Ever wonder how NFL quarterbacks go from being labeled "busts" to top performers—just by changing teams?

The list here is long: Sam Darnold, Mac Jones, and Baker Mayfield to name three who have played at a high level this year.

In construction, just like in football, leaders often misjudge struggling team members by blaming personal traits instead of assessing the environments they're placed in.

This episode unpacks the critical leadership blindspot known as the fundamental attribution error—and how it's quietly sabotaging your team's performance.

In this episode you will:

• Discover why underperforming employees may actually be victims of poor systems—not poor character.
• Learn 7 leadership tools that help you shift focus from blaming individuals to improving environments.

Press play to uncover the leadership principle that could improve your team's performance starting today.

The Construction Leadership Podcast dives into essential leadership topics in construction, including strategy, emotional intelligence, communication skills, confidence, innovation, and effective decision-making. You'll also gain insights into delegation, cultural intelligence, goal setting, team building, employee engagement, and how to overcome common culture problems. Whether you're leading a crew or managing an entire organization, these conversations will equip you with tools to lead smarter and build stronger teams.

This episode is brought to you by The Simple Sales Pipeline® —the most efficient way to organize and value any construction sales rep's roster of customers and prospects in under 30 minutes once every 30 days.

***

If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your feedback will help us on our mission to bring the construction community closer together.

If you have suggestions for improvements, topics you'd like the show to explore, or have recommendations for future guests, do not hesitate to contact us directly at info@bradleyhartmannandco.com.

Two quick questions:

ONE

Are the books you're reading actually making you a better leader? Or are they just filling space on your shelf?

TWO

Are you reading the same books as everyone else, putting yourself at risk for thinking like everyone else?

In this episode, host Bradley Hartmann shares the six most essential books he read this year—each selected for their impact on construction leadership, strategy execution, innovation, and driving real accountability. Whether you're managing teams or steering your company toward greater differentiation, these unconventional books are tools, not trophies.

In this episode you will:

• Discover practical strategies for balancing ambition with reality in your project planning
• Learn how to break away from mind-numbing industry conformity and spark original thinking
• Understand the true difference between leadership and management (and why most get it wrong)

Listen now to upgrade your leadership mindset with the six most unconventionally transformative books of the year.

The Construction Leadership Podcast dives into essential leadership topics in construction, including strategy, emotional intelligence, communication skills, confidence, innovation, and effective decision-making. You'll also gain insights into delegation, cultural intelligence, goal setting, team building, employee engagement, and how to overcome common culture problems. Whether you're leading a crew or managing an entire organization, these conversations will equip you with tools to lead smarter and build stronger teams.

This episode is brought to you by The Simple Sales Pipeline® —the most efficient way to organize and value any construction sales rep's roster of customers and prospects in under 30 minutes once every 30 days.

***

If you enjoyed this podcast, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your feedback will help us on our mission to bring the construction community closer together.

If you have suggestions for improvements, topics you'd like the show to explore, or have recommendations for future guests, do not hesitate to contact us directly at info@bradleyhartmannandco.com.