News

Written by Sue Dyer, Founder, IPI   

In construction, one constant remains: change is inevitable. Whether it’s a scope adjustment, an unforeseen condition, or a decision made later than planned, change has the power to either derail a project or, if managed proactively, be absorbed with minimal disruption. For owners and contractors, learning how to anticipate and respond to change is one of the most important skills for keeping projects on track. 

This is where the Delta Factor comes into play. Research from the Construction Industry Institute (CII) shows that when a change occurs has as much impact on cost and schedule as the change itself. For example, if a significant change hits at 25% completion, recovery is still possible. But if that same change arrives at 75% completion, the odds of getting back on schedule drop dramatically. 

The Hidden Cost of Change 

CII also found that the amount of change matters. Projects with less than 5% total change usually finish ahead of plan, while those with more than 10% change often suffer from steep productivity declines. Even more striking: design-phase changes almost always carry into construction. If your design has 20% change, expect about 20% change in the field. That means poor design management can all but guarantee costly construction problems later. 

This gives project leaders an early warning system: if the design phase feels chaotic, take action before shovels hit the ground. 

Building Resilience to Change 

Since change is inevitable, the real question is: how well does your team adapt? The most successful teams aren’t those who avoid change, but those who are resilient in the face of it. Resilient people and teams tend to share five key traits 

• Positive – They see challenges as opportunities rather than threats. 

• Focused – They know what success looks like and keep their eyes on the goal. 

• Flexible – They adapt quickly when things shift. 

• Organized – They manage uncertainty with structured approaches. 

• Proactive – They lean into change instead of resisting it. 

Here’s a quick self-check exercise: 
Rate your team from 1 (low) to 5 (high) on each of these five traits. Where do you score strongest? Where do you need to grow? Use this as a starting point for discussion in your next project meeting. 

Partnering Makes the Difference 

The truth is, no single leader can manage the Delta Factor alone. Successful navigation requires a collaborative environment where owners, contractors, and all stakeholders share information openly, act early, and support one another in building resilience. This is exactly what Structured Collaborative Partnering is designed to create. 

At IPI, we’ve seen time and again that teams who practice collaborative partnering are far more effective at managing change and protecting project outcomes. 

If you want to take your skills, and your team’s skills, to the next level, explore the IPI Project Leader Certification Training. This program equips project leaders with the tools, strategies, and mindset needed to guide their teams through uncertainty with confidence. 

Bottom line: Change is inevitable. But with the right mindset, proactive partnering, and the skills taught through IPI’s Project Leader Certification, owners and contractors can turn the Delta Factor into a powerful advantage, keeping projects on track, teams resilient, and outcomes successful.

Written by Sue Dyer, Founder, IPI    

You are the builders of the modern world,

not only with steel and stone,

but with an unseen mortar of trust.

Through Collaborative Partnering,

you lay foundations of respect and care,

and from these, towers rise and bridges stretch.

Trust is not written in contracts;

it is born in honesty,

and in the steady hand that says,

“I will walk beside you until the work is done.”

This Thanksgiving, we honor you—

our members who believe in cooperation,

who prove that trust builds the future.

Together, we give thanks.

Written by Sue Dyer, Founder, IPI      

Every construction project team is unique. That’s why no two partnering sessions should look the same. The right agenda depends on where the team sits within the Four Stages of Partnering, a practical framework that helps leaders diagnose current dynamics and choose interventions that move the team forward 

Stage I: Reduce Conflict by Creating Control 

Stage I is the “controlled” stage, but only after leaders confront conflict head on. The immediate objective is to reduce conflict by restoring a sense of control for all parties. Practically, this means translating hot button issues into very detailed, specific agreements, who will do what, by when, and how progress will be verified. As people follow through on these commitments, reliability becomes visible and the first shoots of trust begin to grow 

Real world example: On a contentious bypass project mired in disputes, the team started in Stage I. Through partnering, they surfaced core issues, then cowrote highly detailed steps everyone could accept. As stakeholders consistently executed those steps, hostility cooled. The visible follow through seeded trust, opening the door to Stage II and, later, Stage III. The team never reached Stage IV, but the project still succeeded because leaders matched the partnering approach to the stage. 

Stage II: Build Trust to Enable Cooperation 

With conflict and early reliability established, the work of Stage II is to develop deeper trust, so cooperation becomes possible. Leaders should set measurable goals in the partnering session and then make progress highly transparent, regular check-ins, shared scorecard, and clear recognition when commitments are met. Trust at this stage is earned by consistency, not charisma. 

Stage III: Build an Effective One Team Culture 

By Stage III, “us vs. them” thinking gives way to one team, one table. Stakeholders focus on the project, not on each other, because trust, shared experience, and mutual understanding are now strong enough to sustain a highly effective team. Communication flows, problems surface earlier, and solutions are shaped collaboratively. This is where productivity and quality gains accelerate as coordination friction drops 

Stage IV: Maximize Opportunities Through Collective Creativity 

At the highest stage, the team operates so seamlessly that roles blur, you can’t tell who works for whom. The shared identity is “the project team.” With psychological safety and systemic trust in place, the group can maximize opportunities: reframing constraints, piloting better methods, and pushing performance toward what once seemed impossible 

Why Every Session Must Be Different 

Stages I–II are driven by dispute prevention and resolution; Stages III–IV are driven by creativity and innovation. That difference demands stage specific partnering: 

• Stage I: Priority on conflict resolution, detailed agreements, and verification rituals. 

• Stage II: Priority on measurable goals, transparent progress reviews, and reliability signals. 

• Stage III: Priority on alignment to project outcomes, integrated planning, and joint problem solving. 

• Stage IV: Priority on opportunity hunting, innovative ideas, rapid experimentation and implementation. 

Teams can also move backward under pressure. That’s normal, leaders should recalibrate the next session to the stage the team is in, not the one it used to occupy, or you want to be in. 

The Leader’s Edge: IPI Project Leader Certification 

Skilled leadership is what converts stages into results. The IPI Project Leader Certification equips leaders to (1) diagnose stage accurately, (2) select the right interventions, and (3) sustain momentum as conditions change. Certified leaders learn how to craft Stage I agreements that deescalate conflict, Stage II routines that compound trust, Stage III practices that fuse stakeholders into one team, and Stage IV habits that turn challenges into advantages. If your goal is to move more projects into Stages III and IV, where quality and value compound, this is the most direct path. 

Quick self-check: What stage is your project in today? What is the single most appropriate stage move you could make this week to nudge it one level higher? 

Written by Sue Dyer, Founder, IPI    

Construction leaders today face a paradox: we’re expected to make confident decisions about a future that feels less predictable than ever. Technology is racing ahead, workforce expectations are shifting, and public projects must meet ever-higher standards for sustainability and community value. Forecasting exact outcomes isn’t realistic—but that doesn’t mean we’re powerless.

What sets great leaders apart is not their ability to predict the future, but their ability to adopt the right attitudes toward it. Nick Foster, Futurist and Designer offers four simple but powerful lenses—Could, Should, Might, and Don’t—offer a way for project teams to explore possibilities, set priorities, and avoid pitfalls together.

Four Attitudes for Future-Ready Leaders

• Could – the realm of possibilities. What innovations, approaches, or opportunities could benefit this project?
• Should – the values filter. Among all the options, which ones align with the team’s shared commitments to safety, sustainability, and community benefit?
• Might – the pragmatic lens. What might realistically work under schedule, budget, and resource constraints?
• Don’t – the discipline of restraint. What should we avoid so we don’t waste energy or create harm?

Used together, these attitudes help leaders move beyond guesswork and instead guide their teams toward decisions that are bold, grounded, and collaborative.

A Project Example

On a recent public works project, the team debated whether to implement a new BIM-enabled collaboration platform.

• From a Could perspective, it promised better clash detection and cost certainty.
• Through a Should lens, the team weighed whether the platform would serve the community’s priorities for transparency and carbon reduction.
• The Might conversation raised risks: training costs, software compatibility, and schedule impacts.
• Finally, Don’t reminded the team not to adopt technology for its own sake—or allow it to create new silos.

By working through all four attitudes, the team decided to pilot BIM on targeted design packages rather than force adoption across the board. The result: lower risk, higher alignment, and a solution that truly served the project.

Where Collaboration Comes In

These four attitudes don’t exist in isolation. They thrive in environments where teams can share ideas openly, debate constructively, and commit to decisions together. That’s exactly what Structured Collaborative Partnering (SCP) creates.

• In partnering workshops, Could ideas are welcomed without judgment.
• The Should questions are surfaced collectively, aligning values across owners, contractors, designers, and managers.
• Might discussions are tested through joint risk assessments and scenario discussions.
• And Don’t is built into partnering charters, where teams commit to avoiding adversarial behaviors like surprise claims or siloed decision-making.

Through partnering, these attitudes become a shared discipline rather than an individual burden.

Why This Matters Now

Construction is a collaborative sport. Adversarial approaches not only generate claims and delays but also burn out the very people we need most in the field. Future-ready leaders are the ones who:

• Encourage expansive thinking (Could) without letting it drift into wishful thinking.
• Anchor decisions in values (Should) rather than politics.
• Test scenarios with realism (Might) instead of blind optimism.
• And practice discipline (Don’t) by refusing to waste time on conflict or outdated practices.

A Call to Action

The future of public works and infrastructure will not be shaped by predictions—it will be shaped by leaders who know how to guide their teams through uncertainty together. The four attitudes—Could, Should, Might, and Don’t—offer a practical framework for doing just that.

At IPI, our mission is to equip those leaders through Structured Collaborative Partnering and the Project Leader Certification program. Both are designed to help project leaders turn these attitudes into action, ensuring not just successful projects but healthier, more resilient teams.

The future isn’t something we forecast. It’s something we build—together.

Written by Sue Dyer, Founder, IPI    

Construction projects succeed or fail not because of contracts, schedules, or even budgets, but because of people. And at the heart of every project team are values. You can’t see values directly, but you can see their results. Values create attitudes, and attitudes create behaviors. If a team is going to work collaboratively, it’s the values that matter most. 

From Conflict to Collaboration: Why Values Matter 

Consider a project I was called in to facilitate for, after it had spiraled into dysfunction. Two trailers sat side by side on the jobsite, one for the contractor and one for the owner. Yet the doors stayed locked, and the only communication between the two teams was through emails pointing fingers. The project was millions over budget and months behind schedule. 

When the teams finally came together in a partnering session, the root cause wasn’t technical. It wasn’t scheduling. It wasn’t even money. The breakdown stemmed from an early perceived slight between the leaders that snowballed into mistrust. What followed was defensive attitudes and adversarial behaviors that crippled the project. 

Once the leaders apologized to each other they stopped seeing the other as their “enemy”. They saw they needed the other person (and their team) to get the job done. Attitudes shifted almost immediately. Behaviors followed. The project got a fresh start, proof that values and attitudes are the foundation of performance 

The Adversarial vs. Partnering Mindset 

 

In low bid project delivery, the traditional mindset is “I’ll look out for me, and you look out for you.” I am not concerned about you. Some people think you need to Compromise to not have conflict. But when you compromise all the time you will find that people start to keep score on how many times they have compromised, hardly a recipe for creativity or trust. 

By contrast, partnering is rooted in shared values: I care about my success and yours. This mindset leads to curiosity, openness, and joint problem-solving. Instead of splitting the orange in half, as in the classic story of two sisters arguing over an orange. The sisters keep arguing until their mother comes in and tells them to stop. Then the sisters actually talked to each other and learned that one sister was baking a cake and only wanted the peel and the other sister only wanted to eat the fruit inside. Partnering works to uncover interests. By partnering, both got what they wanted.  

On projects, the same principle applies. When teams share partnering values of trust, respect, and accountability, they ask better questions: 

• What do you need to succeed? 

• What do I need? 

• How do we create a solution that strengthens the project for both of us? 

This is how partnering values transform into collaborative behaviors that “expand the pie” and create outcomes far greater than compromise ever could. 

Why Leaders Must Start with Partnering Values 

You can’t dictate behavior directly. You can only cultivate values that shape attitudes, and those attitudes show up in daily actions, whether in meetings, on jobsites, or in problem-solving sessions. Leaders who ignore values risk fueling adversarial cycles. Leaders who intentionally anchor their projects in partnering values create the fertile ground for collaboration, innovation, and success. 

That’s why the International Partnering Institute developed the IPI Project Leader Certification Training. It’s designed to help project leaders not only understand the technical aspects of partnering but also master the cultural and behavioral foundations that drive successful collaboration. 

If you want your projects to thrive, not just survive, start with partnering values. They may be invisible, but their impact is undeniable. Train your leaders, invest in the right culture, and you’ll see attitudes shift and behaviors align. 

The next generation of project success belongs to leaders who understand this simple truth: partnering values are the root, collaboration is the fruit.

Written by Sue Dyer, Founder, IPI     

The construction industry in 2025 is buzzing with innovation. Generative AI, robotics, 3D printing, drones, and digital twins are no longer fringe ideas, they’re active forces reshaping how projects are planned, executed, and delivered. Yet as these technologies promise greater speed, efficiency, and accuracy, there’s a paradox lurking beneath the surface: technology alone isn’t enough. Without collaboration, these tools can actually increase friction, confusion, and risk. 

That’s why Collaborative Partnering is more critical than ever. New tools require new norms, new workflows, and a culture of trust to unlock their full potential. 

Tech Acceleration in the Field 

Construction is experiencing a digital renaissance. Generative AI is helping design teams model complex structures faster and with greater accuracy. AI-driven tools now flag compliance issues automatically, optimize materials usage, and even predict when a project might go off track. 

Meanwhile, robotics like brick-laying bots and autonomous earthmovers are showing up on sites to handle repetitive or hazardous tasks. 3D printing of components, or even entire walls, is reducing labor needs and build time. And Building Information Modeling (BIM), once a cutting-edge niche, is now foundational to project planning. With the rise of digital twins and IoT sensors, real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance have become everyday capabilities. 

All of these innovations promise better outcomes. But they also introduce more data, more decisions, and more potential disconnects. 

The Collaboration Gap 

Technology doesn't operate in a vacuum. Even the best AI planning software is useless if the field crew can’t or won’t adapt. A digital twin is only as helpful as the coordination behind how it's maintained and used. And robotics, while powerful, require upfront alignment between design intent and on-site execution. 

The reality is that many project teams aren't aligned enough to integrate these tools seamlessly. Silos between designers, contractors, owners, and field teams persist. If trust is low or communication is weak, technology creates more points of failure, not fewer. 

Why Collaborative Partnering Makes Tech Work 

Collaborative Partnering (CP) is the process that closes the gap between potential and performance. By aligning all stakeholders early, CP creates the foundation for adopting and integrating technology successfully. 

Here’s how CP supports construction tech adoption: 

• Shared Vision: Partnering sessions help teams define shared goals, including how new tech will be used, evaluated, and supported. 

• Role Clarity: As roles shift due to automation and digital tools, SCP helps teams adjust responsibilities and expectations collaboratively. 

• Trust Building: Technology requires experimentation. High-trust teams are more willing to try, fail, learn, and adapt. 

• Continuous Learning: Partnering workshops create space for open dialogue, which is essential for working through implementation challenges. 

What You Can Do Now 

Whether you’re a project executive, construction manager, designer, or trade partner, here are five actions you can take this summer to embrace technology the right way: 

1. Conduct a Tech Alignment Session During Partnering 
   Use your CP kickoff to clarify how the team will use tools like BIM, AI software, or digital twins. Make it a standing agenda item. 
2. Invest in IPI Project Leader Certification 
   This training equips your leaders with the skills to foster trust, coordinate across roles, and lead through complexity, essential for tech adoption. 
3. Assign a Tech Integration Champion 
   Identify a person (or small team) to support the rollout of new tools. Give them the authority to connect dots across disciplines. 
4. Pilot, Then Scale 
   Start small with new tech. Use a collaborative approach to pilot a specific tool on a single scope or milestone before rolling it out. 
5. Include Field Voices 
   Tech succeeds when the people using it day-to-day are included in the conversation. Partnering gives field teams a seat at the table to shape how tools are deployed.

Final Thought: Technology Doesn’t Replace People, It Requires Them 

The myth that construction technology can replace coordination is finally being debunked. Instead, tech demands better coordination than ever before. Partnering is no longer a nice-to-have, it’s the bridge between digital promise and project reality. 

Construction is changing fast. If you want your team to thrive, not just survive, start with the culture that enables innovation. 

Explore Collaborative Partnering and IPI Project Leader Certification to prepare your people for the future of building. 

Connect with the International Partnering Institute to learn how we can help you build smarter, together. 

Written by Sue Dyer, Founder, IPI   

In 2025, construction professionals face a clear but pressing threat: the soaring cost of claims and disputes. From skyrocketing insurance premiums to multi-million-dollar legal verdicts, the financial fallout from conflict is growing at an alarming pace. According to the latest industry data, the average value of a construction dispute in North America has surged past $42 million, and it's still climbing. 

Behind these numbers are real consequences: project delays, exhausted teams, reputational damage, and budgets blown apart. Claims related to defects, delays, and contract disputes are hitting more frequently, driven by supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, economic shifts, and a growing legal phenomenon called "social inflation," where jury awards have become increasingly generous. 

If you're a project leader, you may be thinking: "We don't plan for conflict, so why does it keep derailing us?" The truth is, conflict can start anytime and anywhere. It starts in the field, in the ways we form teams, manage problems, and communicate under stress. 

The Root of the Problem: Adversarial Culture 

Many projects still operate under an "us vs. them" mentality. Designers are pitted against contractors, contractors against owners, field against office. These power imbalances and siloed perspectives create tension long before formal disputes arise. In this environment, the moment something goes wrong, everyone starts protecting their own turf. Trust erodes. Collaboration stalls. And the seeds of costly conflict are sown. I saw it just today in a project that is under suspension, and yet because of miscommunication the contractor started working on the job without the owner knowing it. Trust immediately eroded. Everyone is now ready for a fight. It can happen that fast.  

The irony? Every stakeholder on a project typically shares the same fundamental interests: stay on budget, stay on schedule, deliver quality, and keep the site safe. But when fear and blame drive the culture, those shared goals are overshadowed by misalignment and mistrust. 

A Better Way: Collaborative Partnering 

There is a proven antidote to this culture of conflict: Collaborative Partnering (CP). Used successfully on thousands of projects, CP brings all parties together to define shared goals, align expectations, and establish accountability mechanisms before tensions boil over. It includes: 

• Partnering workshops and kickoff sessions 

• Dispute prevention and resolution frameworks 

• Regular facilitated check-ins to stay aligned 

• A performance scorecard to monitor progress 

Projects that implement CP have shown significantly higher success rates—with fewer claims, smoother delivery, and greater profitability for all parties involved. 

Take Action: Ten Ways to Prevent Conflict from Turning Into Claims 

Here is a practical checklist your team can use to prevent costly disputes: 

1. Implement Collaborative Partnering early in project formation. 
2. Train your project leaders through the IPI Project Leader Certification program to establish high-trust norms and resolve issues proactively. 
3. Neutralize power imbalances by setting shared ground rules and ensuring all voices are heard. 
4. Use a structured kickoff session to align goals and identify potential hot spots. 
5. Develop a shared problem-solving approach so all parties co-create solutions, rather than competing for control. 
6. Track project health through real-time trust check-ins and performance scorecards. 
7. Create a learning environment where teams share lessons and continuously improve.
8. Establish clear dispute prevention protocols and revisit them regularly. 
9. Design contracts that support collaboration, not just risk transfer. 
10. Celebrate collaborative wins to reinforce trust and accountability. 

Your Call to Action 

We can't control tariffs, labor shortages, or extreme weather, but we can control how we work together. If you want to protect your projects, your people, and your profits, it starts with culture. 

Collaborative Partnering and the IPI Project Leader Certification give you the tools to build that culture. Don’t wait for a sticky claim (or potential claim) to teach your team a painful lesson. Get ahead of conflict, and set your project up for success. 

Want to equip your team with the tools to prevent claims before they start? 

Explore Collaborative Partnering and register your team for the IPI Project Leader Certification Training today. 

Written by Sue Dyer, Founder, IPI  

When a crane operator spots a potential safety issue or an engineer questions a design detail, we stop everything until we get answers. Yet when it comes to the human side of construction, those heated discussions about schedule delays, cost overruns, or design changes, we often charge ahead without the same careful preparation. 

Jeff Wetzler, in his recent Harvard Business Review article "The Right Way to Prepare for a High-Stakes Conversation," argues that business leaders too often enter critical conversations "armed with rehearsed arguments and rebuttals" while missing breakthrough insights that could transform conflicts into collaborative solutions. For construction leaders operating in the partnering environment, this insight couldn't be more relevant. 

The Hidden Cost of Certainty in Construction 

Picture this: Your electrical subcontractor is three months behind schedule, and you're convinced they're just making excuses. You've prepared your talking points about liquidated damages and calling their bond company. Or consider when the owner rejects your change order for unforeseen site conditions, you're certain they're being unreasonable and you're ready to defend every line item. 

Sound familiar? This is what Wetzler calls operating in the "Zones of Certainty," where confirmation bias kicks in. We seek information that confirms what we already believe while filtering out anything that might challenge our assumptions. This mindset kills the collaborative spirit that makes projects successful. On construction projects, our interests are interdependent, and this makes this approach a lose/lose every time.  

The Construction Curiosity Check 

Wetzler's solution is surprisingly simple: a five-minute "Curiosity Check" before any high-stakes conversation. Here's how it works for construction scenarios: 

Step 1: Check in on Your Mindset - Ask yourself honestly: "If I encounter pushback in this conversation, will I jump to 'they're just covering their mistakes' or am I genuinely open to learning something new?" Most of us, when we're honest, start in what Wetzler calls "Confident Dismissal" or "Skeptical Tolerance." 

Step 2: Set a Curiosity Intention - Commit to moving one or two steps toward genuine openness. If you're starting from "They're clearly trying to hide something," aim for "Maybe there's something I don't know about their situation." 

Step 3: Spark Your Own Curiosity - Before entering that difficult conversation, consider these targeted questions: 

• What site conditions or technical challenges might they be facing that I'm unaware of? 

• What legitimate concerns about safety, quality, or schedule might be driving their position? 

• How might my previous decisions or communications be impacting their ability to perform? 

• What expertise or insights might they have about this issue that I haven't considered? 

• What collaborative solutions might emerge if we focus on the project's success rather than assigning blame? 

Real-World Results 

Consider Sarah, a project manager preparing to terminate a "underperforming" mechanical contractor. Using the Curiosity Check, she shifted from "They're clearly not managing their crew properly" to asking, "What might they be struggling with that I don't see?" 

The conversation revealed that the mechanical contractor had been dealing with critical equipment failures from a key supplier, information that hadn't made it up the chain. Instead of termination, they developed a joint action plan with alternative suppliers and adjusted sequencing. The project finished on time, and the partnership grew stronger. 

The Competitive Advantage of Curiosity 

In an industry where relationships often span decades and reputations matter enormously, curiosity isn't just nice to have, it's a competitive advantage. As Wetzler notes, "In a world where information is abundant but insight remains scarce, curiosity may be the ultimate competitive advantage." 

The next time you're heading into a difficult conversation about a delay, dispute, or design issue, take five minutes for your own mental preflight check. The question isn't whether you'll face disagreement, it's whether you'll be mentally prepared to transform that disagreement into collaborative problem-solving that strengthens your project and partnerships. 

Based on concepts from Jeff Wetzler's "The Right Way to Prepare for a High-Stakes Conversation," Harvard Business Review, July 2, 2025. 

Written by Sue Dyer, Founder, IPI     

There’s a truth that every experienced construction leader knows, even if they haven’t named it: teams reflect their leaders. How you show up, on good days and bad, ripples through your crew, your project team, and even across your organization. This isn’t just about leadership style. It’s rooted in neuroscience. 

It’s called the Law of Replication, and it’s driven by something extraordinary: your team’s mirror neurons. 

The Leadership Contagion Effect 

In a Yale study on emotional contagion, 50% of employees exposed to a visibly stressed leader began showing measurable stress responses within 30 minutes, even if the leader never spoke about their stress. 

Source: Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, 2020 

What Are Mirror Neurons and Why Should Construction Leaders Care? 

Mirror neurons are specialized brain cells that fire both when we perform an action and when we see someone else perform it. These neurons help explain why yawns spread in meetings, or why tension, urgency, or calm can cascade across a jobsite. 

When leaders demonstrate frustration, disorganization, or blame, teams absorb that energy. When leaders model presence, poise, and accountability, those spread too. 

The Mirror You Create Becomes the Culture You Build 

In construction, especially under pressure, teams follow what leaders do, not what they say. That’s why this “mirror effect” is so powerful, and dangerous if left unchecked. 

Ask yourself: 

• Do I model the mindset I want replicated on my project? 

• Do I approach tough conversations the way I want my team to? 

• Do I recover from mistakes in a way that invites others to take responsibility? 

Leadership is the culture's reflection, and project culture drives everything, from risk management to retention. 

Four Ways to Build a Mirror Worth Reflecting 

1. Start with You 
Reset before site visits or high-stakes meetings. Teams take their emotional cues from you. Center yourself to center them. 

2. Demonstrate, Don’t Just Direct 
Model what respect, preparation, and solution-orientation look like, especially when things go sideways. 

3. Live the Values 
Posting values in the trailer isn’t enough. Consistently embodying values like “trust” and “collaboration” is what creates real change. 

4. Use Partnering Tools to Guide the Reflection 
Structured Collaborative Partnering (SCP) gives leaders clear, repeatable ways to model collaboration, ownership, and high performance. The tools are mirrors themselves, reinforcing the leadership example through practice. 

Make Replication Work for You 

Whether you're leading a crew of five or coordinating a billion-dollar program, the law of replication is already at work. The only question is whether you’re leading it intentionally or letting it lead you. 

As a leader goes, so goes the team. And as the team goes, so goes the project. Choose the mirror you want reflected. 

Ready to Level Up Your Leadership Mirror? 

The IPI Project Leader Certification Training equips construction leaders to master the behaviors, tools, and presence needed to set the right tone, day in and day out. 

Lead with intention. Replicate excellence. 
Learn more and register at partneringinstitute.org 

Written by Sue Dyer, Founder, IPI  

In construction, we measure success in concrete deliverables: schedule adherence, budget performance, and quality metrics. Yet the most powerful tool for achieving these outcomes costs nothing and requires no special equipment—the ability to ask good questions. According to the Construction Industry Institute, poor communication contributes to 57% of project failures, while effective partnering can reduce change orders by up to 40%. The difference often lies not in having the right answers, but in asking the right questions.

Beyond the Defensive Response

Too often, project conversations become exercises in position defense rather than problem-solving. When a contractor asks, "Why didn't you catch this in design?" or an owner demands, "How could costs increase this much?" the natural response is defensive. These questions, while understandable, create adversarial dynamics that shut down collaboration before it begins.

The challenge isn't that team members don't communicate—it's that they talk at each other rather than with each other. Each party advocates for their position without truly understanding the constraints, pressures, and perspectives driving other stakeholders' decisions. This leads to what partnering experts at the International Partnering Institute call "listening to reply" instead of "listening to understand."

The Anatomy of a Good Question

Effective questions in construction partnering share three characteristics: they seek understanding rather than assignment of blame, they explore the "why" behind positions, and they open pathways to collaborative solutions.

Consider the difference between "Why is this late?" and "What challenges are you facing that we might help address?" The first question implies fault and triggers defensiveness. The second acknowledges complexity and invites partnership. Both seek information, but only one builds the foundation for co-creation.

Good questions also demonstrate curiosity about constraints and motivations. Instead of "Can't you just expedite delivery?" try "What would it take to accelerate this timeline, and what trade-offs would we need to consider?" This approach recognizes that every stakeholder operates within real limitations—budget constraints, resource availability, regulatory requirements, or organizational policies.

Questions That Build Bridges

The most powerful partnering questions help stakeholders step into each other's shoes. Project managers should regularly ask: "From your perspective, what does success look like on this project?" or "What concerns keep you up at night about this phase?" These questions reveal underlying priorities and fears that rarely surface in status meetings.

When conflicts arise, resist the urge to immediately solve. Instead, ask: "Help me understand how this impacts your ability to deliver" or "What options have you considered, and what makes those challenging?" These inquiries transform adversaries into advisors, creating space for team members to share not just their positions, but their underlying interests.

From Understanding to Co-Creation

True partnering occurs when teams move beyond understanding different perspectives to jointly crafting solutions that work for everyone. This requires questions that explore possibilities: "What if we approached this differently?" or "How might we redesign this process to address everyone's concerns?"

The construction industry loses approximately $177 billion annually to poor project performance, much of it attributable to communication breakdowns and adversarial relationships. Yet research consistently shows that projects using “formal partnering” approaches achieve better outcomes across all performance metrics.

Implementing the Question Advantage

Start small. In your next project meeting, replace one accusatory question with a curious one. Instead of asking who's responsible for a problem, ask what factors contributed to it. Rather than demanding explanations for delays, explore what support might accelerate progress.

The goal isn't to avoid difficult conversations—construction projects will always face challenges. The goal is to approach those challenges as partners rather than adversaries, using questions as tools for understanding rather than weapons for blame.

When project teams master the art of asking good questions, they transform conflicts into collaborations and problems into opportunities for innovation. In an industry built on relationships and trust, this may be the most valuable skill a project manager can develop.

Ready to strengthen partnering skills across your organization? Join the International Partnering Institute to access proven frameworks, best practices, and a community committed to collaborative project delivery. You can join IPI here.