“The most meaningful way to succeed is to help others succeed.”
Adam Grant
THE ART OF LEADERSHIP
Lift others, and your leadership will rise higher
Leadership grows when you make others better. Choose generosity as a strategy, not charity. When you invest in people, their capabilities expand, and trust deepens. Ideas surface earlier, execution speeds up, and wins compound. Helping others succeed is not extra work. It is the work that creates durable results and a culture people want to join.
Turn intention into practice. Map strengths and aspirations for each teammate. Share context so decisions make sense. Give credit widely and feedback privately. Remove blockers quickly. Pair rising talent with experienced guides. Invite dissenting views and turn them into experiments with short steps and clear owners. Progress accelerates when learning is visible.
Lead by example. Begin each day by asking who you can support and how you can support them. Offer coaching, resources, and introductions. Protect focus time so deep work thrives. End each week by reflecting on lessons, celebrating contributions, and resetting priorities. When you lift others, your influence becomes sustainable and your results become contagious.
In ninety days, mentor two people, remove three obstacles, celebrate weekly wins, and track shared outcomes to multiply team success.
COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION
How does ABC advance merit shop construction while empowering safer, skilled careers?
America is built by people who bet on skill, responsibility, and opportunity. Associated Builders and Contractors champions that spirit through the merit shop philosophy, creating an environment where performance, safety, and value set the bar. The organization unites contractors, suppliers, and craftspeople to raise standards, share knowledge, and make careers in construction a proud, sustainable choice.
ABC invests in people. From pre-apprentice to seasoned superintendent, members tap into training, credentials, and mentoring that turn potential into mastery. Safety is treated as a system, not a slogan, with measurable practices that help teams plan their work, protect one another, and deliver predictable outcomes for clients and communities.
Partnership powers progress. By advocating open competition, ethical procurement, and workforce inclusion, ABC helps companies grow while opening doors for the next generation. When builders align character with craft and keep learning, projects finish safer, faster, and better. That is how an industry becomes a career of purpose and a nation gets stronger.
Merit shop success is built on world-class safety, continuous training, ethical competition, and inclusion, elevating people, projects, and community prosperity.
INFRASTRUCTURE INDUSTRY
Will Long Island Expressway noise barrier repairs improve comfort and safety quickly?
This week, the New York State Department of Transportation began an 8.9 million dollar project to repair and replace noise barriers along the Long Island Expressway in Suffolk County. Work will restore damaged panels and posts to shield nearby neighborhoods from highway noise more effectively, while keeping lanes open with off-peak closures and traffic control.
Noise barriers reduce traffic noise by blocking the line of sight between vehicles and homes, allowing sound to travel farther over the top. Effective walls emphasize height, length, mass, and sealed joints. Using absorptive surfaces reduces reflections toward the opposite side and can improve perceived benefits for residents.
Construction typically proceeds in phases that include selective demolition, foundation repair, panel replacement, drainage improvements, and thorough inspections for gaps and other issues. Crews stage operations to protect utilities and ensure the safety of workers and drivers. When complete, neighbors should notice lower sound levels and a refreshed corridor designed for durable service.
Monitor crews and lane advisories, plan extra time, and respect work zones to protect workers while strengthening neighborhood noise protection.
RESIDENTIAL RESEARCH
Will this week’s mortgage rate uptick further slow speculative starts and incentives?
As of October 2, Freddie Mac’s survey shows the 30-year fixed rate at 6.34 percent, up from 6.30 percent the previous week; the 15-year rate is 5.55 percent. It remains below the 52-week average of 6.71 percent.
Why this matters to residential construction: payment power drives absorption of new homes. A slight rate adjustment can alter monthly costs and qualification, influencing sales pace, incentives, and spec inventory planning. Builders often use rate buydowns to sustain traffic, but higher base rates increase the cost of achieving attractive payment targets.
What to watch this week: align pro formas and bids with current rate sheets, revisit incentive budgets, and confirm lender lock options for quick move-ins. Pair weekly mortgage rate prints with permits and new home sales to judge if demand is improving before adding starts.
Reprice monthly payments, stress test absorption at 6.5 percent, stagger starts, budget buydowns, pair rate locks with option selection deadlines.
TOOLBOX TALK
Manual Material Handling and Ergonomics
Good morning, Team!
Today, we’re focusing on safe lifting, carrying, and staging of materials to prevent strains and sprains.
Why It Matters
Back, shoulder, and wrist injuries are leading causes of lost time. Awkward loads, twisting, poor grips, and cluttered paths raise the risk.
Strategies for Safe Handling
Planning and path: Check load weight and shape, test the lift, clear the route, and stage rest spots. Choose a dolly, cart, pallet jack, or forklift when needed.
Body mechanics: Set your feet shoulder-width apart, keep the load close, bend at the hips and knees, maintain a neutral spine, lift with your legs, and pivot your feet instead of twisting.
Team lifts and communication: For bulky items, assign a lead, agree on commands, count together, and move in sync. Stop if anyone loses footing or line of sight.
Staging and storage: Place heavy items between knee and chest height. Stack straight and secure with bands or straps. Keep grip surfaces dry and aisles clean and well-lit.
Pace, aids, and recovery: Rotate repetitive tasks, use handles, slings, or suction aids where appropriate, take brief micro breaks, report early signs of strain, and remove damaged straps or flat wheels from service.
Discussion Questions
Which loads today require mechanical aids or a team lift, and what routes will we use?
Where are the dollies, carts, and staging areas, and who will inspect wheels, straps, and handles?
Conclusion
Plan the move, use sound body mechanics, and choose the proper assist.
Plan it, lift it, move smart!
