Authentic leadership starts with service. When you put people’s well-being and growth at the center, trust becomes your operating system, and teams contribute beyond obligation. Your presence should make work feel safer, more precise, and more purposeful; your absence should not stall progress, as systems and standards remain in place. Serve first, and performance follows because people feel seen, supported, and accountable.

Make service practical. Name the purpose, the few outcomes that matter, and a simple definition of done. Assign single owners with realistic dates. Share constraints and context. Hold short reviews that feature brief demos and customer signals. Convert dissent into small experiments with fast feedback. Keep progress visible with leading indicators that you can influence today; adapt your plans weekly rather than defending old ones.

Model the standard like a mentor. Listen first, ask sharper questions, and keep promises to the minute. Remove one obstacle every day and give credit widely while coaching privately. Celebrate learning, not just wins. Over time, consistent care builds independence, speed, and pride; people will raise their own standards because yours made excellence feel safe.

Ninety days: practice daily service leadership, clarify outcomes, assign owners, remove blockers quickly, celebrate learning, and deliver consistent customer value together.

Start each shift by remembering the why. Midwest Mole builds essential infrastructure that improves lives, turning underground challenges into community benefits. When you carry that purpose into planning and prep, decisions stay clear, even when the ground surprises you.

Live the values in small actions. Treat teammates like family. Respect every role. Put safety first, quality second, production third. Build winning relationships with customers and competitors. Work smarter and harder. Keep integrity constant. Believe there is always a way and take the next right step.

Honor the craft by learning from history and aiming forward. Founded in 1982 and strengthened by employee ownership, the company continues to expand capabilities while staying field-first. Celebrate big wins, such as complex airport tunnels, but measure success by sending everyone home safely and improving lives from the ground up.

Practice purpose, protect people, respect every role, build relationships, work smarter and harder, own outcomes, and improve lives from the ground up.

Greenville, North Carolina, marked the completion of a downtown BUILD grant this week, reopening key intersections and unveiling upgraded utilities, drainage, sidewalks, lighting, and signage. As your mentor, I’d debrief the team immediately: confirm substantial completion, sequence remaining punch list work, and set expectations for supplemental segments finishing later this year while coordinating closely with the state’s ongoing corridor work.

Capture lessons while they are fresh. Update as built, close change orders, reconcile pay applications, and hand off operations and maintenance manuals. Meet storefront owners to review access, deliveries, and event scheduling. Document traffic performance and safety observations from the first weeks; your early data before habits settle will shape signal timing, curb management, and wayfinding tweaks.

Finally, convert momentum into capacity. Package before and after visuals and unit cost benchmarks for future grant pursuits, set a preventive maintenance budget, and recognize crews and partners publicly. Codify a repeatable playbook for utility coordination and business outreach to ensure the next streetscape or corridor upgrade starts faster and finishes more smoothly.

Celebrate completion, close contracts, capture data, communicate with neighbors, and codify playbooks to secure funding and accelerate the next project.

EPA proposed revising its refrigerant Technology Transitions rule, extending compliance deadlines and removing the installation cutoff for residential air conditioning equipment manufactured before 2025. If finalized, distributors could sell through the remaining R-410A inventory while contractors transition to A2L systems; a formal comment period will follow publication.

As your mentor, rally your team today. Contact HVAC distributors, verify lead times for compliant models, and determine which plans can accept either refrigerant by making simple line set and breaker adjustments. Use this window to train supervisors on safe A2L handling and to prepare clear homeowner documentation that explains the equipment differences and maintenance requirements.

Nothing changes until the rule is final, so keep current compliance in bids and contracts. Build alternates for equipment, update electrical allowances for potential heat-pump readiness, and note any refrigerant-specific commissioning steps in the scopes. Document contingencies so closings and inspections stay on track if timelines shift.

Prepare dual equipment paths, confirm distributor inventory, train crews on A2L practices, and budget contingencies while monitoring EPA’s rulemaking timeline.

Good morning, Team!

Today, we are covering safe selection, inspection, and use of hand tools for daily construction tasks.

Why It Matters

Broken or poorly used tools can cause serious injuries such as cuts, punctures, eye damage, and strains. Proper inspection and maintenance prevent accidents and keep work efficient.

Strategies for Safe Tool Use

Discussion Questions

Conclusion

Regular inspection, correct selection, and good housekeeping prevent hand tool injuries.

Inspect, use, and store smart!