“Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind.”
Brené Brown
THE ART OF LEADERSHIP
Clarity Builds Trust and Courageous Cultures of Accountability!
Clarity is the highest form of respect. Leaders who state expectations plainly reduce anxiety, surface reality, and make room for ownership. When people know what success looks like and why it matters, they bring more courage and less second-guessing.
Clarity begins with honest self-inquiry. Name the desired outcome, the must-haves, and the first step. Ask for feedback. Replace vague praise with specific observations and future-focused coaching. Straight talk with empathy turns hard conversations into productive agreements.
Build rhythms that keep things clear. Share decisions in writing, hold brief check-ins, and close meetings with clear follow-up actions and assigned owners. Over time, clarity compounds into trust, speed, and consistent results that outlast titles.
For thirty days, practice clarity in conversations, document decisions, invite feedback, and end meetings by confirming owners and next steps.
COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION
How does Barbco turn underground challenges into reliable progress for communities?
Barbco builds the tools that make underground work predictable. As a worldwide manufacturer of auger boring machines, directional drills, guided boring systems, and tunneling equipment, the company turns complex ground conditions into clear plans. Customization and rugged design help contractors meet demanding specs while protecting people, budgets, and schedules.
Founded in 1989 by James S Barbera, Barbco grew in East Canton, Ohio, with dealers serving customers worldwide. A steady stream of innovation includes the FlexBor patent, Tri Bor development, major safety upgrades for auger boring machines, and the Barbera Education Research and Training facility, which supports the boring industry.
Recent milestones reveal momentum. A world record offshore crossing showcased capability, and a dealer-only sales model sharpened focus on service and support. The deeper insight is simple. When engineering, training, and real field partnership align, trenchless work becomes safer, faster, and more dependable for every stakeholder.
Engineering excellence, field partnership, and continuous innovation make Barbco a dependable ally for safer, faster, customized trenchless installations worldwide.
INFRASTRUCTURE INDUSTRY
What advantages emerge as Loop 101 adds capacity through north Scottsdale?
This week in Scottsdale, a new northbound Loop 101 lane opened between Shea Boulevard and Princess Drive, creating four general-purpose lanes plus an HOV. ADOT plans to construct a matching southbound lane next, with the widening that began in January 2024 on track to be completed early next year as part of a $108 million program.
Capacity is only half the gain. Interchange upgrades at Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard and the addition of turn lanes at Shea, Raintree, and Princess reduce friction that can erode the benefits of the new lanes. Fresh signing, signals, and lighting round out commissioning and improve visibility, while the diamond conversion at Frank Lloyd Wright simplifies movements and shortens conflict zones at ramps.
For fleets serving the Scottsdale Airpark, fewer lane drops and steadier speeds translate into tighter delivery windows and lower driver stress. Parallel arterial changes near the Airpark improve curb access and reduce last-minute weaving, making it easier to stage loads and keep appointments as the southbound activation approaches. Capture before-and-after data now to inform signal timing and ramp metering.
Update routing and shift windows, brief drivers on new patterns, track travel times, and coordinate signal tweaks ahead of southbound activation.
RESIDENTIAL RESEARCH
Did the third-quarter GDP confirm housing as a slight drag on growth?
The government released the advance estimate for third-quarter growth last week. The report shows residential fixed investment declined, modestly offsetting gains in consumer and business outlays. In practical terms, housing acted as a small brake on the economy, a reminder that payment-sensitive demand and cautious lenders still shape fall pipelines.
Residential fixed investment is the broadest national lens on homebuilding. It counts new construction, significant improvements, and brokers’ commissions. It measures installed work rather than permits, capturing what is truly built. Because it occurs early in the cycle, a dip often foreshadows tighter financing and softer appraisals, unless offset by strong local absorption.
Use the print as a planning nudge. Pair it with your local permits, starts, and traffic. Prioritize plans with clear appraisal support, spotlight payment-driven incentives over base price cuts, and stage quick move-in homes where comps are deep. Lock in key trades where the backlog is solid, and keep land options flexible until several key signals align.
Translate national housing drag into local decisions by fortifying comps, sizing incentives to payments, pacing starts, and tightening trade commitments.
TOOLBOX TALK
Hydraulic Jacking and Cribbing Safety
Good morning, Team!
Today, we are covering safe lifting and support of structures, equipment, and vehicles with hydraulic jacks and cribbing.
Why It Matters
A shifting load or failed support can crush in an instant. Soft ground, under-rated gear, and poor stacking are common causes of serious injuries and damage.
Strategies for Safe Jacking
Planning and capacity: Know the exact weight, center of gravity, and jacking points. Select jacks and cribbing with a rated capacity above the total load. Use a single coordinator to direct the lift.
Ground and bases: Place jacks on firm, level support. Use solid steel plates or thick timbers to spread the load. Avoid soft soil, utility covers, or edges that can break.
Cribbing materials and build: Use sound hardwood or rated composite cribbing—stack boxes in cribs with layers at a ninety-degree angle. Keep height-to-width ratios conservative. Never use cinder blocks, bricks, or loose scraps of material.
Lifting technique: Lift in small increments and rest for a moment after each movement. Keep the jack centered and plumb. Use multiple jacks to maintain a consistent load level and raise each side evenly.
Stability and control: Chock wheels, set brakes, and control roll with wedges. Keep hands and feet out of pinch points. No one under a load supported only by a jack. Support with cribbing or stands before working beneath.
Equipment checks: Inspect jacks, pumps, hoses, and fittings for leaks, damage, or bent parts. Bleed air from hydraulic lines. Remove from service if anything is questionable and tag for repair.
Discussion Questions
What are today’s lift weights, jacking points, and cribbing sizes
Who is the lift coordinator, and where are the base plates, chocks, and spare cribbing
Conclusion
Accurate planning, solid foundations, and disciplined cribbing ensure loads remain stable and crews remain safe.
Plan it, crib it, lift smart!
