Authentic leadership is proven by how people grow around you. When teammates gain confidence, skill, and courage because you are present, you are leading well. The deepest test comes later, when they still make wise choices after you have moved on. Influence that outlasts your physical presence shows that you built people, not dependence.

This kind of leadership is intentional. You share context instead of just instructions, ask questions that require original thinking, and give others the room to try. You coach in real time, letting people wrestle with complex problems while you support them. You publicly give credit, privately tackle obstacles, and quietly open doors for new opportunities.

Over time, this investment compounds. Teams stop waiting for permission and start acting with shared judgment. New leaders emerge who teach the same habits of generosity and responsibility. Your legacy becomes a network of capable people who improve situations even when you are nowhere near the room.

Over the next 90 days, intentionally develop your teammates so your positive impact continues to be strong whenever you are absent.

USC’s story begins in 1924, when Davis Hydaker helped bring electricity to rural communities. Over time, that single company grew into Hydaker Wheatlake, Reed City Power Line Supply, Hydrolake, and other specialized businesses that understood utility work from the pole yard to the storm site. Each step in the timeline reflects the same idea: stay close to the crews who keep the lights on.

Creating a Utility Supply and Construction Company as a holding company pulled these strengths together. Construction, materials, fleet maintenance, wood pole production, and engineering now work as one family of partners focused solely on utilities. Instead of scattered vendors, customers gain a coordinated team that speaks the same language and shares responsibility for outcomes.

The throughline is stewardship. Generational leadership in the Wheatlake family, continued investment in safety and equipment, and a commitment to innovation keep USC ready for the next storm, the next grid upgrade, and the next community that needs reliable power.

USC’s heritage, family leadership, and unified companies deliver safe, innovative solutions for evolving utility needs.

Fluor has just broken ground on a significant upgrade of State Highway 6 through Bryan and College Station, promising a fuller, safer corridor for commuters, freight haulers, and hurricane evacuations. Twelve miles of aging roadway will be rebuilt and expanded, with construction expected to run for several years.

For contractors, the project is an extended test of sequencing and supply chains. Keeping traffic moving while adding lanes demands meticulous staging of crews, materials, and detours. Margins hinge on predicting labor availability, steel and concrete pricing, and how quickly utilities and right-of-way issues can be cleared.

Local leaders see more than fresh pavement. A more reliable route strengthens Texas A and M’s research economy, deepens links along the Texas Triangle, and makes storm evacuations less chaotic. Builders who treat this job as a regional system upgrade, not just a road, will earn lasting trust.

Prioritize phasing, communication, and safety when widening critical freight corridors.

A new national report shows the typical monthly payment on a newly built home was only about thirty dollars higher than for an existing one in the third quarter. This gap has almost vanished compared with recent years. Builders have leaned on aggressive financing incentives to keep showrooms busy, even as confidence remains well below neutral.

Those incentives are powerful. By buying down rates, builders pushed average mortgage costs on new homes to the low 5% range, while buyers of existing homes faced rates in the mid-6 % range. At the same time, a growing share of new-home listings have cut asking prices, even as single-family housing starts remain below year-earlier levels, signaling a cautious pipeline.

Yet similar payments do not mean the underlying math has healed. Many buyers are trading long-term certainty for near-term relief, accepting complex loans whose costs may jump when temporary buydowns expire. If incomes or prices disappoint, today’s tiny premium could mask tomorrow’s stress for both households and builders.

Examine incentive terms before assuming new homes are genuinely affordable.

Good morning, Team!

Today, we are talking about using our stop work authority and speaking up when something does not look safe.

Why It Matters

Most serious incidents have warning signs beforehand. People see a shortcut, a missing guard, or a rushed move, but say nothing. A few seconds of speaking up can prevent a life-changing injury.

Strategies for Using Stop Work Authority

Discussion Questions

Conclusion

A strong crew is one where everyone has the confidence to speak up and pause the work.

See it, say it, make it safe.