Rethinking Who Leads: A Smarter Approach to Building Construction’s Leadership Bench
Amanda Portinari, Director of Industry Transformation, Ambition Theory
Construction is facing a real talent shortage. But alongside the struggle to bring new people in, another challenge is holding companies back – the potential that’s already inside their workforce is often going unrecognized.
Leadership isn’t always loud or obvious. It doesn’t always come with seniority, technical expertise, or a traditional title. When companies rely on narrow definitions of what a leader looks like, they miss the people who are already showing up with the skills that matter most in today’s world.
Labor shortages, burnout, and changing workforce expectations have exposed the limits of traditional leadership models. Yet many construction firms continue to rely on outdated criteria: technical expertise, years of experience, or familiarity with the way things have always been done. Those are strengths, no doubt. But they don’t guarantee someone is equipped to lead.
Our research with NCCER for the 2025 Building Better: Rethinking Leadership in Construction report revealed a familiar disconnect: while companies say they’re committed to leadership development, many employees, especially women, don’t experience that commitment in practice. Far too many high-potential individuals never get the chance to lead, not because they’re unqualified but because they don’t fit the traditional mold.
Fixing this doesn’t require a full-scale overhaul. But it does require a shift in perspective and a willingness to act.
Why Leadership Pipelines Are Stalling
The traits that made someone an effective leader a decade ago are no longer sufficient on their own. Today’s construction leaders need to do more than direct work and need more than technical expertise to be successful. They need to navigate complexity, build alignment across teams, and foster trust in uncertain conditions.
This is the essence of transformational leadership. While this type of leadership is increasingly essential, it remains under-recognized across much of the industry.
Instead, companies often default to promoting individuals based on hard skills and project execution. But being a top performer doesn’t always translate into being a top leader. That disconnect is one reason many leadership pipelines stall: they rely on legacy definitions of leadership that no longer reflect the demands of the job.
What to Look for Instead
Recognizing leadership potential means expanding what you measure. It’s about looking at not just who’s good at their job, but who’s good for the team. Some of the most valuable indicators of leadership readiness are easy to miss if you’re not actively looking for them:
- They create clarity in complexity. They help others understand the why behind the work, not just the what.
- They raise the bar for the team. Their presence elevates how others show up, not through control, but through example.
- They anticipate challenges. They think two steps ahead and offer solutions before problems escalate.
- They build trust. People confide in them, follow their lead, and know they’ll be treated with respect.
- They speak up and invite others to do the same. They foster a culture of accountability and shared ownership.
While often dismissed as “soft skills,” these traits are anything but soft. They’re critical to building strong teams, earning trust, and navigating uncertainty. The real challenge is recognizing them early, especially in people who haven’t yet been given a leadership title, and then choosing to invest in their growth.
Want to Dig Deeper?
Join Ambition Theory’s new roundtable discussion platform, The Rethink Series, where industry leaders challenge outdated assumptions about leadership and explore what actually drives performance. Visit ambitiontheory.com/rethinkseries to access past roundtables or save your seat for an upcoming session.
About Ambition Theory:
At Ambition Theory, we help construction companies rethink how leadership is defined and developed. Our training, coaching, and research equip individuals with transformational leadership skills and support companies in building stronger, more effective leadership pipelines. We focus on business outcomes – such as improving retention, engagement, and project performance – by addressing the leadership challenges that often go unspoken. Our programs are designed for companies that recognize the need to evolve in order to meet the demands of a changing workforce. Learn more about our Leadership Academy, diagnostic tools, and the Rethinking Leadership in Construction podcast at www.ambitiontheory.com.
About Amanda Portinari:
Amanda Portinari brings nearly a decade of experience in employee wellness, communications, and professional development to her role as the Director of Industry Transformation at Ambition Theory. She bridges strategic thinking with human-centered insight to challenge outdated leadership norms and accelerate progress for women in construction, architecture, and engineering. A co-author of two industry reports, she continuously engages with women across the industry, gathering real-world insights that deepen understanding of the barriers they face and what’s possible when they’re supported to lead.