2024 LCI Congress Program Walk-through with Matt Bleakley, Vice President, The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company
We spoke with Matt Bleakley, Vice President of The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company, 2024 Congress Champions Committee Co-Lead, and Congress presenter, about how to navigate the content-rich Congress program and make the most of the event.
Gain some great tips and takeaways—and join us at the 2024 LCI Congress, October 22-25, in San Diego! Register today for the best available rates.
We walked through the Congress program—
Congress kicks off with Learning Day deep dives on Tuesday, October 22.
Matt shared, “We have Learning Day on the front end. I call that my professional development time. It’s a great opportunity to do a deep dive on Lean tools, processes, and facilitation techniques, and it includes LCI courses too. It’s a fantastic buffet of different learning opportunities.”
He continued, “I’ve been going to Congress for eight or nine years, and I still always find something new, interesting, and valuable during Learning Day. A lot of people do.”
On Wednesday, October 23, and Thursday, October 24, the Core Program showcases case studies, knowledgeable speakers, and more—with networking opportunities built in.
“The Core Program features stories from the field, general sessions, plenaries, and great speakers who share their stories with attendees. Presenters from our industry share their struggles, and that connects with what attendees are going through and trying to implement. On Wednesday, we’re also featuring content presented by experts in certain processes and tools—speakers who have lots of experience and are great at teaching it,” noted Matt.
He continued, “Live labs are more interactive and a great way to witness something real time, like a different way to do a daily huddle. Participants can watch a team run though it in person and ask questions.”
The New Attendee Welcome session, Tuesday at 5 p.m., helps those new to Congress make the most of it: “Every year, we get lots of first-time attendees. The welcome session helps orient folks on how to navigate the program. There are a hundred places to be, and we show them how to get the best value.”
Networking is built in throughout the week.
Networking happens throughout the Congress program. Matt said, “The evening receptions in the Exhibit Hall (Congress Kick-off Social, Tuesday, 5-6:30 p.m., and Exhibitor Reception, Wednesday, 4-5:30 p.m.) are great ways to network. Exhibitors bring new tech and tools to Congress and have live demos of tools and software. Being in the Exhibit Hall is a great way to see that. And we have open networking between all the sessions too.”
Gemba Day is where the rubber meets the road.
“Gemba Day wraps up the week. It’s where the rubber meets the road. It’s going where the work happens. We always have a few options to see active or recently completed projects where teams are implementing Lean tools. It’s always nice to see another company’s way of doing something and discover a tweak or incremental improvement to bring back to your people, programs, and organization,” shared Matt.
Learn more about this year’s Gemba tours, including the San Diego International Airport Terminal 1; the University of California San Diego (UCSD) Hillcrest Redevelopment, Phase 1 and 2; and the Gaylord Pacific Hotel and Convention Center.
The Congress program tracks provide a roadmap.
Matt noted, “Each year, we set up different tracks within the program to help people navigate the content. Simply follow the track that works for you and is most relevant. For example, the field execution track will feature stories from the field, and cover things like implementing a daily huddle or Last Planner System.”As a return attendee, it’s about reconnecting with colleagues and sharing the latest stories.
We asked Matt what he most looks forward to each year as an experienced Congress attendee. He offered, “After a few years, it’s more about reconnecting with folks in the industry. There are lots of Lean coaches out there and people at other general contractors. I enjoy connecting with my counterparts and asking what’s going on, what’s new, what’s fresh, any good stories to share. It’s the networking, connecting, and hearing what they’ve been up to. It’s the only time I get to see them each year. It’s about the people—both reconnecting and meeting new people.”
Congress champions work behind the scenes to help speakers share their stories effectively.
“Congress champions are the engine behind the program. They help coach the speakers and make sure their content is relatable, clear, well-thought-out, and well-prepared. They help speakers distill three-to-four years of work into a 45-minute presentation with takeaways that people can implement after Congress. They help folks who are not necessarily natural presenters work through their information. These speakers are grassroots from the field, not paid speakers. Champions are the quality control. They spend a lot of time refining presentations and helping people find their words to relay their stories,” shared Matt.
The champions bring different perspectives and experiences to their role.
We asked Matt about the 2024 Congress champions. He noted, “They are a great group of people. Some have done this for multiple years, and others are doing it for the first time. They’ve all been in the industry for a long time, support LCI, attend Congress, and understand what it takes to deliver a message.”
He continued, “There’s a few of the usual suspects year after year, who are seasoned and can help the less experienced projects team. With more experienced presenters, it’s great to have the champions almost in a reverse role. Sometimes seasoned speakers need a reminder that not everyone understands certain terms. So, champions put on their ‘I’m new to Congress and Lean hat’ and help make sure the speakers’ message will resonate with everyone in the room. We have a great range of people in the champions group. It’s on-the-ground field managers, project managers, general contractors, designers, owners—all perspectives mixed together.”
Congress offers an environment of learning, sharing, improving, and connecting.
We asked Matt what attendees will gain from Congress. He noted that “the Congress planning team sets Conditions of Satisfaction for attendees. It’s enumerated and posted at Congress and on the Congress app for people to see and understand.”
He continued, “For me, given that people spend a week at Congress and there are costs associated with it, what’s most important is they walk away saying that was valuable for me—that they took enough back to their team, their organization, the project, the owner, to make improvements. I want attendees to feel that it was time well spent and there was a tangible lesson to share with others and to help improve the industry. A rising tide raises all ships. Everyone walks away with at least a few things—new contacts, new processes, new thing to come back and share.
It’s important for folks to understand this conference and be able to explain it to others, such as their managers. I explain it to people in my organization all the time. We bring a large group of people each year. It is a learning and sharing opportunity with a bunch of other like-minded folks who want to work together to make the industry better.”
He added, “Come with an open mind, looking to share and talk to people. Be approachable. Meet new people and make new connections. That’s the magic and what makes it different from other conferences that are seminar driven. You come, ask questions, and engage. You don’t just listen. Make sure you’re learning something. Get the value. It’s that environment of learning, sharing, and improving. That’s what it’s all about.”
This year, Matt is presenting Field Constraint Management Big & Small – No Barnies! and Live Lab 9: GC and Trade Partner Field Leadership Panel. Explore the interactive agenda, start planning your Congress journey, and join your Lean partners in San Diego! Register today.