Design Forum Workshop Spotlight: Building Foundational Behaviors for Project Lean Leadership
The Lean Construction Institute’s annual Lean in Design Forum is just around the corner, taking place April 30-May 1, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois.
This year, we’ve got plenty of exciting presentations to help you unlock new possibilities in design, including our first-ever workshop on Building Foundational Behaviors for Project Lean Leadership.
This workshop, offered on April 30th, will be facilitated by:
- Daniela Gracey, Project Manager, CRB
- Matt Kitzmiller, Lean Trainer, Rosendin Electric
- Rebecca Snelling, Owner, RS Consulting
Description
This full-day workshop is designed for professionals with a foundational understanding of Lean and experience with Lean project delivery methods and systems who want to grow their Lean leadership skills. Participants will explore the role of a project Lean leader—someone who habitually demonstrates Lean leadership behaviors and supports their team in continuous learning and improvement.
The workshop focuses on developing essential leadership behaviors, including psychological safety, reliable promises, coaching, and PDCA thinking. Through simulated experiences, group discussions, and practical exercises, attendees will strengthen their ability to lead high performing, engaged teams.
By the end of this course, participants will have a strong foundation in the key behaviors that define effective project Lean leaders, enabling them to develop, support, and sustain high-performing teams.
This is a workshop like no other that LCI has offered before, focusing on behaviors rather than meeting facilitation or tools. Participants will receive a workbook that can be used after the workshop for reflection and for furthering project Lean leadership habits and practice.
Who Should Attend
This workshop is designed for individuals who are actively leading Lean implementations, applying Lean practices, or looking to enhance their Lean leadership skills.
Participation is valuable regardless of your role in a project—whether you are an owner, involved in design, a builder, or a trade partner. Lean principles apply to all stakeholders.
However, this is not a beginner-level session. Attendees should have a solid understanding of Lean practices and experience implementing Lean systems and tools on projects.
Learning Objectives
- Identify key behaviors that foster a Lean culture on projects.
- Understand how leadership behaviors impact team dynamics and Lean culture.
- Practice giving and receiving feedback in a way that fosters learning and collaboration.
- Develop psychological safety and healthy conflict skills to create a high-trust team environment.
- Apply PDCA thinking and continuous learning to drive improvements in project execution.
How to Sign Up
Select the course Building Foundational Behaviors for Project Lean Leadership on your Learning Days agenda when signing up for the Design Forum!
Not yet signed up for the 2025 Design Forum? Register now!