Nearly everything in construction has become commoditized: equipment, pricing models, scheduling tools, even technical expertise. What still sets companies apart is how people are treated and whether they feel respected, understood and valued.
At CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026, leadership expert Ed Wallace will lead two sessions, Relational Leadership and Accelerating Business Relationships, that explore how everyday behaviors can strengthen relationships to create a competitive differentiator for contractors.
WHAT IS RELATIONAL LEADERSHIP?
Relational leadership is the new value proposition for leaders. This approach focuses less on intention and more on how actions are actually experienced by crews, customers and partners.
Small disconnects between intent and experience can erode trust, accountability and engagement over time. “It’s not about what you think your intent is.” Ed explains. “It’s about the response you get.”
Ed structures his relational leadership approach around five principles: displaying worthy intent; caring about people’s goals, passions and struggles; making every interaction matter; valuing people before processes; and, connecting performance to a purpose.
“When people don’t feel known and understood, they disengage. And disengagement shows up as turnover, mistakes and missed expectations.”
Ed Wallace
AchieveNEXT
LISTENING THAT BUILDS TRUST
One area Ed will address is the role of listening in leadership effectiveness. In fast-moving environments, leaders often shift quickly into problem-solving mode, sometimes before fully understanding the concern being raised.
“Active listening is listening to understand, not to talk next,” Ed shares.
Even brief pauses to listen more intentionally can surface information that changes outcomes. What initially appears as resistance may reflect confusion. What looks like disengagement may point to constraints no one has acknowledged. Small changes in how leaders listen can improve clarity, reduce friction and prevent downstream issues.
DESIGNING PROCESSES AROUND PEOPLE
Relational leadership also applies to how processes are designed and communicated. While efficiency remains essential, Ed will ask leaders to consider how systems feel to the people using them.
Different crews may absorb information differently. Some respond best to printed schedules. Others rely on mobile updates or digital tools. Adjusting communication methods to match how teams work can improve adoption and reduce misunderstandings without adding complexity.
“When leaders align communication with how people actually think and work, relationships strengthen across the board,” Ed notes.
REDUCING ASSUMPTIONS UNDER PRESSURE
Relational leadership becomes especially important when pressure is high. Labor shortages, compressed schedules and tighter margins leave little room for miscommunication.
“When people don’t feel known and understood, they disengage,” Ed says. “And disengagement shows up as turnover, mistakes and missed expectations.”
Becoming more intentional about understanding what matters most to teams and customers can reduce assumptions and create steadier communication across an organization. That awareness shapes how feedback is delivered, how recognition lands and how expectations are interpreted.
“People remember how you make them feel,” Ed explains. “And they respond accordingly.”
WHAT ATTENDEES WILL EXPLORE
Contractors will learn everyday ways to strengthen relationships without slowing down operations or sacrificing performance. The sessions will focus on how small shifts in behavior and communication can produce meaningful gains in trust, accountability and retention.
Attendees can expect to explore how to:
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Improve everyday interactions with crews and customers
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Strengthen listening and communication under pressure
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Reduce assumptions that lead to rework, disengagement and turnover
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Adapt leadership approaches across different generations and work styles
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Connect performance expectations to purpose and accountability
Rather than prescribing a single model, Ed emphasizes building awareness and flexibility so leaders can respond more effectively to the people and situations they encounter on the jobsite and in the office.
At CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026, Ed Wallace will share practical ways contractors can build competitor-proof relationships with crews and customers through everyday behaviors that drive trust and performance. Don’t miss his two sessions: Relational Leadership and Accelerating Business Relationships.
Photo Courtesy Ed Wallace
