Q&A: Kevin Connor, Alston and Jason Klous, Midion
Background: Kevin began his career in civil engineering but quickly shifted into construction for the variety and hands-on experience. He started his career building warehouses for a small firm in Pennsylvania, then joined Skanska where he grew from Project Engineer to Senior Vice President, delivering complex data center projects throughout the US and Canada, building a strong customer base and helping expand the business significantly. Now, he's leading the launch of a new mission critical business unit at Alston Construction, serving clients throughout the US.
What was your familiarity with managing complex projects previously?
I started on small 1-2 person projects where I worried I wouldn't gain the skills to manage larger teams. But when I moved to a 30-person team high-rise job in Baltimore, I realized the fundamentals of project management still applied. It just required being a good teammate and knowing how to work with others. Complex projects are about knowing your role and leaning on the strengths of the team—whether it's BIM, accounting, or scheduling (all the things I didn’t want to do anyway). That same principle applies to data center work today, and frankly, it’s safer and more coordinated than the small jobs I began with.
What do you feel are the limits of traditional construction management?
Traditional management often looked like everyone yelling ateach other—and somehow still getting the job done. But that’s inefficient andunsustainable. On shorter projects, where there’s less investment in buildingteam harmony, that kind of chaos still shows up. But in my experience, evendoing the bare minimum of LPS (Last Planner System) can lead to big gains—15%savings on subcontractors, less rework, better quality, fewer conflicts.
On my first big job in Utah, we did things differently—bootcamps, pull planning, daily huddles, even book clubs. It was new to me, coming from the East Coast where Lean was seen as a ‘California thing’. My boss had just come from a California job and was determined to use lean practices, even when upper leadership told him to stop. And once we embraced it, everything changed. The trades took ownership of the plan, the GC had less stress, and the results were real. It proved that someone on the job has to drive that culture—and when they do, it works.
How have you seen human dynamics used (or not used) as a tool in construction management? How has Midion supported this on your projects?
The culture in construction has definitely changed. Yelling used to be the norm, but that doesn’t fly anymore. If someone’s career is stalling, it’s usually because they haven’t adapted to how people work now. You can’t show up to the job with just one tool, its kind of like trying to build a house with only a wrench, like I saw a lot of with the previous generation of“leaders in the industry—you need emotional intelligence and situational leadership, too.
Midion helped us bring those skills to life. On our first big data center project in Arizona, their support with LPS helped drive the project’s success—and we won multiple follow-up phases because of it. On another project in the Pacific Northwest, Midion didn’t just implement LPS; they recognized the low morale on the site and helped us shift the conversation. By talking about moods, we unlocked real project concerns. That changed the trajectory of the job completely—from what could’ve been adisaster, to a success that lasted through eight phases. That one shift made all the difference.
What advice do you have for other leaders looking to manage successful mission critical projects?
Build the deepest relationships you can—with as many partners as possible. It’s not easy, but 25 years in, I’ve learned those relationships are the difference-maker. When there’s mutual respect and trust, the daily noise doesn’t derail progress. I can have honest conversations with anyone on the jobsite, and they carry weight because of the connection with leadership on the other side. By investing in partnerships, we can avoid most of the financial and/or legal claims that can plague poorly run projects, we operate with integrity and deep investment in success. That kind of alignment pays off in ways contracts never can.
Background: Jason Klous began his career as an apprentice carpenter, rising through the ranks over 15 years at McGough Construction in St. Paul, MN. He eventually led complex, large-scale projects as a superintendent. While working in the field, he pursued a bachelor’s degree in Construction Management from the University of Minnesota and later completed his MBA at the University of Wisconsin.
Jason’s passion for transforming how work gets done by placing people and commitments at the center of project execution led him to Midion in 2014. There, he has trained thousands globally in Lean Construction, the Last Planner System, and the Language Action Perspective. His pursuit of human-centered excellence culminated in a PhD from Nottingham Trent University, focusing on how the Language Action Perspective can radically improve coordination and communication in construction.
Today, Jason helps teams reimagine what’s possible by treating projects as networks of conversations and commitments, and people as the key to successful project outcomes.
What was your experience with managing complex projects prior to Midion?
At McGough, I had the privilege of managing some technically demanding builds, like the University of Minnesota’s new science and technology center. From intricate concrete sequencing to logistically constrained urban sites, we faced constant complexity.
But I quickly learned that technical difficulty isn’t what makes a project hard; it’s human coordination. No amount of technology can compensate for the breakdowns that occur when people don’t have conversations about a shared purpose, commitments, and care. Projects succeed when we listen deeply to the concerns of others and manage our moods and commitments effectively. That’s the real work of leadership.
What do you see as the limits of traditional construction management?
Traditional models rely heavily on a top-down command and control style of authority, formal governance structures, and a focus on tools such as schedules and estimates. But this approach falls short because it treats projects as mechanical and transactional rather than as a social system based on relationships.
What’s missing is a commitment-based approach to project management where results emerge not from control, but from conversations that generate clarity, commitment, and trust. Until we shift our focus from enforcing compliance to cultivating positive moods and coordination in conversation, we’ll continue to experience the same breakdowns.
The tools only work when people work together with mutual trust and through shared commitments to achieve great things.
How have you seen human dynamics used or neglected in the industry? How is Midion different?
Too often, the “people part” of construction is treated as an afterthought. We introduce tools or new technology as fixes while sidestepping the more challenging conversations that would produce real change.Meanwhile, the people closest to the work, the trades, often carry the emotional and physical load of delivering a project without meaningful support from leaders.
The consequences are visible: burnout, disengagement, turnover, substance abuse, and tragically high suicide rates.
At Midion, we do it differently. We operate from the belief that projects are lived experiences shaped by moods, shared meaning, and delivered in relationships with others. We teach teams how to recognize moods, build trust through conversations, and make grounded assessments that shape and create new realities. These are not soft skills; they are the powerful skills that produce exquisite human coordination.
I’ve been on projects that felt like emotional meat grinders. But I’ve also seen how a small group of committed leaders can change that experience. One of our clients now offers free mental health counseling to their entire workforce. That’s the kind of culture shift we’re after, where care becomes central to how we deliver projects.
What advice do you have for others looking to manage successful mission-critical projects?
Start early. Build your team as deliberately as you build your schedule. Utilize tools such as the Enneagram, Midion’s team coaching, andLego Serious Play to foster conditions and team dynamics that allow trust and commitments to flourish and grow on projects.
These methods help people connect not just with the work, but with each other. I’ve seen a room of engineers shift entirely their ideas about what is possible after a Lego Serious Play session, not because of the bricks, but because the process provided them with a language for their commitments, concerns, and shared purpose.
Leadership in mission-critical environments isn’t about making decisions faster. It’s about cultivating trust and ambition within teams, taking care of the concerns of our people, and creating a space where promises are kept.
Building high-performance teams isn’t about motivational speeches or team happy hours. It’s about committing to care, day after day, through honest conversations. That’s the kind of leadership that creates possibility and transforms not just projects, but the people inside them.
Background: Kevin began his career in civil engineering but quickly shifted into construction for the variety and hands-on experience. He started his career building warehouses for a small firm in Pennsylvania, then joined Skanska where he grew from Project Engineer to Senior Vice President, delivering complex data center projects throughout the US and Canada, building a strong customer base and helping expand the business significantly. Now, he's leading the launch of a new mission critical business unit at Alston Construction, serving clients throughout the US.
What was your familiarity with managing complex projects previously?
I started on small 1-2 person projects where I worried I wouldn't gain the skills to manage larger teams. But when I moved to a 30-person team high-rise job in Baltimore, I realized the fundamentals of project management still applied. It just required being a good teammate and knowing how to work with others. Complex projects are about knowing your role and leaning on the strengths of the team—whether it's BIM, accounting, or scheduling (all the things I didn’t want to do anyway). That same principle applies to data center work today, and frankly, it’s safer and more coordinated than the small jobs I began with.
What do you feel are the limits of traditional construction management?
Traditional management often looked like everyone yelling ateach other—and somehow still getting the job done. But that’s inefficient andunsustainable. On shorter projects, where there’s less investment in buildingteam harmony, that kind of chaos still shows up. But in my experience, evendoing the bare minimum of LPS (Last Planner System) can lead to big gains—15%savings on subcontractors, less rework, better quality, fewer conflicts.
On my first big job in Utah, we did things differently—bootcamps, pull planning, daily huddles, even book clubs. It was new to me, coming from the East Coast where Lean was seen as a ‘California thing’. My boss had just come from a California job and was determined to use lean practices, even when upper leadership told him to stop. And once we embraced it, everything changed. The trades took ownership of the plan, the GC had less stress, and the results were real. It proved that someone on the job has to drive that culture—and when they do, it works.
How have you seen human dynamics used (or not used) as a tool in construction management? How has Midion supported this on your projects?
The culture in construction has definitely changed. Yelling used to be the norm, but that doesn’t fly anymore. If someone’s career is stalling, it’s usually because they haven’t adapted to how people work now. You can’t show up to the job with just one tool, its kind of like trying to build a house with only a wrench, like I saw a lot of with the previous generation of“leaders in the industry—you need emotional intelligence and situational leadership, too.
Midion helped us bring those skills to life. On our first big data center project in Arizona, their support with LPS helped drive the project’s success—and we won multiple follow-up phases because of it. On another project in the Pacific Northwest, Midion didn’t just implement LPS; they recognized the low morale on the site and helped us shift the conversation. By talking about moods, we unlocked real project concerns. That changed the trajectory of the job completely—from what could’ve been adisaster, to a success that lasted through eight phases. That one shift made all the difference.
What advice do you have for other leaders looking to manage successful mission critical projects?
Build the deepest relationships you can—with as many partners as possible. It’s not easy, but 25 years in, I’ve learned those relationships are the difference-maker. When there’s mutual respect and trust, the daily noise doesn’t derail progress. I can have honest conversations with anyone on the jobsite, and they carry weight because of the connection with leadership on the other side. By investing in partnerships, we can avoid most of the financial and/or legal claims that can plague poorly run projects, we operate with integrity and deep investment in success. That kind of alignment pays off in ways contracts never can.
Background: Jason Klous began his career as an apprentice carpenter, rising through the ranks over 15 years at McGough Construction in St. Paul, MN. He eventually led complex, large-scale projects as a superintendent. While working in the field, he pursued a bachelor’s degree in Construction Management from the University of Minnesota and later completed his MBA at the University of Wisconsin.
Jason’s passion for transforming how work gets done by placing people and commitments at the center of project execution led him to Midion in 2014. There, he has trained thousands globally in Lean Construction, the Last Planner System, and the Language Action Perspective. His pursuit of human-centered excellence culminated in a PhD from Nottingham Trent University, focusing on how the Language Action Perspective can radically improve coordination and communication in construction.
Today, Jason helps teams reimagine what’s possible by treating projects as networks of conversations and commitments, and people as the key to successful project outcomes.
What was your experience with managing complex projects prior to Midion?
At McGough, I had the privilege of managing some technically demanding builds, like the University of Minnesota’s new science and technology center. From intricate concrete sequencing to logistically constrained urban sites, we faced constant complexity.
But I quickly learned that technical difficulty isn’t what makes a project hard; it’s human coordination. No amount of technology can compensate for the breakdowns that occur when people don’t have conversations about a shared purpose, commitments, and care. Projects succeed when we listen deeply to the concerns of others and manage our moods and commitments effectively. That’s the real work of leadership.
What do you see as the limits of traditional construction management?
Traditional models rely heavily on a top-down command and control style of authority, formal governance structures, and a focus on tools such as schedules and estimates. But this approach falls short because it treats projects as mechanical and transactional rather than as a social system based on relationships.
What’s missing is a commitment-based approach to project management where results emerge not from control, but from conversations that generate clarity, commitment, and trust. Until we shift our focus from enforcing compliance to cultivating positive moods and coordination in conversation, we’ll continue to experience the same breakdowns.
The tools only work when people work together with mutual trust and through shared commitments to achieve great things.
How have you seen human dynamics used or neglected in the industry? How is Midion different?
Too often, the “people part” of construction is treated as an afterthought. We introduce tools or new technology as fixes while sidestepping the more challenging conversations that would produce real change.Meanwhile, the people closest to the work, the trades, often carry the emotional and physical load of delivering a project without meaningful support from leaders.
The consequences are visible: burnout, disengagement, turnover, substance abuse, and tragically high suicide rates.
At Midion, we do it differently. We operate from the belief that projects are lived experiences shaped by moods, shared meaning, and delivered in relationships with others. We teach teams how to recognize moods, build trust through conversations, and make grounded assessments that shape and create new realities. These are not soft skills; they are the powerful skills that produce exquisite human coordination.
I’ve been on projects that felt like emotional meat grinders. But I’ve also seen how a small group of committed leaders can change that experience. One of our clients now offers free mental health counseling to their entire workforce. That’s the kind of culture shift we’re after, where care becomes central to how we deliver projects.
What advice do you have for others looking to manage successful mission-critical projects?
Start early. Build your team as deliberately as you build your schedule. Utilize tools such as the Enneagram, Midion’s team coaching, andLego Serious Play to foster conditions and team dynamics that allow trust and commitments to flourish and grow on projects.
These methods help people connect not just with the work, but with each other. I’ve seen a room of engineers shift entirely their ideas about what is possible after a Lego Serious Play session, not because of the bricks, but because the process provided them with a language for their commitments, concerns, and shared purpose.
Leadership in mission-critical environments isn’t about making decisions faster. It’s about cultivating trust and ambition within teams, taking care of the concerns of our people, and creating a space where promises are kept.
Building high-performance teams isn’t about motivational speeches or team happy hours. It’s about committing to care, day after day, through honest conversations. That’s the kind of leadership that creates possibility and transforms not just projects, but the people inside them.
Background: Kevin began his career in civil engineering but quickly shifted into construction for the variety and hands-on experience. He started his career building warehouses for a small firm in Pennsylvania, then joined Skanska where he grew from Project Engineer to Senior Vice President, delivering complex data center projects throughout the US and Canada, building a strong customer base and helping expand the business significantly. Now, he's leading the launch of a new mission critical business unit at Alston Construction, serving clients throughout the US.
What was your familiarity with managing complex projects previously?
I started on small 1-2 person projects where I worried I wouldn't gain the skills to manage larger teams. But when I moved to a 30-person team high-rise job in Baltimore, I realized the fundamentals of project management still applied. It just required being a good teammate and knowing how to work with others. Complex projects are about knowing your role and leaning on the strengths of the team—whether it's BIM, accounting, or scheduling (all the things I didn’t want to do anyway). That same principle applies to data center work today, and frankly, it’s safer and more coordinated than the small jobs I began with.
What do you feel are the limits of traditional construction management?
Traditional management often looked like everyone yelling ateach other—and somehow still getting the job done. But that’s inefficient andunsustainable. On shorter projects, where there’s less investment in buildingteam harmony, that kind of chaos still shows up. But in my experience, evendoing the bare minimum of LPS (Last Planner System) can lead to big gains—15%savings on subcontractors, less rework, better quality, fewer conflicts.
On my first big job in Utah, we did things differently—bootcamps, pull planning, daily huddles, even book clubs. It was new to me, coming from the East Coast where Lean was seen as a ‘California thing’. My boss had just come from a California job and was determined to use lean practices, even when upper leadership told him to stop. And once we embraced it, everything changed. The trades took ownership of the plan, the GC had less stress, and the results were real. It proved that someone on the job has to drive that culture—and when they do, it works.
How have you seen human dynamics used (or not used) as a tool in construction management? How has Midion supported this on your projects?
The culture in construction has definitely changed. Yelling used to be the norm, but that doesn’t fly anymore. If someone’s career is stalling, it’s usually because they haven’t adapted to how people work now. You can’t show up to the job with just one tool, its kind of like trying to build a house with only a wrench, like I saw a lot of with the previous generation of“leaders in the industry—you need emotional intelligence and situational leadership, too.
Midion helped us bring those skills to life. On our first big data center project in Arizona, their support with LPS helped drive the project’s success—and we won multiple follow-up phases because of it. On another project in the Pacific Northwest, Midion didn’t just implement LPS; they recognized the low morale on the site and helped us shift the conversation. By talking about moods, we unlocked real project concerns. That changed the trajectory of the job completely—from what could’ve been adisaster, to a success that lasted through eight phases. That one shift made all the difference.
What advice do you have for other leaders looking to manage successful mission critical projects?
Build the deepest relationships you can—with as many partners as possible. It’s not easy, but 25 years in, I’ve learned those relationships are the difference-maker. When there’s mutual respect and trust, the daily noise doesn’t derail progress. I can have honest conversations with anyone on the jobsite, and they carry weight because of the connection with leadership on the other side. By investing in partnerships, we can avoid most of the financial and/or legal claims that can plague poorly run projects, we operate with integrity and deep investment in success. That kind of alignment pays off in ways contracts never can.
Background: Jason Klous began his career as an apprentice carpenter, rising through the ranks over 15 years at McGough Construction in St. Paul, MN. He eventually led complex, large-scale projects as a superintendent. While working in the field, he pursued a bachelor’s degree in Construction Management from the University of Minnesota and later completed his MBA at the University of Wisconsin.
Jason’s passion for transforming how work gets done by placing people and commitments at the center of project execution led him to Midion in 2014. There, he has trained thousands globally in Lean Construction, the Last Planner System, and the Language Action Perspective. His pursuit of human-centered excellence culminated in a PhD from Nottingham Trent University, focusing on how the Language Action Perspective can radically improve coordination and communication in construction.
Today, Jason helps teams reimagine what’s possible by treating projects as networks of conversations and commitments, and people as the key to successful project outcomes.
What was your experience with managing complex projects prior to Midion?
At McGough, I had the privilege of managing some technically demanding builds, like the University of Minnesota’s new science and technology center. From intricate concrete sequencing to logistically constrained urban sites, we faced constant complexity.
But I quickly learned that technical difficulty isn’t what makes a project hard; it’s human coordination. No amount of technology can compensate for the breakdowns that occur when people don’t have conversations about a shared purpose, commitments, and care. Projects succeed when we listen deeply to the concerns of others and manage our moods and commitments effectively. That’s the real work of leadership.
What do you see as the limits of traditional construction management?
Traditional models rely heavily on a top-down command and control style of authority, formal governance structures, and a focus on tools such as schedules and estimates. But this approach falls short because it treats projects as mechanical and transactional rather than as a social system based on relationships.
What’s missing is a commitment-based approach to project management where results emerge not from control, but from conversations that generate clarity, commitment, and trust. Until we shift our focus from enforcing compliance to cultivating positive moods and coordination in conversation, we’ll continue to experience the same breakdowns.
The tools only work when people work together with mutual trust and through shared commitments to achieve great things.
How have you seen human dynamics used or neglected in the industry? How is Midion different?
Too often, the “people part” of construction is treated as an afterthought. We introduce tools or new technology as fixes while sidestepping the more challenging conversations that would produce real change.Meanwhile, the people closest to the work, the trades, often carry the emotional and physical load of delivering a project without meaningful support from leaders.
The consequences are visible: burnout, disengagement, turnover, substance abuse, and tragically high suicide rates.
At Midion, we do it differently. We operate from the belief that projects are lived experiences shaped by moods, shared meaning, and delivered in relationships with others. We teach teams how to recognize moods, build trust through conversations, and make grounded assessments that shape and create new realities. These are not soft skills; they are the powerful skills that produce exquisite human coordination.
I’ve been on projects that felt like emotional meat grinders. But I’ve also seen how a small group of committed leaders can change that experience. One of our clients now offers free mental health counseling to their entire workforce. That’s the kind of culture shift we’re after, where care becomes central to how we deliver projects.
What advice do you have for others looking to manage successful mission-critical projects?
Start early. Build your team as deliberately as you build your schedule. Utilize tools such as the Enneagram, Midion’s team coaching, andLego Serious Play to foster conditions and team dynamics that allow trust and commitments to flourish and grow on projects.
These methods help people connect not just with the work, but with each other. I’ve seen a room of engineers shift entirely their ideas about what is possible after a Lego Serious Play session, not because of the bricks, but because the process provided them with a language for their commitments, concerns, and shared purpose.
Leadership in mission-critical environments isn’t about making decisions faster. It’s about cultivating trust and ambition within teams, taking care of the concerns of our people, and creating a space where promises are kept.
Building high-performance teams isn’t about motivational speeches or team happy hours. It’s about committing to care, day after day, through honest conversations. That’s the kind of leadership that creates possibility and transforms not just projects, but the people inside them.
Background: Kevin began his career in civil engineering but quickly shifted into construction for the variety and hands-on experience. He started his career building warehouses for a small firm in Pennsylvania, then joined Skanska where he grew from Project Engineer to Senior Vice President, delivering complex data center projects throughout the US and Canada, building a strong customer base and helping expand the business significantly. Now, he's leading the launch of a new mission critical business unit at Alston Construction, serving clients throughout the US.
What was your familiarity with managing complex projects previously?
I started on small 1-2 person projects where I worried I wouldn't gain the skills to manage larger teams. But when I moved to a 30-person team high-rise job in Baltimore, I realized the fundamentals of project management still applied. It just required being a good teammate and knowing how to work with others. Complex projects are about knowing your role and leaning on the strengths of the team—whether it's BIM, accounting, or scheduling (all the things I didn’t want to do anyway). That same principle applies to data center work today, and frankly, it’s safer and more coordinated than the small jobs I began with.
What do you feel are the limits of traditional construction management?
Traditional management often looked like everyone yelling ateach other—and somehow still getting the job done. But that’s inefficient andunsustainable. On shorter projects, where there’s less investment in buildingteam harmony, that kind of chaos still shows up. But in my experience, evendoing the bare minimum of LPS (Last Planner System) can lead to big gains—15%savings on subcontractors, less rework, better quality, fewer conflicts.
On my first big job in Utah, we did things differently—bootcamps, pull planning, daily huddles, even book clubs. It was new to me, coming from the East Coast where Lean was seen as a ‘California thing’. My boss had just come from a California job and was determined to use lean practices, even when upper leadership told him to stop. And once we embraced it, everything changed. The trades took ownership of the plan, the GC had less stress, and the results were real. It proved that someone on the job has to drive that culture—and when they do, it works.
How have you seen human dynamics used (or not used) as a tool in construction management? How has Midion supported this on your projects?
The culture in construction has definitely changed. Yelling used to be the norm, but that doesn’t fly anymore. If someone’s career is stalling, it’s usually because they haven’t adapted to how people work now. You can’t show up to the job with just one tool, its kind of like trying to build a house with only a wrench, like I saw a lot of with the previous generation of“leaders in the industry—you need emotional intelligence and situational leadership, too.
Midion helped us bring those skills to life. On our first big data center project in Arizona, their support with LPS helped drive the project’s success—and we won multiple follow-up phases because of it. On another project in the Pacific Northwest, Midion didn’t just implement LPS; they recognized the low morale on the site and helped us shift the conversation. By talking about moods, we unlocked real project concerns. That changed the trajectory of the job completely—from what could’ve been adisaster, to a success that lasted through eight phases. That one shift made all the difference.
What advice do you have for other leaders looking to manage successful mission critical projects?
Build the deepest relationships you can—with as many partners as possible. It’s not easy, but 25 years in, I’ve learned those relationships are the difference-maker. When there’s mutual respect and trust, the daily noise doesn’t derail progress. I can have honest conversations with anyone on the jobsite, and they carry weight because of the connection with leadership on the other side. By investing in partnerships, we can avoid most of the financial and/or legal claims that can plague poorly run projects, we operate with integrity and deep investment in success. That kind of alignment pays off in ways contracts never can.
Background: Jason Klous began his career as an apprentice carpenter, rising through the ranks over 15 years at McGough Construction in St. Paul, MN. He eventually led complex, large-scale projects as a superintendent. While working in the field, he pursued a bachelor’s degree in Construction Management from the University of Minnesota and later completed his MBA at the University of Wisconsin.
Jason’s passion for transforming how work gets done by placing people and commitments at the center of project execution led him to Midion in 2014. There, he has trained thousands globally in Lean Construction, the Last Planner System, and the Language Action Perspective. His pursuit of human-centered excellence culminated in a PhD from Nottingham Trent University, focusing on how the Language Action Perspective can radically improve coordination and communication in construction.
Today, Jason helps teams reimagine what’s possible by treating projects as networks of conversations and commitments, and people as the key to successful project outcomes.
What was your experience with managing complex projects prior to Midion?
At McGough, I had the privilege of managing some technically demanding builds, like the University of Minnesota’s new science and technology center. From intricate concrete sequencing to logistically constrained urban sites, we faced constant complexity.
But I quickly learned that technical difficulty isn’t what makes a project hard; it’s human coordination. No amount of technology can compensate for the breakdowns that occur when people don’t have conversations about a shared purpose, commitments, and care. Projects succeed when we listen deeply to the concerns of others and manage our moods and commitments effectively. That’s the real work of leadership.
What do you see as the limits of traditional construction management?
Traditional models rely heavily on a top-down command and control style of authority, formal governance structures, and a focus on tools such as schedules and estimates. But this approach falls short because it treats projects as mechanical and transactional rather than as a social system based on relationships.
What’s missing is a commitment-based approach to project management where results emerge not from control, but from conversations that generate clarity, commitment, and trust. Until we shift our focus from enforcing compliance to cultivating positive moods and coordination in conversation, we’ll continue to experience the same breakdowns.
The tools only work when people work together with mutual trust and through shared commitments to achieve great things.
How have you seen human dynamics used or neglected in the industry? How is Midion different?
Too often, the “people part” of construction is treated as an afterthought. We introduce tools or new technology as fixes while sidestepping the more challenging conversations that would produce real change.Meanwhile, the people closest to the work, the trades, often carry the emotional and physical load of delivering a project without meaningful support from leaders.
The consequences are visible: burnout, disengagement, turnover, substance abuse, and tragically high suicide rates.
At Midion, we do it differently. We operate from the belief that projects are lived experiences shaped by moods, shared meaning, and delivered in relationships with others. We teach teams how to recognize moods, build trust through conversations, and make grounded assessments that shape and create new realities. These are not soft skills; they are the powerful skills that produce exquisite human coordination.
I’ve been on projects that felt like emotional meat grinders. But I’ve also seen how a small group of committed leaders can change that experience. One of our clients now offers free mental health counseling to their entire workforce. That’s the kind of culture shift we’re after, where care becomes central to how we deliver projects.
What advice do you have for others looking to manage successful mission-critical projects?
Start early. Build your team as deliberately as you build your schedule. Utilize tools such as the Enneagram, Midion’s team coaching, andLego Serious Play to foster conditions and team dynamics that allow trust and commitments to flourish and grow on projects.
These methods help people connect not just with the work, but with each other. I’ve seen a room of engineers shift entirely their ideas about what is possible after a Lego Serious Play session, not because of the bricks, but because the process provided them with a language for their commitments, concerns, and shared purpose.
Leadership in mission-critical environments isn’t about making decisions faster. It’s about cultivating trust and ambition within teams, taking care of the concerns of our people, and creating a space where promises are kept.
Building high-performance teams isn’t about motivational speeches or team happy hours. It’s about committing to care, day after day, through honest conversations. That’s the kind of leadership that creates possibility and transforms not just projects, but the people inside them.
Q&A: Kevin Connor, Alston and Jason Klous, Midion
Background: Kevin began his career in civil engineering but quickly shifted into construction for the variety and hands-on experience. He started his career building warehouses for a small firm in Pennsylvania, then joined Skanska where he grew from Project Engineer to Senior Vice President, delivering complex data center projects throughout the US and Canada, building a strong customer base and helping expand the business significantly. Now, he's leading the launch of a new mission critical business unit at Alston Construction, serving clients throughout the US.
What was your familiarity with managing complex projects previously?
I started on small 1-2 person projects where I worried I wouldn't gain the skills to manage larger teams. But when I moved to a 30-person team high-rise job in Baltimore, I realized the fundamentals of project management still applied. It just required being a good teammate and knowing how to work with others. Complex projects are about knowing your role and leaning on the strengths of the team—whether it's BIM, accounting, or scheduling (all the things I didn’t want to do anyway). That same principle applies to data center work today, and frankly, it’s safer and more coordinated than the small jobs I began with.
What do you feel are the limits of traditional construction management?
Traditional management often looked like everyone yelling ateach other—and somehow still getting the job done. But that’s inefficient andunsustainable. On shorter projects, where there’s less investment in buildingteam harmony, that kind of chaos still shows up. But in my experience, evendoing the bare minimum of LPS (Last Planner System) can lead to big gains—15%savings on subcontractors, less rework, better quality, fewer conflicts.
On my first big job in Utah, we did things differently—bootcamps, pull planning, daily huddles, even book clubs. It was new to me, coming from the East Coast where Lean was seen as a ‘California thing’. My boss had just come from a California job and was determined to use lean practices, even when upper leadership told him to stop. And once we embraced it, everything changed. The trades took ownership of the plan, the GC had less stress, and the results were real. It proved that someone on the job has to drive that culture—and when they do, it works.
How have you seen human dynamics used (or not used) as a tool in construction management? How has Midion supported this on your projects?
The culture in construction has definitely changed. Yelling used to be the norm, but that doesn’t fly anymore. If someone’s career is stalling, it’s usually because they haven’t adapted to how people work now. You can’t show up to the job with just one tool, its kind of like trying to build a house with only a wrench, like I saw a lot of with the previous generation of“leaders in the industry—you need emotional intelligence and situational leadership, too.
Midion helped us bring those skills to life. On our first big data center project in Arizona, their support with LPS helped drive the project’s success—and we won multiple follow-up phases because of it. On another project in the Pacific Northwest, Midion didn’t just implement LPS; they recognized the low morale on the site and helped us shift the conversation. By talking about moods, we unlocked real project concerns. That changed the trajectory of the job completely—from what could’ve been adisaster, to a success that lasted through eight phases. That one shift made all the difference.
What advice do you have for other leaders looking to manage successful mission critical projects?
Build the deepest relationships you can—with as many partners as possible. It’s not easy, but 25 years in, I’ve learned those relationships are the difference-maker. When there’s mutual respect and trust, the daily noise doesn’t derail progress. I can have honest conversations with anyone on the jobsite, and they carry weight because of the connection with leadership on the other side. By investing in partnerships, we can avoid most of the financial and/or legal claims that can plague poorly run projects, we operate with integrity and deep investment in success. That kind of alignment pays off in ways contracts never can.
Background: Jason Klous began his career as an apprentice carpenter, rising through the ranks over 15 years at McGough Construction in St. Paul, MN. He eventually led complex, large-scale projects as a superintendent. While working in the field, he pursued a bachelor’s degree in Construction Management from the University of Minnesota and later completed his MBA at the University of Wisconsin.
Jason’s passion for transforming how work gets done by placing people and commitments at the center of project execution led him to Midion in 2014. There, he has trained thousands globally in Lean Construction, the Last Planner System, and the Language Action Perspective. His pursuit of human-centered excellence culminated in a PhD from Nottingham Trent University, focusing on how the Language Action Perspective can radically improve coordination and communication in construction.
Today, Jason helps teams reimagine what’s possible by treating projects as networks of conversations and commitments, and people as the key to successful project outcomes.
What was your experience with managing complex projects prior to Midion?
At McGough, I had the privilege of managing some technically demanding builds, like the University of Minnesota’s new science and technology center. From intricate concrete sequencing to logistically constrained urban sites, we faced constant complexity.
But I quickly learned that technical difficulty isn’t what makes a project hard; it’s human coordination. No amount of technology can compensate for the breakdowns that occur when people don’t have conversations about a shared purpose, commitments, and care. Projects succeed when we listen deeply to the concerns of others and manage our moods and commitments effectively. That’s the real work of leadership.
What do you see as the limits of traditional construction management?
Traditional models rely heavily on a top-down command and control style of authority, formal governance structures, and a focus on tools such as schedules and estimates. But this approach falls short because it treats projects as mechanical and transactional rather than as a social system based on relationships.
What’s missing is a commitment-based approach to project management where results emerge not from control, but from conversations that generate clarity, commitment, and trust. Until we shift our focus from enforcing compliance to cultivating positive moods and coordination in conversation, we’ll continue to experience the same breakdowns.
The tools only work when people work together with mutual trust and through shared commitments to achieve great things.
How have you seen human dynamics used or neglected in the industry? How is Midion different?
Too often, the “people part” of construction is treated as an afterthought. We introduce tools or new technology as fixes while sidestepping the more challenging conversations that would produce real change.Meanwhile, the people closest to the work, the trades, often carry the emotional and physical load of delivering a project without meaningful support from leaders.
The consequences are visible: burnout, disengagement, turnover, substance abuse, and tragically high suicide rates.
At Midion, we do it differently. We operate from the belief that projects are lived experiences shaped by moods, shared meaning, and delivered in relationships with others. We teach teams how to recognize moods, build trust through conversations, and make grounded assessments that shape and create new realities. These are not soft skills; they are the powerful skills that produce exquisite human coordination.
I’ve been on projects that felt like emotional meat grinders. But I’ve also seen how a small group of committed leaders can change that experience. One of our clients now offers free mental health counseling to their entire workforce. That’s the kind of culture shift we’re after, where care becomes central to how we deliver projects.
What advice do you have for others looking to manage successful mission-critical projects?
Start early. Build your team as deliberately as you build your schedule. Utilize tools such as the Enneagram, Midion’s team coaching, andLego Serious Play to foster conditions and team dynamics that allow trust and commitments to flourish and grow on projects.
These methods help people connect not just with the work, but with each other. I’ve seen a room of engineers shift entirely their ideas about what is possible after a Lego Serious Play session, not because of the bricks, but because the process provided them with a language for their commitments, concerns, and shared purpose.
Leadership in mission-critical environments isn’t about making decisions faster. It’s about cultivating trust and ambition within teams, taking care of the concerns of our people, and creating a space where promises are kept.
Building high-performance teams isn’t about motivational speeches or team happy hours. It’s about committing to care, day after day, through honest conversations. That’s the kind of leadership that creates possibility and transforms not just projects, but the people inside them.
Q&A: Kevin Connor, Alston and Jason Klous, Midion
Background: Kevin began his career in civil engineering but quickly shifted into construction for the variety and hands-on experience. He started his career building warehouses for a small firm in Pennsylvania, then joined Skanska where he grew from Project Engineer to Senior Vice President, delivering complex data center projects throughout the US and Canada, building a strong customer base and helping expand the business significantly. Now, he's leading the launch of a new mission critical business unit at Alston Construction, serving clients throughout the US.
What was your familiarity with managing complex projects previously?
I started on small 1-2 person projects where I worried I wouldn't gain the skills to manage larger teams. But when I moved to a 30-person team high-rise job in Baltimore, I realized the fundamentals of project management still applied. It just required being a good teammate and knowing how to work with others. Complex projects are about knowing your role and leaning on the strengths of the team—whether it's BIM, accounting, or scheduling (all the things I didn’t want to do anyway). That same principle applies to data center work today, and frankly, it’s safer and more coordinated than the small jobs I began with.
What do you feel are the limits of traditional construction management?
Traditional management often looked like everyone yelling ateach other—and somehow still getting the job done. But that’s inefficient andunsustainable. On shorter projects, where there’s less investment in buildingteam harmony, that kind of chaos still shows up. But in my experience, evendoing the bare minimum of LPS (Last Planner System) can lead to big gains—15%savings on subcontractors, less rework, better quality, fewer conflicts.
On my first big job in Utah, we did things differently—bootcamps, pull planning, daily huddles, even book clubs. It was new to me, coming from the East Coast where Lean was seen as a ‘California thing’. My boss had just come from a California job and was determined to use lean practices, even when upper leadership told him to stop. And once we embraced it, everything changed. The trades took ownership of the plan, the GC had less stress, and the results were real. It proved that someone on the job has to drive that culture—and when they do, it works.
How have you seen human dynamics used (or not used) as a tool in construction management? How has Midion supported this on your projects?
The culture in construction has definitely changed. Yelling used to be the norm, but that doesn’t fly anymore. If someone’s career is stalling, it’s usually because they haven’t adapted to how people work now. You can’t show up to the job with just one tool, its kind of like trying to build a house with only a wrench, like I saw a lot of with the previous generation of“leaders in the industry—you need emotional intelligence and situational leadership, too.
Midion helped us bring those skills to life. On our first big data center project in Arizona, their support with LPS helped drive the project’s success—and we won multiple follow-up phases because of it. On another project in the Pacific Northwest, Midion didn’t just implement LPS; they recognized the low morale on the site and helped us shift the conversation. By talking about moods, we unlocked real project concerns. That changed the trajectory of the job completely—from what could’ve been adisaster, to a success that lasted through eight phases. That one shift made all the difference.
What advice do you have for other leaders looking to manage successful mission critical projects?
Build the deepest relationships you can—with as many partners as possible. It’s not easy, but 25 years in, I’ve learned those relationships are the difference-maker. When there’s mutual respect and trust, the daily noise doesn’t derail progress. I can have honest conversations with anyone on the jobsite, and they carry weight because of the connection with leadership on the other side. By investing in partnerships, we can avoid most of the financial and/or legal claims that can plague poorly run projects, we operate with integrity and deep investment in success. That kind of alignment pays off in ways contracts never can.
Background: Jason Klous began his career as an apprentice carpenter, rising through the ranks over 15 years at McGough Construction in St. Paul, MN. He eventually led complex, large-scale projects as a superintendent. While working in the field, he pursued a bachelor’s degree in Construction Management from the University of Minnesota and later completed his MBA at the University of Wisconsin.
Jason’s passion for transforming how work gets done by placing people and commitments at the center of project execution led him to Midion in 2014. There, he has trained thousands globally in Lean Construction, the Last Planner System, and the Language Action Perspective. His pursuit of human-centered excellence culminated in a PhD from Nottingham Trent University, focusing on how the Language Action Perspective can radically improve coordination and communication in construction.
Today, Jason helps teams reimagine what’s possible by treating projects as networks of conversations and commitments, and people as the key to successful project outcomes.
What was your experience with managing complex projects prior to Midion?
At McGough, I had the privilege of managing some technically demanding builds, like the University of Minnesota’s new science and technology center. From intricate concrete sequencing to logistically constrained urban sites, we faced constant complexity.
But I quickly learned that technical difficulty isn’t what makes a project hard; it’s human coordination. No amount of technology can compensate for the breakdowns that occur when people don’t have conversations about a shared purpose, commitments, and care. Projects succeed when we listen deeply to the concerns of others and manage our moods and commitments effectively. That’s the real work of leadership.
What do you see as the limits of traditional construction management?
Traditional models rely heavily on a top-down command and control style of authority, formal governance structures, and a focus on tools such as schedules and estimates. But this approach falls short because it treats projects as mechanical and transactional rather than as a social system based on relationships.
What’s missing is a commitment-based approach to project management where results emerge not from control, but from conversations that generate clarity, commitment, and trust. Until we shift our focus from enforcing compliance to cultivating positive moods and coordination in conversation, we’ll continue to experience the same breakdowns.
The tools only work when people work together with mutual trust and through shared commitments to achieve great things.
How have you seen human dynamics used or neglected in the industry? How is Midion different?
Too often, the “people part” of construction is treated as an afterthought. We introduce tools or new technology as fixes while sidestepping the more challenging conversations that would produce real change.Meanwhile, the people closest to the work, the trades, often carry the emotional and physical load of delivering a project without meaningful support from leaders.
The consequences are visible: burnout, disengagement, turnover, substance abuse, and tragically high suicide rates.
At Midion, we do it differently. We operate from the belief that projects are lived experiences shaped by moods, shared meaning, and delivered in relationships with others. We teach teams how to recognize moods, build trust through conversations, and make grounded assessments that shape and create new realities. These are not soft skills; they are the powerful skills that produce exquisite human coordination.
I’ve been on projects that felt like emotional meat grinders. But I’ve also seen how a small group of committed leaders can change that experience. One of our clients now offers free mental health counseling to their entire workforce. That’s the kind of culture shift we’re after, where care becomes central to how we deliver projects.
What advice do you have for others looking to manage successful mission-critical projects?
Start early. Build your team as deliberately as you build your schedule. Utilize tools such as the Enneagram, Midion’s team coaching, andLego Serious Play to foster conditions and team dynamics that allow trust and commitments to flourish and grow on projects.
These methods help people connect not just with the work, but with each other. I’ve seen a room of engineers shift entirely their ideas about what is possible after a Lego Serious Play session, not because of the bricks, but because the process provided them with a language for their commitments, concerns, and shared purpose.
Leadership in mission-critical environments isn’t about making decisions faster. It’s about cultivating trust and ambition within teams, taking care of the concerns of our people, and creating a space where promises are kept.
Building high-performance teams isn’t about motivational speeches or team happy hours. It’s about committing to care, day after day, through honest conversations. That’s the kind of leadership that creates possibility and transforms not just projects, but the people inside them.
Background: Kevin began his career in civil engineering but quickly shifted into construction for the variety and hands-on experience. He started his career building warehouses for a small firm in Pennsylvania, then joined Skanska where he grew from Project Engineer to Senior Vice President, delivering complex data center projects throughout the US and Canada, building a strong customer base and helping expand the business significantly. Now, he's leading the launch of a new mission critical business unit at Alston Construction, serving clients throughout the US.
What was your familiarity with managing complex projects previously?
I started on small 1-2 person projects where I worried I wouldn't gain the skills to manage larger teams. But when I moved to a 30-person team high-rise job in Baltimore, I realized the fundamentals of project management still applied. It just required being a good teammate and knowing how to work with others. Complex projects are about knowing your role and leaning on the strengths of the team—whether it's BIM, accounting, or scheduling (all the things I didn’t want to do anyway). That same principle applies to data center work today, and frankly, it’s safer and more coordinated than the small jobs I began with.
What do you feel are the limits of traditional construction management?
Traditional management often looked like everyone yelling ateach other—and somehow still getting the job done. But that’s inefficient andunsustainable. On shorter projects, where there’s less investment in buildingteam harmony, that kind of chaos still shows up. But in my experience, evendoing the bare minimum of LPS (Last Planner System) can lead to big gains—15%savings on subcontractors, less rework, better quality, fewer conflicts.
On my first big job in Utah, we did things differently—bootcamps, pull planning, daily huddles, even book clubs. It was new to me, coming from the East Coast where Lean was seen as a ‘California thing’. My boss had just come from a California job and was determined to use lean practices, even when upper leadership told him to stop. And once we embraced it, everything changed. The trades took ownership of the plan, the GC had less stress, and the results were real. It proved that someone on the job has to drive that culture—and when they do, it works.
How have you seen human dynamics used (or not used) as a tool in construction management? How has Midion supported this on your projects?
The culture in construction has definitely changed. Yelling used to be the norm, but that doesn’t fly anymore. If someone’s career is stalling, it’s usually because they haven’t adapted to how people work now. You can’t show up to the job with just one tool, its kind of like trying to build a house with only a wrench, like I saw a lot of with the previous generation of“leaders in the industry—you need emotional intelligence and situational leadership, too.
Midion helped us bring those skills to life. On our first big data center project in Arizona, their support with LPS helped drive the project’s success—and we won multiple follow-up phases because of it. On another project in the Pacific Northwest, Midion didn’t just implement LPS; they recognized the low morale on the site and helped us shift the conversation. By talking about moods, we unlocked real project concerns. That changed the trajectory of the job completely—from what could’ve been adisaster, to a success that lasted through eight phases. That one shift made all the difference.
What advice do you have for other leaders looking to manage successful mission critical projects?
Build the deepest relationships you can—with as many partners as possible. It’s not easy, but 25 years in, I’ve learned those relationships are the difference-maker. When there’s mutual respect and trust, the daily noise doesn’t derail progress. I can have honest conversations with anyone on the jobsite, and they carry weight because of the connection with leadership on the other side. By investing in partnerships, we can avoid most of the financial and/or legal claims that can plague poorly run projects, we operate with integrity and deep investment in success. That kind of alignment pays off in ways contracts never can.
Background: Jason Klous began his career as an apprentice carpenter, rising through the ranks over 15 years at McGough Construction in St. Paul, MN. He eventually led complex, large-scale projects as a superintendent. While working in the field, he pursued a bachelor’s degree in Construction Management from the University of Minnesota and later completed his MBA at the University of Wisconsin.
Jason’s passion for transforming how work gets done by placing people and commitments at the center of project execution led him to Midion in 2014. There, he has trained thousands globally in Lean Construction, the Last Planner System, and the Language Action Perspective. His pursuit of human-centered excellence culminated in a PhD from Nottingham Trent University, focusing on how the Language Action Perspective can radically improve coordination and communication in construction.
Today, Jason helps teams reimagine what’s possible by treating projects as networks of conversations and commitments, and people as the key to successful project outcomes.
What was your experience with managing complex projects prior to Midion?
At McGough, I had the privilege of managing some technically demanding builds, like the University of Minnesota’s new science and technology center. From intricate concrete sequencing to logistically constrained urban sites, we faced constant complexity.
But I quickly learned that technical difficulty isn’t what makes a project hard; it’s human coordination. No amount of technology can compensate for the breakdowns that occur when people don’t have conversations about a shared purpose, commitments, and care. Projects succeed when we listen deeply to the concerns of others and manage our moods and commitments effectively. That’s the real work of leadership.
What do you see as the limits of traditional construction management?
Traditional models rely heavily on a top-down command and control style of authority, formal governance structures, and a focus on tools such as schedules and estimates. But this approach falls short because it treats projects as mechanical and transactional rather than as a social system based on relationships.
What’s missing is a commitment-based approach to project management where results emerge not from control, but from conversations that generate clarity, commitment, and trust. Until we shift our focus from enforcing compliance to cultivating positive moods and coordination in conversation, we’ll continue to experience the same breakdowns.
The tools only work when people work together with mutual trust and through shared commitments to achieve great things.
How have you seen human dynamics used or neglected in the industry? How is Midion different?
Too often, the “people part” of construction is treated as an afterthought. We introduce tools or new technology as fixes while sidestepping the more challenging conversations that would produce real change.Meanwhile, the people closest to the work, the trades, often carry the emotional and physical load of delivering a project without meaningful support from leaders.
The consequences are visible: burnout, disengagement, turnover, substance abuse, and tragically high suicide rates.
At Midion, we do it differently. We operate from the belief that projects are lived experiences shaped by moods, shared meaning, and delivered in relationships with others. We teach teams how to recognize moods, build trust through conversations, and make grounded assessments that shape and create new realities. These are not soft skills; they are the powerful skills that produce exquisite human coordination.
I’ve been on projects that felt like emotional meat grinders. But I’ve also seen how a small group of committed leaders can change that experience. One of our clients now offers free mental health counseling to their entire workforce. That’s the kind of culture shift we’re after, where care becomes central to how we deliver projects.
What advice do you have for others looking to manage successful mission-critical projects?
Start early. Build your team as deliberately as you build your schedule. Utilize tools such as the Enneagram, Midion’s team coaching, andLego Serious Play to foster conditions and team dynamics that allow trust and commitments to flourish and grow on projects.
These methods help people connect not just with the work, but with each other. I’ve seen a room of engineers shift entirely their ideas about what is possible after a Lego Serious Play session, not because of the bricks, but because the process provided them with a language for their commitments, concerns, and shared purpose.
Leadership in mission-critical environments isn’t about making decisions faster. It’s about cultivating trust and ambition within teams, taking care of the concerns of our people, and creating a space where promises are kept.
Building high-performance teams isn’t about motivational speeches or team happy hours. It’s about committing to care, day after day, through honest conversations. That’s the kind of leadership that creates possibility and transforms not just projects, but the people inside them.
Background: Kevin began his career in civil engineering but quickly shifted into construction for the variety and hands-on experience. He started his career building warehouses for a small firm in Pennsylvania, then joined Skanska where he grew from Project Engineer to Senior Vice President, delivering complex data center projects throughout the US and Canada, building a strong customer base and helping expand the business significantly. Now, he's leading the launch of a new mission critical business unit at Alston Construction, serving clients throughout the US.
What was your familiarity with managing complex projects previously?
I started on small 1-2 person projects where I worried I wouldn't gain the skills to manage larger teams. But when I moved to a 30-person team high-rise job in Baltimore, I realized the fundamentals of project management still applied. It just required being a good teammate and knowing how to work with others. Complex projects are about knowing your role and leaning on the strengths of the team—whether it's BIM, accounting, or scheduling (all the things I didn’t want to do anyway). That same principle applies to data center work today, and frankly, it’s safer and more coordinated than the small jobs I began with.
What do you feel are the limits of traditional construction management?
Traditional management often looked like everyone yelling ateach other—and somehow still getting the job done. But that’s inefficient andunsustainable. On shorter projects, where there’s less investment in buildingteam harmony, that kind of chaos still shows up. But in my experience, evendoing the bare minimum of LPS (Last Planner System) can lead to big gains—15%savings on subcontractors, less rework, better quality, fewer conflicts.
On my first big job in Utah, we did things differently—bootcamps, pull planning, daily huddles, even book clubs. It was new to me, coming from the East Coast where Lean was seen as a ‘California thing’. My boss had just come from a California job and was determined to use lean practices, even when upper leadership told him to stop. And once we embraced it, everything changed. The trades took ownership of the plan, the GC had less stress, and the results were real. It proved that someone on the job has to drive that culture—and when they do, it works.
How have you seen human dynamics used (or not used) as a tool in construction management? How has Midion supported this on your projects?
The culture in construction has definitely changed. Yelling used to be the norm, but that doesn’t fly anymore. If someone’s career is stalling, it’s usually because they haven’t adapted to how people work now. You can’t show up to the job with just one tool, its kind of like trying to build a house with only a wrench, like I saw a lot of with the previous generation of“leaders in the industry—you need emotional intelligence and situational leadership, too.
Midion helped us bring those skills to life. On our first big data center project in Arizona, their support with LPS helped drive the project’s success—and we won multiple follow-up phases because of it. On another project in the Pacific Northwest, Midion didn’t just implement LPS; they recognized the low morale on the site and helped us shift the conversation. By talking about moods, we unlocked real project concerns. That changed the trajectory of the job completely—from what could’ve been adisaster, to a success that lasted through eight phases. That one shift made all the difference.
What advice do you have for other leaders looking to manage successful mission critical projects?
Build the deepest relationships you can—with as many partners as possible. It’s not easy, but 25 years in, I’ve learned those relationships are the difference-maker. When there’s mutual respect and trust, the daily noise doesn’t derail progress. I can have honest conversations with anyone on the jobsite, and they carry weight because of the connection with leadership on the other side. By investing in partnerships, we can avoid most of the financial and/or legal claims that can plague poorly run projects, we operate with integrity and deep investment in success. That kind of alignment pays off in ways contracts never can.
Background: Jason Klous began his career as an apprentice carpenter, rising through the ranks over 15 years at McGough Construction in St. Paul, MN. He eventually led complex, large-scale projects as a superintendent. While working in the field, he pursued a bachelor’s degree in Construction Management from the University of Minnesota and later completed his MBA at the University of Wisconsin.
Jason’s passion for transforming how work gets done by placing people and commitments at the center of project execution led him to Midion in 2014. There, he has trained thousands globally in Lean Construction, the Last Planner System, and the Language Action Perspective. His pursuit of human-centered excellence culminated in a PhD from Nottingham Trent University, focusing on how the Language Action Perspective can radically improve coordination and communication in construction.
Today, Jason helps teams reimagine what’s possible by treating projects as networks of conversations and commitments, and people as the key to successful project outcomes.
What was your experience with managing complex projects prior to Midion?
At McGough, I had the privilege of managing some technically demanding builds, like the University of Minnesota’s new science and technology center. From intricate concrete sequencing to logistically constrained urban sites, we faced constant complexity.
But I quickly learned that technical difficulty isn’t what makes a project hard; it’s human coordination. No amount of technology can compensate for the breakdowns that occur when people don’t have conversations about a shared purpose, commitments, and care. Projects succeed when we listen deeply to the concerns of others and manage our moods and commitments effectively. That’s the real work of leadership.
What do you see as the limits of traditional construction management?
Traditional models rely heavily on a top-down command and control style of authority, formal governance structures, and a focus on tools such as schedules and estimates. But this approach falls short because it treats projects as mechanical and transactional rather than as a social system based on relationships.
What’s missing is a commitment-based approach to project management where results emerge not from control, but from conversations that generate clarity, commitment, and trust. Until we shift our focus from enforcing compliance to cultivating positive moods and coordination in conversation, we’ll continue to experience the same breakdowns.
The tools only work when people work together with mutual trust and through shared commitments to achieve great things.
How have you seen human dynamics used or neglected in the industry? How is Midion different?
Too often, the “people part” of construction is treated as an afterthought. We introduce tools or new technology as fixes while sidestepping the more challenging conversations that would produce real change.Meanwhile, the people closest to the work, the trades, often carry the emotional and physical load of delivering a project without meaningful support from leaders.
The consequences are visible: burnout, disengagement, turnover, substance abuse, and tragically high suicide rates.
At Midion, we do it differently. We operate from the belief that projects are lived experiences shaped by moods, shared meaning, and delivered in relationships with others. We teach teams how to recognize moods, build trust through conversations, and make grounded assessments that shape and create new realities. These are not soft skills; they are the powerful skills that produce exquisite human coordination.
I’ve been on projects that felt like emotional meat grinders. But I’ve also seen how a small group of committed leaders can change that experience. One of our clients now offers free mental health counseling to their entire workforce. That’s the kind of culture shift we’re after, where care becomes central to how we deliver projects.
What advice do you have for others looking to manage successful mission-critical projects?
Start early. Build your team as deliberately as you build your schedule. Utilize tools such as the Enneagram, Midion’s team coaching, andLego Serious Play to foster conditions and team dynamics that allow trust and commitments to flourish and grow on projects.
These methods help people connect not just with the work, but with each other. I’ve seen a room of engineers shift entirely their ideas about what is possible after a Lego Serious Play session, not because of the bricks, but because the process provided them with a language for their commitments, concerns, and shared purpose.
Leadership in mission-critical environments isn’t about making decisions faster. It’s about cultivating trust and ambition within teams, taking care of the concerns of our people, and creating a space where promises are kept.
Building high-performance teams isn’t about motivational speeches or team happy hours. It’s about committing to care, day after day, through honest conversations. That’s the kind of leadership that creates possibility and transforms not just projects, but the people inside them.
Background: Kevin began his career in civil engineering but quickly shifted into construction for the variety and hands-on experience. He started his career building warehouses for a small firm in Pennsylvania, then joined Skanska where he grew from Project Engineer to Senior Vice President, delivering complex data center projects throughout the US and Canada, building a strong customer base and helping expand the business significantly. Now, he's leading the launch of a new mission critical business unit at Alston Construction, serving clients throughout the US.
What was your familiarity with managing complex projects previously?
I started on small 1-2 person projects where I worried I wouldn't gain the skills to manage larger teams. But when I moved to a 30-person team high-rise job in Baltimore, I realized the fundamentals of project management still applied. It just required being a good teammate and knowing how to work with others. Complex projects are about knowing your role and leaning on the strengths of the team—whether it's BIM, accounting, or scheduling (all the things I didn’t want to do anyway). That same principle applies to data center work today, and frankly, it’s safer and more coordinated than the small jobs I began with.
What do you feel are the limits of traditional construction management?
Traditional management often looked like everyone yelling ateach other—and somehow still getting the job done. But that’s inefficient andunsustainable. On shorter projects, where there’s less investment in buildingteam harmony, that kind of chaos still shows up. But in my experience, evendoing the bare minimum of LPS (Last Planner System) can lead to big gains—15%savings on subcontractors, less rework, better quality, fewer conflicts.
On my first big job in Utah, we did things differently—bootcamps, pull planning, daily huddles, even book clubs. It was new to me, coming from the East Coast where Lean was seen as a ‘California thing’. My boss had just come from a California job and was determined to use lean practices, even when upper leadership told him to stop. And once we embraced it, everything changed. The trades took ownership of the plan, the GC had less stress, and the results were real. It proved that someone on the job has to drive that culture—and when they do, it works.
How have you seen human dynamics used (or not used) as a tool in construction management? How has Midion supported this on your projects?
The culture in construction has definitely changed. Yelling used to be the norm, but that doesn’t fly anymore. If someone’s career is stalling, it’s usually because they haven’t adapted to how people work now. You can’t show up to the job with just one tool, its kind of like trying to build a house with only a wrench, like I saw a lot of with the previous generation of“leaders in the industry—you need emotional intelligence and situational leadership, too.
Midion helped us bring those skills to life. On our first big data center project in Arizona, their support with LPS helped drive the project’s success—and we won multiple follow-up phases because of it. On another project in the Pacific Northwest, Midion didn’t just implement LPS; they recognized the low morale on the site and helped us shift the conversation. By talking about moods, we unlocked real project concerns. That changed the trajectory of the job completely—from what could’ve been adisaster, to a success that lasted through eight phases. That one shift made all the difference.
What advice do you have for other leaders looking to manage successful mission critical projects?
Build the deepest relationships you can—with as many partners as possible. It’s not easy, but 25 years in, I’ve learned those relationships are the difference-maker. When there’s mutual respect and trust, the daily noise doesn’t derail progress. I can have honest conversations with anyone on the jobsite, and they carry weight because of the connection with leadership on the other side. By investing in partnerships, we can avoid most of the financial and/or legal claims that can plague poorly run projects, we operate with integrity and deep investment in success. That kind of alignment pays off in ways contracts never can.
Background: Jason Klous began his career as an apprentice carpenter, rising through the ranks over 15 years at McGough Construction in St. Paul, MN. He eventually led complex, large-scale projects as a superintendent. While working in the field, he pursued a bachelor’s degree in Construction Management from the University of Minnesota and later completed his MBA at the University of Wisconsin.
Jason’s passion for transforming how work gets done by placing people and commitments at the center of project execution led him to Midion in 2014. There, he has trained thousands globally in Lean Construction, the Last Planner System, and the Language Action Perspective. His pursuit of human-centered excellence culminated in a PhD from Nottingham Trent University, focusing on how the Language Action Perspective can radically improve coordination and communication in construction.
Today, Jason helps teams reimagine what’s possible by treating projects as networks of conversations and commitments, and people as the key to successful project outcomes.
What was your experience with managing complex projects prior to Midion?
At McGough, I had the privilege of managing some technically demanding builds, like the University of Minnesota’s new science and technology center. From intricate concrete sequencing to logistically constrained urban sites, we faced constant complexity.
But I quickly learned that technical difficulty isn’t what makes a project hard; it’s human coordination. No amount of technology can compensate for the breakdowns that occur when people don’t have conversations about a shared purpose, commitments, and care. Projects succeed when we listen deeply to the concerns of others and manage our moods and commitments effectively. That’s the real work of leadership.
What do you see as the limits of traditional construction management?
Traditional models rely heavily on a top-down command and control style of authority, formal governance structures, and a focus on tools such as schedules and estimates. But this approach falls short because it treats projects as mechanical and transactional rather than as a social system based on relationships.
What’s missing is a commitment-based approach to project management where results emerge not from control, but from conversations that generate clarity, commitment, and trust. Until we shift our focus from enforcing compliance to cultivating positive moods and coordination in conversation, we’ll continue to experience the same breakdowns.
The tools only work when people work together with mutual trust and through shared commitments to achieve great things.
How have you seen human dynamics used or neglected in the industry? How is Midion different?
Too often, the “people part” of construction is treated as an afterthought. We introduce tools or new technology as fixes while sidestepping the more challenging conversations that would produce real change.Meanwhile, the people closest to the work, the trades, often carry the emotional and physical load of delivering a project without meaningful support from leaders.
The consequences are visible: burnout, disengagement, turnover, substance abuse, and tragically high suicide rates.
At Midion, we do it differently. We operate from the belief that projects are lived experiences shaped by moods, shared meaning, and delivered in relationships with others. We teach teams how to recognize moods, build trust through conversations, and make grounded assessments that shape and create new realities. These are not soft skills; they are the powerful skills that produce exquisite human coordination.
I’ve been on projects that felt like emotional meat grinders. But I’ve also seen how a small group of committed leaders can change that experience. One of our clients now offers free mental health counseling to their entire workforce. That’s the kind of culture shift we’re after, where care becomes central to how we deliver projects.
What advice do you have for others looking to manage successful mission-critical projects?
Start early. Build your team as deliberately as you build your schedule. Utilize tools such as the Enneagram, Midion’s team coaching, andLego Serious Play to foster conditions and team dynamics that allow trust and commitments to flourish and grow on projects.
These methods help people connect not just with the work, but with each other. I’ve seen a room of engineers shift entirely their ideas about what is possible after a Lego Serious Play session, not because of the bricks, but because the process provided them with a language for their commitments, concerns, and shared purpose.
Leadership in mission-critical environments isn’t about making decisions faster. It’s about cultivating trust and ambition within teams, taking care of the concerns of our people, and creating a space where promises are kept.
Building high-performance teams isn’t about motivational speeches or team happy hours. It’s about committing to care, day after day, through honest conversations. That’s the kind of leadership that creates possibility and transforms not just projects, but the people inside them.
