{"id":32428,"date":"2025-09-22T09:09:48","date_gmt":"2025-09-22T16:09:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/why-relationships-matter-more-than-titles-or-pedigree\/"},"modified":"2025-09-22T09:09:48","modified_gmt":"2025-09-22T16:09:48","slug":"why-relationships-matter-more-than-titles-or-pedigree","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/why-relationships-matter-more-than-titles-or-pedigree\/","title":{"rendered":"Why relationships matter more than titles or pedigree"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> [ad_1]<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"text-to-speech\">\n    <button class=\"text-to-speech__button button\"><br \/>\n        <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"text-to-speech__button__icon\" src=\"https:\/\/www.constructiondive.com\/static\/img\/play.svg?500116090725\" alt=\"-\"><br \/>\n        Listen to the article<br \/>\n        <span class=\"text-to-speech__button__audio-length\">4 min<\/span><br \/>\n    <\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"text-to-speech__controls\">\n        <audio controls=\"\" class=\"js-text-to-speech\" preload=\"none\"><source src=\"https:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/dmgi9movl\/video\/upload\/q_1\/v1758550320\/news\/text_to_speech\/why-relationships-matter-construction_rmftv4.wav\" type=\"audio\/mp3\"><\/source><\/audio><\/p>\n<div class=\"text-to-speech__controls__text\">\n            This audio is auto-generated. Please let us know if you have <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.constructiondive.com\/contact\/\" target=\"_blank\">feedback<\/a>.\n        <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"editor-note\">\n<p>Jennifer Kinsey is general manager and commercial business unit leader in the Nashville office of Atlanta-based contractor Reeves Young. Opinions are the author\u2019s own.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>In an industry full of smart, capable builders, I\u2019ve learned that out-titling someone doesn\u2019t win work. I don\u2019t have a flashy origin story. What I do have, and what\u2019s shaped my career, is a deep belief that relationships matter more than anything else.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>That belief has helped me build trust, grow teams and win projects as an underdog. It\u2019s not about grand gestures. It\u2019s the small, thoughtful actions that people remember. The ones that show you\u2019re paying attention, that you care and that you mean what you say.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"standard-heading\"><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Trust is the tiebreaker<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The early stages of a construction project can feel very transactional. Timelines are tighter, introductions are digital and decisions are often made before you even meet the client. But even in that environment, relationships still have weight.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<figure class=\"image-right inside_story\">\n<div class=\"figure_content\">\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A headshot of a woman construction executive.\" data-imagemodel=\"186259\" src=\"https:\/\/imgproxy.divecdn.com\/2tw7lZB1fNPefcTbbAXPFRlqG8Z5lA8YEUQQ5mra3NQ\/g:ce\/rs:fit:1600:0\/Z3M6Ly9kaXZlc2l0ZS1zdG9yYWdlL2RpdmVpbWFnZS9TY3JlZW5zaG90XzIwMjUtMDktMjJfYXRfNy4wOS4wOEFNLnBuZw==.webp\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"inside_story_caption\">\n<p>Jennifer Kinsey<\/p>\n<p>Courtesy of Reeves Young<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>When qualifications are equal, clients lean on their instincts. They ask, \u201cDo I trust you to deliver? Will you show up when things get hard?\u201d I\u2019ve seen trust, not pedigree, tip the scales time and again.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>That trust is built over time, often long after a project ends. I make a habit of checking in with former clients whether we\u2019re working together or not. Sending a note, attending a community event or congratulating them on a milestone all make a difference. These moments aren\u2019t on a project schedule, but they\u2019re the reason my phone rings when the next opportunity comes up.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"standard-heading\"><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Personal touches<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>For me, sending a proposal isn\u2019t the end of the day. It\u2019s the start of a conversation. I\u2019ve walked proposals into potential clients myself, visited prospective sites before putting pen to paper and even included one university\u2019s elusive albino squirrel in a proposal. More than once, I\u2019ve worn my signature Sneex \u2014 sneaker-style tennis shoes \u2014 in a client\u2019s colors to a presentation. These details spark conversations and help clients feel seen.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>And after projects wrap, I keep in touch without an agenda. I don\u2019t do it because I\u2019m \u201csupposed to.\u201d I do it because I care. And people can tell the difference. If you\u2019re leading a firm, ask yourself: when was the last time someone on your team connected with a client without an ask attached? It\u2019s easy to forget how powerful that can be.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"standard-heading\"><span><span><span><strong><span><span>An edge for emerging leaders<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Over more than two decades, one of the biggest lessons I\u2019ve learned is that follow-through matters. People remember if you did what you said, especially in the small moments. That might mean showing up on-site when it\u2019s inconvenient or being honest about delays.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>If you\u2019re a young professional wondering how to build trust early in your career, start with saying what you\u2019ll do, then do it every time. That alone will put you ahead of half the industry.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>For women and professionals without a traditional background in construction, know that you don\u2019t need a specific title to lead. Some of my best opportunities came from showing up, being consistent and building relationships without expecting anything in return.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Early on, I was often the youngest and only woman in the room. I didn\u2019t have the loudest voice, but I made sure I was consistent, responsive and invested. That built trust, and trust opened doors.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>My advice:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Be reliable<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span><span><span><span><span><span>: People trust people who follow through.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Be human<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span><span><span><span><span><span>: Small acts of kindness go further than you think.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span><span><span><strong><span><span>Be present<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><span><span><span><span><span><span>: You never know who\u2019s watching and remembering how you show up<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 class=\"standard-heading\"><span><span><span><strong><span><span>How you lead matters too<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Personal touches should extend to your team. I take new hires to lunch, celebrate milestones and check in when someone\u2019s having a rough week. I\u2019ve worked with some of my colleagues for more than a decade. The consistency of our working relationship is rooted in mutual trust and shared values: people first, always. When people are taken care of, everyone \u2014 from the front office to the jobsite \u2014 is able to succeed.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>The construction industry may evolve, but one thing that hasn\u2019t changed is this is still a people business. Projects come and go, but relationships stick.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span><span><span><span><span><span>Whether you\u2019re chasing new work, leading a team or building something from the ground up, don\u2019t underestimate what a personal touch can do. It\u2019s not about being nice for the sake of being nice. It\u2019s about creating the kind of trust that makes people want to work with you again. That\u2019s how I\u2019ve grown my relationships and career, and in my experience, there\u2019s no better way.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>[ad_2]<br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.constructiondive.com\/news\/why-relationships-matter-construction\/760674\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">This article was originally posted at Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[ad_1] Listen to the article 4 min This audio is auto-generated. Please let us know if you have feedback. Jennifer &#8230; <a title=\"Why relationships matter more than titles or pedigree\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/why-relationships-matter-more-than-titles-or-pedigree\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Why relationships matter more than titles or pedigree\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[457],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32428","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-construction-dive","generate-columns","tablet-grid-50","mobile-grid-100","grid-parent","grid-33"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32428","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32428"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32428\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32428"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32428"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/essential.construction\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32428"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}