May 6, 2025 • 11 mins
AI will create new demands, and opportunites for the Blue-Collar Trade Professionals. Traci Austin, Chief Talent Officer at Elevated Talent Consulting shares her Tough Talk Blueprint and training for job site leadership challenges by trade leaders. https://elevatedtalentconsulting.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/traci-austin
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:05):
I'm Tom Ray. I'm promoting successful business experts connecting people
throughout the world from my podcast studio in Brazil. Joining
us today from Millit, Wisconsin, Tracy Austin, Chief Talent Officer
at Elevated Talent Consulting. So, Tracy, how will AI create
new demands, challenges or opportunities for the blue collar trade professionals.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Well, the blue color trade professionals are seeing some tremendous
change in the industry based on AI. And how AI
is doing that is it is doing that through some
of that on site monitoring, really looking at the safety pieces,
really looking at preventative maintenance for equipment. It's also looking
(00:52):
at can we get in the supplies that we need
to specifically do the work so that we have less downtime.
So those are the upperportunities.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Now what I've seen, and I'm sure this is pretty
much any job site throughout the world. The trade person's
professionals today they have a toolbox, but the first tool
there they're grabbing is their handheld device.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Correct, Yeah, you have that then. Of course for those
blue collar trade professionals, they're the ones that are doing
the plumbing, the hvac, you know, the electrical, those types
of things. Now, will we still need those hands on
one hundred percent? Will that be taken over by AI?
Not anytime soon, right, But what AI does impact is,
(01:37):
like I said, that safety piece, ensuring that they have
the materials that they need, ensuring that the equipment is
working correctly with some of that preventative maintenance types of things.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
And hopefully to be repaintable. So things that It's a process.
You know, construction on any site's a process. And what
we see here whether it's a commercial and an industrial
building or whatever, and installation you have to repeat it,
you have to do it well. You can make it better,
but basically you're doing the same thing over and over.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Yep. Absolutely, but it's yes, it's the same thing over
and over. And you always have different challenges on job sites, right,
Like no two job sites is the same, and there
are different things that come up where you need a
human brain to kind of take a look at what
those are. Yet AI absolutely impacts some of that, some
of the workflow processes.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
Well. To that point, I think all job sites are
one of right, Yes, they're all new. They we're going
to build the same building in another place, but it's
always going to be something.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
New, correct, correct.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
So to teaching people back to what you do all right,
and the trade leaders so your profession you help them
become better leaders.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
Absolutely, So we're working directly with trade leaders on those
leadership skills. So whether that is that new hire buddy
that's helping to support a new hire coming in and
ensuring that they have the right tools and the training
and the alignment within the culture, whether that is for
trade leaders that are moving, you know, from on the
(03:15):
tools into a form and role where you're still on
the tools, but now you have a people management side
to it. And those are things where AI is not
going to take over leadership, right you know. But and
within that how we connect and that culture that we
create and that environment is one hundred percent based on
how you know, how are we leading folks within the
(03:38):
job site and within the organization.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
And two that you said moving and what we're talking
about moving today. Everything's global, so they going to be moving.
The site could be in today in Wisconsin to market
in Dubai, and it could be in Shanghai. So these
professionals have to be mobile, so you reach them anywhere.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
Yep, yep. We work with organization all over and our training,
we have our virtual training and then we also have
our in person training, but a lot of virtual training.
So we work with leaders you know, all over to
support that growth.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
And so you do see there are demands, but you
do see there opportunities and AI is going to be
creating more opportunities in the trades.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Yeah, I do believe AI will one hundred percent create opportunities.
You know, McKinsey did a study and found that AI
will increase you know, productivity by about twenty percent in
the trades. Granted, that is a lot on the front
end and the design, it's also in the supply chain
piece of it. It's in those areas that directly impact
(04:41):
the work that the blue collar trades people are doing.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
And well, I see that here. The logistics part of
having everything on side in a timely fashion, it is
probably maybe more important than having the right persons on
the job site. Things to have to arrive because most
job sites just you know, they're finite, they're not everywhere,
so things have to come in be assembled or manufactured
(05:07):
or whatever.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Correct.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
So that part really goes down to the bottom line
to the person you know, boots on the ground, so to.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Ensure that they that they have the materials in order
to do the work one hundred percent.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
And they can see and follow they're excel or whatever
and see how things are coming and interact with systems.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
Correct yep, yep. And I think that that's one of
the things that's so incredibly important is knowing do we
have the materials, where are my plans, what's following? You know.
And construction sites are very complex because you have many
different subcontractors. It could be h back, it could be electrical,
it could be plumbing, you know, it could be the
installation for your windows. It could be your flooring through
your roofing through right. Everything is a process that is
(05:53):
somewhat dependent upon what is in front of it, you know.
And then you've got your permitting piece. So there's a
number of things that go into this to ensure that
those builds happened, that they happen on time and in budget,
with the right materials coming in. That's where AI can
be incredibly impactful and.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Helping all of these different trades work amongst themselves together, correct,
because they're basically at times they're all together on the site.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Yep. There absolutely are so there's that communication between the
different pms and what that specifically looks like. And there's
leadership that's not just within an organization, but it's cross
functional to the other subs that you're working with.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Very good, Well, I saw on your site you have
a tough talk blueprint quickly?
Speaker 2 (06:40):
What is that? Yeah? Absolutely, And so here's my question
for you, Tom. Have you ever had a tough talk
that you've had to have that you don't want to
have because there's all this fear around it going badly?
Speaker 1 (06:52):
Well, I wouldn't say every day, but the years ago
when I wasn't a leadership that was at least weekly.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
Yeah. Absolutely. And so what we're equipping leaders to do
with our tough talk blueprint is it's really looking at
how do we have these conversations in a way that
supports the other person that we're working with. And you know,
when we're first talking, you know, and sometimes the question
is well I don't know what tough talk I need
(07:20):
to have. I go, well, what are all of your complaints?
You know, like, what are the things you're complaining about
on a daily basis? Right? And so if we look
at our complaints, complaints are just a poorly worded request.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
Well, you're really reminding me, and I think it's funny
because on job size, and I visited hundreds of them
here in Brazil in my previous profession. But after the
morning coffee, that's when the tough talk needed to start
because all of the different trades were complaining at the
same time about the other group of.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
The It's like this finger pointing thing right right, And
so you know, if we can figureigure out what requests
do we actually have and then let's go have that
conversation about it, we're going to be able to move
you know, the productivity forward. We're going to be able
to ensure that there's not all this gray area of
one person not knowing what the next person is doing.
(08:16):
And so we have six steps to this tough talk,
specifically for trade leaders in blue collar and that first
is to, you know, start with the intention. What is
the intention of the conversation? Well, guess what, you're just
complaining about something, and that complaint there's some requests you
have so that you know can be your intention. You know,
the intention is that we you know, improve our communication
(08:38):
with the HVAT crew so we can get X y
Z done. Right, and maybe it's you know, improve that relationship,
whatever that is. And then that second step is to
set the tone and to lead with respect. I hear
so many conversations it's like, hey, why the heck did
you do that? You know, like, and it starts out
that it puts somebody in this defensive possible We're ever
(09:00):
going to have a productive talk if I'm already on
the defensive before, like as you're walking up to me, right,
And so you know, we need to ensure that we're
leading with that respect and honesty for what they're doing,
because a lot of times we can't do it without them. Right.
We want to look at facts. You know, there's so
often that we will wrap a story around something versus
(09:21):
just the facts. I was coaching individual yesterday and he's like, well,
you know, this manager of mind always does this and
this and this and this, and I go, how many
times has he actually done that?
Speaker 1 (09:32):
Right?
Speaker 2 (09:33):
Well, two in the last six months? Said is that always?
Well we have weekly meetings. I said, okay, so six
months times four, that's twenty four and it's happened two times.
Sod okay, Yeah, So this sticking to the facts, when
we can look at what the observable facts are. Now
(09:55):
we can round ourselves in what really is my request?
Is it something there doing? Is it actually communication? What
is it? And it allows us to have a productive conversation?
Speaker 1 (10:06):
Very good? Well, well what I want to do go
back to the productive conversation. How can our audience find
you to have a productive conversation with you to get
the ball work?
Speaker 2 (10:16):
Yeah, we have a tough Talk audit that you can
go ahead and download that will also give you access
to a conversation if you want to have it and
figure out how to have that conversation. And then we
also have a podcast as you found Tom called the
People Strategy Podcast.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
Very good. So got the tools and where else can
they find you?
Speaker 2 (10:36):
They can find me at Elevated Talentconsulting dot com or
on LinkedIn at Tracy Austin very good.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
Well, thanks again for being with us, Thanks Tom, and
for our audience. It is Tracy Austin t are a
CI the last name a us ti n find her
on LinkedIn and Elevated Talentconsulting dot com. Elevated Talentconsulting dot
Com Cafe network is brought to us by Focus My
(11:05):
Market Intelligence and agricultural market research specialist in Brazil. More
information at f O, c U, s m I dot com.
Talk to Tom, Talk to the World, Thanks for listening.
Till the next time here at Cafee and Networking podcast
I'm Tom Ray. I'm promoting successful business experts connecting people
throughout the world from my podcast studio in Brazil. Joining
us today from Millit, Wisconsin, Tracy Austin, Chief Talent Officer
at Elevated Talent Consulting. So, Tracy, how will AI create
new demands, challenges or opportunities for the blue collar trade professionals.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Well, the blue color trade professionals are seeing some tremendous
change in the industry based on AI. And how AI
is doing that is it is doing that through some
of that on site monitoring, really looking at the safety pieces,
really looking at preventative maintenance for equipment. It's also looking
(00:52):
at can we get in the supplies that we need
to specifically do the work so that we have less downtime.
So those are the upperportunities.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
Now what I've seen, and I'm sure this is pretty
much any job site throughout the world. The trade person's
professionals today they have a toolbox, but the first tool
there they're grabbing is their handheld device.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
Correct, Yeah, you have that then. Of course for those
blue collar trade professionals, they're the ones that are doing
the plumbing, the hvac, you know, the electrical, those types
of things. Now, will we still need those hands on
one hundred percent? Will that be taken over by AI?
Not anytime soon, right, But what AI does impact is,
(01:37):
like I said, that safety piece, ensuring that they have
the materials that they need, ensuring that the equipment is
working correctly with some of that preventative maintenance types of things.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
And hopefully to be repaintable. So things that It's a process.
You know, construction on any site's a process. And what
we see here whether it's a commercial and an industrial
building or whatever, and installation you have to repeat it,
you have to do it well. You can make it better,
but basically you're doing the same thing over and over.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Yep. Absolutely, but it's yes, it's the same thing over
and over. And you always have different challenges on job sites, right,
Like no two job sites is the same, and there
are different things that come up where you need a
human brain to kind of take a look at what
those are. Yet AI absolutely impacts some of that, some
of the workflow processes.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
Well. To that point, I think all job sites are
one of right, Yes, they're all new. They we're going
to build the same building in another place, but it's
always going to be something.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
New, correct, correct.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
So to teaching people back to what you do all right,
and the trade leaders so your profession you help them
become better leaders.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
Absolutely, So we're working directly with trade leaders on those
leadership skills. So whether that is that new hire buddy
that's helping to support a new hire coming in and
ensuring that they have the right tools and the training
and the alignment within the culture, whether that is for
trade leaders that are moving, you know, from on the
(03:15):
tools into a form and role where you're still on
the tools, but now you have a people management side
to it. And those are things where AI is not
going to take over leadership, right you know. But and
within that how we connect and that culture that we
create and that environment is one hundred percent based on
how you know, how are we leading folks within the
(03:38):
job site and within the organization.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
And two that you said moving and what we're talking
about moving today. Everything's global, so they going to be moving.
The site could be in today in Wisconsin to market
in Dubai, and it could be in Shanghai. So these
professionals have to be mobile, so you reach them anywhere.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
Yep, yep. We work with organization all over and our training,
we have our virtual training and then we also have
our in person training, but a lot of virtual training.
So we work with leaders you know, all over to
support that growth.
Speaker 1 (04:12):
And so you do see there are demands, but you
do see there opportunities and AI is going to be
creating more opportunities in the trades.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Yeah, I do believe AI will one hundred percent create opportunities.
You know, McKinsey did a study and found that AI
will increase you know, productivity by about twenty percent in
the trades. Granted, that is a lot on the front
end and the design, it's also in the supply chain
piece of it. It's in those areas that directly impact
(04:41):
the work that the blue collar trades people are doing.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
And well, I see that here. The logistics part of
having everything on side in a timely fashion, it is
probably maybe more important than having the right persons on
the job site. Things to have to arrive because most
job sites just you know, they're finite, they're not everywhere,
so things have to come in be assembled or manufactured
(05:07):
or whatever.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Correct.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
So that part really goes down to the bottom line
to the person you know, boots on the ground, so to.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
Ensure that they that they have the materials in order
to do the work one hundred percent.
Speaker 1 (05:20):
And they can see and follow they're excel or whatever
and see how things are coming and interact with systems.
Speaker 2 (05:27):
Correct yep, yep. And I think that that's one of
the things that's so incredibly important is knowing do we
have the materials, where are my plans, what's following? You know.
And construction sites are very complex because you have many
different subcontractors. It could be h back, it could be electrical,
it could be plumbing, you know, it could be the
installation for your windows. It could be your flooring through
your roofing through right. Everything is a process that is
(05:53):
somewhat dependent upon what is in front of it, you know.
And then you've got your permitting piece. So there's a
number of things that go into this to ensure that
those builds happened, that they happen on time and in budget,
with the right materials coming in. That's where AI can
be incredibly impactful and.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Helping all of these different trades work amongst themselves together, correct,
because they're basically at times they're all together on the site.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
Yep. There absolutely are so there's that communication between the
different pms and what that specifically looks like. And there's
leadership that's not just within an organization, but it's cross
functional to the other subs that you're working with.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Very good, Well, I saw on your site you have
a tough talk blueprint quickly?
Speaker 2 (06:40):
What is that? Yeah? Absolutely, And so here's my question
for you, Tom. Have you ever had a tough talk
that you've had to have that you don't want to
have because there's all this fear around it going badly?
Speaker 1 (06:52):
Well, I wouldn't say every day, but the years ago
when I wasn't a leadership that was at least weekly.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
Yeah. Absolutely. And so what we're equipping leaders to do
with our tough talk blueprint is it's really looking at
how do we have these conversations in a way that
supports the other person that we're working with. And you know,
when we're first talking, you know, and sometimes the question
is well I don't know what tough talk I need
(07:20):
to have. I go, well, what are all of your complaints?
You know, like, what are the things you're complaining about
on a daily basis? Right? And so if we look
at our complaints, complaints are just a poorly worded request.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
Well, you're really reminding me, and I think it's funny
because on job size, and I visited hundreds of them
here in Brazil in my previous profession. But after the
morning coffee, that's when the tough talk needed to start
because all of the different trades were complaining at the
same time about the other group of.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
The It's like this finger pointing thing right right, And
so you know, if we can figureigure out what requests
do we actually have and then let's go have that
conversation about it, we're going to be able to move
you know, the productivity forward. We're going to be able
to ensure that there's not all this gray area of
one person not knowing what the next person is doing.
(08:16):
And so we have six steps to this tough talk,
specifically for trade leaders in blue collar and that first
is to, you know, start with the intention. What is
the intention of the conversation? Well, guess what, you're just
complaining about something, and that complaint there's some requests you
have so that you know can be your intention. You know,
the intention is that we you know, improve our communication
(08:38):
with the HVAT crew so we can get X y
Z done. Right, and maybe it's you know, improve that relationship,
whatever that is. And then that second step is to
set the tone and to lead with respect. I hear
so many conversations it's like, hey, why the heck did
you do that? You know, like, and it starts out
that it puts somebody in this defensive possible We're ever
(09:00):
going to have a productive talk if I'm already on
the defensive before, like as you're walking up to me, right,
And so you know, we need to ensure that we're
leading with that respect and honesty for what they're doing,
because a lot of times we can't do it without them. Right.
We want to look at facts. You know, there's so
often that we will wrap a story around something versus
(09:21):
just the facts. I was coaching individual yesterday and he's like, well,
you know, this manager of mind always does this and
this and this and this, and I go, how many
times has he actually done that?
Speaker 1 (09:32):
Right?
Speaker 2 (09:33):
Well, two in the last six months? Said is that always?
Well we have weekly meetings. I said, okay, so six
months times four, that's twenty four and it's happened two times.
Sod okay, Yeah, So this sticking to the facts, when
we can look at what the observable facts are. Now
(09:55):
we can round ourselves in what really is my request?
Is it something there doing? Is it actually communication? What
is it? And it allows us to have a productive conversation?
Speaker 1 (10:06):
Very good? Well, well what I want to do go
back to the productive conversation. How can our audience find
you to have a productive conversation with you to get
the ball work?
Speaker 2 (10:16):
Yeah, we have a tough Talk audit that you can
go ahead and download that will also give you access
to a conversation if you want to have it and
figure out how to have that conversation. And then we
also have a podcast as you found Tom called the
People Strategy Podcast.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
Very good. So got the tools and where else can
they find you?
Speaker 2 (10:36):
They can find me at Elevated Talentconsulting dot com or
on LinkedIn at Tracy Austin very good.
Speaker 1 (10:44):
Well, thanks again for being with us, Thanks Tom, and
for our audience. It is Tracy Austin t are a
CI the last name a us ti n find her
on LinkedIn and Elevated Talentconsulting dot com. Elevated Talentconsulting dot
Com Cafe network is brought to us by Focus My
(11:05):
Market Intelligence and agricultural market research specialist in Brazil. More
information at f O, c U, s m I dot com.
Talk to Tom, Talk to the World, Thanks for listening.
Till the next time here at Cafee and Networking podcast
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