MCFA podcast
LEADERSHIP BLUEPRINTS
Leadership Blueprints is a podcast dedicated to helping leaders align teams, navigate chaos, and accomplish the mission. Hosted by BJ Kraemer—West Point graduate, combat veteran, and President & CEO of MCFA—this show dives into the principles, stories, and strategies behind effective leadership.
With a background in military service and experience leading teams in business, infrastructure, and complex projects, BJ understands that success comes down to execution, adaptability, and leading people well. Through in-depth interviews with accomplished leaders across business, sports, the military, and beyond, Leadership Blueprints will help you bring your vision to reality on projects that shape communities and industries.
Whether you’re leading in the boardroom, on the field, in the military, or within your own organization, this podcast is designed to provide the tools and mindset needed to lead with clarity, resilience, and purpose. Subscribe now and start building your Leadership Blueprint.
What if the future of leadership in construction isn’t about command and control, but about trust and curiosity?
In this episode of Leadership Blueprints, we’re joined by Andrea Janzen, founder of Ambition Theory, a professional development company that specializes in the research, education, and advancement of women in construction.
Andrea shares her unexpected journey from corporate marketing to coaching executives in the construction industry. She unpacks the power of transformational leadership versus transactional leadership, a model based on collaboration, curiosity, and vision, and why it resonates more with women than traditional, top-down structures. Through real-world examples, including a $2 million sales turnaround, she shows how shifting leadership styles can unlock potential, fuel innovation, and drive measurable results.
Tune in to learn how rethinking leadership can unlock hidden potential, build stronger teams, and drive results, whether you’re in construction or any other fast-evolving industry!
Key Points From This Episode:
- Why traditional leadership doesn’t appeal to most women.
- The value of transformational leadership in highly structured fields.
- Why tech won’t change construction; leaders will.
- Giving credit versus claiming ownership: a leadership nuance.
- Opportunities unlocked by transformational leadership in construction.
Quotes:
“[Leadership coaching] is so much more than getting someone a job. It’s about opening up their potential, helping them see opportunities, [leveraging] relationships, and [making] things happen.” — Andrea Janzen
“We’ve done research in construction that shows us men are just naturally more transactional. Women are naturally more transformational. It’s a thing. It’s not one is better than the other. It just is.” — Andrea Janzen
“A lot of times, people get stuck on the surface-level issue, but we don’t actually get to the root cause. – If you spend more time on the problem and define it properly, the path forward is a lot clearer.” — Andrea Janzen
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Trust and Inspire: How Truly Great Leaders Unleash Greatness in Others
Rising Together: How We Can Bridge Divides and Create a More Inclusive Workplace
What Got You Here Won’t Get You There