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Activating Curiosity®
Activating Curiosity® | Leading Change in the construction Industry is a top construction podcast for forward-thinking AEC and construction industry leaders who want to elevate their leadership in change management, strengthen construction leadership development, and navigate change management in construction with clarity, connection, and confidence. Hosted by Ryan Ware, AEC industry coach, keynote speaker, and founder of Connective Consulting Group and Connective Coaching—the show dives into conversations with innovators and industry shapers to ask one core question: What’s the most important problem you’re trying to solve and why? Each episode uncovers real stories, hidden challenges, and practical tools to help you lead through change, build psychologically safe teams, and stay ahead in an industry that’s transforming faster than ever. New guest episodes drop twice per month, along with bonus insights designed to help you apply what you hear immediately. If you’re committed to building the future of construction leadership, this show is for you. Listen. Follow or subscribe. Share it with someone navigating change. Let’s build what’s next — together.
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Leading Podcast on Construction Leadership and Change Management
Activating Curiosity® | Leading Change in the Construction Industry
Activating Curiosity® is a top-rated construction podcast for forward-thinking AEC leaders who want to strengthen leadership, navigate change with confidence, and challenge the assumptions shaping the future of the built environment.
Hosted by Ryan Ware, each episode features conversations with the leaders helping shape the future of construction through better questions, fresh perspectives, and meaningful conversations.
Recent Episodes
42
Oct. 13, 2026
Everyone Wants Skilled Workers. Who Is Willing to Develop Them?
Construction needs skilled workers. But if every contractor is looking for people who are already trained and experienced, who is developing the people the industry will need next? Jennifer Wilkerson, Vice President of Innovation and Advancement at the National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER), joins Ryan Ware to explore why training and developing people has become a strategic issue for the construction industry. Jennifer brings a unique perspective to the conversati
41
Oct. 1, 2026
Financial Realities Every AEC Leader Can't Ignore
AEC professionals spend their careers solving complex problems. But are we applying that same problem-solving ability to our finances, businesses, careers, and lives? In this episode of Activating Curiosity™, Ryan Ware sits down with Ryan Sullivan, founder of Off the Beaten Path Financials and Off the Beaten Path Advisors, to explore a different question: What if some of the financial realities we've accepted in AEC aren't rules at all? Ryan began his career as a mechanical engineer. At just ...
40
Sept. 22, 2026
The Biggest Problem in Construction Isn't Budget or Schedule
Construction leaders spend a lot of time talking about budgets, schedules, productivity, and technology. But what if those aren't the real challenge? In this episode of Activating Curiosity™, Ryan Ware sits down with Casey Bell, CEO of Aecore and Co-Founder of Buildzen, to explore a different perspective: What if the biggest challenge in construction is the construction experience itself? Drawing from his experience building both a commercial general contracting company and a constructi
39
Sept. 17, 2026
Why Construction Leaders Can't Hire Their Way Out of the Labor Shortage
The construction industry has a changing workforce. But are the ways we recruit, hire, and develop people changing with it? In this episode of Activating Curiosity™, Ryan Ware sits down with Bryce Batts, Co-Founder of Career Collective and a recruiter with 20 years of experience in the AEC industry, to explore a different question: Can construction really hire its way through a changing workforce? Bryce has watched the AEC recruiting and talent landscape shift dramatically over the past two d...
38
Sept. 8, 2026
Construction Doesn't Have a Building Problem. It Has an Information Problem.
Construction doesn’t have a building problem—it has an information problem. In this episode, Ryan Ware talks with Patrick Murphy, founder of Togal.AI and Chief Innovation Officer at Coastal Construction, about the enormous data and process complexity facing modern construction. They explore how AI-powered tools and better information management could revolutionize estimating, preconstruction, permitting, and project delivery to reduce costs, speed up timelines, and help solve the housing afforda
37
Aug. 25, 2026
What If We Changed the Definition of Standards In Construction?
Industrialized construction goes beyond prefabrication to reshape how buildings are designed and delivered. In this episode of Activating Curiosity™, Ryan Ware talks with Melanie Taylor, Vice President of BILDT, about how leadership, early collaboration, and Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA) are key to overcoming labor shortages and improving project outcomes. They explore how redefining construction standards can create lasting value for projects, people, and communities alike.
36
Aug. 20, 2026
Construction Protects the Body. But What About the Person?
Construction has spent decades improving physical safety. Hard hats. Harnesses. Glasses. Training. Procedures. PPE. But what about the things we can't see? In this episode of Activating Curiosity™, Ryan Ware sits down with Dina Fodero, speaker, certified Enneagram Practitioner, and creator of I-PPE™ (Invisible Personal Protective Essentials), to explore the human side of safety in construction. Together, they unpack why protecting people may require us to think beyond physical safety to psych...
35
Aug. 11, 2026
AI Is Personal: Why the Human Still Matters in Construction
Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the construction industry—but technology alone won't determine who succeeds. In this episode of Activating Curiosity™, Ryan Ware sits down with Timber Barker to explore why successful AI adoption starts with people, not software. Rather than asking whether AI will replace jobs, this conversation challenges leaders to ask a different question: How can AI help people do their best work? From architecture and engineering to construction and facilit...
34
July 28, 2026
People Don't Buy Sustainability. They Buy Better Buildings.
For years, sustainability has often been framed as a choice between doing what's right for the planet and doing what's right for business. But what if the fastest path to climate action has nothing to do with asking people to sacrifice? In this episode of Activating Curiosity™, Ryan Ware sits down with Josh Dorfman host of Supercool and co-founder and CMO of Plantd to, explore sustainable construction, climate innovation, building products, and the human side of change. Together, they unpack ...
33
July 23, 2026
Affordable Housing Starts With Better Questions | Purpose, Community & Construction
Affordable Housing Starts With Better Questions | Purpose, Community & Construction Affordable housing is often framed as a construction challenge, with conversations focused on cost, speed, and supply. Yet behind every housing project is a deeper question about community, purpose, and the people those spaces are intended to serve. In this episode of Activating Curiosity™, Ryan Ware sits down with Rory Rubin, Founder and CEO of SI Container Builds, to explore her unique journey from socia...
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About the Host
Ryan Ware
Ryan Ware is Founder and CEO driving construction leadership development. With over two decades of experience across every segment and level of management in the construction industry, Ryan’s career journey began in architecture and expanded into construction and prefabrication manufacturing. Throughout, he encountered consistent challenges with change management implementation.
Driven by passion and purpose to advance the construction industry, Ryan took to the stage to support as many leaders as possible. He helps audiences build stronger relationships with change and challenges the way leaders think about change, innovation, and leadership. His mission as a speaker, coach, and consultant is simple: to help the construction industry evolve by empowering those who shape it to better navigate change.
Driven by passion and purpose to advance the construction industry, Ryan took to the stage to support as many leaders as possible. He helps audiences build stronger relationships with change and challenges the way leaders think about change, innovation, and leadership. His mission as a speaker, coach, and consultant is simple: to help the construction industry evolve by empowering those who shape it to better navigate change.
Recent Blog Posts
Oct. 13, 2026
Why the Construction Experience Matters More Than Budget or Schedule
When evaluating project success, most construction leaders fixate on budgets and schedules. However, a deeper operational shift reveals that the overall construction experience—encompassing the daily workflows of project managers, superintendents, a…
Oct. 6, 2026
Why Construction Leaders Must Move Past The 'Hit the Ground Running' Onboarding Myth
Demanding that new architecture, engineering, and construction hires hit the ground running is a recipe for high turnover and burnout. Discover why treating onboarding as a long-term strategic investment rather than a reactive fix is the only way AE…
Sept. 29, 2026
Why Construction Estimating Is the Real Bottleneck in Housing Affordability
Construction estimating is often treated as a back-office administrative chore, but it functions as one of the single biggest operational bottlenecks in the entire AEC industry. By examining how preconstruction friction drives up project overhead, i…
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