The problem of self-promotion in construction

View profile for Brian Graybeal

Construction business manager

Over the past month, I’ve reached out to more than 50 professionals on LinkedIn—most of them strong self-promoters, equipped with polished talking points and impressive claims of skill. What I’ve observed is that in many cases, self-promotion outweighs actual production. Talking points often carry more weight than tangible portfolios. In construction, this dynamic becomes especially clear. It only takes one person to physically install a lightbulb, yet fifty people will gather to debate who should do it, how it should be done, and when—though few, if any, of them could actually perform the task themselves. I’ve watched this slow churn take hold of the industry since around 2005. It brings to mind one of my favorite lines: “I was not elected to watch my people suffer and die while you discuss this invasion in a committee.” While not directly about construction, it captures the same frustration: the danger of paralyzing process overshadowing the urgency of scope, execution, and risk management. In my view, this remains one of construction’s greatest Achilles’ heels—the tendency to overthink the process while under-delivering on the work itself.

Richard Grier

Helping Construction Companies Lower Lodging Costs & Boost Comfort | CEO & Co-Owner @ Hard Hat Housing

4w

Brian Graybeal Totally get this. I’ve seen similar dynamics when coordinating crew housingendless back-and-forth on logistics while the real priority, like securing safe and comfortable lodging, gets delayed. It’s a reminder that action beats analysis paralysis every time.

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