01-27 GENERALS WINTER25 FINAL EDIT (JAN 25) - Flipbook - Page 14
ADVOCACY
BRIDGING THE LEADERSHIP
GAP IN CONSTRUCTION
Why Coaching Matters More Than Ever
By KOREN WAINES, Manager of Mental Health, and KAMI SCHNURER, Manager of Corporate Services, Medcor Canada
I
The Talent Shortage Challenge
The Canadian Construction Association
reports 78% of construction companies
face skilled labor shortages—a slight
improvement from two years ago, yet still
alarmingly high. Many organizations want
to promote within, but a weak leadership
bench makes this dif昀椀cult. The lack of
leadership development contributes to
higher turnover, decreased productivity, and
even toxic work environments—challenges
no company can afford.1
The Ripple Effect of Poor Leadership
Poor leadership doesn’t just affect morale;
it can damage client satisfaction and
tarnish brand reputation. When leaders
lack the skills to manage interpersonal
con昀氀ict, issues fester and escalate, leading
to disengagement and low productivity.
In these situations, managers are
Leadership Coaching: A Proven Solution
Leadership coaching is emerging as a
powerful way to support new leaders. It’s no
longer reserved for high-ranking executives
- it’s for all levels.
Beyond 昀椀nancial returns, coaching delivers something priceless: mental resilience
and well-being. Coaching helps leaders:
Develop coping mechanisms for stress
and pressure.
Prevent burnout by learning to prioritize
and delegate effectively.
Build emotional intelligence, which
fosters empathy and trust.
Create psychologically safe teams, reduce
anxiety, and improve morale.
When leaders feel supported, they can
model healthy behaviors for their teams—
N TODAY’S CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY, many leaders
Most importantly, coaching
protects mental health. It
equips leaders to manage
stress, foster well-being, and
create psychologically safe
workplaces—critical in an
industry where pressure is
constant, and mistakes can
be costly.
14 the generals • WINTER 2025/2026
find themselves in positions of authority, not because of formal leadership
training, but due to their technical
expertise. While this speaks volumes
about their skill and dedication, the
transition from individual contributor
to people leader can be overwhelming—
especially in a challenging economy where
layoffs have occurred, organizations are
lean, and employees wear multiple hats. To
make matters worse, senior management
and executives are often so busy that they
lack the time and resources to guide these
new leaders. When new leaders aren’t supported, stress ripples through teams and
organizations.
THEGENERALS.NET
Photo by Nik Shuliahin on Unsplash
consumed with repairing relationships while
employees focus on stress instead of tasks.
The result? A workplace where innovation
stalls, collaboration suffers, and safety risks
increase.
But the impact goes deeper: mental
health suffers. Chronic stress from unclear
expectations, poor communication, and unresolved con昀氀ict can lead to anxiety, burnout, and even physical health issues. When
leaders are overwhelmed and unsupported,
they often pass that stress on to their teams.
This creates a cycle of fatigue and frustration
that erodes trust and well-being across the
organization.
