Beyond the Build: CJ Myrick on Leadership, Trust, and Success in Modular Construction
Modular construction offers tremendous opportunities to improve project delivery, reduce risk, and increase efficiency. But what happens when the technology is ready and the team isn't?
The construction industry is constantly searching for better ways to build. From modular construction and prefabrication to advanced manufacturing and innovative project delivery methods, new approaches promise faster schedules, improved quality, and greater cost certainty.
But implementing a different construction method does not automatically guarantee success.
What ultimately determines whether a project succeeds isn't just how the building is constructed. It's how the people responsible for delivering it work together.
During the Becoming Human Again event in Denver, CJ Myrick delivered a presentation exploring how leadership, trust, and collaboration influence the success of modular construction projects.
Drawing from nearly three decades of construction experience, Myrick shared lessons from major hospitality developments, workforce housing projects, and his work as an owner's representative.
His message challenged industry professionals to look beyond technical expertise and recognize the importance of the human relationships that make successful projects possible.
At the center of his presentation was a powerful reminder:
You don't need a title to be a leader. You need the ability to positively influence the people around you.
Leadership Is About Looking Downstream
Myrick opened his presentation with an unexpected example of leadership: whitewater rafting.
Before focusing his career on modular and offsite construction, he spent weekends working as a river guide on Tennessee's Ocoee River while managing commercial construction projects during the week.
He shared a photograph of himself guiding a raft through Double Trouble Rapid, a Class IV rapid known for its challenging conditions.
In the photograph, passengers were paddling in different directions as the raft navigated turbulent water.
But Myrick's attention was focused somewhere else.
Downstream.
As the guide, his responsibility was to anticipate what was coming, protect the people in his boat, and lead everyone safely through the experience.
For Myrick, construction leadership operates much the same way.
Projects involve competing priorities, unexpected challenges, schedule pressures, and countless moving parts.
While team members may be focused on their individual responsibilities, someone must maintain a broader perspective.
A strong leader understands where the project is going, what obstacles may lie ahead, and what the team needs to navigate them successfully.
Leadership isn't about controlling every paddle. It's about helping everyone move in the right direction.
The Opportunity and Reality of Modular Construction
Myrick highlighted several projects demonstrating the versatility and potential of modular construction.
These included glamping cabins near Yellowstone National Park, workforce housing developments in Big Sky, Montana, and a dual-brand Marriott hotel in Hawthorne, California.
The Marriott project provided a particularly compelling example.
According to Myrick, the approximately 350-room hotel went from concrete in the ground to welcoming guests in just 11 months.
The modules arrived with much of their interior work already completed, including finishes, lighting, artwork, and furnishings.
This level of factory completion significantly reduced the amount of work required on-site.
He also discussed the Knight Building in Big Sky, Montana, an award-winning multifamily development using cross-laminated timber (CLT) modular construction.
Unlike conventional light-frame modules, the building utilized six-sided CLT modules that arrived approximately 90% to 95% complete.
Myrick described the project as the first commercial multifamily building in North America constructed using CLT modular methods.
These examples demonstrate how offsite construction can support a wide range of building types while creating opportunities to improve efficiency and project delivery.
However, Myrick emphasized that modular construction should not be treated as an automatic solution to every construction challenge.
The method creates opportunities.
The people responsible for executing it determine whether those opportunities become results.
Why Construction Needs to Rethink Project Risk
One of the most concerning issues Myrick addressed was the construction industry's ongoing struggle with project schedules and budgets.
During his presentation, he referenced industry data indicating that only 8.5% of commercial real estate construction completed in 2023 was delivered both on time and within budget.
For Myrick, this statistic highlighted an enormous opportunity.
Rather than viewing other modular companies as the primary competition, he encouraged offsite construction professionals to focus on solving the broader industry's delivery challenges.
The goal should be reducing the risks associated with conventional construction.
He also discussed how project delays have become so common that some contractors anticipate them before work begins.
Those expectations influence scheduling, resource allocation, subcontractor coordination, and project planning.
When delays are assumed to be inevitable, they can become embedded in the construction process.
Modular construction offers opportunities to address these challenges through factory-controlled production, more predictable workflows, and reduced on-site labor requirements.
But there is an important distinction.
A different construction process does not eliminate the need for effective project management.
In fact, modular construction introduces additional coordination requirements that demand experienced and collaborative leadership.
Managing Three Job Sites Instead of One
One of the most practical insights from Myrick's presentation was his explanation of the coordination required for volumetric modular construction.
Unlike traditional site-built construction, modular projects often involve three separate operational environments:
The construction site: Where foundations, utilities, site improvements, and final module installation take place.
The manufacturing facility: Where modules are produced, finished, and prepared for delivery.
The staging yard: Where completed modules are organized and stored before transportation to the construction site.
These three environments must operate together.
Myrick explained that installation crews may set approximately 14 to 30 modules per day, depending on the project.
When modules are manufactured hundreds or even thousands of miles away, deliveries cannot always be coordinated directly from the factory to the crane.
A staging yard becomes an essential part of the logistics strategy.
This creates additional considerations involving transportation, sequencing, communication, and scheduling.
For developers unfamiliar with modular construction, these requirements can introduce unexpected complexity.
That's why Myrick emphasized the importance of having leaders who understand the entire project delivery process.
The goal is not simply to manage individual tasks.
It is to coordinate the relationships, resources, and decisions that allow the entire project to move forward.
Why Modular Construction Alone Doesn't Guarantee Success
Myrick challenged a common assumption within the offsite construction industry.
Modular construction is frequently promoted through its potential benefits: speed to market, cost certainty, reduced risk, and improved quality.
But those outcomes are not guaranteed simply because a project uses modular methods.
He compared the situation to a company implementing new project management or invoicing software.
Purchasing the software does not automatically solve the organization's problems.
Employees must understand how to use it.
Processes must adapt.
Leadership must support the transition.
The same principle applies to modular construction.
A project may use advanced manufacturing methods and still struggle if communication breaks down, expectations are unclear, or team members do not trust one another.
Myrick emphasized that project success requires a solutions-driven team willing to collaborate and challenge assumptions.
Innovation should not be the responsibility of the owner alone.
Architects, engineers, contractors, manufacturers, and trade professionals all bring valuable knowledge to the project.
An electrician, for example, may understand opportunities to improve electrical installation efficiency that other project stakeholders would never recognize.
Strong leaders create environments where that expertise can be shared.
Innovation becomes more valuable when everyone on the team has the opportunity to contribute.
The Owner's Representative: Protecting the Entire Project
A central focus of Myrick's presentation was the role of the owner's representative in modular construction.
An owner's representative, often called an owner's rep, advocates for the owner's goals throughout the development process.
Unlike a construction manager whose primary responsibilities may center on the construction phase, an owner's representative can remain involved from early programming and planning through final occupancy.
Myrick emphasized that an owner's representative does not necessarily have to be an outside consultant.
The role may be filled by an internal employee or an independent professional, depending on the developer's needs.
Regardless of the arrangement, the responsibility remains the same: protect the owner's interests while helping the entire project team succeed.
This begins with clearly establishing the Owner's Project Requirements (OPR).
The OPR defines what the project is intended to accomplish.
That includes technical considerations such as building systems, program requirements, and performance expectations.
But it may also include broader objectives.
For example, a developer may want to create affordable housing, serve a particular community, or achieve specific social outcomes.
Understanding those goals helps project leaders make decisions that align with the owner's larger vision.
Myrick emphasized that effective owner's representatives must also consider the well-being and success of every project stakeholder.
Protecting the owner does not mean disregarding contractors, manufacturers, or consultants.
Instead, strong leadership recognizes that the owner's success depends on the success of the people delivering the project.
Trust: The Foundation of Every Successful Project
If there was one concept Myrick returned to throughout his presentation, it was trust.
He described building trust as one of the most important responsibilities of an owner's representative.
That trust must extend beyond the relationship between the owner and project leader.
It must exist throughout the project team.
Architects, engineers, contractors, manufacturers, consultants, and specialty trades all need to understand that their expertise is respected and their contributions matter.
Myrick contrasted two different leadership environments.
In the first, leaders micromanage employees, repeatedly question decisions, and copy large groups of people on emails to document every conversation.
Rather than creating accountability, this approach can create defensiveness.
Team members become more focused on protecting themselves than solving problems.
In the second environment, leaders establish expectations, provide resources, and trust their teams to execute their responsibilities.
When challenges arise, people can communicate openly without immediately fearing blame.
Myrick identified three important indicators of trust:
Communication: Open, honest, and transparent conversations.
Connection: Genuine relationships where people feel respected and valued.
Commitment: A shared vision and willingness to take responsibility for outcomes.
When these elements are present, teams can engage in healthy conflict, hold one another accountable, and remain committed to project success.
Trust does not mean disagreements disappear.
It means disagreements can happen without destroying relationships.
Building a Shared Purpose: The Barrancas National Cemetery Project
One of the most meaningful stories Myrick shared involved his work on an expansion project at Barrancas National Cemetery at Naval Air Station Pensacola.
The project took place within an active national cemetery, creating unique operational and emotional considerations.
Construction activities occurred near areas where families gathered to honor deceased service members.
Myrick recognized that the project's purpose extended far beyond completing construction work.
His team was helping create a place of remembrance and respect.
He established a job site orientation for every new worker.
During that orientation, he explained what the team was building, why it mattered, and whom the project would serve.
He also established an important expectation.
When a graveside service took place near the construction site, work would stop out of respect for the family.
That decision could affect productivity and schedules.
But because Myrick communicated the purpose clearly during bidding and onboarding, the team understood the expectation.
According to Myrick, the project did not receive a single delay claim related to those interruptions.
Years later, the significance of the project became even more personal.
While spending time with family in Montana, he learned that a relative by marriage had recently buried her husband at Barrancas National Cemetery.
The project he had helped deliver had directly affected someone connected to his own family.
For Myrick, the experience reinforced the importance of remembering the people behind construction projects.
When teams understand why their work matters, they become more invested in how they accomplish it.
The Two Types of Trust Every Leader Must Build
Myrick explained that trust can be understood through two important dimensions: capabilities and character.
Trust in Capabilities
Capabilities involve the technical skills and professional competencies required to perform a job.
Can someone manage a budget?
Can they maintain a schedule?
Do they understand quality assurance and quality control?
Can they communicate technical challenges effectively?
These are essential considerations when selecting construction professionals.
However, Myrick argued that technical expertise alone is not enough.
Trust in Character
Character involves the personal qualities that determine how individuals treat one another and respond to challenges.
Do team members believe their leader will support them?
Can they rely on one another during difficult situations?
Will people take responsibility when mistakes happen?
Myrick illustrated this concept through an example from college football.
When a backup quarterback unexpectedly entered a high-pressure game, a teammate offered encouragement and expressed confidence in his ability to succeed.
That moment demonstrated how powerful it can be to know that others believe in you.
Myrick reflected on a difficult construction project from his own career and wondered whether offering similar encouragement to a struggling superintendent might have changed the outcome.
He acknowledged that he would never know because he had not taken that opportunity.
The lesson was not about avoiding accountability.
It was about recognizing that people often perform better when they feel supported rather than isolated.
Technical competence earns confidence. Character builds the trust that allows teams to succeed together.
Integrity, Accountability, and Ownership
Beyond trust, Myrick identified integrity and ownership as essential characteristics of effective construction leaders.
Integrity begins with doing what you say you will do.
If a leader promises to review a change order within a specific timeframe, that commitment matters.
If contractors are expected to meet deadlines and contractual obligations, leaders must hold themselves to comparable standards.
Myrick described integrity through four qualities:
Honesty
Responsibility
Reliability
Consistency
These characteristics influence how teams respond to challenges.
For example, when someone brings bad news to a project leader, the response matters.
If employees expect anger or blame, they may hesitate to communicate problems.
But when leaders respond consistently and focus on understanding the issue, teams are more likely to address challenges early.
Myrick also discussed the importance of taking ownership when things go wrong.
Leaders cannot expect accountability from their teams while refusing to accept responsibility for their own decisions.
When individuals acknowledge mistakes, learn from them, and work toward solutions, they strengthen the foundation of trust.
Over time, this creates an environment where healthy conflict, commitment, and accountability can support better project outcomes.
Why a Coachable Team Can Outperform an Experienced One
One of the most interesting perspectives from Myrick's presentation involved the importance of coachability.
Modular construction is a specialized field, and developers are often encouraged to work exclusively with experienced modular project teams.
While relevant experience is valuable, Myrick argued that willingness to learn can be just as important.
He shared the example of a modular project in Jasper, Alberta.
The client had attended his presentation at World of Modular 2025 after spending several days at the conference.
According to Myrick, the client later explained that his presentation was the first one that made the team feel confident they could successfully complete a modular project.
Rather than discouraging newcomers, Myrick encouraged them to assemble a capable, coachable team.
He also reflected on the Hawthorne Marriott project.
Despite its successful delivery, several key project participants had never completed a modular development before.
That included Myrick himself.
What made the project successful was not universal modular experience.
It was a willingness to collaborate, learn, communicate, and work through challenges together.
Myrick explained that he continues to maintain relationships with the owner and contractor from that project.
Even though disagreements occurred during construction, those challenges did not undermine the trust they had developed.
For developers considering modular construction, his advice offered a valuable perspective.
An experienced team is important. But a team that is willing to learn, collaborate, and trust one another can be equally powerful.
The Real Value of Construction Leadership
Myrick concluded by challenging the perception that hiring an owner's representative simply adds another expense to a project.
In his view, the right leader should create measurable value.
That value may come through better coordination, reduced risk, improved decision-making, stronger communication, and healthier relationships across the project team.
The objective is not to add another layer of oversight.
It is to improve the conditions that allow everyone to perform effectively.
For Myrick, two responsibilities remain especially important: building trust and helping the project team remain successful throughout the development process.
That requires technical understanding, but it also demands emotional intelligence, integrity, accountability, and a willingness to put the team first.
Owners and developers are entrusting project leaders with more than construction budgets.
They are entrusting them with their time, reputations, investments, and long-term goals.
The person leading that effort must recognize the significance of that responsibility.
Building Better Projects Starts With Better Leadership
CJ Myrick's presentation at Becoming Human Again offered an important reminder for the offsite construction industry.
Modular construction can transform how buildings are designed, manufactured, and delivered.
But the success of those innovations still depends on people.
Factories cannot replace trust.
Technology cannot substitute for integrity.
And advanced construction methods cannot eliminate the need for effective leadership.
As the industry continues exploring more efficient building processes, Myrick's message encourages professionals to invest just as intentionally in the relationships that support those processes.
The strongest project teams are not necessarily those with the most impressive resumes or the longest history of working with a particular construction method.
They are teams that communicate honestly, embrace accountability, remain open to learning, and trust one another to do their jobs.
Because successful construction isn't just about delivering a building. It's about bringing people together to accomplish something they couldn't achieve alone.
Continuing the Becoming Human Again Conversation
CJ Myrick's presentation reinforced the central mission of Becoming Human Again: bringing the human element back into an industry increasingly focused on technology, efficiency, and innovation.
His experience as an owner's representative demonstrates how thoughtful leadership can influence project performance while strengthening the relationships that make successful construction possible.
As the offsite construction industry continues to evolve, the opportunity is not simply to build differently.
It is to lead differently.
Learn more about upcoming Becoming Human Again events at https://www.becominghumanagainevents.com/
Explore more industry conversations, stories, and expert perspectives at https://www.offsitedirtnetwork.com/contributors
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Why is leadership important for successful modular construction projects?
Leadership is essential in modular construction because projects require coordination between manufacturing facilities, construction sites, staging yards, contractors, and other stakeholders. CJ Myrick emphasizes that modular construction alone does not guarantee faster schedules, lower costs, or reduced risk. Strong leadership helps establish clear expectations, build trust, improve communication, and ensure that project teams work together toward shared goals.
2. What does an owner's representative do in modular construction?
An owner's representative advocates for the owner's goals throughout the development process, from early planning and programming through construction and occupancy. Responsibilities may include establishing project requirements, coordinating stakeholders, managing risk, supporting decision-making, and protecting the owner's investment. CJ Myrick emphasizes that effective owner's representatives also build trust and support the success of the entire project team rather than focusing exclusively on the owner's immediate interests.
3. What were the key takeaways from CJ Myrick's presentation at Becoming Human Again?
CJ Myrick emphasized that successful modular construction depends on leadership, trust, integrity, accountability, and collaboration. He explained why strong project teams must balance technical expertise with interpersonal skills and why coachability can be as valuable as previous modular experience. His presentation also highlighted the importance of shared purpose, transparent communication, and creating environments where team members feel supported and empowered to contribute.
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