Hey, it’s Collin. Welcome to Engineering Echelons, a newsletter full of ideas and insights to help engineers excel at management.

Here’s what I’ve got for you this week.

• New and noteworthy news

• A management perspective to consider

• Leadership insights to delve into

• And more…

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Alright, let’s get into it.

Noteworthy Headlines

1Q2026 CIRT Sentiment Index (FMI)

Highlights:

• The Construction Industry Round Table (CIRT) Sentiment Index indicates a stronger outlook heading into 2026.

• 67% of respondents plan to hire more in 2026 versus 2025.

1Q2026 Construction Economic Insights (McCownGordon)

Highlights:

• Overall, market sentiment is cautiously constructive. While downside risks remain, the construction industry is supported by long-term drivers such as domestic manufacturing investment, infrastructure modernization, and technology-driven demand.

• McCownGordon’s six-to-nine month look ahead of the overall health of the construction market is on target with the ten-year trend while remaining fundamentally stable and consistent with a selective growth environment.

Labor market impacts of AI (Anthropic)

Highlights:

• There’s a large gap between capability and deployment, especially in construction and architecture/engineering categories.

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Management Perspective

Hanlon’s Razor is a heuristic for decision-making, which makes it an essential tool for managers. It states, “never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by neglect or ignorance.”

More simply stated, the world is not out to get you.

This is especially relevant in the AEC industry.

Every project requires the alliance of many different parties to design and build a building. The owner, owner’s representatives, architects, interior designers, engineers, landscape architects, contractors, regulatory authorities, and other stakeholders all collaborate to produce a building that functions how it’s supposed to, is aesthetically pleasing, adheres to adopted codes, and is within budget.

When the project is over, the alliance dissolves. New alliances are later formed for new projects.

Designing and constructing buildings and infrastructure are complex endeavors that carry a high price tag and risk. Each party carries real liability, and each is incentivized to reduce it—sometimes by shifting it to others.

Without the right mindset, this dynamic breeds suspicion. Suspicion erodes collaboration. And poor collaboration puts projects at risk.

This is where Hanlon’s Razor shines.

If a collaborator drops the ball, it’s easy to assume the worst. Hanlon’s Razor forces you to pause and consider alternative explanations. Maybe there was miscommunication? Maybe they don’t realize how their actions impact other disciplines.

This is not a blanket pass for bad behavior. Discretion is still required. But it sets the stage for improved communication and partnerships.

Management Insights

Peter Thiel (investor, cofounder of PayPal and Palantir) on recruiting:

“Recruiting is a core competency for any company. It should never be outsourced. You need people who are not just skilled on paper but who will work together cohesively after they’re hired.”

—

Ray Dalio (founder of Bridgewater Associates) on how to grow faster:

“If you don’t let up on yourself and instead become comfortable always operating with some level of pain, you will evolve at a faster pace.”

—

Alexandr Wang (founder of Scale AI) on recruiting:

“Recruiting done right looks more like courtship. You need there to be a spark, and sometimes that is preceded by months of convincing and pursuit. Ultimately, you’re searching for people you’d be willing to spend every waking moment with, since if things go right, there will be many long nights.”

Management Resource

James Patterson’s tips to disrupt better (Chief Executive)

Many people know James Patterson as a successful novelist. But before all of that, he was CEO of J. Walter Thompson, a prominent advertising agency. This article covers his new book that shares tips about how to be more effective.

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Looking forward to hearing from you. See you next time.

Collin

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