You're Good at Building. This Is About Leading.

I have been blessed with multiple jobs and careers over my 8 decades, ranging from my first job in a supermarket, in construction, in American steel foundry, busing tables, bartending, college student, military service, team building in graduate school, corporate life including human resources, branch operations management, and division sales manager, ultimately arriving at entrepreneurial roles in my final years before retiring to total volunteer work with a non-profit. Each was a learning experience, some textbook learning, learning from the mistakes of others and myself. But the best was learning in the school of life. Had I seen or read BUILDING PEOPLE WHO BUILD HOSPITALS by Michael Toftely, I may have kept more of my brown hair and lost less over the years. Although his book focuses on his growth and development in the ‘healthcare construction’ industry, Mr. Toftely’s book transcends into all the roles in which I participated. His chapter synopsis is well presented. You will be anxious to learn more. His flow and style of writing is very smooth, engaging and draws you to read each chapter. This is not a book that needs to be read in sequence from start to finish. His Promise: Say It - Do It - Prove It – should be adopted by every level of any organization. His personal examples of walking the job site, seeing the problem, asking questions of subordinates to identify the REAL issue can play out in any role. He shows interactive lessons on when to ask a question, allowing a period of silence or pause - and asking yet another question to ensure you understand the issue. This book takes you out-of-the-classroom and into real life experiences. It is a great teaching tool for those willing to 'learn'.

What sets this book apart is the storytelling. Mike doesn't summarize lessons from a distance; he puts you in the room with him as he learned them. You feel the weight of the decisions, the pressure of the moments, the stakes of the work. It's vivid in a way that's rare in professional development books. What I really appreciated is his intent. This isn't a book about how impressive his career has been. It's a field guide. Every chapter ends with something concrete and actionable, something you can actually do before you close the book. Most books leave you inspired and stuck. This one leaves you moving. If you're in any kind of leadership, pick this up. You'll finish it with new tools and a clearer sense of the professional you're trying to become.

If you work in hospital construction, you know it’s one of the most stressful jobs out there. You’re dealing with life-saving equipment, strict regulations, and tight deadlines. Most books on this topic are dry manuals about "how to manage a project." This book is different—it’s about how to manage your life and your people while doing that work. The Main Idea: The "Second Half" The author explains that early in your career, you’re focused on "winning"—getting the promotion, hitting the schedule, and proving you’re the smartest person in the room. But eventually, you hit a point where that isn't enough. In the "Second Half" of your career, your goal shifts from just building things to building people. Your legacy isn’t the hospital wing; it’s the team you left behind.

Building a culture that fosters partnerships that last is possible. Truly transformational with common sense and sustainability. Maintaining relationships with client through consistent communication, fulfilling promises, honesty, trust and care. Healthy focus on process not outcome. Knowing accidents can happen while handling by thinking first with a diagnoses before prescribing fix. Focus on growth of team with their reliability. I come from construction family of 70 years and can't wait to share this book with new members starting in our industry. Truly enjoyed this book; look forward to the next.

I enjoyed reading this book and found several takeaways that resonate when I think about leadership. Although I am not in the construction career, I do lead staff in the healthcare industry. Michael does an excellent job of describing how he builds his teams based on trust and transparency. We learn about nurturing the processes and people that create great outcomes. Much of the focus is based on motivation, which is manifested within a solidly built culture. His stories and reflections demonstrate how he shifted in his second half, to get himself and those around him, to where he is today. Excellent read!

As a PM from the GC realm, this book provided me with crucial insight into leadership, the healthcare sector, and the construction industry as a whole. Moreover, the author shares construction through a unique and sincere perspective that focuses on relationships over business, excellence through consistency, and work ethic over metrics. Beyond work experiences and anecdotes, Mike shares valuable lessons learned from his 20+ years in construction. He started as a PE for a large GC, adopted various roles as a GC, CM, and consultant, and ultimately landed an executive role for one of the nation's leading hospitals. His journey came with many personal and professional struggles and sacrifices, and he shares them honestly throughout this book. In an industry which often rewards results and degrees over character, Mike emphasizes the opposite. Instead, he focuses on respect: for others (including every person on the project team, the client, and other stakeholders) and for oneself (through self-guiding principles as both an individual and a representative of the project). The book is written in an appealing way to a construction professional at any level. From the overall tone to the action items throughout, every chapter was an engaging and interesting read. Whether you're in the middle of your career looking for fresh insight into crisis management or interested in specializing in occupied hospital renovations, this book is for you!

Thank you, Michael Toftely, for writing this. I'm a pastor focused on mental health and workplace wellness. I don't work in construction — but many of the people I counsel do, and I am genuinely grateful that Michael Toftely wrote this book for them. He writes about the cost of carrying everything yourself, the slow erosion of meaning in high-pressure work, and the difference between a career that looks successful and one that actually is. These are things I try to address in pastoral care every week. Michael names them with a clarity and honesty I rarely see in any book, let alone one from inside the construction industry. The section on building significance rather than just success is worth the price alone. I've sat with people who climbed every ladder and arrived at the top feeling empty. This book asks the questions that lead people toward honest self-examination — and in my work, that's often where healing begins. Michael could have written another project management manual. Instead he wrote something that will outlast every building on his resume. For that, and for the people it will reach, I'm deeply thankful. Please pass this book along!

As a structural engineering consultant who has worked on hospital projects in the San Francisco Bay Area for 45 years, I can honestly say this is the first book of its kind that I have read. Michael Toftely captures so many of the lessons I’ve learned over decades in healthcare construction and leadership — but what makes this book exceptional is how much further it goes through the personal stories and experiences he shares so openly. What resonated most with me was the honesty and practicality throughout the book. Mike doesn’t present abstract management theory; he talks about the real work of building trust, earning respect, communicating honestly, working hard, and genuinely caring about the mission and the people involved. Those qualities are at the heart of successful hospital projects, and this book brings them to life in a very human way. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and found myself reflecting on many moments from my own career. I’ll be recommending this book to everyone in our office — especially younger professionals who want to understand not just how hospitals are built, but how strong teams and meaningful careers are built as well.

Do you want to become a successful health care contractor? Do you want to build great hospitals and help heal the sick? If you do, you've got to read Mike Toftely's book "Building People Who Build Hospitals!" Mike's compelling view is that you've got to concentrate on the people involved, not just on the hospital structure itself. You must build trust, develop relationships and be transparent with all people involved. You must lead by example while building a leadership team so that anyone can take over in your absence. Mike doesn't sugarcoat the life and challenges facing the hospital contractor. You must preserve your reputation and your health. The job isn't easy but it's a great career choice if that is your desire. Not interested in hospital construction? This book is a thought- provoking read regardless of your career bent. I was a school administrator and especially liked his thoughts in Chapter 3. It was packed full of vital information on team building and employee development and inspiration that applied directly to my career. I can't recommend Mike Toftely's book enough!

So I gotta say that most leadership books I've picked up lately read like LinkedIn posts stretched to 200 pages. This one doesn't. Toftely tells stories from actual jobs, the kind where things went sideways, and the lessons he pulls out hold up well outside of construction. The Trust Ledger idea stuck with me the most. Every promise kept is a deposit. Every one broken is a withdrawal. You can't borrow against a balance that isn't there. I came away with two or three things I want to do differently this week. That's rare.

Mike clearly knows construction and more importantly how to build people and a team. Without the men and women that we surround ourselves with we are just another guy. After 22 years in construction myself the most important thing I have learned is that relationships matter. If you are a 10-20 year construction leader or that 30-40 year executive. This book is for you and you can apply it to your team building in whatever organization you are involved in.

Michael Toftley writes from the trenches — his insight comes from doing, not just studying. This book, while aimed at healthcare contractors, contains lessons that apply to anyone who builds critical, public-facing facilities. If you’re a healthcare administrator, builder, engineer, or project manager (or aspire to be), this is essential reading. Toftley uses personal stories to illustrate leadership principles that produce stronger teams, better projects, and a more balanced, rewarding career and legacy. Even those who are already highly successful will find value in this quick read. A standout strength is his insistence on a shared vision: design and build with a clear understanding of how users will use the facility. He doesn’t stop at anecdotes or philosophy — Toftley provides a practical, step-by-step action plan for finding career fulfillment by intentionally “working yourself out of a job.” Clear, honest, and actionable — highly recommended for anyone involved in healthcare facility construction.