Episode
Why Young Workers and Employers Can't Understand Each Other
- Published
- Jun 9, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2289
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Summary
Liam McComas is 25, works in construction, and believes Gen Z owes it to themselves—and the trades—to earn trust before expecting it. Most content about Gen Z in the workforce falls into one of two camps: either the younger generation doesn't want to work, or companies need to change everything to keep them around. Liam McComas rejects both. At 25 and two years into his career as a project engineer at Neumann Brothers in Des Moines, Iowa, he's made a choice most people his age won't: the responsibility for earning trust on the job site belongs to the younger generation first. Liam grew up playing football from third grade through college at the University of Northern Iowa, trained by old-school, hard-nosed coaches who taught him that if you don't know the play, that's on you. That foundation—control what you can control, be coachable, show up prepared—is exactly what he carries onto the job site every day. If you're a young tradesman, apprentice, or project engineer trying to figure out how to earn respect faster, or if you lead a team and want to understand what separates the ones who make it from the ones who quit, this episode is for you. IN THIS EPISODE (00:00) – Introduction & Guest Background: Liam McComas joins the show fresh off a conversation at the Master Builders of Iowa conference, where his perspective on Gen Z accountability turned heads in the room. (04:00) – How Athletics Built the Foundation: Liam explains how football under hard-nosed coaches taught him the single mindset that transfers directly to the trades: control what you can control, or it controls you. (09:00) – What Gen Z Gets Wrong About Earning Trust: Younger workers want results now—but tradesmen can see through the ones who talk more than they deliver, and the credibility gap opens fas…