Featuring real experiences from graduates of DBIA’s Collaborative Delivery Leadership Academy
When you think of leadership on a design-build team, your mind might jump to executives, project managers or team leads, but in collaborative delivery, leadership isn’t confined to titles. It’s defined by action.
That’s the core message from Zane Andersson, Senior Estimator at Korsmo Construction and a graduate of DBIA’s Collaborative Delivery Leadership Academy (CDLA). For Andersson, the Academy reshaped how he approaches his work and how he encourages others to lead, regardless of their role.
“As a senior estimator at Korsmo Construction, I’ve helped share the need for leaders at every level,” he said. “Leadership, especially in a collaborative environment, doesn’t just happen at the management level. I’m helping others become active listeners and understand that while we’re all focused on the same challenge, others may have a different perspective. Enjoy the process, not just the result.”
As an estimator, Andersson plays a central role in early project planning and team coordination. The Academy gave him practical tools to navigate those conversations and a deeper appreciation for communication as a leadership skill.
“If you’re talking and not sparking conversation, you’re not communicating. You’re just lecturing,” he said. “Now, I ask questions not just because I want someone’s answer but because I’m intrigued by how they got there. As a leader on some of my design-build projects, I now love sparking conversations and seeing where they end up. It’s like a story with multiple narrators.”
Andersson is one of many professionals who’ve found lasting value in the Academy’s six-course series. For him, the experience reached beyond the job site. “Outside of the design-build environment, outside the work perspective, I feel like I’m a better person after taking all six classes. I speak to friends and family differently. I engage with my coworkers in a new light.”
Key Takeaways from an Estimator’s Experience in CDLA:
- Trust starts with you. “If you don’t fully open up and trust others, they won’t fully open up and trust you.”
- Good teams debate. Great teams grow. “Having a bus full of people who all agree doesn’t make for a collaborative team.”
- Culture is contagious. “If a team has a great culture, others want to be part of it. That’s a big draw for design-build.”
Andersson is committed to sharing what he’s learned, both in his role and with his team. “I don’t just want to teach others how to be estimators. I want to teach them how to be leaders. I want them to know you don’t need to be a manager to lead. I want to follow them in their journey.”
He’s also encouraged his colleagues at Korsmo to take the Academy, describing it as a shift that’s as personal as it is professional.
“I’ve thought since taking the course what it might be like to be a part of a design-build project where everyone is a graduate of the program,” he said.
Ready to Lead From Where You Are?
Spots are open now for our 5-Day Leadership Mastery Bootcamp, July 14 – 18 in Philadelphia, a transformative in-person experience that delivers the full Collaborative Delivery Leadership Academy curriculum in one intensive week. Reserve your seat now.
Prefer a flexible path? Explore the full 2025 CDLA course schedule.
