Leadership Development Forum (LDF)
About The
FORUM
The Leadership Development Forum (LDF) is a ten-month program for commercial construction professionals ready to move from doing the work to leading the people who do it. Each month, participants come together with peers from across Arizona’s commercial construction industry to learn, practice and grow.
The curriculum is built around the challenges our industry’s leaders face every day. Participants learn how to delegate with confidence, develop the next generation, hold their teams accountable, handle tough conversations, and align GCs, owners and trade partners around a shared goal. Every session is hands-on. Participants pick up practical tools, test them in realistic scenarios and sharpen their public speaking. Then they put those skills to work on their own projects before the next session.
Along the way, each participant builds a personal leadership plan, works with an accountability partner and grows a lasting network of industry peers. The program ends with a final case study presented to a panel of industry judges, where participants show how far they have come as leaders.
What You WILL Learn
Leadership & Emotional Intelligence
Participants explore what it takes to lead with self-awareness, empathy, and vision. By developing emotional intelligence, they learn how to motivate teams, resolve challenges, and guide projects with confidence.
Communication & Public Speaking
Clear communication is a cornerstone of leadership. The program strengthens written, oral, and presentation skills, helping participants refine their messaging, sharpen public speaking, and build credibility in every interaction.
Project Financials & Business Acumen
Rising leaders need to understand the financial side of construction. This section introduces project financials, budgeting, and business decision-making, giving participants the knowledge to support profitable outcomes.
Team Building & Professional Presence
From building stronger teams to navigating business etiquette, participants learn how to collaborate effectively, project professionalism, and approach challenges with confidence and composure.
Client & Relationship Management
Great leaders know how to build trust. This module focuses on cultivating strong client relationships, listening actively, and managing conversations that influence long-term success.
Community Service & Industry Stewardship
Participants learn the importance of giving back to the communities they help build. Through the LDF Community Service Project, they apply leadership skills in a real-world setting and experience firsthand how service strengthens both the industry and the communities it supports.
Eligibility & Selection
The Leadership Development Forum is designed for project executives, project managers, superintendents, estimators, operations managers and other professionals who lead people today or are preparing to take that next step.
Strong candidates are:
- Ready to grow as leaders and apply what they learn on the job
- Supported by their employer to take part in the full ten-month program
- Committed to attending every monthly session
The application includes a short reflection on leadership challenges you face today. It helps understand where you want to grow and shapes the program around real needs. Participants are selected to bring together a mix of roles, experience levels and companies, so every leader learns from a wide range of perspectives.
Enrollment is limited. Final selections are made by Arizona Builders Alliance’s Education Committee.
LDF
DETAILS
Location
Arizona Builders Alliance Training Center
1475 N Scottsdale Rd, Suite 120, Scottsdale, AZ 85257
Dates
- January 8, 2027
- February 12, 2027
- March 12, 2027
- April 9, 2027
- May 14, 2027
- June 11, 2027
- August 13, 2027
- September 10, 2027
- October 8, 2027
- November 12, 2027
Time
8:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Cost
Members: $4,350
Non-Members: $8,700