Leading with Heart: Carol Meharry of Schweiger Construction Company On The Power of Authentic Women’s Leadership

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series. Before we dive into our discussion about authentic, feminine leadership, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path?

Recently I was asked to participate in my high school’s “Career Day”at Notre Dame de Sion, Kansas City, Mo. I believe I was routed to the non-traditional group and sat down to address the questions of about two hundred 16- and 17-year-old girls. One very astute, almost intimidating young lady asked me “Why did you choose construction”? Opting for honesty, I simply said: “Sometimes you don’t choose your career, it chooses you”. I did not grow up playing with erector sets, building blocks, or watching Bob the Builder. I had no interest in construction whatsoever. I actually thought I would go into medicine, but sadly inorganic chemistry and I did not get along. Nor did I ride horses professionally, which generated a resounding “NO” from my parents. Fortunately, I went off to college and earned a BBA in finance and learned that doctors, lawyers, retailers, etc. all do one thing…they run a business.

My company, Schweiger Construction Company, has been handed down from father to son for three generations. My great-grandfather founded the business in 1889, handed it off to my grandfather in the mid-to-late 1940’s, who then handed it off to my father who ran the business upon his death in 1971. It has had an illustrious and colorful history, but one thing it did not have is a woman running the company. After college I went to work for the family business, from 1980–1988, learning the administrative functions and running the office staff, but not getting anywhere near a construction site. Being somewhat astute, it dawned on me that I wasn’t going to be able to break rank other than doing what I was currently doing — managing “the girls’” in the office. I left the predictable, though secure life at Schweiger to work at one of the world’s largest Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) firms. I know my father was disappointed, and a bit hurt, but could not articulate a different path for me. Ah! Tradition.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?

After leaving Schweiger in the late 1980’s, I started work at Fluor Daniel, a very large global AEC firm. A study in contrast for sure. The position at Fluor was in the procurement and contracting division, participating in a 6+ year program involving the modernization of the National Weather Service (NWS). At the start of my tenure at Fluor I worked primarily as a technical representative supporting the US Department of Commerce by handling construction management activities involved in the building of approximately 105 new NWS weather forecasting offices throughout the US. While the entire program was massive in scope which included real estate acquisition, engineering for not only NWS offices but also NEXRAD radar sites, and construction of both forecasting offices and radar support facilities. These buildings were not large, running between 5,000–10,000 sq ft. The construction process was the same as what I was used to, but working in the public sector, specifically managing US federal construction contracts, was a brave new world of codes, regulations, rules, and acronyms. There were many acronyms, which were essential to learn, and apparently my survival depended on knowing them.

So began my six years of intense training and education by both Fluor and the US Government, consisting of almost non-stop travel and working side-by-side with some of the most talented, kind and generous people I have ever known. All of them men, with many being friends to this day. A woman engineer, architect, or construction professional was certainly a rarity, but never did I feel patronized, slighted, denied an opportunity, or had my work questioned by co-workers. I saw instances of these behaviors experienced by other women but not me personally. I asked myself, “Why?” I grew up with brothers, knew how to get along with men, had previously worked in construction, and was used to having only men superiors. I was blessed to either not have had any anticipation of being treated differently, being discriminated against, or I was so busy learning and pestering my co-workers with questions that they realized I was a worker, did not complain, was very loyal, and I was there to help and carry my own weight.

In the mid-1990’s my father’s health was declining and he was anxious to retire, but he didn’t have a finalized succession plan. Both of my brothers continued to work at Schweiger and in November, 1994, I was approached by my younger brother to return to Schweiger and qualify it as a woman-owned business (WBE). This sounded great, but it wasn’t a WBE. In December 1994 I resigned from Fluor, even turning down a relocation and plum position to work as a contractor to Union Carbide in Bhopal, India. If I knew then what I know now, I wonder if I would have gone to India.

I left Fluor and headed to Schweiger with a great deal of confidence and knowledge. I had worked everywhere, with state-of-the art computer equipment, programs, and other technology. The first three years at Schweiger were, to put it mildly, challenging. Schweiger did not have an automated accounting system and no subcontracting practices (actually Schweiger just didn’t use subcontracts). We were still in the era of “shoot me a price”, shaking hands and getting the work done.

Early on, I implemented a new integrated accounting and job costing system. One positive, and the most important for continuity, was Schweiger had earned and still enjoyed an exceptional list of national clients, many based in Kansas City. Working for Fluor had given me a great deal of confidence and the experience allowed me to realize that building in other states wasn’t scary or different. One of the boldest and most important decisions that I made was to take our existing client base and convince them to hire Schweiger to provide services anywhere in the US. Now, 29 years later, after personally sitting for many state licensing exams, Schweiger routinely works throughout the lower 48 states.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story? There probably isn’t a larger story than surviving in an incredibly risky and difficult industry for 135 years. An industry where the survival rate for a general building construction contractor is 7 years. I know it took grit and hard work to survive two world wars, the Spanish-American War, the Great Depression, famines, worker strikes, the Vietnam War, 24 changes in the US Presidency, the Covid-19 pandemic, and unimaginable changes in lifestyle and technology. Schweiger has always been known for its integrity, for never cutting corners, and complete honesty in what can be an unscrupulous business. My experience at Schweiger was defined by my father. A brilliant but shy person, it was his kindness and generosity to his employees, associates, and community that defined the standard I aspire to. My father passed away in 2008 and I had the honor of writing his obituary. I hope the words I chose do him justice: “He showed his community that there is a place for integrity, honesty, ethics and compassion in the business world. Dick was the rare human being whose extraordinary achievements were tempered by his quiet humility.”

You are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?

1. Thirst For Knowledge and Answers by Learning and Studying: I read and learned from industry papers, articles, and construction law decisions due to being the unheard voice in the room. I faced bias in the construction industry, especially as a woman reaching high positions like the C-level, where some people saw us as tokens or thought we inherited our success.Probably the best example that comes to mind is cramming, studying, and literally sweating bullets in preparation for taking state contractor’s licensing exams in 10–15 states and multiple cities and localities where Schweiger Construction was in the process of securing large project opportunities. No license = no project. Schweiger now is registered and licensed, if necessary, in all 48 contiguous states, thanks to my business partner who jumped in after the first 15–20 states and assisted with the rest.
2. Humility and a Sense of Humor : I have no grand aspirations to be the boss lady. My idea of leadership is that it’s something earned; not put in place by a designation or acquired by a title. It is earned by being a reliable, consistent, and knowledgeable partner or teammate with everyone working towards common goals. I have always believed the best leaders surround themselves with the best talent and commitment to the goals you, as the leader, define. Then, get out of their way. I have been blessed with a very good sense of humor and the ability to not always take myself too seriously.
3. Stubborn as Hell: I am tenacious. I can honestly say I do not give up and believe there is an answer to every problem. Nothing makes me more frustrated than business people who settle for convenient, yet false assumptions, and then shoot from the hip assuming they are, or should be seen as correct due to some position of authority. I find it much more reassuring to understand all sides of a conflict and determine a resolution that pushes the mutual goal forward; not a resolution that declares a winner or loser.

Leadership often entails making difficult decisions or hard choices between two apparently good paths. Can you share a story with us about a hard decision or choice you had to make as a leader? I’m curious to understand how these challenges have shaped your leadership.

About 12 years ago, steps were taken that resulted in one Schweiger Shareholder/Director being removed. Within a year, the retirement of the remaining majority shareholder took place, leaving me as the sole remaining shareholder. As a result, I was required to buy out these two major shareholders for a significant amount of money. At the same time this was occurring, Schweiger was in the middle of the largest, most technically challenging project in its history. The cash to underwrite this project as well as the other work we had in progress was a lot. A sane person would have considered liquidating the company, but I did not feel that it was my right to shut down this legacy company that many of my family predecessors had sacrificed so much for, and worked so hard to build. With a leap of faith, I decided to move forward. Through the incredible work of my talented staff, Schweiger successfully finished the $100M+ project, allowing for the buyouts to be funded and the ability to position ourselves for future growth.

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Can you share a personal experience where embracing your unique leadership style, which might not align with traditional expectations, led to a significant positive impact in your organization or team?

Being a woman in a mostly male-dominated industry, it was required of me to work twice as hard, while at times being paid half as much as my male counterparts. During my earlier time at Schweiger, and my 6 years at Fluor Daniel, my paycheck was a little light.I was very fortunate to have been supported by some of the kindest, most supportive men who gave me every opportunity to learn in the field, in the conference room, and on the road. I understand that with any formal education (university or trade school), etc., the course of education and knowledge is not exhaustive and is not “all you’ll ever need to know about engineering and construction”. With that understanding came humility. I learned and continued to learn every day. I learned from anyone willing to share their knowledge. From knowledge came my confidence.

In your journey as a leader, how have you balanced demonstrating resilience, often seen as a masculine trait, with showing vulnerability, which is equally powerful, but typically feminine? Can you give an example where this balance created a meaningful difference?

I’ve always prioritized taking the time to get to know employees and their families outside of the office. I like to consider myself a “people person” and some of my closest friendships were born in the Schweiger offices. This personal touch, ostensibly, could lead to dicey conversations in times of conflict resolution or problem solving. Thankfully, establishing a groundwork of trust and honesty has allowed us to avoid those pitfalls!

As a woman in leadership how have you navigated and challenged gender stereotypes, especially in situations where traditional male-dominated approaches are the norm? What strategies have you employed to remain authentic to your style?

I’ve always attempted to be my most unapologetic self. At times, that can mean being more empathic than my male counterparts. I take pride in having a good feel for when to talk, when to ask questions and, most importantly, when to listen.

How do you utilize emotional intelligence and active listening to create an inclusive environment in your team or organization? Could you share a specific instance where these qualities particularly enhanced team dynamics or performance?

I never wanted Schweiger to be a monolith. We do not have several layers of management. This is by design to create a more tightly knit family. I’ve made an effort to understand the challenges of everyone’s job in our office.

With over 40 major projects and hundreds of service projects, active listening is a must every moment of the day. The understanding of one another’s daily obstacles while navigating the demands of a project has led to a more productive, harmonious workplace.

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