Collaborative Delivery Leadership Academy: Elevating Leaders — Optimizing Outcomes

The rapid growth of design-build presents the need for leaders who can deftly navigate the unique landscape of collaborative project delivery. Projections show that nearly half of all construction spending will be design-build by 2026, so building a strong foundation of leadership is vital to keeping up with that trend.

DBIA’s Collaborative Delivery Leadership Academy (the Academy), in partnership with Barbara Jackson, LLC, is designed to equip AEC professionals with the leadership skills and mindset needed to successfully make the mental shift from a segregated services approach to an integrated one. The Academy consists of six modules, each focused on a distinct component of the Design-Build Done Right® Leadership model:

• Leadership (PRE-REQUISITE)
• Communication
• Trust
• Mindset
• Teaming
• Culture

Learn More About Each Module

The Academy will clearly distinguish leadership in a collaborative environment from leadership in traditional settings and prepare design-build team members from any position, role, discipline or expertise for the purpose-driven leadership style integral to design-build’s collaborative nature.

Participants have two years to complete all six courses. To help map out your leadership journey, download the 2024-2025 planner of course locations and dates.

Registration for 2025 courses will open in Fall 2024.

Schedule at a Glance

  • Building Block: Leadership: Building a Strong Foundation-Pre-Requisite, In-Person, San Jose, CA., 2/12/24
  • Building Block:  Leadership: Building a Strong Foundation-Pre-Requisite, In-Person, Orlando, FL., 3/28/24
  • Building Block:  Trust-Virtual, 4/5/24
  • Building Block:  Leadership: Building a Strong Foundation-Pre-Requisite, In-Person, Pre-Conference Event (Cincinnati), 4/14/24
  • Building Block: Leadership: Building a Strong Foundation-Pre-Requisite, In-Person, Pre-Conference Event (Cincinnati), 4/16/24
  • Building Block:  Mindset-Virtual, 5/3/24 
  • Building Block:  Teaming-In-Person, Seattle, WA., 5/15/24
  • Building Block: Leadership: Building a Strong Foundation-Pre-Requisite, In-Person, Sacramento, CA, 5/21/24
  • Building Block:  Culture-Virtual, 5/24/24
  • Building Block:  Communication-In-Person, Washington, D.C., 6/3/24
  • Building Block:  Leadership: Building a Strong Foundation-Pre-Requisite, In-Person, Phoenix, AZ., 6/18/24
  • Building Block: Trust-Virtual, 6/28/24
  • Building Block:  Mindset-Virtual, 7/12/24 
  • Building Block:  Culture-Virtual, 7/29/24
  • Building Block:  Teaming-In-Person, Denver, CO., 8/9/24
  • Building Block:  Leadership: Building a Strong Foundation-Pre-Requisite, In-Person, Reston, VA., 8/20/24
  • Building Block:  Trust-Virtual, 9/13/24
  • Building Block:  Communication-In-Person, Atlanta, GA., 9/16/24
  • Building Block:  Mindset-Virtual, 9/30/24
  • Building Block:  Culture-Virtual, 10/4/24
  • Building Block:  Teaming-In Person, San Diego, CA., 10/25/24
  • Building Block:  Leadership: Building a Strong Foundation-Pre-Requisite, In-Person, Pre-Conference Event (Dallas), 11/5/24
  • Building Block:  Trust-Virtual, 12/6/24
  • Building Block:  Mindset-Virtual, 11/22/24
  • Building Block:  Communication-In-Person, Anaheim, CA., 12/10/24


  • Building Block:  Culture-Virtual, 12/13/24



What Sets the Collaborative Delivery Leadership Academy Apart?

  • Specific to a Design-Build Mindset: Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the differences between traditional leadership and collaborative leadership, including the skills they need to develop to succeed in collaborative delivery environments like design-build.
  • Concepts Apply Beyond Design-Build: Throughout the program, participants will learn important concepts that can apply to all collaborative project delivery models, not just design-build.
  • Competency-Based Learning: Participants will identify targeted areas for growth and develop a path to achieving that growth, including metrics and benchmarks that demonstrate the impact of the skills they learn in the Academy.
  • Flexibility: The six courses will be offered via a combination of in-person and virtual courses, with sessions ranging from four to eight hours.
  • Digital Badge: Upon completion of the Academy, participants will be issued a digital badge to demonstrate their accomplishment. This digital badge, which is managed, verified and shared online, can be displayed in social media profiles, embedded in email signatures and incorporated into digital resumes as an indicator of their leadership skills acquisition. 

Who Should Participate in This Academy?

This Academy is designed for people who are serious about leveraging the many benefits and advantages that can be delivered using the Design-Build Done Right® model. Understanding that leadership must happen at every level because it impacts every aspect of the team’s performance and results, this leadership Academy is for every member of the design-build team, regardless of their rank, role, or discipline expertise. DBIA’s well researched Collaborative Delivery Leadership Academy elevates the capacity and capability of individual team members to create optimized solutions that translate into project outcomes that consistently exceed expectations.

Your Investment

Leadership: Building a Strong Foundation (in-person)

  • Non-Member: $695.00
  • Member: $595.00

Communication (in-person)

  • Non-Member: $695.00 
  • Member: $595.00
Trust (virtual)
  • Non-Member: $525.00
  • Member: $425.00

Mindset (virtual)

<SPACING TEXT>>>>>>>>>>>

  • Non-Member: $525.00
  • Member: $425.00

Teaming (in-person)

  • Non-Member: $695.00 
  •  Member: $595.00 

Culture (virtual)

  • Non-Member: $525.00
  • Member: $425.00

2024 Collaborative Delivery Leadership Academy Offerings: By Building Block

Building Block: Leadership: Building a Strong Foundation (In-Person, PRE-REQUISITE)

The first of our six program modules, Leadership: Building a Strong Foundation, is the only required pre-requisite. This module must be taken prior to the Academy's other 5 programming modules. Below is a listing of our 2024 offerings for this module:

  • Building Block:  Leadership: Building a Strong Foundation-Pre-Requisite, In-Person, Orlando, FL., 3/28/24
  • Building Block:  Leadership: Building a Strong Foundation-In-Person, Pre-Conference Event (Cincinnati), 4/14/24

Building Block: Communication (In-Person)

Building Block: Trust (Virtual)

Building Block: Mindset (Virtual)

Building Block: Teaming (In-Person)

Building Block: Culture (Virtual)