Navigating Leadership Transitions For Team Trust & Alignment
Stepping into the CEO role of a founder-led company is never simple — especially when the founder is still actively involved. For Vincent Deorio, CEO of RedT Homes, the transition was about far more than taking over day-to-day decisions. It required earning the team’s trust, preserving the founder’s vision, and making deliberate changes to improve how the business operated — without disrupting what made the company successful in the first place.
Listen to the full interview on the Construction Trailblazers podcast here.
In this blog, we dive into the insights Vincent shared about the realities of transitioning leadership, restructuring teams, and balancing long-term growth with the immediate challenges that come with leading in the construction and real estate space.
Key Takeaways:
Navigating Market Uncertainty – Staying competitive means anticipating market shifts and being proactive rather than reactive. Diversifying services, maintaining strong client relationships, and leveraging data-driven decision-making can help businesses weather economic fluctuations.
Building a Strong Team – Workforce challenges remain a top concern. Investing in employee development, fostering a positive company culture, and implementing effective leadership strategies are essential for retaining skilled professionals and ensuring project success.
Embracing Innovation – Technology continues to revolutionize construction, from project management software to sustainable building practices. Businesses that embrace innovation can improve efficiency, reduce costs, and gain a competitive edge.
Listening First: Why Slowing Down Helps You Move Faster
One of Vincent’s first priorities as CEO was to observe and listen before making changes. For the first several months, he focused on understanding how the team worked, where they felt stuck, and what they wanted to see improve. What he found was surprising — the team wasn’t resistant to change; they were waiting for it.
This intentional listening period not only built trust but also allowed Vincent to make changes based on real gaps and frustrations, not assumptions.
Why It Matters
New leaders — especially those following a founder — often feel pressure to prove themselves quickly. But the fastest way to lose trust is to push changes before understanding the team’s needs, workflows, and existing challenges.
Balancing Founder Vision with New Leadership Decisions
Unlike many founder successions, Vincent didn’t step into a completely vacant seat. RedT’s founder remained actively involved, transitioning into an acquisition-focused role. This overlap required clear role definitions and ongoing alignment between Vincent and the founder.
Their ability to work side-by-side — while adjusting to their evolving responsibilities — helped avoid the power struggles that can derail founder-to-CEO transitions. Both leaders stayed focused on what the company needed, not personal agendas.
Why It Matters
In small and mid-sized businesses, especially those founder-led for years, clear leadership roles are critical for smooth transitions. Without it, teams receive mixed messages, and decisions become reactive instead of strategic.
Evaluating and Realigning the Team
Rather than immediately hiring or restructuring, Vincent used his early months to understand the strengths and goals of the existing team. In many cases, small shifts in responsibility — aligning people’s roles with their actual skills and interests — unlocked higher performance without the need for outside hiring.
This focus on right person, right seat allowed RedT to adapt to leadership changes without unnecessary turnover.
Why It Matters
It’s easy to assume that fresh leadership requires a fresh team. But taking time to evaluate the existing talent — and ensuring they’re in the right roles — can often solve performance issues faster and with less disruption than external hires.
Addressing Silos Before They Derail Projects
RedT’s integrated model — with in-house architecture, development, construction, and sales — brings clear advantages, but it also creates opportunities for silos. Different departments, each with their own priorities, can quickly fall into blame cycles when projects hit snags.
Vincent identified these early warning signs and made proactive communication and cross-department accountability a core leadership focus. Aligning teams around shared goals instead of isolated departmental wins helps keep projects on track and client satisfaction high.
Why It Matters
The larger your team and the more diverse your service offerings, the greater the risk for departmental silos. Leaders need to actively break down these walls, ensuring shared goals are clear and communication remains consistent across all departments.
Hiring for Adaptability and Real-Time Problem Solving
As Vincent did expand his leadership team, his focus was less on technical expertise and more on cultural alignment and adaptability. RedT’s fast-paced environment requires leaders who can move between strategic and tactical work seamlessly — solving problems in real time rather than waiting for perfect conditions.
This focus on hiring for mindset, not just skills, helps RedT maintain agility as they grow.
Why It Matters
In construction, real estate, and other project-driven industries, the ability to adapt on the fly is often more valuable than a perfect resume. Leaders who can balance big-picture strategy with in-the-weeds troubleshooting are critical to long-term success.
Growth at the Right Pace
Rather than chasing fast, reactive growth, Vincent emphasizes steady, process-driven improvement. This approach, influenced by continuous improvement (Kaizen) principles, keeps RedT focused on building sustainable systems rather than reacting to market pressures with knee-jerk decisions.
Why It Matters
In fast-moving industries, it’s easy to get caught up in firefighting mode — reacting to every issue as it arises. But sustainable growth comes from consistent, incremental improvements that strengthen your processes and prepare your team for long-term success.
Final Thoughts
Leadership transitions are challenging — especially in founder-led companies where teams have deep-rooted habits and loyalties. But Vincent’s approach at RedT Homes highlights key lessons for any leader stepping into an established business:
Listen before leading.
Clarify leadership roles early.
Realign teams before replacing them.
Proactively break down silos.
Hire for mindset and adaptability, not just skills.
Prioritize steady process improvement over reactive growth.
Listen to the full interview on the Construction Trailblazers podcast here.