Q&A with Dome Group Superintendent Dan Dickson


Dan Dickson is a group superinten- dent for Dome Construction, where he has spent the last decade, and a construction management gradu- ate of Chico State. This past fall he participated in the Fall 2023 cohort of the Inclusive Leaders Institute. He recently provided feedback on


the difference the program has made to him and how he pursues his leadership role at Dome and in the industry.


California Constructor: Was there a specific way that the Inclusive Leaders Institute changed your perspective on leadership in the construction industry, and how did it influence your approach to leading inclusively within your organization?


Dan Dickson: The quote, “If you don’t intentionally in- clude, you will unintentionally exclude,” was an impactful message for me. Though I was not intentionally trying to exclude, it was humbling to become aware of my lack of action in certain areas. As an inclusive leader, we need to take intentional steps towards inclusion. Being passive and simply “in favor” of inclusion will not yield the change that our teams need.


California Constructor: In what ways have you applied the skills and knowledge gained from the Inclusive Leaders Institute in your day-to-day leadership roles?


Dan Dickson: I’m trying to be more attentive to people’s sense of belonging in our team, specifically related to how they self-identify. Each person has a unique set of aspects of their identity that they are proud of. Seeking


of California and CEF – as well as the larger industry partnerships that are fostered through programs like the Inclusive Leaders Institute – as being critical to achieving true transformation in the industry as well as to building a strong and diverse future construction workforce.


BY CAROL EATON


to understand what these are and honoring them creates stronger connection and an increased sense of belonging. For example, with a team member that strongly identifies as a proud parent, I try to make sure to spend time in each interaction asking about their kids and what is new with them.


California Constructor: Looking back on your time in the program, what do you consider to be the most significant impact it has had on you as a leader? How do you envision these changes influencing the future of your company and the wider construction industry in terms of inclusivity?


Dan Dickson: What I appreciate most from the program was the reassurance about feeling uncomfortable in these conversations. Talking about inclusion is difficult and it will feel uncomfortable much of the time. Our industry is not where we want it to be yet. Being comfortable and more skilled with “feeling uncomfortable” allows us to engage in the difficult conversations that ultimately will lead to the change we want to see.


California Constructor: What was it like for you to be in a group of your peers learning the concepts and debriefing the applications throughout the program?


Dan Dickson: I really appreciated our cohort and the perspectives that each individual brought. We were all in similar leadership roles within our respective companies, which benefited our discussions. We were all experiencing similar challenges, and that allowed us to quickly under- stand the context and move discussions towards dialoging solutions. We spent less time explaining our specific situa- tions and more time getting deep in dialog.


“Granite is proud of taking the lead


on this, because we really believe that the investment that we are making is going to pay tremendous dividends in the future,” he noted. “We hope other companies will get involved in support- ing this work.”


Te fall 2024 cohort of the Inclusive


Leaders Institute will run from Octo- ber 8 through November 18, 2024. For more information or to begin your organization’s journey toward a cul- ture of belonging, contact Yuhi Aizawa Combatti, director of workforce and community development, at Combat- tiY@agc-ca.org.


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