2025 Ones to Watch - Industry Leaders: Matt Insana, DiPrete Engineering

“Matt Insana, PLS, is a forward-thinking leader in land surveying and commercial real estate. As Senior Survey Project Manager and Associate at DiPrete Engineering, he combines technical expertise with strategic insight to lead complex ALTA/NSPS and boundary surveys across New England. Through mentorship and innovation, Matt drives firmwide efficiency, collaboration, and improvement.”

What is one major challenge you’ve overcome as a leader, and what did it teach you? One of the hardest lessons I’ve learned as a leader is understanding how to use people’s strengths effectively while recognizing their limits. You want to challenge your team so they grow, but you also need to know when a task plays to someone’s weakness and adjust your expectations accordingly. Sometimes you can guide that growth, and sometimes you have to accept that it isn’t going to change. Real leadership is putting people where they can succeed, not setting them up to fail.

How do you inspire, motivate, or mentor others within your organization? When I mentor others, I focus on real-world examples and let them see how I handle complex situations firsthand. The goal is not just to teach the technical side but to help them understand how to work with clients and peers in a way that delivers what is truly needed. I also try to guide people toward areas that match their strengths while helping them manage their weaknesses. Everyone has different talents within surveying, and my job is to help each person become their best version of a professional.

What advice would you share with emerging professionals striving to become future leaders in commercial real estate? My advice to emerging professionals is to take ownership of the projects or tasks they are given. Someone once told me that you need to care about what you are working on and how it affects people. That idea has stayed with me over the years. When you truly care about the work and understand that someone is trusting and paying you to do it, the results are always better. Taking ownership also helps ensure that small details do not get lost, because even minor things can matter later in your career.

What daily habit or routine helps you stay focused or motivated as a leader? I start each day by reviewing email and delegating everything except what is critical.

What book, podcast, or app has most influenced your approach to leadership? Jacqueline Brassey’s Deliberate Calm reminds me it’s about learning and adapting, not being right.

Who has had the greatest impact on your career or leadership journey? I learn from past managers, keeping their strengths and leaving behind their weaknesses.