My Blog

This blog is for me, it’s my sketch pad where I think things through and work things out. Having worked ‘stuff’ out I think it’s good to declare it, so I am sending it to you. Hopefully you will also find it useful.

Latest Posts

Here’s what has changed in construction in 40 years

23rd February 2016

Caution – memories are particularly unreliable and my reality is not your reality 19762016Lots of the workforce directly employed. Plant was owned, materials were made in BritainMainly subcontracted. Plant is hired in. Materials from around the world. Workforce from around the worldMost stuff was dug, poured and built on siteMost stuff is dug, poured and…

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The paradox of expectations (Will Leicester City F.C. fall at the last hurdle?)

11th February 2016

At the start of the season Leicester City were 5000/1 on to win the Premier League. I suspect at that time they would have been happy to avoid relegation. Now they are five points clear at the top of the league and looking good for the title. All the football talk is will they do…

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On communication

26th January 2016

Communication is an issue for teams and organisations; as a topic of concern it gets raised in most of the sessions I do with project and business leadership teams. I have a theory on communication which goes something like this: In our current form humans have been on the planet for 195,000 years. Writing was…

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What are you watching?

7th January 2016

I’ve stumbled on a great way to start a meeting. Recently, on a long journey to one, I was listening to some amazing music by an artist who inspires me. It made me wonder what the people I was about to meet were listening to, watching or reading, so when we were all together I…

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Feeling tired

15th December 2015

As Christmas approaches many of the people I am working with are feeling tired. A client told me he’s been full on for six months, is worn out and has had a cold that he cannot shift for the last eight weeks. I’m also feeling tired – 2015 has been a challenging year though work…

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Robert and the unreasonable man

10th December 2015

“The reasonable man adapts himself to the World; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the World to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.” George Bernard Shaw Here’s an example. In the late nineties I joined a national contractor as operations manager. One of the project managers I inherited was responsible…

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Who are you?

2nd December 2015

When I was a young project manager I wanted to be a contracts manager. Every time my boss came to site I would hassle him about promotion. At first he would tell me the skills I needed to develop, which I did over time, then “Dave you need to do a few more big jobs”…

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Hearts and minds

20th November 2015

In the late nineties I led a change programme for Wates Construction. Half way into the programme Richard asked me “how do we get hearts and minds buy in?” As the Board member responsible for the delivery of the benefits he was keen for all staff to commit to and adopt the new way. At…

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The life blood of the business

15th November 2015

As a contractors site agent I was exercised by getting the money in and holding on to it. My boss drilled it into me, he constantly reminded me that “cash is the life blood of the business”. Now, after nearly twenty years as a performance coach I have a different perspective. I think confidence is…

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Chronic confusion

16th October 2015

When you hear that someone is chronically sick what do you think? It seems we are confused about ‘chronic’. It’s not high alert, really bad, about to die, intensive care, emergency. Chronic is actually low level and over a long period of time. Here are a few of the chronic conditions afflicting the construction industry:…

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