Big Idea
Construction should adopt a coaching style of management to make every person count
Building Magazine published one of my articles back in April, it seems to have struck a chord on LinkedIn with more likes and re-posts than usual. In it I confront the “skills shortage” – a perennial problem, much talked about ever since I joined the industry in 1976. Lots has changed since then; we now have collaborative contracts, BIM and MMC but the default management style remains. Changing that will change everything, here’s how to get started
Read MoreCoaching Steve
Steve wanted to work up a strategy for getting his people on board. He mapped out where he thought they were at, and initially decided Nathan was up for the chop. Though it didn’t turn out that way.
This is coaching Steve – an illustration of what coaching is and what coaching isn’t. Includes some insights into leadership and getting people on board and a useful mapping tool.
Read MoreLead with all your colours
We are smart cookies. We can adjust our behaviours to big effect. Though constantly busy, operating at pace, on autopilot our dominant style can become our default style. And when the leaders all unwittingly adopt the same style the effect can be chilling. Once aware, however, you and your team can make some fairly simple adjustments to warm things up. Find out more and how to here.
Read MoreJust better, that’s all
I believe things can be better for construction people, all the way from the operative digging in the cold and dirt to the CEO dealing with disgruntled shareholders and everyone in between.
Who wouldn’t want things to be better for them self and the people around them? And in the process change things for the better. Here’s why and how…
We don’t need any more ‘heroes’ on site
For many years I was a big fan of the classic construction hero manager with their belligerent unstoppability and determination to almost single-handedly get the job over the line. Times have long since changed. Here I ague that such an approach is a sign of our industry’s weakness. And don’t just take it from me, find out what Nathan and Anne have to say. And what about the client, what sort of team would they prefer?
Read MoreWe can adapt
This is evident. Enable someone to work it out for themselves and they will reliably get it done.
Tell someone what to do and how to do it and they stop thinking and it won’t get done, or at least not without you nagging them.
If you don’t know how to enable, you are stuck with telling and nagging
Few managers have a robust way of enabling people; the training has not existed until now.
To start to change your organisation, put 10 people on the course. To change it fast put 1000 people on the course.
HR director: ‘Coaching management style will relieve pressure on younger managers’
This is Rebecca taking a quiet and satisfied moment. She managed somehow to put 50 of her organisation young professionals on a course called Coach for Results. She believed in it though had to persuade hard to get the Board to go for it. She had skin in the game, her reputation. It’s worked, most completed the course and they are now shining lights in the business and they are talking to their friends about how good it’s here. The Board are delighted and Rebecca’s stock has shot up. So, she’s taking a quiet moment to savour it. For the first time in ages she feels she has made a difference.
Read MoreEngineer or manager? It’s time to decide
Early in my career I noticed the best cars in the car park belonged to the managers. So I got into management as fast as I could. But I wasn’t trained for management, nor was anyone else so I pushed hard and got promoted. Constantly pushing hard wasn’t good for me, the people I managed, my organisation or industry. If you want to be a successful manager or train up great managers in your company I have got an incredibly useful tool for you.
Read MoreCommand and control: construction’s outdated leadership style
People skills rarely feature in established routes to construction’s professional qualifications and it is from this gap that many industry problems arise. We are plugging that gap and scaling up to change the construction industry, Anne Okafor explains how. But first let’s talk about Command and control: construction’s outdated leadership style…
Read MoreWe industry reformers need to get over ourselves
My mission is to change the construction industry and I am not alone, but it’s a tough ask. Successive UK governments have been demanding reform for at least 50 years and yet the typical project director’s focus is elsewhere. This PD is talking about a heart attack and we reformers are talking about a skin rash that isn’t going away. And there’s ships and stormy seas. Something has got to change…
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