Coaching
How the world has changed and how we move forward from here
Thinking about the books on my reading list for my civil engineering degree and the books I would recommend if I was a civil engineering or construction lecturer now.
Read MoreWant to attract new talent? Leave the kids alone
We’ve been talking about ‘the skills shortage’ for most of the 48 years I have been in the construction industry.
In the 90’s I went into schools to enthuse about my work as a civil engineer, the kids didn’t seem at all interested. It didn’t work. It hasn’t worked.
Here I offer a different mindset, an alternative approach that is working. Now we need to scale it.
Empowerment vs enforcement: a career-defining lesson
Why empowering construction professionals is more productive than enforcement
Read MoreLeadership traits: five rules for effective team management
When balancing the wide-ranging demands of day-to-day work, how can construction leaders build teams well – and keep them motivated?
Read MoreHow to foster diversity of thought within your company
There’s a lot of talk about diversity and inclusion – here’s a few practical ways to build it and with it your own performance and the culture of your team and company.
Read MoreConstruction 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 MoreThe Results Leader 2023
On their own few leaders work simultaneously on: the result, themselves and their team – the so called Three Key Factors.
When coaching an executive, I’d often ask “what’s your business result?”. Some respond with incredulity, “Isn’t it obvious Dave?”. It might be to them, more often it’s not, but even if it was, what about everyone else?
Ten years ago, I was steeped in this question and wrote a blog post called The Results Leader. Tomorrow the post is ten years old; it seems as relevant now as it was then so here it is – The Results Leader 2023.
What’s it like at the top these days?
This year I’m adjusting my focus a bit. I’m still coaching leadership teams though looking to do more 121 work with the people right at the top. By all accounts 2023 is going to be a tough year and support is being ramped up for staff, but who is there for the person at the top? They have their business advisors, that’s handled; I’m talking more about them as a person as a human being. If you’re right at the top what’s it like for you?
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 MoreDouble-plus coming of age
“What one piece of wisdom would you give that people would want to share?” Mine is this: your capacity for success equals the conversations you’re having, minus the conversations you’re not having, multiplied by the way you’re having them.
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