Construction Industry
The pursuit of happiness: helping construction leaders find clarity
Every now and then big stuff happens and confidence takes a hit. It seems big stuff is happening more and more frequently.
John has lost it, again, he’s frazzled and has had enough. He thinks its just him, then realises its not.
How come? and what to do about it?
Get fit for management by developing ‘real’ skills
Fit for management is showing up as your best self and getting the best out of others. It’s about the so-called ‘soft skills’.
But wait, you’re not soft and soft doesn’t cut it in construction. Let’s not call them soft skills. The necessary skills are ‘real’ skills
How a ‘coaching style’ of management will transform construction
The culture of telling people what to do and how to do it is stifling the construction industry. Instead, project managers should become coaches
Read MoreCan a site quantity surveyor work from home?
Remote working has become increasingly common post-pandemic. But can quantity surveyors effectively oversee what is happening on site if they are working from home?
Read MoreHow to inspire your people to achieve a shared vision for success
First step to inspiring your people, you have to be inspired yourself – so notice where you get your inspiration and get more of it. It’s not a one-time event, a conference or a roadshow. This is how you show up day after day as a leader, and this is who you are as a leader
Read MoreHow 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 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 More3 simple tips for inclusive meetings
You want it to be more inclusive round here. You have your reasons. You have told people, announced it, even exhorted it. But what are you going to do, talk is cheap, to bring about that inclusivity? Exhortation isn’t going to cut it, they have heard it all before. Well, you could start with your meetings, you have so many of them. Here’s three tips that work. Take some courage, it’s a bit different. Some may wonder ‘what’s going on?
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 More