It might be more advantageous to recognise that construction project players don’t just suddenly end up ‘in silos’ – they were on an inevitable collision course. It would be advantageous because we could stop being surprised, stop reacting and start planning a different outcome. We have not ‘retreated into a...
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During the downturn personal overwhelm was a function of survival. We did the hours, we did what had to be done, because of scarcity and fear. Oh how we longed for brighter days when contracts would be plentiful, a thriving market, and we could catch our breath in a world...
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‘The weak can never forgive, forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.’ Mahatma Gandhi We need to talk about forgiveness, especially in collaborative relationships. When talking of forgiveness as a key quality for project teams, one can almost feel the discomfort in the room – the avoidance of edgy conversations...
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How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives – Annie Dillard It’s not time we lack, its a reverence for the preciousness of time and a day to day acknowledgement of its declining balance. We live like we are going to live forever such is...
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Empowerment is the converse of compliance. Its purpose is increasing options rather than limiting them. Whereas compliance holds people accountable for following the rules, empowerment makes them accountable for their choices. The more empowered employees are, the more accountable they feel to deliver their results. The more accountable they feel,...
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Locked away in our silo-ed industry cocoons, our primary way of imagining what other people are like whom we have not yet experienced is by the regurgitation of history and hearsay. As a consequence, we naturally expect that all other tribes will lean towards being blaggards, self centered, blinkered or...
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A call to action my male friends and colleagues. My dad was a construction and engineering man. UK Major projects, Middle East and North Sea – in all these he worked for change in working conditions. I followed in his footsteps. Now, my daughters (9 & 11) have already been...
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“Project bank accounts are the most effective mechanism for ensuring that supply chain SME’s are in regular and timely receipt of their cash. Other initiatives such as fair payment charters have proved to be a waste of time and effort.” Professor Rudi Klein, CEO of the Specialist Engineering Contractors’ Group...
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Some 18 years ago my supervising Coach said ‘Paul, the issue the client comes to you with is never the issue’. As it turns out, she was right and that tip has served me well time and time again, whether facing an individual human being, a Leadership or Project Team...
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It is a perhaps an unfortunate but inevitable fact that we can end up doing business with people who lack integrity; they mislead, duck, dive, blame and refuse to take responsibility. What we often end up doing, more than anything else, in these rare but tricky scenarios is beat ourselves...
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