The peripatetic nature of my construction career has taken me all over the world. From Cornwall to China and any number of places in between. So many cultures, so many different ways of achieving the same result. One evening, in Loveland, Colorado, after polishing off a steak as large as my leg and a few surprisingly good beers from a local microbrewery , I retired to my rather bland hotel...

Over the years I have spoken to many people about the culture of their organisations. Or perhaps more accurately, been spoken to. Many people. I can count on the fingers of one hand how often I have believed what they were saying(or they believed what they were saying). I think it is easy to get lost trying to understand the difference between what we believe we are and what we should be doing and what we really are and are actually doing. If I...

“Time is of the essence” How many times have you read that in an email, a contract or other missive ? From research it appears normal to expect that of others  – suppliers for example – but how often do we expect that of our own organisations ? Hand on heart, have you ever ‘kicked something into the long grass’ ? Prevaricated when asked simple questions ? Procrastinated when a quick decision could have been...