John Eynon asks where you stand on the extinction agenda – do we evolve as an industry or risk becoming extinct?
It might just be me, but I can definitely feel the winds of change blowing through our industry. It isn’t just about BIM, but all sorts of things and challenges that we face as an industry.
This is not necessarily all positive, but there is a developing recognition (frustration, anger, perhaps?) that things are not how they should be, and those that we look to as custodians are not doing their job in leading us forward to progress.
We only have to look at our performance on safety, quality, the environment, satisfaction, diversity and much more to know that our industry is not all it should be.
It’s interesting the reasons (excuses) that people use to resist change. But deep down isn’t it a case of let’s just hold on to what we’ve got and hope it blows over. (Paraphrase – I’m a turkey- no way am I voting for Christmas!)
Why wouldn’t you want a more diverse and inclusive workforce? Why aren’t all industry leading boards and decision-making groups 50/50 female/male? Why aren’t we more sustainable? Why don’t do we do something about encouraging more GenYs, GenZs into the industry? Like right now? Why can’t we improve working conditions and the professionalism of the industry? How can we accept that one person will die on a UK building site every week? And many more injured as well? Why wouldn’t you embrace digital ways of working when it will transform your business, provide increased capability, profitability and value for your customers?
The time has come for an end to reports, think tanks, working parties, talking shops. Time to DO – to LEAD by example people!
We have many revered and respected industry organisations, but the white noise is deafening. Too many agendas, too much preservation of the systemic status quo. The important messages are lost in this ocean of trivia.
It makes me wonder whether it is time for a different kind of movement for change. Something anarchic, but networked, industry-wide but non-hierarchical, responsive, innovative, flexible, adaptive, and irresistible.
The only way our industry will ever truly unite and speak with one voice is if we have to work together against a common external threat.
How about – EXTINCTION! More to follow below….
The Brexit vote has polarised the country and has initiated change on a national/international level whether we like it or not. Outside the EU the imperative to become more efficient, productive, resourceful and competitive becomes all the more important. Otherwise, economic extinction beckons.
So the digital transformation of our industry is now all the more important. Make the change. Use this time to your advantage. Even now you would still be ahead of many of your competitors and can reap the benefits of more productivity, capability and profitability.
Or you can wait for the inevitable and just get left behind as your rivals disappear into the distance. This works for individual careers as well as businesses.
There is a window of opportunity here. There is time to catch up, but time is running out.
Your call!
JOHNEYNON is a journeyman architect and design manager. You can catch up with him at www.zenanddm.com and www.openwaterconsulting.co.uk
John Eynon
Consultant
Open Water Consulting
http://www.openwaterconsulting.co.uk
Please note: this is a commercial profile