This Wednesday, I attended, and was privileged to talk at, two seemingly unrelated events, one being Green Deal and the other Building Information Modelling (BIM). Both very topical with a common theme of real presenting challenges to the the way we work within our industry.

At both I heard the time-old concern that the industry needs a cultural change to address better ways of working. Couldnt agree more. But there is an expectation that someone else will do it for us – to us.  Somewhere, some organisation will wave a wand, mutter a few Harry Potter spell words and cultural change will sweep across us. It’s not going to happen that way.

Be the change we wish to see …

Changing the culture has to come from within us, as individuals and organisations, to stand up and challenge the accepted norms. When we see better ways of approaching projects and tasks, better ways of working together, better sustainability approaches we need to challenge. Much as in the way that last planner is giving voice to improved construction management from those at the construction sharp end, making the necessary changes to address Green Deal, the wider Sustainability, Green agendas and BIM has to come from those of us within the industry.

We can continue doing the same things day in day out knowing that there must be a better way, or actively seek better working and opportunities. It is worth (re)  reading Never Waste a Good Crisis  that promotes, amongst other actions, business models that promote behavioural change.

At both events I was reminded of Einstein definition of insanity – “doing the same things over and over and over, expecting them to have different results”