Managing Integrity in an Industry out of Integrity

The most difficult question I face in my work in Leadership in the engineering and construction industry shows up with integrity. By this I mean if I am in integrity (I do what I say I will do, on time and to the standard we have agreed) what do I do if the system I am dealing with is out of integrity? For instance, I have been asked to deliver a project which has been poorly scoped and impossible to deliver. At this point in the conversation, I need to remind people that:

1. I am not accusing anyone of being a bad person when I am saying they are out of integrity. What I am doing is applying an “engineering” definition of integrity to the problem of not honouring one’s word and pointing out the link between something not done as agreed and broken trust
2. Not being prepared to have this conversation means that we are accepting the current situation and therefore nothing will change.

Then the challenge arises: What level of analysis are we adopting? This is a great question, because at the lowest level I need to accept that I cannot change someone else. I can only change my behaviour and influence those around me. If I’m operating a business, I can only influence how that business is operating and influence the business relationships I have.

Most people who think about a world where people honour their word (by doing what they say they’re going to do) recognise the benefit in being able to trust people and not having to “check in” re. how they’re going (you can significantly reduce the size of your “to do” list by taking these check-in items off it. Most would acknowledge that this would be a much more efficient world to operate in – give it a go, it works – I highly recommend it!).

Why am I labelling our industry as out of integrity in the title of this article?

The Australian Constructors Association (ACA) recently circulated a reference to an article written by Mark Farmer titled “Here we go again… if the industry won’t change, we must change the way we operate within it” . Mark is the author of the October 2016 independent review of the UK Construction Labour Market Model entitled ‘Modernise or Die’ jointly sponsored by BEIS and CLG and published via the Construction Leadership Council. The article paints a UK construction industry in terminal decline, with limited ability to pull itself out of the situation it finds itself. Many would agree we see similar signs locally. Mark refers to the construction industry having 50% waste “baked into it” and Productivity (a subject I have written about previously) as poor by modern standards.

So, in an industry where work just appears at the whim of government, Integrity is poor and productivity is low – not really a surprise.

Are we prepared to accept where we are?

Peter Wilkinson – Director, Sam Wilko Advisory

Author of “The Steel Ceiling: Achieving Sustainable Growth in Engineering and Construction” ?Wiley, 2023