Building aligned Senior Leadership Teams in the Construction Sector
Are you in a team where no one is open with each other for fear of judgement?
Why Alignment Matters
In high-pressure industries like construction and engineering, every decision ripples across sites, suppliers, and clients. Misalignment at the top creates confusion on the ground. The result? Delays, budget overruns, and frustrated teams. According to McKinsey, only 25% of construction firms operate at full potential due to fragmented leadership and poor alignment (McKinsey UK).
In my experience it is crucial for leaders to be on the same page, particularly when the senior project team consists of representatives from different suppliers.
Common Causes of Misalignment
There are many reasons for misalignment but poor communication is the top cause. Why do we get poor communication?
- Competing priorities between commercial and operational leaders
- Competing priorities between the different contractors working on the project.
- Lack of clarity on who has the final say and the decision-making authority.
- Time pressure increases the risk of poor communication
- Lack of trust within the team
Practical Steps to Create Alignment
- Define a Shared Vision: Make sure every leader understands the business’s strategic priorities.
- Establish Decision Frameworks: Who decides what and when? Clarity prevents bottlenecks.
- Create Accountability Loops: Regular check-ins ensure commitments are met.
- Encourage Healthy Challenge: Alignment doesn’t mean blind agreement. It means constructive debate followed by unified action
- Open mind: be conscious of the cognitive diversity in the room that you can pull on to ensure that the best decisions are made - listen to the quieter voices in the room.
The Cost of Ignoring Alignment
Without alignment, you risk project overruns, loss of client confidence, and increased stress for everyone involved. The UK construction sector employs 1.4 million workers, making leadership cohesion critical (ONS UK).
If you are curious to know how I can support your team alignment do get in touch Book a chat with me.
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