At Aurecon, embracing innovation has been key to our growth. Shifts in the design, engineering and advisory industries meant we faced challenges from changing client expectations, market consolidation and technological disruption. We chose to become the disrupter, launching an innovation program where our focus evolved from delivering technical solutions to uncovering and solving deeper, interconnected problems with creative, adaptive solutions. 

 

Leadership plays a pivotal role in any kind of culture transformation and key to this is communicating clearly through a simple purpose. People need something to believe in, someone to believe in, and someone who believes in them. Leadership needs to be hands-on, and it needs to be real. Don’t try to be someone you’re not. Be open and honest, especially when the truth is difficult. 

 

Be accountable when things go wrong – and generous with your praise of others when things go right. Your actions have to match your words, integrity is absolutely vital. People need to trust that you will do what you say you’re going to do.  

 

Another critical factor is never to ask anyone to do something you wouldn’t do yourself and be a good role model. With AI and digital technology, it’s not ok to sit in your ivory tower and ask others to upskill in their use of digital tools, if you’re not fundamentally leaning into it yourself. 

 

While the broader environment, our challenges and approach to tackling problems continue to evolve, to my mind, these fundamental ingredients for successfully leading change should remain constant.