Technology is a significant catalyst for building a culture of innovation. While we don't recommend that firms adopt all the latest shiny objects out there, it's crucial to stay informed about advancements that could impact your operations.
That being said, resistance or a lack of understanding from the top can halt progress even for critical tools. Take, for example, BIM technology. Many folks still view BIM as something that’s just for design teams, but the fact is it's a powerful tool for the entire project lifecycle, from planning through construction and even facility management.
In such cases, educating the leadership team can go a long way in breaking down barriers to adoption and fostering an innovative construction culture.
To gain insights on how to do just that, we turned to The Big Room, a collaborative online community designed for construction professionals to grow, learn, and connect. In addition to online discussions, the Big Room also hosts virtual and in-person meetups.
And fun fact: the conversation we're discussing today stems from a virtual meetup about becoming an "agent of change."
Overheard in the Big Room is a content series in which we spotlight the hottest conversations in the community. In this latest installment, we dive into crowdsourced insights on how construction firms can build a culture of innovation if their leadership isn't familiar with the tools available to them.
Let's take a look at what the community has to say.
Resistance at the leadership level doesn't always stem from a reluctance to innovate; in many cases, a firm's leaders simply aren't aware of new tools. To address this, maintain consistent communication about emerging tech and their potential impact on the organization.
"As the person who is driving change and innovation for our company, I tell everyone I can—including upper management—that I can only see and hear so much in this vast industry. I encourage everyone to share what they've used at a previous company. Leadership isn't going to be familiar with tools for the most part. That's why they rely on us to make those decisions and respect our feedback, good or bad.” - Dwane Lindsey, Architectural Applications Director at FGM Architects
"Organize R&D session with the company. Give talks about new innovations and then try to implement new workflows. You could, for example, conduct meetings every Friday to keep teams in the loop." - Keval Solanki, Digital Project Manager at WiiGroup
"Tools are important for innovation, but knowledge and familiarity of tools at leadership levels are not the only requirements for building an innovation culture in the organization. As long as leadership can encourage, inspire and nurture people across all levels to adopt innovation, that culture slowly but surely gets built over time." - Pradeep Sahoo, Managing Partner at Hummingbird Innovations LLP
"Leadership sometimes needs to be made aware of new tools. I don't think they necessarily need to be deeply familiar with them—just knowing these tools are available can be enough. You can put the idea out there by developing a workflow that showcases how implementation can improve overall job performance, whether through a technology update or an R&D meeting." - a BIM manager
No one is too experienced for learning and development. We all have our weaknesses, and when it comes to leadership teams, those gaps can significantly impact the adoption of new solutions. Here are some ideas to help bring them up to speed.
"Conduct workshops and training sessions to familiarize leadership with new tools and technologies. Also, ensure employees have access to the latest tools and learning resources to stay updated and innovative." - Tracie Vân-Trang T. Nguyễn, Platinum Student Ambassador at Autodesk
"I would encourage continuous learning and collaboration between leadership and employees to explore and integrate innovative tools into their workflows." - Steven Bloomer, Regional BIM Lead at GHD
"Take a process being done by 2-3 people (newbie to expert), film each of them, get out a stopwatch, then, as they say in sports, go back and 'watch the films.' From there, whiteboard some fresh ideas." - Jim McConnell, Principal at Ask McConnell, LLC
"You can build a culture of innovation by educating leadership and proposing gap training to at least fill leadership's tool belt with general awareness. This will promote leadership to encourage others, inspire others to adopt innovation at every level, and slowly bring everyone into the innovative culture we desire. Also, by training from the ground up, you allow others within the organization to see that there is value within innovation while pushing others to get up to speed." - Melanie Mummery, Process Training Manager at The PENTA Building Group
The insights we shared above are just some of the engaging conversations happening in the Big Room! If you want to stay ahead of the curve, be sure to join the conversation and contribute your own perspective. The Big Room enables you to connect with industry leaders, share knowledge, and collaborate on innovative ideas.
From topics like sustainability and social impact to the future of the construction sector, there's always something new to explore and discuss. Ready to dive in? Head on over to the Big Room.
