Inside the mind of a construction CEO

Greg Craig leads one of the UK’s biggest construction firms, Skanska. He’s taken them into the top quartile of major construction firms in terms of profitability and has led the company through COVID, major contracts with HS2, the challenging delivery of Crossrail and many other huge projects that are across Britain and you can see from your window.

But he’s retiring, and here he gives a frank account of what it takes to successfully lead a major construction firm right now by focusing on where you are strongest and sticking to that decision. It’s as good a summary of the Strategic Narrative as I have heard directly from a CEO.

We discuss in detail the frequent failure of the sector to put into practice all of its warm words about collaboration, partnership and trust, especially when major public sector contracts are at stake.

But he also points out times when he’s been able to establish really strong commercial relationships – often because of a full and frank discussion (sometimes known as a big argument).

Greg’s been a commercial leader, an Operations Director and MD within the business and so he’s got the scars on his back to prove that he knows how to lead and deliver huge projects – and then lead others who need to do so. This is a view of how to build trust from someone right at the top of the tree in one of the most demanding and complex industries, where lives can be at risk as well as profits if you get it wrong.

Our podcast series, Choose Trust, features leaders and thinkers who set out why trust is the way to do business, how to build trust and the value this can create. It’s part if the research for our new book of the same name, published by Economist Books and out next year. 

 Click on the PLAY button below to hear the interview with Greg. And go to the Contact page if this resonates and you’d like to chat further.