Peter Wilkinson - The Steel Ceiling: Achieving Sustainable Growth in Engineering and Construction

1. Chapter 3
2. Chapter 9
3. Chapter 11
4. Chapter 12
5. Chapter 13

1. Introduction
2. Chapter 1
3. Chapter 2
4. Chapter 3
5. Chapter 4
6. Chapter 7
7. Chapter 9
8. Chapter 10
9. Chapter 11
10. Chapter 12
11. Chapter 13
12. Chapter 14
13. Conclusion

There are a few critical basic criteria to achieve for growth and success in the Infrastructure business. Refresh your understanding of the industry, where your business fits and what it offers before setting your vision for development and growth. All too often there is an urge to charge on forgetting there is a need to recognize what are the key elements to achieve success.

Whilst technology has developed in giant leaps it is essential to keep our feet on the ground as real success is driven by competent people working in a disciplined and professionally led team.

Peter fits all the pieces of this puzzle together.

Robert J (Bob) Evans, MD Evans Project Management Services

BE(Hons) FIE Aust CPEng EngExec NER APEC Engineer IntPE(Aus)

The Steel Ceiling is necessary reading for anyone in the engineering and construction industry. Australia is in need of strong businesses in this sector who are able to compete on a global stage and remain sustainable in uncertain times. Peter provides the framework to do this, explains the coveted tipping point of growth and provides the tools for navigating this volatile industry.

Kim McGuinness, Business Consultant, Mentor and Founder of co-created.biz

Starting up and scaling a new business in the infrastructure sector is challenging, confusing and stressful. Better understanding what lies ahead, before you reach each stage, will lead to a more successful outcome. The Steel Ceiling will not only help you to identify what will influence the outcome you strive for, but provide you with the easily understood and implemented tools. These will enable you to plan for, and navigate the road to success. The strategies discussed in this book, have been instrumental in our journey and I am confident that everyone who reads this, will recognise its value.

Logan Mullaney, Managing Director of InQuik Australia & President of InQuik USA

Many people who start businesses in the construction industry do so on the back of holding key positions as an employee in project delivery. Whilst the passion, vision and knowledge of how to construct a project is typically very strong, often the external challenges of the industry, business stages and strategy are overlooked by a belief and genuine intent that delivering a good job for the client, will be enough to succeed. Hence many find themselves at the Tipping Point, when the excitement of owning a business starts to fade and turns to the reality of its challenges. This book nails these very common trends and I highly recommend its features to anyone who is truly serious about building a sustainable business in the construction industry. A MUST READ.

Derek Mullally, Managing Director, Quickway

The Steel Ceiling is a timely prompt to principals, contractors and technical advisors to review their interaction in a market that is increasingly unbalanced. The author expertly draws out the risks to all players if alternative approaches to scope development and project procurement are not examined with objective vigor.

Jock Murray AO, consultant, Company Director

Energy use in building is about 27 per cent of global CO2 emissions. So those in the engineering and construction industries will need to balance the rising demands of external climate stakeholders with the changing economics of new business models and technologies. Peter Wilkinson guides the reader on how to juggle these forces in a practical way, honed by a career consulting to Australia's engineering leaders.

Geoff Waring, Managing Partner, Stoic Venture Capital

The Steel Ceiling empowers business owners to become advocates of beginning with the End in Mind. In the engineering and construction industry, there is generally no shortage of technical talent and expertise. The shortage is in business acumen. Peter fills this gap by introducing the simple model of the '4 Key Pillars' which may be used systematically to sustainably grow one's business in this sector. A must-read for all who want their business to withstand the test of time.

William Zhang, Founding Director, Palantir Consulting

Peter Wilkinson

First published in 2023 by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd

Level 1, 155 Cremorne St, Richmond Vic 3121

John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd 2023

The moral rights of the author have been asserted

ISBN: 978-1-119-91044-2

All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (for example, a fair dealing for the purposes of study, research, criticism or review), no part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, communicated or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior written permission. All inquiries should be made to the publisher at the address above.

Cover design by Wiley
Cover Image: Fair.ksd/Shutterstock

Disclaimer

The material in this publication is of the nature of general comment only, and does not represent professional advice. It is not intended to provide specific guidance for particular circumstances and it should not be relied on as the basis for any decision to take action or not take action on any matter which it covers. Readers should obtain professional advice where appropriate, before making any such decision. To the maximum extent permitted by law, the author and publisher disclaim all responsibility and liability to any person, arising directly or indirectly from any person taking or not taking action based on the information in this publication.

To my loving and supportive wife and partner Dianne, who placed her trust in me when I began this phase of my journey over a decade ago.

Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction

Antoine de Saint-Exupry (French writer, poet, aristocrat, journalist andinterestinglypioneering aviator)

Writing is not a natural process for me. I'm someone who, when faced with spare time to fill, typically seeks a new outdoor pursuit. Book writing undoubtedly fits squarely into the category of indoor time'.

Nevertheless, once the idea of writing this book took hold, research on the writing game led me to one of my favourite authors. Po Bronson's What Should I Do with My Life? and Why Do I Love these People? profoundly moved and inspired me. As it turned out, not only was Po's birthdate within two years of mine, but he had also pursued a real' career in finance before abandoning it in favour of writing. This seemed to me to be the perfect case study upon which to model my own journey. Imagine my horror when I discovered that Po's writing method consisted of locking himself away in a space literally the size of a small cupboard to create the necessary silence and focus to pursue his craft!