The other day, I saw another business guru sharing his wisdom. Apparently, founders and managers should delegate absolutely everything that can be done for less than $1,000 an hour. So they can focus on higher-value activities. Thousands of likes. Hundreds of comments. Everyone applauding. Sheep. Cheerleaders. It looked like an election campaign. But… don't get me wrong. You won't need to convince me about delegation. But… Delegation without control is called abdication. And there's something...
about 12 hours ago • 1 min read
Ah… this consultancy world… it’s so funny. I just lost a mandate. The reason? Apparently, I was “too active.” Literally. Yes… this is why it is “too active” Not too expensive. Not too inexperienced. Not too busy. Too active. Infrastructure is… fascinating. Apparently, some projects need someone who doesn't ask too many questions. Doesn't challenge too many assumptions. Doesn't make too many decisions. And, above all, doesn't make anyone above them look uncomfortable. Ideally, someone who...
1 day ago • 1 min read
1959 Japan started building a high-speed railway between Tokyo and Osaka. 515 kilometres. A completely new railway system. New tracks. New trains. New technology. By October 1964, passengers were travelling at over 200 km/h. Five and a half years. No AI, folks. No digital twins. And of course, no PowerPoint presentations explaining why delivery was becoming increasingly complicated. Just a country with a clear objective. And, of course, people determined to achieve it instead of jumping onto...
2 days ago • 1 min read
Yesterday, I received a bothering message from DHL indicating that my Canadian election package was in its way… So, today… Canada. 1907 Canada was building one of the most ambitious bridges in the world. The Quebec Bridge. A spectacular structure across the St. Lawrence River. Almost 550 metres between its main supports. A masterpiece of engineering. At least… as usual… on paper. The engineer was Theodore Cooper. Experienced. Respected. Confident. Very confident. Maybe too much… At some...
3 days ago • 2 min read
After a wisdom toothache, the one thing I most look forward to ending is an election campaign. New Zealand has a fascinating relationship with infrastructure. We want everything. European-quality public transport. Affordable housing. Less traffic. Lower emissions. And, of course, lower taxes. Beautiful. There's just one small problem. We don't want density. Everybody wants trains. Modern stations. Frequent services. Maybe even a metro. Like London. Or Paris. Or Madrid. But please, no...
4 days ago • 2 min read
There was a time when managing a project meant managing a project. You know. Cost. Time. Quality. Safety. The usual boring stuff. Then someone discovered KPIs. Key Performance Indicators. Beautiful invention by consultants paid by the slide. And who have never actually managed a project. They design 47 KPIs. Each with a definition. A formula. A weighting. A threshold. And a 93-page document explaining how they work. Or how they're supposed to work… Of course, nobody really knows… but they...
5 days ago • 2 min read
A helicopter is a jodidamente difficult machine. To fly one, you must coordinate several controls simultaneously. Get one wrong, and things become… let’s say unpleasant. Get several wrong, and your career as a pilot may be short. First, you learn to take off. Then to fly. Then to fly at night. Then in formation. Then, perhaps, in combat. And only after mastering all that might someone reasonably ask you to land on a moving aircraft carrier. In the middle of a storm. At night. Now, imagine the...
6 days ago • 2 min read
Imagine two houses. The first has a beautiful kitchen. Italian marble. Designer bathrooms. And a motorway running 20 metres from the bedroom. The second has an ugly kitchen. Terrible paint. And bathrooms that haven't been touched since 1987. But it's in a fantastic location. Which one would you buy? Unless you have a particular affection for motorway noise, probably the second. Applying the following concept is where you make the money. You can replace a kitchen. You can repaint the walls....
7 days ago • 1 min read
January 1879 The British Army invaded Zululand. You’ve probably watched the movie or you know the story. The pirates had rifles. Artillery. Professional soldiers. And a commanding officer called Lord Chelmsford. A man who was remarkably confident in British military superiority. Unfortunately for the British, the Zulus hadn't been informed of their inferiority. Chelmsford established a camp. Standard military practice required defensive precautions. Entrenchments. Protected positions. A...
8 days ago • 1 min read