Everything starts in a few hours. At around 9:00am. Matt Gray calls it separation. Why? Because what you choose to do at 9 a.m. tomorrow morning will separate you from 99% of your competitors. No matter is colleagues, companies or whatever. You compete. Almost for survival. While many wait to January 1st to start doing things in a new year, Matt Gray for example starts his year on October 1. While everyone else is waiting until after the holidays to start, he already knows exactly what he is...
1 day ago • 1 min read
Commandment #1 — Until it is signed, nothing is approved. Forget the workshops, the smiles, the “green light,” the political announcement, the press release. If the contract isn’t signed, nothing is real. Assume this, or prepare for endless backtracking and surprises. Commandment #2 — If you didn’t get the OK from the affected stakeholders, don’t do it. Treasury, the local council, procurement, operations, the unions, regulators, local communities, the CFO… Miss one and you’ll pay for it...
2 days ago • 3 min read
I tried to move the suitcase. And I couldn’t believe the weight. “But… what have you put inside, just for a few days?” “Almost nothing, it’s half-empty” I wondered what the weight would be for my wife if the suitcase was half-full. We live in a world of abundance. But this creates a big issue in many people. It’s difficult to decide. To choose. Pick up something and disregard the rest. I call it the Tinder syndrome. Lots of dates, but zero commitment… as you feel that you’re missing out if...
3 days ago • 1 min read
I’ve been doing quite a lot of work these days with market lead proposals. I mean, proposals coming directly from the market and made to the government of New Zealand. I love the ideas put forward by proponent. Their enthusiasm. And commitment. Most of them fail in the “exclusivity” criteria. Why you are so good that the government absolutely needs to negotiate with you directly without going to the market. It’s fascinating. That’s a high bar, but some people get through it. IP, exclusive...
4 days ago • 1 min read
Most construction disasters happen on Mondays. Some on Fridays. But only the truly legendary ones wait for Christmas Day. New York City, 2007. Downtown Manhattan. A 40-storey office tower under construction. Skeleton up, façade almost done, 70% completed. The kind of project where everyone, owner, contractor, union, inspectors, just wants to go home and eat turkey. On the morning of December 25th, a security guard on site hears something strange: “Clank… clank… clank…” He thinks it’s a rat. A...
5 days ago • 1 min read
Time to be with family and friends. Time to discuss about the past and look forward to the future. Feel proud of the achievements of this year, even if you think that there are not many. Time puts things in order. Wherever you are, be safe, feel proud. To help you in your journey, yes, you can also click below today. Vicente Valencia Academy PD 1: If you liked this email, don't keep it in secret and forward it to a friend. They will thank you enormously one day. PD 2: If somebody has sent you...
6 days ago • 1 min read
Great power comes with greater responsibilities. When I come to Spain and I see the infrastructure of a relatively medium to high income country has and how this infrastructure has changed the lives of millions of people, you feel the weight on your shoulders. If you work in infrastructure, you are in a sector that is essential. I’m watching the AI revolution carefully. But the way a new road changes the lives of thousands of people with or without mobile phones in an instant is still too...
7 days ago • 1 min read
Every December, projects enter a strange parallel universe. And this week everything explodes. Budgets are frozen. Teams disappear. And every email ends with “before the Christmas break, please.” If you have been in “a Change approved before the Christmas break”. “A package submitted before…”. Etc. You’re in the trap. I did it once… Years ago. A change to be “approved” before the end of the year. So we rushed. Design team, commercial, legal, operations, the construction… everyone. Sleepless...
8 days ago • 1 min read
As many of you, I’m flying now. Holidays. Family. “Relax”… if a three years-old allow you to do so. Before I used my more than 20 hours of flight time to catch up with movies or read that book I definitely wanted to have read before arriving to destination. Now, I have to sync my sleep with the little one and get into the loop of all Disney Cars movies and Bluey shows. Still I have time to think of my next project. My next investment. And not just real estate, but also education and training....
9 days ago • 1 min read