As we enter the new year with tales of bad weather, a fragile economy and worldwide floods on a biblical scale, it would be easy to give in to the doom and gloom and become despondent.
However, there are still reasons to be cheerful and sometimes if you look at things positively it's amazing how things can turn around.
In the practice of NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) there's a technique known as re-framing which is pretty much what it sounds like. You re-frame the way you're thinking about something to achieve a different outcome. It could also be described as seeing things from a different angle. Have you ever been invited to a party or function and then when the day comes, you think "I'm really not looking forward to this". Chances are if you go with that mindset you might not have much fun. If you re-frame and think "I'm really looking forward to this, I wonder who I'll meet" you'll approach the event completely differently and probably have a much better time.
What's all this got to do with construction I hear you ask? Well it would be easy to listen to the news, believe that the construction industry as a whole is doomed and think that it's not worth trying any more, but if you speak to people on the ground, there are signs of improvement and there are many positive things happening.
Take the Roots project at Accrington Academy. Assisted by A Class of Your Own, the school children have designed their own Eco Classroom which has recently been granted planning permission by the local authority. This is no ordinary school project. The pupils entered their ideas in the Council for Education Facility Planners International architectural Design Concept competition which saw them present to hundreds of Architects in San Hose, California. They are now hoping to make the design become a reality by inviting local contractors and consultants to tender for constructing the building. Glovers has already pitched to the students and submitted a PQQ and we are looking forward to receiving the feedback, although with slight trepidation - the kids don't hold back!
It's been fantastic to be involved with such a positive project and also to listen to how the children look at our industry - that really does give a different perspective.
So our message for the new year is a plea - don't succumb to the gloom and see what you can achieve.
