10. LEADERS AND LEADERSHIP: THE FOUNDATIONS OF INCLUSION The traditional leadership pathways to power in construction that have been based on a lack of transparency around career progression, informal male networks and company tenure do little to promote leadership diversity within construction. The lack of diversity among senior leaders was frequently noted by participants as a barrier to change. I think the greatest impediment to organisations is that you rely on people gaining a lot of experience over many, many years. You do need some trusted, stable, well-considered people. The reality of Australia today, they are now between 50 and 60-year-old males who have been given the privilege to have that exposure and experience to then land at the leadership position. What that means – and I personally believe it – there’s a lot of pale, stale males. The boys’ club is breaking up, but it hasn’t moved on in the way or the speed it probably should. Gay, male, 40s The same participant outlined the benefits of diversity and changing the way construction projects are delivered to allow them to be more inclusive of different voices at the leadership table, such as young people: I think businesses are understanding that they need better representation at the table, number one through women. If our society is 50-50 just organically, why can’t we have that in the workplace? I think when you just have people going to work and then having a homemaker at home, that’s not the natural order of things. So, what we need to break that up is flexibility, and different arrangements that allow different people to come to the fore. I do believe the LGBTI voice is a great voice. Often people, LGBTI people, have experienced a lot of adversity, or a lot of self-development, just to get out the door and because of that life experience, they bring an enriched opinion to the table. I think that younger people have this amazing way of looking at life. So, these young, often pure voices that are in a really idealist world should be at the table. Just as we have the chief risk operator, why don’t we have the chief young person representative? And, that can be a roving seat, why not? And, just to have the young person challenge you, and go, but that doesn’t make sense, because I bet your bottom dollar, a younger person will pick the ethical
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