By -Bhagya S. Nair, Co-Founder InCoBAN and Gaurishankar S, program co-ordinator at InCoBAN. InCoBAN is an Infra-construction improvement ecosystem.

In today’s global infrastructure and construction landscape, nations like India and other developing economies face increasing demands for expansion and sustainability. The importance of visionary leadership is significant in driving transformative change. However, recent studies reveal that the existing leadership within the sector is limited, underscoring the need for an adaptive leadership approach to effectively address industry demands.

Why now?

Global construction productivity, as per McKinsey’s report “Reinventing Construction through a Productivity Revolution,” lags behind with a mere 1% annual growth, contrasting with the global economy’s average growth of 2.8%. In India, the challenge is compounded by regulatory complexities, fragmented contracts, informal labor practices, and skill shortages. Cultivating robust leadership, simplifying regulations, fostering transparency, and embracing digitisation like Building Information Modelling (BIM) are vital steps to boost efficiency, alongside investing in reskilling and fostering collaboration among stakeholders, but this way forward needs an understanding of leadership.

Perception on Leadership

A Research by Charted Institute of Building (CIOB) on “Leadership in the Construction Industry”, reveals a stark disparity in identifying and cultivating leadership traits within the construction industry. Despite high self-assessment ratings, professionals struggle to name influential leaders, highlighting a significant leadership void. Furthermore, while financial incentives are the most common, they rank low among factors driving leadership growth, suggesting a misalignment between perceived proficiency and organizational effectiveness.

Rising Infrastructure & Construction in India

India’s infrastructure landscape features ambitious projects like the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, Chenab River railway bridge, and Navi Mumbai International Airport, each facing diverse challenges such as land acquisition, environmental clearances, financing, logistics, and regulations. Strategic leadership is crucial to overcoming these hurdles and driving innovation, as projects often leads to cost overruns and delays, impeding progress. Mastering project leadership is paramount in this dynamic landscape, involving integration of systems thinking, social engineering, and public policy to adeptly tackle challenges and align projects with societal goals for comprehensive solutions to modern world challenges.

Catching the bus on Sustainability Wave in Indian Infrastructure & Construction

Sustainability is central to India’s infrastructure vision, exemplified by the recent Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL – Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Trans Harbour Link). The project is anticipated to yield significant environmental benefits, including saving one crore litres of fuel yearly and cutting pollution levels, resulting in an estimated reduction of 25,680 metric tonnes of CO2 emissions. First-time use of Orthotropic Steel Deck spans (OSD) in India, a pioneering technology, the MTHL enhances load-bearing capacity more efficiently than traditional concrete structures. Moreover, prefabrication reduces on-site work, shortening construction timelines and lowering safety risks, thereby reducing the project’s environmental footprint. Recognizing its environmental commitment, the Bombay Natural History Society has acknowledged the MTHL’s sustainability efforts. Additionally, measures like river circulation rings and non-disruptive lighting are implemented to safeguard the surrounding marine ecosystem.

Furthermore, sustainable infrastructure development requires integrating expertise from both techno-managerial and social sciences domains. Collaborating between engineers, policymakers, and social scientists is essential to achieve inclusive development, meeting the diverse needs of all stakeholders.

So, what is the call to action?

Just as ancient marvels in India, like the Qutub Minar in Delhi or the Brihadeeswara Temple in Tamil Nadu, stand as testaments to human ingenuity, modern infrastructure projects under enlightened leadership drive progress. However, the sector grapples with challenges, necessitating tailored leadership development programs to empower a new generation. Today’s projects require leaders proficient in regulation, collaboration, and innovation. These programs aim to cultivate such leaders, subtly ushering transformative change for sustainable prosperity by imparting essential skills and insights. While the sector traditionally prioritized technical proficiency and a linear approach, it now confronts sustainability and technological challenges, emphasizing the imperative for leadership excellence.

Investing in advanced leadership programs for infrastructure and construction is imperative. These programs drive transformative change, addressing leadership deficits, bridging skills gaps, and fostering sustainable development. As the construction industry adapts to future demands, prioritizing leadership development is crucial for ensuring progress, resilience, and prosperity.

Advanced Leadership Program in Infrastructure & Construction (ALPIC)

The ALPIC program was initiated by InCoBAN (an industry improvement initiative) in partnership with Singapore Management University (ExD), to address the identified sector needs, offering essential skills and fostering an innovative culture for sustainable development in infrastructure and construction. Blending social engineering and public policy with the technical and managerial aspects of infrastructure and construction, the curriculum promotes integrative thinking and global best practices, subtly shaping the sector’s future. As the infrastructure and construction sector undergoes dynamic changes, ALPIC becomes crucial, providing leaders with the agility and insights to navigate emerging challenges effectively. Through ALPIC, leaders gain vital skills to adapt to shifting dynamics, driving execution and fostering innovation and leadership in an ever-evolving industry landscape.

Also read: Nurturing strong relationships, purpose-driven leadership & servant leadership