Better Conversations Create Better Projects
At b&m, we’re always striving to be more efficient as a team, without ever compromising on standards.
And that was the centre of Constructing Excellence Kent’s half day conference that we attended on 15th July 2026. The morning consisted of presentations and discussions exploring efficiency from all angles – people, leadership, technology, pre-construction, delivery and placemaking. We were pleased to have one of our Directors, Paul Gannaway, alongside Dan Town from OSG Architecture and Paul Abbott from Abbott Construction, presenting the Westgate One Project, exploring how collaboration across the client, architect, contractor and consultant team helped deliver a complex city-centre student accommodation project.
One message came through clearly. The most efficient projects aren’t delivered by better technology or tighter programmes alone. They’re delivered by people who collaborate well, challenge constructively and share a common purpose.
At b&m, we were pleased to attend with colleagues from across the business, including experienced project leaders alongside emerging professionals Charlotte Beardsley and Ella Eastwell. Supporting the next generation of construction professionals has always been part of who we are, and their attendance reflected our ongoing commitment to developing future talent and engaging with the Generation for Change (G4C) network.
Efficiency Starts With People
Lisa Moore, from Uplift Consulting, opened the day with a simple challenge: imagine if every new starter had a mentor, if coaching became part of leadership, if knowledge stayed in the industry instead of walking out the door with the people who leave.
For us, this reflected our own approach. Apprenticeships, graduates, mentoring and CPD aren’t separate from project delivery, they instead strengthen it. Which is why we believe that investing in the younger generation is key for the growth of the company and industry as a whole.
The Next Generation’s Perspective
A panel of emerging construction leaders, chaired by Ella Sandall, demonstrated that the next generation is bringing fresh thinking to long-standing industry challenges. Charlotte Barwell, Connor Styche and Nat Godden discussed attracting and retaining talent, developing resilient teams and creating workplaces where people genuinely want to build careers.
Charlotte spoke on transparent leadership and the importance of learning together rather than relying on leaders to have all the answers.
Nat Gooden cut a leadership lesson down to the simplest term: “Understand the team” which resonated strongly with everyone in the room, as staff retention is efficiency.
People with AI, Not People or AI
One of the most eye-opening sessions came from Will Pink of Landstack, on how AI is transforming pre-construction and land acquisition. Rather than presenting AI as a replacement, he gave us a message that was refreshingly balanced.
AI presents enormous potential to remove repetitive admin, interrogate large datasets and accelerate decisions. It can reduce time spent on searching for information and more time dissecting it.
The value of AI only shows up when experienced professionals ask the right questions and validate the output. Technology should support better decisions, not make them for us. This reinforced something we have recently been discussing at b&m, that the future is unlikely to be people or AI.
It will be people with AI
Psychological Safety Drives Better Decisions
Alex Mullins went onto speak all things phycological safety, expanding on the importance of creating environments where people feel comfortable questioning assumptions, raising concerns and challenging decisions. This was not simply about wellbeing, but fundamental project success.
The most effective teams are rarely those where everyone agrees.
They are the teams where everyone feels able to contribute.
Encouraging constructive challenge, listening carefully and creating trust within project teams ultimately leads to stronger decisions, fewer mistakes and better outcomes. This is something we as a team we always try to incorporate to get the best out of each other.
Collaboration in Practice
The morning moved from ideas into delivery with our own presentation on the Westgate One Project.
The discussion wasn’t about celebrating one project, It was about demonstrating that efficiency is established long before work begins on site with clear objectives, shared ownership and open communication. These are the foundations upon which efficient projects are built, helping to maintain trust between organisations.
Purpose Before Process
The day closed with Matt Hayes from Lee Evans Partnership on the Margate Digital project, and a line that stayed with the room: “When we build places for learning, we are not simply designing classrooms, we are deciding the future of towns.”
b&m continues to support the education sector, through both the projects we deliver and the apprenticeships we invest in.
One Conversation, One Message
It became clear that every speaker was discussing the same challenge from a different perspective.
Coaching builds stronger leaders. Mentoring retains knowledge. AI frees people up for higher-value thinking. Early collaboration improves outcomes. Purpose-led design creates better places.
Construction is ultimately a people business. Because in the end, better conversations create better projects.
