Build Better Projects

Mining dates back to prehistoric times and is one of the oldest industries known to humankind.   

Thousands of years have come and gone since the discovery of flint, as well as the first utilization of gold, copper, and silver.  

Mining remains a critical component of life as we know it. However, we have struggled and failed to evolve our thinking and our behavior as it relates to the mining industry and the way we extract critical resources. 

As the saying goes, “Whoever owns the gold makes the rules”.   

While the saying has merit, this philosophy gets us into all kinds of trouble…Why is that? Simply put, not all “owners of gold” are best positioned to “make the rules” to optimize value for all stakeholders.  

Yet, day in and day out, this behavior is perpetuated throughout the industry. The culture is, and always has been, one of powerful players making power moves.  

The results? 

According to a McKinsey article dating back to February of 2017: 

“More than four out of five mining projects come in late and over budget, by an average of 43 percent.” 

That’s terrible.  

Think about that - 80% of all mining projects come in late and over budget 😬 

So, what does a consummate professional responsible for project delivery like yourself do??? How do we, as a community of modern-day miners, bring about fundamental change, necessary change, to revolutionize our industry for the better? 

The first step is the realization that the antiquated behaviors from prehistoric times don’t actually work 

Owners don’t get to be onerous simply because they “own the gold”. We aren’t Egyptian pharaohs building pyramids. It doesn’t work that way.  

Instead, we all must understand and appreciate this fundamental concept:  

“People build projects” 

So, in order for the industry to be successful, we must all understand how people work: 

• What drives peoples’ thinking? 
• What drives peoples’ emotional response? 
• What drives peoples’ behavior which leads to your desired results? 

These are the questions you must ask yourself if you want to be successful.  

By the way, this is true for getting the desired results in other aspects of life as well – it doesn’t just apply to mining projects.  

Yet, we aren’t programmed to think like this… 

It takes conscious and deliberate actions to think in this way. And it’s not always easy. But it is, always possible.  

And the ones that do, stand to gain the immeasurable benefits of being the individual who brings a project in safely, on time, and on budget. 

It’s a game changer. 

When 80% of your peers are blowing their budgets by nearly 50% you could be walking on stage like Slash at a Guns and Roses concert. 🎸🤘🎉 

Think about it. 

The next time you’re faced with a question of what to do, ask yourself these simple questions: 

• What is the desired result? 
• What is the emotional response one must have to behave in a matter to achieve the desired result, and  
• What is the thought that’s going to trigger the desired emotional response? 

Once you understand the answer to these questions, it is far easier to shape the results and the outcomes that you desire from the given situation. 

You have a choice. You are the master of your thoughts.  

Try it.  I triple dog dare you.  

To your success!