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Nottingham Business School Business LeadersAuthor: Nottingham Trent University
How do great leaders inspire others, bring ideas to life and deal with setbacks? Join your host Honorary Visiting Professor Mike Sassi in conversation with business leaders to explore the stories, leadership lessons and actionable advice to help you excel in your career. Language: en-gb Genres: Business, Careers, Management Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Leadership roundtable – Why soft skills matter in the construction industry
Episode 76
Monday, 26 January, 2026
SUMMARYThe UK construction industry is changing fast – shaped by new technology, shifting markets and the growing demand for skilled people who can lead with confidence.In Episode 76 of the Nottingham Business School’s Business Leaders’ Podcast, two senior industry figures tell Visiting Honorary Professor Mike Sassi what it really takes to build a successful career in construction.Jonathan Suckling, Director at VolkerWessels UK, and Garry Julyan, Commercial MD at TClarke Contracting, both graduated from NTU in 1994.Since then, they’ve helped deliver projects ranging from viaducts on High Speed 2 to London landmarks like The Shard.Back in Nottingham to meet today’s students, they reflect on lessons learned across 30 years of building, bidding, negotiating and leading high-performing teams.LEADERSHIP TAKEAWAYS from Jonathan Suckling and Garry JulyanEarly career networks become long-term professional assetsGJ: “All roads lead back [to NTU] … you meet people along the way, and it opens conversation. It always helps.”Leadership means listening, delegating and trusting othersGJ: “You have to delegate and trust in the individuals who work for you. If you can’t trust others… you’ve got a limited capability to expand.”Soft skills matter as much as technical skillsJS: “Technical skills will get you so far… but if you want to be a director of a big organisation, without people skills it’s very, very hard to succeed.”Authenticity stands out – especially in an AI-driven worldJS: “My advice [to young managers and leaders] is, be creative, be yourself… if you want to make a difference, stand out.”Resilience is often built through crisis leadershipGJ: “Covid was sudden… you had to act decisively, to protect the business. You had to [learn to] make decisions you didn’t like to make.”Create a culture where people aren’t afraid to speak upJS: “If there’s a problem… people need to shout out early, because they feel safe to do so. If they don’t… that’s when you can lose millions of pounds.”Long-term relationships strengthen careers and leadershipJS: “When you stay in a business a long time… the relationships you form really help you… they give you the best chance of getting to the top.”Embrace technology – but not blindlyJS: “Use tech, but don’t rely on it… What you get our is only as good as what you put in. You’ve got to use your wider experience to make the final call.”Self-reflection is essential for continuous improvementGJ: “Be positive, be inquisitive… and above all else be critical and analyse your performance… If you can assess how you performed, you will get better and become more successful.”RELATED LINKSIf you enjoyed this episode of the Business Leaders’ Podcast with Jonathan Suckling and Garry Julyan, listen to previous shows with…• The MD of Via East Midlands and Arc Partnership Dan Maher• Managing Director at Morgan Sindall Sean Bowles• Dubai-based developer Louise Rodrigues• Construction round table with Class of ’84 NTU engineering grads Chris Evans, Colin Collier and Neil Gibson…
