b'CONSTRUCTION PRIORITIES, QUARTER 1CONSTRUCTION PRIORITIESTHIS SECTION INCLUDES CONTENT ON TCAS STRATEGIC GOALS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIEDBY MEMBERS AS ESSENTIAL TO THE FUTURE SUCCESS OF THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY:ADDRESSING THE LABOUR SHORTAGE, EMBRACING NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND THEINCREASING ROLE OF WOMEN IN CONSTRUCTION.COMMUNICATING AUTHORITYFOCUS ON FEMALE LEADERSHIP AT BUILDING SHOW CEO BREAKFAST By Sarah B. HoodCOMMUNICATION WAS A THEME Di Maria, vice president of projectsaid. One quotation from British wartime that emerged throughoutmanagement and technical servicesPrime Minister Winston Churchill has Supporting the Next Generation offor BentallGreenOak (BGO); and Krystalbeen an inspiration, she confessed: Tact Women Leaders, this years editionDavey, senior vice presidentcorporateis the ability to tell someone to go to hell of the CEO Breakfast event at Theoperations at Bothwell-Accurate. in such a way that they look forward to Buildings Show, hosted by the Torontothe trip.Construction Association and Procore atTCA president and CEO John the Metro Toronto Convention Centre inMollenhauer praises Skapura and theShe was also impressed by the advice early December. panellists, saying that each of themfrom a back-office colleague for dealing in their own right is a very, very strongwith conflictual situations: Attack Female leaders in constructionleader. They look to be the best that theyproblems, not people.discussed the importance of openingcan be, and each of them has different up effective channels of communicationstrengths. The discussion was Fung talked about the deceptively with colleagues, co-workers, managersvery strong. simple-sounding methods shes learned and staff and the need for clearto make herself stand out in the communication in the home betweenPerhaps the most engaging parts ofworkplace. In meetings, always show up partners who are trying to balance jobsthe event were the nuggets of distilledprepared, she advised. Be the last to and home life. They even pointed outleadership wisdom offered by thespeak in a meeting, or, in other words, that, sometimes, women in leadershippanellists throughout the session. shut up and let people talk.positions need to talk to themselves about their own authority and credentialsDavey revealed some of the tipsAbove all, Fung said, its important to to fill their role within their company andshe learned while developing herbe present, be seen and be heard, but the industry as a whole.leadership skills in the male-dominatedmake sure you deliver.The panel was chaired by Taniaenvironment of the construction industry, Skapura, senior manager, businessespecially in her early days when voicesHeppinstall shared her research and development with Bothwell-Accurate. Thewere more often raised and fists moreher insights into leadership, particularly four panellists were Merrill Fung, viceoften pounded on tables. When she triedin todays workplace, with people of all president of architecture and design,the aggressive approach as a woman,ages and backgrounds working side by development with The Cadillac Fairviewshe said, she won no friends. side. Leadership is all about people, Corporation Limited; Sarah Heppinstall,she said. Because there are so many vice president, design and constructionI had to find a way to have authority butlearning styles and cultural attitudes for Canadian Tire Corporation; Lidiadeliver it differently than a man, shewithin each workforce, I need to be a 26Quarter 12025 BUILDERSDIGEST'