Joe, welcome to Binah. Where are you from originally?
I was born in Sydney and grew up in the inner west.
Who was the most influential person in your life when you were growing up?
My father was the most influential person in my life growing up. He sacrificed many things in his life to ensure that his family and children were always taken care of and were his priority. His love, guidance, support and continual encouragement will always be very much appreciated. His hard work ethic and loyalty has been recognised and admired by many in his circle and has influenced the way I work.
How did you find your way into the construction industry?
Having a large extensive family, there is always someone doing some sort of building and construction work, whether it be a home renovation, new build or a new construction project, the invitation to come over and help out was always there when we were young growing up!
As young kids we always took this invite and opportunity to go and help out a family member, but the real underlying reason was to get away from doing homework or boring chores given to us around the house.
We also at times, got some pocket money to spend which was fantastic at a young age. It was during these times I was exposed to building and I really enjoyed how things were constructed and the different strategies developed for sequence of works and methodologies. There was generally nothing written or no go to handbook or manual on how to do things…..but it was all kept in the builders head and we were like sponges absorbing information and ideas. This also gave us a practical view of the world in construction (albeit limited) and when undertaking my university degree, it made the theory a lot easier to understand and relate to.
Who do you look up to and admire most professionally and personally?
There are many professionals in our industry and other industries that I admire for their contribution and fantastic value they add but from my personal growth experience, it would be working closely with one of my mentors at Hansen Yuncken – Mr David Beslich who conducted himself professionally at all times regardless of the situation he was in. His ability and skill set to strategically think through issues and look way ahead of time was a real eye opener. He consistently displayed patience and remarkable interpersonal skills in effectively guiding his staff to fulfill business needs. Simultaneously, he empowered them to feel like champions of the ideas, fostering an environment of encouragement for their success and growth into high performers.
Could you share with us a few career highlights?
Some of my career highlights were working and delivering:
- The Villawood Detention Centre Re-development – Turning a Client Brief (that was very brief!!!) into reality through extensive workshops and design development through to the final product. We built a fantastic high-performance team that stood the test of time and worked together for over 4-5 years on various stages.
- Parklea Prison – Maximum Security Facility. A real eye opener with many live operational challenges which were overcome by working closely with our Client DOJ and the Centre operational management team. All stakeholders were very invested in making the project a success which was very enjoyable to work on.
Where does your passion lie in the construction sector?
After 25+ years in construction, I still enjoy seeing design drawings develop and turn into reality and being able to add value in some way. It is also more exciting to see that at the end of a project my contribution has in some way added to a new thriving and vibrant community. Moreover, my passion revolves around witnessing team members excel and grow, leveraging on the skills they have acquired on projects throughout their career journey.
What excites you and gets you out of bed each day?
Working with people who exude positivity at work makes my day fun and enjoyable. We often spend more time with our work colleagues then we do with our own families, so they really do become an extended family where one feels a sense of belonging.
What strategies have you found most effective for developing a high-performance team culture in your past roles?
Trust your people, support them and provide feedback but also make them accountable for what they need to do in their role. Encourage the teams to look outside the square and make decisions, build strong relationships with their team members. Communicate with their peers in the company with lessons learnt allowing cross pollination for sharing of knowledge. Setting a team up for success means the key people in your team need to be strong and united and good at what they do. At Binah we call this the ‘Dynamic Triangle’ on our projects! Set a pathway for people to grow organically within our business.
What are your primary goals in the first six months as construction manager?
- Take the time to get to know our team members at Binah and understand their respective roles.
- Dive into the intricacies of Binah’s processes and systems, seeking opportunities to contribute positively.
- Collaborate closely with project staff, offering support to empower them to become high performance teams.
- Gain insight into our clients’ requirements for project delivery, fostering close collaboration between them and our project teams to ensure successful project outcomes. This will not only streamline current work but also pave the way for future projects, thereby fostering revenue growth.
What is the key to keeping our standards high and consistently delivering a quality product?
Understanding our clients brief well, ensuring we get our design right to reflect the brief and de-risking the project by adding value in construction detail, sequence and methodology.
Developing a Master ITP checklist that captures all the correct HOLD/WITNESS points and following through in development of ITP’s that will assist our project teams and business in getting the basics right.
Being aware of the relevant applicable AS Standards and ensuring we comply. It does not matter in what role or capacity you have, challenge our teams and consultants, and if you see something that is not right and will be a problem down the track, be brave and raise it, but also follow through to ensure it has been closed out.
Being proud of what you are delivering and have the attitude of ‘Would I accept this if it was my home’.
Most importantly, if you see something that is not right, don’t walk by…..call it out!
What excites you most about joining Binah and contributing to our success?
Binah is a young company and quite agile in its ability to do things which holds immense potential for growth. What sets it apart is the genuine investment from the owners and leadership team in the success of their people. Their care for employees isn’t just talk; it’s deeply felt and acted upon. The entire team exudes passion for their work and readily supports one another. Binah fosters an environment where healthy, spirited discussions are encouraged, allowing everyone to excel in their strengths. I’m excited to contribute through my experience and add value wherever possible and eager to be part of Binah’s next growth journey.
If you could give your 21-year-old self a piece of advice what might that be?
Listen, listen again, ask questions and then take notes from experienced people who are around you that can provide great advice but more importantly own your future and where you want to be, because no one else will……
