Technology on site
Most construction businesses are five years behind and do not know it
If you cannot see the job in real time, you are guessing with other people's money. Pair this with episode 11.
From this episode
- The technology already exists. Adoption is the bottleneck.
- AI will not replace a good leading hand. It will expose a sloppy office.
Show notes
In Episode 8 of Behind the Facade, Jake from Proline Group and Daniel from Complex Facade Install sit down for a raw conversation about AI, data, systems, leadership, stepping away from the business, and what separates the construction businesses that are winning right now from the ones that are quietly falling behind.
This episode dives into why most Australian construction businesses are years behind on the tools and systems that are already transforming the industry's best operators. Jake and Daniel break down how AI is being trained and embedded inside Proline Group, why data is the most underused asset in construction, and how measuring everything from labor hours to order patterns is changing the way decisions get made on site and in the office.
They also get into what happens when a leader steps away from the business, why you can never skip the steps when building experience, how to capitalise on momentum when you've got it, and the performance review process they're using to develop the next generation of construction leaders. The conversation also covers internal awards, building software from scratch, leadership structure, the supporting cast behind every successful business, and why pen and paper still has to come before any software.
If you work in construction, facades, cladding, glazing, fabrication, project management, site management, subcontracting, trades, estimating, operations, or business ownership, this episode gives a real look at how systems, data and leadership are separating the businesses that grow from the businesses that get left behind.
Timestamps:
00:00 — Intro: The new war room and what's been happening
02:30 — Why stepping away from your business is one of the most valuable things a leader can do
07:23 — If your team can't function without you walking through the door, you've got a problem
13:53 — How Jake trained 35 people in how he personally uses AI and why the results have been baffling
17:21 — If you're not measuring it you're guessing — why data is the most underused asset in construction
19:34 — You can't skip steps — why experience is the one thing money can never buy
28:27 — The personality traits of the most naturally data driven people in construction
32:53 — Working in three degree conditions at Docklands — why leaders who haven't lived it can't judge the team
36:05 — The fortnightly AI award and the Built Not Bought award — how to drive innovation inside your business
43:44 — Cam's story — five roles before finding the one he was built for
01:06:20 — Performance reviews in construction — what they're really for and how to run them without it getting personal
01:14:17 — No one gets there alone — the supporting cast behind every successful construction business
ABOUT BEHIND THE FACADE
Behind the Facade is a construction podcast hosted by Jake Gorry, Director of Proline Group, and Daniel from Complex Facade Install Pty Ltd. The podcast goes behind the scenes of the facade, cladding, glazing and construction industry, sharing real conversations about business, leadership, site work, project delivery, culture and the people building the industry from the ground up.