As the infrastructure sector increases its focus on sustainability, leaders must acquire and hone capabilities to manage new complexities in delivering projects on time and within budget.
In an era where the calls for action on climate change are louder than ever, organisations involved in infrastructure—whether policymakers, planners, financiers, developers, or operators—must consider how the demands and capabilities of leadership will be the change they want to see in the world.
Traditionally, leaders have come from an engineering or technical background, lacking the appropriate soft skills required to massage change. In this era of net-zero emissions, however, as the sector adopts new technologies and adapts to new ways of working, many leaders will have no choice but to develop new capabilities, including interpersonal skills, to encourage people to change their behaviours and mindsets.
As sustainability considerations come to the fore, the rising complexity of projects will mean more frequent interactions with partners up and down the value chain. To be effective in a more interdependent world, employees at all levels will need to be able to call upon a range of soft skills, including the ability to influence those outside their sphere of control.
The success of leaders have often and will continue to be measured by outcomes, more so now than ever, in the face of growing climate concerns. Many experts report the sustainability window is closing fast. It’s why the next-generation of leaders will need to be increasingly purpose-driven in their work, with an ability to articulate project and team purpose and objectives with clarity and conviction and see sustainability and strategy as fully integrated concepts.
Purposeful leadership alone, while necessary, will not be sufficient. Leaders—and the people they hire—must have a laser-sharp focus on results. However strong their sense of purpose, it’s their leadership authority that will determine their success in managing risk, driving results, and prioritising safety.
Completing high-quality projects on time and within budget in a way that meets emissions reduction goals will be a unique and ongoing challenge for infrastructure leaders. They will confront difficult decisions, needing to work with stakeholders across the value chain to modify or replace the traditional economic metrics against which the success of infrastructure projects is assessed. This will test not only their strategic skills but also their powers of persuasion.
Of all the players in resources and infrastructure projects, it’s governments, policymakers, and planners who are the needle movers who can create the conditions for long-term, sustainable value creation. In democratic societies, making the investment case to an electorate will require purpose-driven leadership, a willingness to learn from mistakes, and the ability to collaborate with and influence stakeholders across the infrastructure ecosystem. Through purposeful learning and collaboration, policy makers and planners can grow value sustainably.
As new technologies emerge, especially those that smooth the path to net-zero emissions, learning and innovation will be the new words on everyone’s lips. Infrastructure organisations need to be fostering growth mindsets with a focus on learning that empowers individuals to make better decisions within their circles of influence. Those that succeed will be well positioned to actually progress toward net-zero-emissions goals, delivering more sustainable outcomes for a number of stakeholders.
To reduce emissions, infrastructure leaders must embrace creativity and collaboration, both of which fall outside the normal frame of reference for many. Lasting change will occur at scale, however, only by industry leaders forming alliances that span across all resourcing sectors.
Shifting to a mindset of industry collaboration, alliances, and cross-sector partnerships may require leaders to consider executives without traditional infrastructure backgrounds and hire lateral thinkers who will challenge assumptions and approach problems from different angles.
This will include the need to use their influence in advocating for changes in legislation to accelerate innovation and investment in decarbonisation and green tech.
Technology is moving faster than expected, and now that we have the technology and the capital— we need the policies to make this transition happen.
How is your company placed to contribute to net zero?
13 Mar 2025