From Gun QS to Commercial Leader: The Habits That Matter Most - Question Time (EP 270)

In this Own the Build Question Time episode, Paul is joined once again by Chris Barber, COO and Co-Founder of C-Link, to answer listener questions sparked by the recent Leadership Series featuring some of the UK construction industry’s leading Commercial Directors. The conversation explores the consistent themes emerging from those leadership interviews — and what they reveal about how strong commercial leaders are actually built.Paul and Chris discuss: why becoming a “gun QS” still matters before stepping into leadership;  the importance of exposure, reps and difficult projects early in your career;  how mentors and advocates often shape progression more than qualifications;  why good commercial leaders create clear frameworks and guardrails for their teams; and  how culture, payment practices and communication directly impact supply chain relationships. The episode also tackles: simplifying contract administration at project level;  how to reduce adversarial behaviours between contractors and subcontractors; and  managing relationships on projects where commercial pressure is intense. The underlying message is clear:great commercial leadership is built through consistency, ownership, empathy and experience under pressure.A practical and honest conversation for QSs, Commercial Managers and aspiring leaders looking to accelerate their development and build stronger teams.---------------------------------📥 Plus: Grab Paul’s free new eBook Mastering Construction Procurement — link below:Mastering Construction Procurement Strategies for Supply Chain Integration, Tendering, and Commercial SuccessSend us Fan MailWant to connect with Paul?Paul is on Linkedin here and would love to talk. You can also connect with Paul at [email protected] or through, C-Link. C-Link is software built by Quantity Surveyors for Quantity Surveyors. We save 600 hours of Quantity Surveying time per project in automation. We can make your QS’ so much more efficient.Watch the Video to learn more; you can book a demo by clicking here.