Beyond The Plan
Beyond The Plan
Podcast Description
If you work in major infrastructure projects - whether in government or the private sector - then this series is for you. Host, Ali Farhoodi, is joined by seasoned project managers who share their insights on successful project management strategies, and behind the scenes stories on projects like Sydney Metro, Sydney Light Rail and the Lane Cove Tunnel.Ali is the Director of EDSICO Management, a boutique independent Australian-Owned consultancy that provides a range of services to Australian Government agencies and also the private sector in all aspects of Projects Management, Projects Controls and Recruitment.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast centers on successful project management strategies within infrastructure, featuring episodes that analyze elements such as contract management and critical lessons from large-scale projects. For example, one episode discusses contract mistakes in-depth, while another highlights five essential lessons from delivering Australia’s largest infrastructure projects.
If you work in major infrastructure projects – whether in government or the private sector – then this series is for you.
Host, Ali Farhoodi, is joined by seasoned project managers who share their insights on successful project management strategies, and behind the scenes stories on projects like Sydney Metro, Sydney Light Rail and the Lane Cove Tunnel.
Ali is the Director of EDSICO Management, a boutique, independent, Australian-owned consultancy that provides a range of services to Australian Government agencies and the private sector across all aspects of Project Management and Project Services.
From concept to delivery, we bring proven expertise to advance your project. Let's start the conversation: https://edsico.com.au/contact-us/
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What if the biggest threat to your infrastructure project isn't the budget, the timeline, or the scope, but the relationships?
In this episode, Brett Ackroyd, a commercial lawyer with 25+ years inside some of Australia's most complex defence and government projects, joins us to unpack why most project failures start after the contract is signed. Brett breaks down collaborative working as a business discipline, the ISO 44001 standard most people in the industry have never heard of, and what elite delivery teams are doing differently to manage complexity at scale.
We dive into why a collaborative culture means people acting beyond their own contractual boundaries to solve problems, how to build that culture so it's systemic, intentional, and enduring (not dependent on personal relationships that disappear when people change roles), and why traditional contract-first thinking can actually work against the outcome it was designed to protect.
If you manage projects, manage risk, or are tired of silos and blame-shifting in delivery, this episode will change how you think about business relationships for good.
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Watch the video version of the podcast:
https://www.youtube.com/@ali.farhoodi
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CONNECT WITH US
Website: https://edsico.com.au/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alifarhoodimscpmp/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/edsicomgt/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edsicomgt
Time Stamps:
00:00 Intro/Hook
01:38 Introduction of Brett Ackroyd — background and experience
04:39 What is collaborative working, by definition?
08:05 The three pillars: systemic, intentional, scalable
10:08 The ISO 44001 standard explained
11:09 Why personal relationships alone make culture fragile
17:11 Win-win vs acting to your own detriment
20:00 Real example: resolving a shipbuilding project error without the contract
23:51 The cost of a claims-first culture in Australian construction
25:00 Why collaborative teams are the best problem-solving machine
30:38 Predictability, productivity, and the Scottish Water case study
41:58 Step one: defining your team's values and behaviours
44:00 Leadership as the champion of collaborative culture
46:14 Building competent, empowered, engaged teams
47:46 Incentives, consequences, and having the right people on board
50:28 When organisations can't fully collaborate — lessons from Defence
55:10 Collaborative working advocates
58:00 Why process alone isn't enough
1:06:36 What's next for collaborative working in Australia
1:17:01 Book recommendations
1:17:48 Conclusion/Outro
DISCLAIMER
The information provided in this podcast is for general purposes only and should not be considered personal advice. Always consult with qualified professionals or experts in the relevant field for personalised advice tailored to your specific situation.
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