Quantum Executive Director, Steven Beaumont, looks at different sectors in the construction industry and discusses how we can all relate to the problems they face more than you might think.
We rejoiced in April 2014 when Hamad International Airport finally opened and the airport’s first flight from Bahrain landed. It is nearly one year since that occasion so I thought we should consider the impact the airport will have or has had on Qatar so far. It is common knowledge that the airport was delayed and there have been disputes and disagreements but let’s for one moment reflect on the achievement of all the stakeholders involved and the fact that Doha is now an international aviation hub and intercontinental gateway. With two of the longest runways in the world the striking 85m tall control tower and the Emiri terminal this will contribute greatly to the development of Doha and Qatar it will provide multiple opportunities and the airport offers something for everyone.
I find the design of the airport to be quite unique the designers have done a good job in making the airport look smaller than it actually is and have you noticed the strange situation you find yourself in after security? Most airports if not all channel you to the departure gates through masses of duty free boutiques. Doha doesn’t which means you are not held up in endless queues which are good. I also find that on arrival the lighting is comfortable and not blinding like some airports. It’s as though the designers recognised how tired you might feel after arriving on a long haul flight.
“Working together to deal with the issues as they arise means talking and a little used clever skill called listening”
So as a frequent user of the airport I think it works well, the common theme however that Hamad International Airport has with every other airport in the world are the people that use it. The characters which provide us with a smile and you say to yourself. Is it me? I recall on one trip a lady was carrying a hula hoop as carry on luggage. Why I thought? On another occasion a gentleman tried to board the flight but was a day early. These characters make for a memorable journey. It does get a bit much though when someone is sitting in your seat, I mean, how can they get that wrong? But they do.
Another thing it seems that many passengers don’t listen. I mean how difficult can it be to have your boarding card ready and to sit and wait until you are a called to board. Oh no. Just a simple good afternoon ladies and gentlemen seems to be the trigger mechanism to rush to the gate which causes obstacles complications and could cause delays.
However, despite some of the passengers the airport seems to be operating well and I don’t recall any dramas on any of my trips other than the comedy provided by some fellow travellers.
Now if we think about this in the context of the airports construction it is somewhat different. There was no fun or games with the disputes, the mixture of issues had some or all of the ingredients needed to allow problems to fester and not be managed. This meant there were few smiles and not many laughs along the way. But you know it really doesn’t need to be like this when we go about our daily business we smile and see the characters around us providing the laughs. Why can’t we build a superb feat of engineering such as this airport and enjoy the efforts by all and smile all the way? Many of these issues relate to communications and the simple skill of listening. Working together to deal with the issues as they arise means talking and a little used clever skill called listening. You will note that I said listening and not hearing the two are very different. It is similar to the passengers that don’t listen and look what happens there.
Going into the future, Qatar has seen the sense to have a target and this is the Qatar National Vision 2030 which is the common goal for the country to achieve. The airport and its future development is just a small part of this and to deliver the 2030 goal we must think about the stakeholders to the vision. We must recognise that if we set out to ensure the individual stakeholders goals are achieved then the vision of 2030 will happen by default. Working together is the way forward communicating and listening will help and the lessons from the airport should be captured and recognised.
“Why can’t we build a superb feat of engineering such as this airport and enjoy the efforts by all and smile all the way?”
Steven Beaumont, Executive Director
Steven Beaumont, a Quantum Executive Director, is a member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators. Steven has over 20 years of experience in both local and international construction project disputes and regularly delivers construction claims classes and lectures to industry professionals throughout the GCC. QGS is acknowledged as one of the leading management consultancies dedicated to serving the interests of national and international construction and engineering organisations.
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This article was previously published in the March 2015 edition of Business@Qatar Magazine published by the Gulf Times Newspaper