have the potential to be adversarial, but he believes that if you start “with a foundation of authenticity and transparency,” then you can almost always find solutions to problems when they arise. “I find being authentic and transparent with the contractors when it comes to expectations goes a long way,” James says. “We let them know why we need certain reporting requirements and how we’re going to work together. We let them know what the owner’s key interests are and what the project needs to be successful. We explain why we allocated risk transfers in the contract in a certain way. That tends to lead good results.” “If there are any variances, we have an open and honest discussion,” he adds. “There’s always a point where there’s a schedule concern or there are changes that might be in debate – but if you have an open and authentic discussion about those problems, you can almost always find a solution. I find when you approach projects that way, it gets reciprocated, and you can quickly navigate any issues that your team may face.” “It’s really respect-based,” he emphasizes. “We understand that contractors need to make a profit on the project too. We have had great success with our approach. We have great relationships with all the contractors we’ve worked with. We’ve had our battles, but I believe we’ve always left the projects with a general respect for each other.” APRIL 2025
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