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The Building Talks Podcast
A fortnightly podcast showcasing conversations with professionals across Australia’s Built Environment—spanning Construction, Property Development, Engineering, Architecture, Project Management, Consulting (and much besides).
In each episode, we explore the challenges, opportunities, and trends shaping the industry, while hearing the stories, insights, and experiences of the people behind the projects. From architects and engineers to builders, project managers, quantity surveyors, researchers, and business leaders, our guests offer valuable perspectives from across the sector.
Whether you're curious about industry issues or want to better understand the people driving Australia’s built environment, The Building Talks Podcast brings you authentic conversations with those ‘in the know.’
The Building Talks Podcast
Talking with Richard Austin about Leading High-Performance Teams Without Being the Technical Expert
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G’day legends! On this episode of The Building Talks Podcast, I sat down with Richard Austin, CEO of Omnii, one of Australia’s leading fire engineering and services consultancies. But this chat isn’t really about fire… it’s about people.
Richard’s leadership journey spans travel, insurance, finance, and now construction, and here’s the kicker: he’s not a technical expert in any of those fields. Instead, he brings a razor-sharp, people-first mindset that’s all about aligning strategy, culture, and performance.
We dig into how he steps into new industries and quickly builds trust, sets clear direction, and creates aligned, high-performing teams. No fluff, just smart, practical leadership thinking.
Key takeaways:
✅ How Richard leads without being a technical expert
✅ Aligning strategy, culture, and performance
✅ Creating clarity and trust in new environments
✅ Why wellbeing and communication are business essentials
✅ Rethinking hiring, team dynamics, and leadership style
Chapters:
05:07 – Richard Austin’s Career Journey
06:35 – Transferring Skills Across Industries
10:06 – Deliberate Leadership and Organisational Goals
12:32 – Understanding Business Performance
16:13 – Behavioural Assessments in Leadership
21:53 – Applying Sports Science to Business Leadership
23:09 – Understanding Team Dynamics
29:10 – Recruiting for Team Compatibility
35:31 – Supporting Employee Development
38:27 – The Role of Managers in Employee Success
43:10 – Structuring Leadership and Management
45:35 – Richard’s Perspective on the Construction Industry
47:46 – Brisbane’s Engineering Success Story
49:35 – Challenges of Leading Technical Teams
52:25 – Learning to Lead: Skills for CEOs
56:47 – Recruitment Strategies in a Competitive Market
01:00:55 – Assessing Overseas Talent for Cultural Fit
01:08:08 – The Importance of Training and Development
01:13:32 – Mental Health and Physical Fitness in Performance
01:19:11 – Setting Goals and Overcoming Challenges
If you’re a team leader, people manager, or business owner, or you want to be, this episode is full of smart takeaways you’ll use.
#LeadershipInConstruction #ConstructionCEO #TeamPerformance #FireEngineering #OmniiGroup #CultureAndStrategy #ConstructionLeadership #RecruitmentStrategy #WorkplaceWellbeing #BehaviouralLeadership #ConstructionCareers #HighPerformanceTeams #HiringInConstruction #LeadershipWithoutLimits #BuildingTalksPodcast
The Building Talks Podcast is brought to you by Building Environs Recruitment - providing recruitment solutions to the property, construction, and related industries, here in Melbourne and Southeast Queensland. For an overview of our service, visit:
www.buildingenvirons.com.au
The views and information shared in this podcast are for general purposes only and do not constitute legal or professional advice. Neither the host nor guests are providing specific guidance. Please seek professional advice before taking any action based on the content of this podcast.
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