25% Cost Reduction on a $4 Billion Project

Also featured as a full case study, with numbers →

When I joined the Kraken development project we were building a team from scratch. Ten people on day one. Over 350 across 15 companies within three months.

The technical challenge was significant. But the leadership challenge was greater. How do you build a high-performing culture across that many people, companies and disciplines — fast enough to matter?

We focused on three things from the start. A single, clear strategic intent everyone could articulate. Cultural measures of success that were defined by the leadership team and lived visibly every day. And an environment where people felt safe to raise problems, try things differently and hold each other accountable — regardless of hierarchy.

The financial outcomes were significant. 25% reduction in operating costs over 15 months. 18% saving on capital expenditure. On a $4 billion project, those percentages represent hundreds of millions of dollars.

But the outcome I'm most proud of is 535 consecutive days without a lost-time injury or reportable incident. In a high-risk, high-pressure environment, with hundreds of people spread across the world and multiple contractors.

That doesn't happen by accident. It happens when people feel like they belong to something worth protecting.