A Community for Action

A Note from Jack Bowen

When any sort of tragedy strikes, those of us who are not affected either just observe and move on or actually do something to help. John Bowen’s article in the last Builders Bulletin highlighted the strength of “community” in responding with action. Many parts of Victoria were ravaged by the intense fires that took hold not long after Christmas … the loss of livestock was bad enough, but the destruction of houses, grass feed and forests, together with at least four people dying, made the whole event a catastrophe.  

To John’s point, “small country towns and city communities will succeed because they intuitively understand their own needs, trust each other, act quickly, innovate boldly and remain directly accountable.” 

“Building a great community, whether local, online or professional, is a human-centred, long-term endeavour based on fostering belonging, shared purpose and trust.”  

That statement is not mine, but it certainly resonates with me (and hopefully you!). It makes me think of my family and friends, my club associations and very much our 132-year-old business, including the people who have been part of the Bowens community throughout those years. 

Ours is a growing business, but the fact that after 132 years, we are way off the expectations one would normally expect after all those years. Over the last 20 years, the pace has grown, but the intention of our family is not about getting bigger as much as achieving strong growth, steady returns and acting responsibly. 

Ours is a community of dedicated staff and builder clients. When John emphasises the local community types that come together to fight fires, provide physical and emotional support and act as “powerful engines of social cohesion”, he was mirroring what we want Bowens to be. We want to remain flexible in action and not get bogged down with too much bureaucracy and “a diffusion of responsibility”. This can be achieved particularly through our timber and hardware branch network. Our average branch employee numbers are around 40-50. With the right people becoming engaged together with great branch leadership, it is not hard for us to provide community support when needed. Our branches are well run and are flexible enough to respond positively to local needs. 

At the same time, our builders have a strong connection to each of the branches they deal with, including personal ties and, in many cases, very long-standing relationships.  Our branches, together with our builder clients, make up a formidable “Community for Action” – a collaborative network of skilled professionals and local contractors who go beyond construction to foster local, social and economic growth. We act as community builders and suppliers in rebuilding after disasters, supporting local infrastructure, and creating lasting social impact.  As John wrote, “Community-driven initiatives foster accountability. When change and action are driven locally, the people designing, implementing and overseeing solutions are often the same people who will experience the outcomes.” This creates strong incentives for follow-through and responsible action. 

I’ve no doubt that in and around the building industry there is a feeling that it’s participants, us, are very much from what the world thinks of Aussies – pragmatism and larrikinism, lifestyle and laissez-faire, getting things done and not worrying too much about what might come down the track – because the point is to get through today and enjoy yourself doing so. A shared experience brings people together and sets aside self- interest for the common goal. As a result, resources are implemented more efficiently, bringing results that are outstanding. 

I feel I’ve cheated a bit by jumping on John Bowen’s theme of “Men and Women for Others”, but in tying this thought to our business, our clients and the building industry in general, I’m suggesting that this is a pretty good industry to be part of. An industry that requires hard work, co-operation through every project and an inherent ability to act reasonably quickly in response to a “crisis”. 

The farming fraternity provides the best example of community “togetherness”, and I’m suggesting that our fraternity is not far behind. During the recent fires, farming communities from all around the country organised fodder runs, delivering hay, neighbouring farms opening fences for livestock and volunteers providing food, machinery and emotional support to aid in the cleaning up, rebuilding and recovery.  Local builders within the farming communities were part of this effort, as were members of the Red Cross who arranged community-led resilience teams. 

Overall, our industry can be proud of its involvement in local communities – the question begs, however, why do we wait for disasters and tragedies to become friends and neighbours with each other?  A question for another day!