Shout about good news when we can

Jul 24 2009 Constructing Excellence with Catriona Lingwood, The Journal

WHAT’S wrong with some straight forward good news about the economy for a change? I know there needs to be a balance in reporting, but it seems that every time there is even a glimmer of a “hurray!” it is followed by a “but…”

Perhaps it’s a naïve view, but it really would be nice to one day pick up the paper or a trade magazine and read a piece of positivity not tainted by a knock-down tale of job losses or predicted doom and gloom.

A far fetched hope in the current economy, I know! We are seeing some positive stories. Recently I have read reports of a number of housebuilders making hopeful noises about their sector, pointing to a more stable market.

Galliford Try were one of those using phrases like “pent-up demand” and its construction divisions were performing so well that record results were expected for the financial year.

Sadly, across the page was a reminder that not everything is upbeat, with the Construction Skills Network (CSN) revising its five-year forecast for the second time in a year because of the gloomy outlook.

CSN is now predicting the industry will contract by 12% in 2009, although a more marginal two per cent decline in 2010 is expected. While we can’t ignore the negative news, it is always sad when those glimmers of hope are overcast by the dark clouds of economic reality.

Where things can be helped, though, is to keep the positive upbeat – especially when editorialising. A recent example came on a national radio programme where a roving reporter was testing the mood of the nation from a “greasy spoon” truck stop-style café. Clearly, they had hoped for misery and expected to find it when the first trucker said he was a scaffolder.

However the interviewee told him how busy he had been and a second interviewee was equally positive. Back to the studio anchor, who concluded the piece with a comment about “caution” being the watchword.

Wherever possible, we need to be preparing for the upturn rather than allowing ourselves to let the negative mindset prevail. While some media are doing their part to nurture some positive thinking, more can be done to allow the good news to flourish wherever it can take root.

For more information on Constructing Excellence in the North East, contact Catriona Lingwood on (0191) 383-7435 or catriona@cene.org.uk

Catriona Lingwood is chief executive, Constructing Excellence in the North East