Beyond technical excellence: Why cultural intelligence is critical infrastructure
Delivering federal infrastructure in complex, multicultural environments requires more than engineering expertise — it demands cultural intelligence and authentic stakeholder collaboration. Paul Baron, Project Manager, and Camille Gozum Colling, Civil Engineer, share lessons from GHD's port and harbor improvement work in Palau and Yap under the Pacific Deterrence Initiative in a new article published in the Society of American Military Engineer’s magazine, The Military Engineer.
As part of a joint venture with COWI, GHD is delivering critical port upgrades, dredging and disposal design, navigation aids, joint-use facilities and road improvements across two Pacific island nations with distinct cultures, governance structures and unique relationships with the United States through the Compact of Free Association. The work involves coordination across multiple US agencies, host nation governments, Indigenous community leaders and international partners.
Local stakeholders aren't just people you consult. They're co-authors of the solution."
Paul and Camille discuss how engaging directly with local communities — including the Council of Elders in Palau — shaped design decisions and prevented costly disruptions. They explore the role of local liaisons, simplified visual communication tools and early relationship-building in earning trust and co-authoring solutions with stakeholders rather than simply consulting them.
As federal clients increasingly institutionalize cultural competency requirements, Paul and Camille argue the question is no longer whether to invest in cultural intelligence — it's whether you can deliver without it.
Read the full article in The Military Engineer:
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GHD is a leading professional services company operating in the global markets of water, energy and resources, environment, property and buildings, and transportation. Committed to a vision to make water, energy, and communities sustainable for generations to come, GHD delivers advisory, digital, engineering, architecture, environmental and construction solutions to public and private sector clients. Established in 1928 and privately owned by its people, GHD’s network of 12,000+ professionals is connected across 165 offices located on five continents.