No Straight Lines: Paul Wong on resilience, leadership and delivering complex projects

We're delighted to share Paul Wong's conversation with Laurence Winmill on the No Straight Lines podcast - an honest discussion about the realities of leading major projects, from manufacturing to healthcare, and the mindset it takes to keep teams moving when the path is anything but straight. 

Why this episode matters

Paul reflects on his journey from architecture into project management and how blending design intelligence, delivery discipline and commercial clarity helps projects land on time and on budget. As Laurence puts it:

"From architecture to project management, Paul shared powerful insights into the world of planning, leading, and delivering major projects - on time and on budget." 

Across the discussion, three themes stand out: clarity of purpose, preparation, and teams that collaborate under pressure.

Five takeaways for project leaders

1) Clarity beats complexity
Paul is candid about the pull of complexity - and why leaders must simplify it for others:

"Nothing should be impossible - we just have to figure out how. And to do that, we need the right people, working together, overcoming challenges as one." leewakemans.com

2) Preparation buys you options
Early governance, well-considered briefs and disciplined design coordination create choices later, rather than last-minute compromises.

3) Collaboration is a practice, not a slogan
Real collaboration shows up in how decisions are made, risk is surfaced, and supply chains are aligned - not just in the kickoff meeting.

4) Resilience is built in the lows
Paul shares defining moments - the wins and the tough lessons - and how each shaped his leadership style and appetite for accountability. leewakemans.com

5) Keep learning (and be someone others can rely on)
His advice to early-career professionals and founders alike:

"Don't be afraid of uncertainty. Be clear on your values, stay curious, and always keep learning. Surround yourself with good people - and be one of them." leewakemans.com

Projects that shaped the conversation

The episode touches on high-profile programmes where disciplined planning and collaborative delivery were essential - including work in manufacturing and healthcare settings in Wales. (For a flavour of Paul's public comments on culture-building projects such as Techniquest, see our earlier coverage.) 

Listen to the episode

Watch the short reel now - then tune into the full episode for the full story
Spotify: https://lnkd.in/eG3QgcfM
Apple Podcasts: https://lnkd.in/et6Fky7f
YouTube: https://lnkd.in/eNAxHpsw
Podbean: https://lnkd.in/eGhNDFSg

About the podcast

No Straight Lines explores the human stories behind delivery - the setbacks, rebuilds and hard-won lessons that leaders carry forward. Paul's episode offers an inside view of how we at Lee Wakemans approach clarity, preparation and collaborative problem-solving to keep projects moving for our clients.

About Paul Wong

Paul Wong is Director of Project Management at Lee Wakemans, leading multidisciplinary delivery across healthcare, science & manufacturing and education. Before moving into project management, Paul was a director in architectural practice - experience he draws on to align design intent, commercial reality and programme certainty. He has served on the Lee Wakemans board since 2009. 

About Laurence Winmill & No Straight Lines

Laurence Winmill is an entrepreneur, presenter and keynote speaker who works with leaders on resilience, growth and communication. He hosts the podcast No Straight Lines: Stories of the Unbreakable, a series of candid conversations with figures from business, sport and public life about their proudest wins, hardest setbacks and what it takes to keep going when things aren't linear. laurencewinmill.comApple Podcasts

How we connected

We first met Laurence through Commerce Wales, led by Jonathan Cave - a community that champions authentic, relationship-led business networking in Wales. (Jonathan recently joined us at a Lee Wakemans event and shared his reflections on the power of genuine connection.)