Specially project managers in construction phases
I speak like an old man when I say that in all my years of working, I have seen a wide variety of personalities: from complete jerks to people who, regardless of the type of project, you want to be around. Over time, I have changed certain preconceived ideas I had about the personality needed for certain jobs.
One of the most radical changes in my opinion about personalities is the personality needed in construction project management.
One of the most radical changes in my opinion about personalities is the personality needed in construction project management.
When I started working on construction projects, I always thought that the model I began to learn was the right way to manage projects. In this case, it was a tough guy who made decisions without hesitation and didn’t care about making enemies if the project was in danger of being completed on time and within budget.
Over time, I began to differentiate between the tough guys and those who were really covering their backs before the shit hit the fan. Those who manage projects based on the contracts that have been signed, or those who manage them based on the work being done. The ‘lone wolves’ (for the projects I’ve been involved in, you always need more disciplines than one person can cover, but I try to use the term ‘wolf’ to define those who need less interaction with the group), as opposed to those who need constant affirmation from a team. Those who have a sense of humour and create a relaxed atmosphere, the grumpy ones who are a bit of a pain to work with… and you can continue to differentiate between qualities and personality traits that can make a difference in project management.
Over time and through exposure to more people in different cultures and contexts, I began to realise that different personalities were not clear indicators of good or bad project managers. (Except for those who only care about covering themselves so that the shit doesn’t splash on them, who are shit no matter what country they come from).
I have met gentle people who got projects done on time, and tough guys who had complications and delays everywhere. I have seen people who were constantly referring to contracts and people who hardly looked at them, deliver projects as they should be delivered, and also make significant mistakes.
In the end, from my point of view, the most important factors in determining whether a construction project manager is good or not are:
- How good the contracts they have to execute are. No matter how good you are, if the contract is bad… the result is unlikely to be good.
- Experience (I have already discussed this point in other posts and will not repeat myself).
- Methodical, and
- Proactive
Firstly, methodical, I think this is easy to understand. Projects involve a lot of documentation, deliverables, follow-ups… and you need someone who knows how to establish and/or follow a consistent working method. This type of work requires a constant compass so as not to lose sight of what is important and a working methodology that allows you to follow what is really important amid all the noise. Sometimes this is routine, and routine sometimes leaves things by the wayside because they are taken for granted.
I’m sure you’ve heard of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) test. (If you haven’t, there are several free websites where you can take this test)
When I have led teams of construction project managers, I have tried to use these tests as an exercise where we can see the differences and, above all, find out what can stress each person. These teams were assigned to me, I did not form them myself, so there was no bias on my part in the selection of the team. The curious thing is that, of the 16 personalities in this test, two personalities always made up the majority of the team (ISTJ or ESTJ). Regardless of the I or E (Introvert or Extrovert), the personality was quite consistent. Occasionally there other profiles, but were fairly balanced towards STJ.
The second, proactivity, also seems simple, but it is even more difficult to put into practice, because you have to predict what you know is going to happen and at the same time be prepared for what you don’t know will happen, while maintaining what is best for the project at all times… To do this, good project managers spent much of their time in planning mode.
What I am clear about is that a reactive person cannot manage a project well. I have come across project managers who think that their job is not the contractor’s job, and that the contractor should know what to do because they have signed functional contracts (especially when you have project managers with a more commercial mindset).
My answer is always ‘yes, but no’. No matter how well the contract is negotiated, how favourable the terms are to you, and how well equipped you are to put the contractor in their place, the most likely scenario is that if you have a contractor in “penalties”, you will find yourself in a ‘loss-loss’ situation.
Normally, in a project, a contractor has fewer absolute losses than the overall project you are managing, and that makes sense. If my project costs €100 million and my contractor has a €10 million contract, their penalties cannot cover the equivalent losses that I have in the €100 million different contracts. At the same time, people forget that if the project management team has to spend more time on one project, that is time they cannot spend on another project. In the consulting world, the hours you work are the basis of your remuneration, but many employees in companies forget that their time costs their companies a lot of money.
Apart from the fact that a delay in projects entails capital costs, blah, blah… in short, reactively chasing after a contractor means more work and more costs, so it is always advisable to be proactive and work alongside contractors on the work that needs to be done.
There are times when ego and being right conflict with what is best for the project. Questions such as ‘Why do I have to give in if I am right? Why should I lose out when it is the other person who is wrong?’ may cross your mind on many occasions. These are not easy questions to answer, but being able to weigh the pros and cons, putting the project above all else, and presenting decisions in which you lose something in the short term can be a much better solution than proving that the contractor was wrong.
