Have you ever heard of the quote, “The strength of the team is each member”? That is especially true in construction crew management.
A successful construction company is made up of successful individuals, and establishing one can be challenging. Every person has a different personality, perceptions, and work ethic. Some people are great collaborators, while some prefer to work independently. Some contractors can work fast without supervision, while others prefer clear guidelines and structure to be productive.
Knowing this, selecting individuals for your team can be hard work, but it’s certainly not impossible to do so. In this article, we have consolidated a list of qualities that top-notch construction managers and team members possess so you can manage, train, and hire your crew better.
1. Integrity
The first quality that a good construction manager should have is integrity. This is the cornerstone and the pre-requisite of all the other traits we will discuss, but unfortunately, this is also the hardest trait to find in the people in construction.
Most of the contractors and crew find ways to cut corners when working and deliver less quality than what is expected of them. With construction’s unpredictable and ever-changing nature, construction projects will have change orders, concessions, and other unexpected costs that might arise during the project’s lifecycle. Having a construction team with high integrity will give you peace of mind that all decisions, whether big or small, are based on what is best for the project and not on personal gain.
2. Proactive Problem-Solver
Problems are a constant factor in managing projects, and it doesn’t matter how good your team is; issues are bound to arise during the project lifecycle. Because of this, you need to hire a construction manager who can look at the problem at hand and adapt quickly. When a hurdle arises, your manager must be capable enough to quickly find solutions and apply them without compromising the integrity and the project timeline.
Being quick about finding a solution can save a lot of money and time on a project. It is essential to avoid as many delays as possible, and solving problems quickly is a surefire way to reduce the additional time spent on the same project.
Moreover, a good construction manager is a proactive problem solver, using experience and data to identify potential problems and prevent them from occurring on-site. Proactive problem-solving leverages construction projects with an advantage over others because it saves time, costs, and material resources.
Productive construction managers manage construction projects with a backup plan ready in case things don’t go to plan, making them an indispensable asset to a team.
3. Credibility in the Construction Field
While this may be considered an afterthought, it’s important to consider a construction manager’s credentials. Hiring a manager with sufficient training and certifications in the construction management field is fundamental to a successful project.
Certification programs and training will teach an individual everything they need to know, from scheduling to managing budgets, crew schedule management, and various construction regulations. While all the other industries have a gap between what you learn in school and how things work in the field, having the right educational foundation to rely upon will give you a good starting point for running successful projects. Construction managers can work towards industry-specific certifications: On-Site Safety Certification, Construction Certified Manager (CCM), and Professional in Project Management (PPM).
4. Extensive Experience
Apart from the right educational background in the field, extensive experience in construction management can make a difference. A seasoned construction manager has worked on several projects and engaged with various people. From simple change orders to complicated field-work management, many possibilities can happen on-site, and nothing beats experience when choosing a leader who will oversee your project team.
Experienced construction and site managers can set construction crew schedules and handle any labor issues, delays, worker safety, material shortage, staffing, vendor coordination, turnover, equipment, licenses, insurance, warranty, and every other aspect of the job. Having at least a single “old-timer” on a construction team can go a long way in getting through the many situations that arise in the construction business.
5. Personality and Attitude
As mentioned earlier, construction teams have diverse backgrounds, whether professional or personal. The construction manager needs to get and maintain the respect of the entire construction by providing clear instructions and authority and giving constant attention to the project.
Construction foremen have a reputation for being tenacious workers for a reason—they need to earn the respect of their workers. If workers sense that they can cut corners or feel a general lack of clarity and direction, their performance may decline. The best construction managers actively engage with every nitty-gritty of the project and every worker on the job. By maintaining a constant presence from day 1 to completion, they can keep the project on track and every team member on task.
6. Organizational Skills
Organizational skill is important for a construction manager. Organizing the sequence of the work to be done, closely monitoring it, and tracking the timeline can help your team complete on-site construction jobs faster and better.
Organizational skills are especially critical when managing large-scale projects involving multiple activities, teams, and materials. Effective construction managers use organizational skills to implement more efficient construction management. Project scheduling skills are important because they enable managers to achieve high-quality output and on-time project completion.
Project scheduling skills enable construction managers to establish the project schedule, allowing them to plot their timelines and ensure they are within the agreed project timeline. Combined with construction scheduling software like Pro Crew Schedule, your projects will always be in order and running smoothly. Embrace order with the perfect organizational tool that helps construction managers divert their energy to solving pressing problems on-site.
7. Delegation Skills
Construction managers’ top responsibility is to help their team complete all their project tasks, and they often use their delegation muscles to assign duties to their crew members for support. Solid delegation skills can help you complete your tasks on time and ensure that the project moves forward successfully with the help of your team. It’s also important to identify your team’s strengths and weaknesses so you can assign them the duties that best suit their skills and talents.
8. Openness to Feedback
Openness to feedback for construction managers means that they can be receptive to any constructive criticism that may be thrown at them. Besides being assertive and firm, a good construction manager listens to other team member’s views and opinions. In this role, it’s vital to be open to accepting corrections from colleagues and stakeholders. This means letting them know that they have the freedom to share their observations with you safely. After they’ve provided feedback, you can thank them and assure them you take their feedback seriously but not to heart.
9. Communication Skills
One of the essential qualities of a construction manager is excellent communication skills. Communication skills are important for all managers, especially those in the construction industry, since they need constant communication with their crew members and other stakeholders.
Communication helps managers in construction to be more productive, efficient, effective, and successful in their daily activities on-site. For instance, say you’re working on a project with multiple departments involved, some working in the field and others in head offices; some are your employees, while others are subcontractors and trade experts. In such a situation, good communication skills are the ultimate key to ensuring that every crew member comes together like a gear in a machinery, ensuring seamless and efficient collaboration. This can help ensure your team knows their role within the project scope. This way, no time is wasted due to misunderstanding, which can save both time and money for your project.
Communication is also vital in ensuring that construction managers are aware of any problems their team members are encountering so they can take necessary steps to resolve them. This can help in avoiding building materials and resource wastage.
Lastly, communication is vital in ensuring construction managers can effectively convey their expectations and comments and any updates on the project’s progress. This will help ensure that everyone knows what they’re working toward at any given time. A tool that can help build good communication between teams is construction scheduling software like Pro Crew Schedule, which makes setting goals and timelines a breeze. Streamline your team communication by adopting a cloud-based application that enables your team to see the bird’s eye view of the project anytime, anywhere.
