The Many Skills of a Twenty-First Century Construction Manager
Just like any job that involves managing, there are a variety of different aspects of a job that make the whole. In other words, a manager tends to look over and oversee different parts of any job and maneuver these moving parts in order to steer the whole ship. Project managers are multi-taskers, big-picture people, attention oriented, good observers, listeners, and articulators. They know what is needed and what is missing. They tell you what might go wrong with some degree of precision. They correct mistakes before they happen and accept responsibility if something fell short. They are multi-skilled type folks that make construction projects move forward throughout the country on any given day. Let’s take a look at some of the skills these special workers possess and what it takes in a day in the life of a construction manager.
The Knower — All-Encompassing Knowledge of Construction & Building
Most construction managers, and certainly and Constructors, Inc, have some solid and fundamental knowledge of the construction industry. They might have been craftsmen growing up, they like to build things with their hands, they understand how structures are erected, and so forth. The fundamental knowledge of construction is key in understanding how to manage the many employees that are working in any given construction site and what their relative job is. So many of the daily tasks of a construction manager depend on this fundamental understanding of how a construction site works and functions. So on any given day, they are responsible for:
- Keeping construction workers safe: In order to ensure construction worker safety, construction managers have to be familiar with safety protocols, procedures, and processes of certain construction projects.
- Ensuring compliance with local and federal construction laws: The federal and state governments have created a slew of laws and regulations that ensure safety, environmental safety and consideration, efficiency, etc. A construction manager must ensure that his project site is compliant with all these regulations.
The Negotiator — Ensuring a Good Contract is Set and Organized
At the same time that they are ensuring worker safety and regulation, a good construction manager might also be negotiating contracts with possible contractors or government agencies. Thus, construction managers possess
negotiating skills that require knowledge and understanding of what any given construction project demands and requires. Along with the negotiation skills they have to be able to bring in the figures which means:
- Preparing and negotiating cost estimates, budgets, and work timetables
- Select the right construction strategies and processes
Construction managers will also be in constant contact and working closely with other professionals that are necessary for the construction sites. They will build relationships and organize the work of:
- Architects
- Electricians
- Builders
- Carpenters
The Organizer — Putting the Pieces Together
In addition to negotiating contracts and keeping workers safe, the construction manager must serve as an organizer and overseer of the whole project. This means, they have to have a plan from the beginning and this includes putting together a plan of action and knowing approximately how long that would take. They must be familiar with the 21st-century technology used in the construction site and have an idea of how it works, be able to use it for the project, and etc. As all of this is going on, they might also be in charge of:
- Hiring new employees or subcontractors
- Ensuring the project is advancing productively and on schedule
- Maximizing materials and sources
The Manager of Many Faces — A Multifaceted Skill Set
So in addition to all of the above mentioned, the construction manager must possess a variety of soft and hard skills that are combined in order to move the whole project forward. So all construction manager must possess:
Communication skills: Dealing with a variety of people in meetings, project sites, and more, a good project manager will be able to communicate accordingly with each.
Accessibility and patience: Things will go wrong and people will need your expertise. The job requires that you are accessible and patient with all issues presented.
Depth of knowledge and understanding of the industry: This is non-negotiable. Here at Constructors, Inc., we have a great tradition of building and all of our project managers have a wide breadth of experience and understanding of everything that makes the project move along.
There is a saying nowadays that competence is a lost art in construction. Well, it doesn’t have to be. The right construction manager, the right team, the right crew, and equipment all come together to form a wonderful powerhouse team that creates amazing structures.
Hire A Construction Manager With Depth & Competence at Constructors, Inc
When you hire Constructors, Inc to handle a project, you will get a construction management team and crew that possess all of the above skills. We have wide experience with New Mexico construction, building everything from roads, to commercial site development, to building your structure, and we do so in a safe, efficient, and competent way.