According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment opportunities in construction project management will grow by 5% between 2022 and 2032. Professionals in this sector, like construction project managers, are responsible for planning, construction, and overseeing projects.
As such, they should be able to delegate responsibilities, monitor progress, craft reports, and manage construction teams.
Apart from a degree in construction project management or a related field and other industry certifications, certain crucial qualities make a good project manager. So, let’s take a look at the qualities to look for in a professional project manager.
7 Qualities Of A Successful Construction Project Manager
1. Good Communication
First on the list is how exceptional your communication skills are. All the stakeholders, from outsourced suppliers, clients, subcontractors, architects, and others, look up to the project managers for the way forward. A project manager should possess fantastic communication skills and convey complex technical information in a way that everyone can easily understand.
With excellent communication, you can achieve excellent results, as you will be reading from the same page for smooth collaboration between all parties.
For all construction practices, whether in the back office or the fields where operations occur, the construction project manager usually serves as the core of communication, relaying information, instructions, and updates to various departments.
However, while it’s easy to maintain good communication with a small team, that’s not the case when undertaking large construction projects. But you can use an expert civil construction project support firm to avoid miscommunication that could cause mishaps and ruin your reputation.
2. Flexible Planning
Things could happen otherwise, even after planning every detail of a particular construction project. And remarkably accurate, any change in plan, small or big, can have severe consequences for the project and team members. Therefore, construction project managers must have adaptive skills since inconveniences are inevitable.
A profound grasp of the project and any development foresight are essentially what every project manager requires, even before committing to the plan. In addition, a successful construction project manager revises and develops the plan even after the preconstruction phase to keep track of every step.
3. Industry Knowledge
How can you guide others when you lack sufficient knowledge? Most specifically, in the construction industry, where new construction techniques are developed every other day, you must be a knowledgeable project manager. Every construction project manager must deeply understand project management while staying current with innovative dynamics that can catalyze goal achievement.
In short, you can be a successful project manager only after improving your skills based on the current evolutions in the industry.
4. Risk Management
Like in other industries, anything could go wrong in the construction sector. Once in a while, there can be inherent risks that can disrupt the initial project plan. This is the apparent reason for construction project managers to have strong analytical and risk management capabilities. They should be able to assess potential risks and provide a solution even before commencing the project.
5. Negotiation Ability
Another quality that would show that you’re indeed a successful construction project manager is your negotiation skills. The construction landscape often involves a lot of negotiations to ensure everything falls into its rightful place at the best time.
In addition, project managers should be able to deny an appeal where needed or in instances of impractical client expectations. Disagreeing with suggestions that can negatively affect or compromise the success of a project is also a significant aspect that calls for incredible negotiation ability.
Some of the instances that construction project managers need to negotiate include the following:
- Persuading stakeholders
- Managing team workloads
- Developing new staff within the Project Team
- Setting expectations
- Resolving supply and labor issues
6. Leadership Skills
The primary reason you hold the office of a construction project manager and aren’t a subcontractor is that you can lead. You should be able to guide others just like the general manager would, keeping in mind that the success of the projects is your success, too.
Leadership skills are paramount for project managers, as they play a pivotal role in guiding teams toward successful project completion. Effective coaching in leadership skills can be transformative, enhancing a project manager’s ability to inspire, motivate, and communicate with their team. This not only fosters better collaboration but also boosts productivity, minimizes conflicts, and ultimately leads to more successful project outcomes.
Be there from the start to the end of the project, motivating the team members, availing them of the resources they need, and clarifying every step for a concise understanding of what needs to be done.
In the same capacity, determine the strengths and weaknesses of every participant and adopt improvement techniques for everyone throughout the project process.
7. Financial Management
Construction projects often use too much money, and a construction project manager should possess a finance management trait since it’s one of their most significant responsibilities. Tiny money mismanagement can lead to overbudgets and incapacity to run a construction project.
For you to know, financial management is a critical quality for any construction project manager; see the following instances:
- Budgeting and Cost Estimation
- Resource Allocation
- Vendor and Supplier Negotiations
- Risk Assessment and Contingency Planning
- Cash Flow Management
- Change Orders and Variations
- Client Billing and Invoicing
- Financial Reporting
- Contingency and Reserve Management
- Project Closeout and Financial Auditing
Conclusion
Whether you are planning to hire a competent construction project manager or an individual looking for ways to be a successful construction project manager, this guide comes in handy. From budgeting and cost estimation to resource allocation, risk assessment, and financial reporting, having fundamental skills will help deliver successful construction projects.
