6 must have skills for any construction project manager

Construction project management is not easy. You always need to learn and adapt to new things and be open minded about changes. Let’s see what the main skills needed for any construction project manager are.

The number one skill – PROBLEM SOLVING

Problem solving is a must if you want to be a construction project manager. Projects can get derailed very quickly if project managers can’t solve the problems or solve them quickly. Lack of staff, missing drawings, delayed material shipping, use of wrong materials, lack of knowledge for the team, limited deadlines, poor quality, cash flow issues, and more Basically, whatever happens on a project can also become your problem. And sometimes problems can get really messy while you have to stay focused and guide the project and your team to the finish line. So if you can’t handle the stress, you’d better look for another job.

Knowledge about scope

If you are a project manager or want to be one, then you must know what products or services your company provides. If you have a team, then you don’t need to know  everything down to the last detail. Basically, as an example, your knowledge must be sufficient so that you could also be able to represent sales project managers. Knowledge about products will help you to interact more with your team and be a contributor.

Leadership

Project managers are the heads of the project and its team. You have to have empathy, be open-minded, and have overall strong leadership skills. Very often, your team or members can come to you for help, and you will have to help them. Besides being the one who is leading the team, you will set an example and inspire your team. You will need strong communication skills and to be an active contributor to the team.

Negotiation skills

Very often, you will face problems in projects where you will have to negotiate them. A client may come to you and request a favor that you are unable to provide, but he insists on receiving it. You then have to negotiate that so that he understands your pain and you can maintain relationships. With good negotiation skills, you can succeed at any project and with any client.

Contact building

Build your contacts and grow your LinkedIn contacts. Do whatever you can to grow your leads. Whether it is a client, subcontractor, or supplier, keep these contacts. You never know when you will need those contacts. Very often, project managers damage their relationships with clients once the project goes off track. While good project managers increase the bond with the client at these times. They know how to negotiate with clients and share the pain together. They even end the project by having better contact than before. The more leads you have, the easier it will be for you to manage projects.

Risk management

This paragraph is not about safety risks but project management and financial risks. You have to be able to forecast and foresee potential risks. Whether they are delivery, management, cash flow, technical, or other risks. You have to be able to point out risks that can affect a project’s schedule, cash flow, or technical aspects. Inform them about the risks to your stakeholders and team. Be ready in case the risk pops out.

Conclusions

Being a project manager is a very responsible job. You are in charge of the project and its performance. Probably every project manager will admit that the first project they managed was constant crisis management. But once you go through them, you become better with every project. Be open minded and ready to learn.  

Author – Emil Berzins. Follow me on