How organizations hurt their operations team without even knowing it

By Gregg M. Schoppman, Principal, FMI Corporation

Sometimes we hurt the ones we love the most.  For construction organizations, the project managers often wear targets the size of a barn door and they don’t even realize it.  When one considers the impact a great project manager has in an organization, it is great deal like that of the blue-chip quarterback.  The team rises and falls with each reception or interception thrown.  The same can be said of the project manager.  The nexus of all information, decisions, communication and most importantly projects success and failure is the project manager.  If this person is so important, why do we hurt them the most?  Of course, no one is consciously beating their project quarterback.  Like many football programs, firms like to think they protect their assets like a quarterback wearing the red “non-contact” jersey.  What is said and what is done are entirely two different things.   

No Offensive Line 

One of the first critiques of many firms is the lack of resources available to the project managers.  Seriously examine the team you have and look at how much they have on their plate.  Firms constantly hear about the new constraints, regulations, procedures, etc. that their operations teams have to accomplish, yet they staff them with the same personnel and general conditions that were used 10-20 years in the past. Obviously, there is a fine line that separates competitiveness and being “fat,” but too often firms err to the side of incredibly conservative, breaking their general conditions into fractional components (i.e. 50% of a project manager, 35% of a superintendent).  While it may work in the estimating war room, managers are suffering through projects that are inappropriately staffed leading to project overruns and losses.  In the end, the project manager looks like the quarterback who suffered the loss, but in reality, the statistic that was buried on the scorecards was ten sacks he/she took during the game. 

No Training 

In their haste to avoid squandering a resource, executives constantly shove new resources on the field long before they are ready. Has your organization ever said the following: 

• “We tend to throw people to the wolves…” 
• “We throw new associates right into the fire…” 
• “New project managers sink or swim quickly…” 

It is clearly understandable that management wants to see an immediate return on its investment.  However, there are plenty of rookies that could use some time on the farm system or even ride the bench to learn how to execute appropriately.  Even for a more seasoned veteran, there should be nuances that are exclusive to the firm that requires training, orientation, education, etc.  So many managers are talented but lack an understanding of that firm’s playbook or operations manual.  This does not mean that a new engineer or manager must sit out for two or three building cycles, but it is a strong recommendation that firms inculcate their new associates with the semblance of a real training program.   

No Playbook 

As the team rushes onto the field, and the quarterback starts calling plays, no one has a clue on what play is being called.  So many project managers are hurt by a firm’s lack of consistency in operations.  When every project and every client, requires a different set of operational tools, it is impossible to gain traction and even drive a project successfully.  It is as if the plays are being written as the game is being played, much a like a group of kids playing in the sandlot.  Meeting agendas are frantically assembled.  Logs of critical data are generated ad hoc and as needed.  Close-out happens at a cadence by someone other than the project manager.  Proactive gives way to reactive, leaving the offense to play defense.  Why reinvent the wheel with each new associate?  Is your organization hurting itself by leaving operations to chance? 

No Depth or Structure 

There have been a few great players in history that were tagged with the moniker of “Slash.”  They were great passers/runners/receivers.  Double or triple threat players are outstanding and some organizations thrive on having that level of ambiguity in the play calling.  Construction organizations are somewhat contrarian to that.  There are always great project managers that can be tasked with managing incredible workloads, governing the field, estimating with accuracy, and cultivating superior client relationships.  On the other hand, there are MANY position players that do parts and pieces of the above list very well.  Some organizations create disjointed organizational charts that segregate talent disproportionately, leading to resource problems, misalignment amongst customers and managers and more importantly workloads that may be off kilter (i.e. putting all of the work on one “Slash”).  There will always be A+ superstars and those that are not.  However, organization should be striving to drive toward more consistent structures by establishing the right playbook, standardizing performance and holding personnel accountable.  It is great if a quarterback is throwing 500 yards a game but it is all for not if the rest of the team fumbles 16 times.   

Project managers are not more important than estimators or superintendents or any other associate within a firm.  The main difference is how project managers are positioned and their direct or indirect impact on costs and overall profitability.  For some firms, the quarterback is the superintendent while others it is the project manager.  There has to be a primary play caller for any project.  However, just like within the parallels of a football team, coaches and executives can set their play caller up for failure.  There are few firms that fall within the realms of being sadists but in their zeal to “run lean” or “be cost conscious” they forget some of the critical infrastructure that enables even the most pedestrian quarterback to look like Brady. 

FMI is the largest provider of management consulting, investment banking, and research to the
engineering and construction industry. FMI works in all segments of the industry providing clients with value-added business solutions. For more information visit www.fminet.com or
contact gschoppman@fminet.com