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Becoming an extraordinary Construction Manager isn’t about luck, it’s about deliberate practice, discipline, and a commitment to growth. If you’re just starting your journey in this field, you’re stepping into a role that demands leadership, precision, and people skills in equal measure.
Having worked with, and learned from, some of the best in the business, I’ve gathered invaluable lessons that I now want to pass on to the next generation of construction managers.
Whether you’re new to the field or sharpening your craft, consider this a playbook for your professional foundation.
Mindset: Set the Standard Early
Extraordinary construction managers understand that mindset defines their craft. Commit to these foundational principles to elevate both your professional outcomes and personal growth:
- The quality you accept sets the standard. Regularly inspect your expectations.
- Cleanliness reflects quality. Adopt the Disney Way, no team member is too important to address cleanliness on site.
- Honesty and integrity are non-negotiable. Your reputation is your most valuable asset, protect it.
- Confidence matters but should always be balanced with humility and fairness.
- Be proactive, waiting passively is not an effective strategy.
- Start early, stay late. Excellence doesn't adhere to a traditional 9-to-5 schedule.
Leadership: Control the Process or Be Controlled
Exceptional leaders proactively manage their environment rather than reacting to it. Adopt these strategies to maintain control and ensure successful outcomes:
- Walk every room of every home, every day. You can’t manage what you don’t inspect.
- Own your site. You must be the most informed person on the job.
- Never assume, confirmation beats assumption every time.
- Be fair but firm. Relationships matter, but so does accountability.
- Lead the pack or get eaten. Leaders anticipate and act before issues arise.
Communication & Planning: Build a System That Works
Great construction managers rely on effective communication and meticulous planning. Embrace these guidelines to build clarity, consistency, and reliability into your projects:
- Explain the why, not just the how. When people understand the purpose, they’ll find a way.
- Follow up and follow through. Your word means little without action.
- Write it down. Don’t rely on memory, use your brain for problem-solving, not recall.
- Document everything as if you’ll need to defend it five years from now. Because one day, you might.
- Leave a trail; texts, emails, site notes. It’s your insurance policy.
Time & Task Management: Master Your Calendar
Time and task management separate the good from the extraordinary. Integrate these habits into your daily routine to achieve exceptional productivity and organization:
- Set goals and write them down. Unwritten goals are just wishes.
- Avoid endless to-do lists. If it matters, schedule it.
- Make calls for anything you need tomorrow by 10 a.m., then shift gears toward tomorrow.
- Capture key data points, measure to improve.
- Use dashboards to keep your eye on the big picture.
Learning: Stay Curious and Coachable
Continuous learning and curiosity distinguish top-performing construction managers. Adopt these principles to stay informed, adaptable, and consistently growing:
- Learn at least 10 sellable features in each room. Know your product inside and out.
- Understand your materials, where they come from, how they’re installed, what they cost, how they’re warranted.
- Always make time for mentors. Ask questions. Listen more than you speak.
- Challenge everything, including your own assumptions.
Final Thoughts: Be a Builder of People and Projects
Construction management isn’t just about homes, it’s about people, planning, and impact. Drama has no place on a job site. Energy is finite, spend it wisely.
If you’re a young professional in this space, commit to being extraordinary. Not someday, today. Your habits, your communication, and your integrity will define your career more than any title or certification ever could.
Stay humble. Stay sharp. And always lead with purpose.
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Mentoring Credits:
- The Pulte Group (Mike Rhoads, Mark Guenther)
- The Shinn Group (Chuck & Emma Shinn + Ed Hauck)
- SMA Consulting (Bob Whitten)
- Mountain Consulting (Joe Stoddard)
- TrueNorth (Scott Sedam)
Ed Kubiak
Homebuilding Professional | Industry Innovator
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