Any project is bound by budgeted cost and estimated time. Any time overrun is likely to lead to cost overrun. Hence project management capability requires prudent utilization of all the available resources within the cost and time frame. Therefore the competencies required are : a) Human resource management, b) Finance management, c) Time management & coordination, d) Communication skill,
e) Decision making & Problem solving ability. Further project manager should be a good leader with strategic foresight and should be proactive.
In the construction sector, a project manager should have multiple skills, but the most important are as follows:
1. Leadership skills: Having a vision that can be communicated to all project participants, and being able to inspire and steer the project in the right direction,
2. Coordination skills: being able to identify the interdependencies between various tasks, and teams in order to be able to manage them effectively,
3. Sound understanding of how relevant project components can affect each other
Hi there, with regards to the competency of PM, no matter which sector they work, the answer is going to be the same. They have to have all the qualities that is suggested by PMI. Is there anything like which competency they don't need to have? For example, communication is essential part of project management. A project manager is expected to communicate 90% of the time. So he has to be a great communicator. Rest everything comes next. That said, all other qualities are essential as well. If they lack some qualities, there is always room to develop as they gain more experience! What if he is a good leader but a lousy communicator? Will the project succeed? Perhaps not. The word, 'coordination' in PMI refers to that role of project manager in a particular type of organization where they don't have much power.
Project Management is a true 'stand alone' discipline'. If you're working as a PM in a hospital setting, then move to construction industry; you should be working as efficient as your previous job. You're going to apply the very same tools and techniques, processes, and process groups to do the job. If you get a job in NASA afterwards, you will do the same thing.
You just need the competency of a great PM, and no specific competency required to become a great construction PM.
From my point of view, if some one is a great construction PM, but when he moved to another area and he is not doing well; that means, he is not a good project manager. It is as simple as this!
Dear colleagues, I strongly disagree that there is no matter in which sector you work, and PM is a standalone discipline.
a person can't be a successful PM if he or she is unaware in special knowledge.
Project management is a special discipline which combines efforts of different professionals.
"When I go to a customer I take construction documents not PM ones" has said one of my colleagues, and I strongly agree with it.
as PMP with 10+ years experience in project and portfolio management I believe it's true.
as for construction projects see the PMI PMBOK Extension for construction projects at www.pmi.org
I agree with Pandi (well except for the last statement..:-)) and I disagree with Danil. Project management IS a standalone skill - to be a bit facetious in my analogies it is a skill, like cooking and or driving. WIll the skill look different for each field - most certainly. Project management as a skill is the same, but when employed in varying environments you will need to use different techniques...some more than others. I've been a project manager in IT and Education. The communication matrix principles, ability to identify and manage risks and just simply overall project planning are the same. What was different was the audience, the environment and the content - in other words the context differed.
@Camille. With great respect to your opinion, i can't agree. Moreover my experience is in IT development, consulting and education too. But even in IT (not in construction or madical care or smth. else) i MUST be aware in a certain field. As an example i 'm a good PM in Software development, but i never should lead the Data center project, as it demands another professional knowledge and qualification.
If a PM doesn't have enough professional skills he/she wouldn't be able to communicate with team or even team leaders; monitor scope, and produce many other PM tasks.
I agree that techniues in PM area are common, but a person would implement them to a cerain knowledge area.
Thus a professional project manager may act as a project consultant in any area but not as a project manager.
Only 34 % of the all the projects succeed. The average project has a 43% cost overrun, according to Rita Mulcahy. No matter he or she has special knowledge in the domain area or not! Domain knowledge helps; but it is not a prerequisite for a good project manager. As you gain experience, you will understand more insight into the the sector requirements and special needs. You're going to use the very same tools and techniques, encounter very same processes and process groups. If you're not from the domain area but happen to accept to work in a construction project where someone left and you're taking over all of a sudden, look at the charter, look the project management plan, requirements managements plan, communication management plan. Are you feeling little lost, do a brainstorming, go for subject matter expert,talk to your stakeholders or go the the functional managers. If you do all these, I wonder what might be the problem in working in different domain?
This question cannot be settled in ResearchGate. If you still don't agree on this concept, post your question in Linkedin and see what people have to say.
We are 'not talking about a PM who doesn't have professional skills'; but we are talking about a PM who doesn't have domain experience. Any PM without any professional skills will miserably fail. That is out of question.
Hypothetically, if you want to hire me as a 'project consultant' by paying a hefty money, why would someone do it, knowing that I don't have domain knowledge in construction area? You could very well look for a consultant with domain experience. Normally a project consultant charge more money than a project manager, even if you go for a short-term assignments.
@Danil and @Pandi...please note - My statement does not say that if you were to get a job in Construction you should be hired. My argument was specifically concentrating on what the skills are and how it translates to knowledge. Would I or even should I be hired as a Construction PM - absolutely not. Would I be able to listen to a construction PM and contribute to any trouble shooting they may have with specific PM challenges...sure...:-)
@ Jaharkanti. You have listed the competencies of PM not a 'construction-specific' PM skills. Why?
@ Mohamed. Aren't the same skills required for any PMs?
@ Nash Man. You asked this question. What is your thoughts on this topic?
@ Camille. If you're not confident on a particular domain, why would someone listen to you when you can't give an expert opinion or when you're not a subject matter expert in construction? Having hesitation in managing a construction project, how confident are you in advising a construction PM?
As I mentioned earlier, this question can be settled if only posted in Linkedin (hardcore PM groups) and not in ResearchGate.
We can keep on discussing without getting any proper solution!
With regards to studies that examine the role of leaders in the management of emotions in the workplace, they point out that an emotionally intelligent leader, open to others, generates increased reactions of satisfaction and dedication on the part of his staff. The feeling of "positive emotions" determines the level of performance seen in the project. According to Haag and Laroche (2009: p. 85), "positive emotions occur when the actual performance is close to the performance to which we aspire". Research results also showed that this type of management creates fewer negative effects when restructuring an organization.
Haag C., Laroche H., (2009), "Dans le secret des comités de direction, le rôle des émotions : proposition d’un modèle théorique" M@n@gement, 12 (2), pp. 82-117 full texte in attachment
Hope I´ve helped you!
Take care
http://www.management-aims.com/PapersMgmt/122Haag.pdf
Well all my friends here ,,, thanks so very much for sharing ur kind comments, Its always good to have a difference of opinion so to generate fruitful discussion. while reading and going through the latest research in the field of Construction PMs Competencies , I have learnt about power of emotions as highlighted by DOROTA LESZCZYNSKA.... Beside IQ, Emotional Intelligence (EI) plays an important role in the successful career of PM. Ei is gauged with EQ, and research has proved that PMs with high EQ / EI possess high intensity of Transformational Leadership Style, and as DOROTA highlighted ,,,, they are pen to others, generates increased reactions of satisfaction and dedication on the part of his staff. The feeling of "positive emotions" determines the level of performance seen in the project.
This alongwith all highlighted by my esteemed friends, above (Mohamed, Panday, Danil and Camille) are all important for the Construction PMs.
At last, I thank u all for a healthy discussion and putting me wise ion the subject.
I am carrying out my thesis work on EI and transformational leadership in PMs of Pakistan construction Industry. Sooner I will share my thesis work with u all...
Need ur prayers
Warm regards
I have attached a paper presented last year by one of PhD students - might be of use
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