I had an interview over coffee with JH Greene’s project manager, Tim Sommers, and thought his responses to my questions on issue remediation were worth sharing. He stressed his most encountered productivity hindrances in daily job progress, and how he’s found unique ways to overcome those interruptions. The following are some of the ways he’s added clarity to the often-puzzling construction management process.
– Always Remember the “Pre”
Preconstruction has become more and more of a strong foundation for our team. During this phase, we have been having conversations with subcontractors about potential hazards and watch-outs that we may encounter issues with. We’ve been clarifying scope and processes for communication that smooth out any obstructions created by improper relay of messages in the future. On recent engagements, this foresight has allowed us to minimize disputes by anticipating job costs before they appear, and having PM teams understand the path to eliminate these complications effortlessly.
– Continuous Improvement/Education
We take pride in the opportunity to continue learning and evolving. We’ve noticed this tendency as an asset in our project execution. As we recognize our expertise, we never assume to know it all – and remain eager to take on new improvements and lessons learned for the future betterment of clients.
We believe thoughtful reconsideration of older, inefficient practices is a common practice that is important to evaluate every now and then. Our education and findings are passed onto our clients as we pursue a relationship as strategic partners. A collaborative focus on learning new things and overcoming roadblocks alongside a client is a quality that has stood out boldly in recent jobs.
– Keep the Trust Strong
Internally (within JH Greene leadership to employees) and externally (JH Greene team to clients), trust that we will be not only productive in a project, but also ethical – is paramount. We build this trust through collaborating and understanding project participants’ goals to always keep dialogue open to this.
Regardless of a project’s unpredictability, our goal is always to steer away from high-pressure disputes through adequate planning and conversation. No project is perfect, but these three intentions are a great way to target success in any engagement.