Construction is in an industry of partnerships, so to speak. On any project, our estimators, project team, subcontractors and vendors all must be in synch, along with the architect, engineers and ultimately, the owner. With so many voices and agendas in the mix, there are many opportunities for competition to enter the arena.
When folks are advocating for their priorities alone, it can lead to an unpleasant experience, and the project will suffer. I’ve found team members mirror the management style they see daily. If advocating for your own interests first is normal or accepted, they will breeze right past the process and only focus on outcomes. If one can lean into collaboration, those around you are more likely to do the same. After all, everyone has the same goal of moving the project forward.
Even if you’ve set the tone for teamwork and shared objectives, human nature still kicks in from time to time. If you see the mindset of an interaction shifting from collaboration to competition, take a second to recognize what’s driving the behavior. Is there uncertainty, pressure or a lack of clarity? Oftentimes, it’s easier to shift the focus to a shared goal if you can alleviate these concerns.
