Managing teams is something that the average Joe cannot do. If you take a set of different personalities and skill sets and put them under one company, it is hard to get them to mix and work together. And it does not help that construction projects are inherently just disorganized. But there are strategies that can be used to overcome this and achieve the best result at the end of each project.
Start With Clear Communication
Coordination begins long before anyone even touches a hammer. Without talking, everything falls apart. Not that talking is simple. It is probably one of the most challenging aspects of coordinating a team. The foreman tells the bricklayers one thing, the architect another, and suddenly no one knows which blueprint is the real blueprint.
Establishing a clear line of communication is the first step here. Emails are nice, but they are dead in the water if you do not back them up with face-to-face convos or at least a call that actually sounds alive. Your team should know who to ask if they need more information or where to find what they need. If you decide to send updates in the group chat, all updates should be there, no exceptions.
Use Technology, But Do Not Trust It Blindly
There are apps that promise miracles. Project management software and Gantt charts look great on screen. And yes, these things are brilliant, but only if someone actually looks at them.
Sometimes the person managing the app thinks just opening it is doing the work. It is not. It will not work on its own. You still need to check the schedule, send reminders, and nudge people physically if needed. The keyword here is “nudge.” You will be doing a lot of nudging as a team coordinator.
Check In Often
It sounds obvious, but checking in is something many coordinators forget about. So, walk through the site and talk to people. Do not just rely on updates from middle managers who sometimes forget to breathe, let alone report.
Everyone likes to feel noticed. Sometimes the simple “how’s it going?” stops someone from hiding a problem, and suddenly you can figure out how to get new crane outrigger pads by the end of the day instead of waiting until the last minute. And it only takes a moment, but it saves hours later.
Know Everyone’s Strengths
Every worker is different. Some are amazing and do not require a lot of nudging or special requirements. Others might be the complete opposite. But they all have quirks. And that is okay; really, it is. You just need to know.
Someone might be afraid of heights. Others might prefer to do the most challenging work early in the morning. Some people have tool preferences. Assigning tasks without knowing these things is a recipe for disaster. Sometimes people pretend they are fine with something just to avoid talking. So, always observe and ask. Then, trust your judgement and delegate tasks accordingly.
Plan, But Expect Chaos
It is funny, is it not? The more you plan, the more chaos shows up to mock your beautiful chart. You cannot avoid rain in the middle of summer or someone’s kid getting sick. Everything is inevitable.
So, plan, yes, meticulously, but the real skill is dancing around the chaos. Keep a plan, but make it flexible, and do not look too attached. A schedule that cannot bend will snap, and that is a very loud, very ugly snap. Stick to plan A until it no longer serves you, then move to B, C, and so on. Something will work out eventually.
Make Meetings Useful
Meetings can be killers of the soul. Standing in a room for an hour watching someone scroll their phone is a tragedy. Make them quick, make them relevant, make them painful for unnecessary chatter.
When a meeting is over, every attendee should know their role and what they need to do next. They do not need to know about next week’s project or what might need to happen if plans change drastically. All the extra noise is overwhelming, so make sure to curate your meetings carefully.
Conclusion
Coordination is a rollercoaster ride. It never goes as imagined, but it can be steered in the right direction. And every time you face problems, keep in mind that each team is merely a group of people playing collectively. And with that understanding, you will get to the point where you can see the way out of chaos.
