Give Your Field Leaders the Tools to Succeed in Today’s Built Environment

Leadership development is key to growth, profitability and long-term survival in today’s engineering and construction (E&C) industry. For too long, the industry has neglected this aspect of field-based people development and today the issue has turned into a crisis.

The most advanced E&C companies know that to attract and retain the best workers, particularly in today’s labor-constrained environment, they need to invest in training and development.

World-class construction firms also recognize that the continuity of their companies depends on field supervisors, superintendents and project managers just as much as executives. It is imperative to put the organizational emphasis on individuals who are out in the field every day planning projects, setting goals, ensuring safety protocols are followed, training up-and-comers, boosting morale, managing risk and demonstrating best practices.

Previous generations of field leaders learned primarily through on-site experience. Without formal training, knowledge passed on to emerging leaders is often limited. Now, with a shortage of qualified field leaders, people are being asked to lead or make decisions without adequate experience. So, what can be done?

Start by assessing your employees’ skills and competencies. Define the minimum requirements for roles and what is needed to meet or exceed those expectations. Next, make sure you can measure these skills, and if someone is found lacking, offer resources to support them.

Creating a learning lab for younger project managers exposes them to complex projects and operations. This builds confidence and can reduce the risk of burnout. Formal mentoring arrangements enable knowledge transfer and—as they gain proficiency and experience—ultimately allow more staff members to take ownership of projects. Mentoring can also serve as a crucial part of succession planning at different levels.

However, the lack of formal training programs in the past means that senior leaders may not be skilled at teaching inexperienced workers. That’s why FMI worked with firms within the built environment to develop industry specific training to develop effective field leaders. For the last 10 years, we have worked with more than 2,100 field leaders to help them discover their personal leadership styles and integrate concrete tips for leading teams in high-pressure environments.

We help field leaders:

• Gain an understanding of their leadership strengths and opportunities for growth through feedback and personal assessments.
• Obtain a clearer understanding of leadership effectiveness through coaching and feedback.
• Discover specific ways to improve their leadership performance.

When you invest in your talent, everyone wins. Building a deep pipeline of strong field leaders will have a positive impact on your bottom line, lower your business risk and improve your recruiting and retention.