You might not have realised it, but you’re likely to be surrounded by goldfish, entertainers and bulldozers. Their characteristics define management styles in construction, and Staffan Engström has advice on how to respond to them – and reform them.
There are many different types of leader to be found in the construction industry, not least because getting a building project off the ground requires many different skills. But it is possible to draw out the common characteristics of effective leaders, as well as the behaviours that can hinder a team’s performance and jeopardise a project.
Over the years, researchers have developed many theories as to the types of leader to be found in business – anyone who’s been on a management training course will no doubt be familiar with them, if not the theories themselves. One of the most famous is the Myers-Briggs test, which identifies 16 personalities by the way they see the world, the way they make decisions, and by whether they prefer to work in a rational or an intuitive way. Each is given a four-letter abbreviation. Many people in construction fall into the “ESTJ” category – that is, they are extroverted, focused on facts, are rational and logical, and motivated by working towards a long-term plan.
Belbin Team Roles, meanwhile, describes the kinds of behaviour required successfully to complete a project. This envisages teams as collections of “completer finishers”, idea-generating “plants”, “implementers” and so on.
Perhaps less well-known is the Hersey-Blanchard situational leadership theory, which describes how appropriate management styles change according to the maturity level of followers.
The most junior members of a team require direction rather than explanation, so managing them is a matter of “telling”. A manager has to use “selling” and coaching with more experienced employees. Senior colleagues are seen as “participating” in decision-making, and those capable of running independent projects are the subjects of “delegating”.
Valuable though these theories are, they are difficult for most people to apply in everyday life. So, I’ve distilled them into 10 stereotypes that describe managers I’ve encountered in my career in construction. They are intended to help identify some of the common leadership pitfalls and offer advice on how to avoid them – or at least deal with them if you encounter these traits in your boss. If you are anything like me, you’ll probably be guilty of several yourself…
Staffan Engström is an independent strategic development consultant.
1. The Champion – The leader who needs followers
The Champion is usually talented, but desperate for approval and suffering from the delusion that they must be central to everything. Champions are to be found throughout construction – they may be project managers determined to erect a building singlehandedly, or architects who believe everything is secondary to the realisation of their vision.
You can spot a Champion because they surround themselves with people who appreciate their greatness and follow their lead unwaveringly. This creates a culture of dependency as subordinates either “delegate upwards” problems that they should deal with themselves or give up trying to solve them because the Champion always gets involved. When the Champion is not there, performance can be lacklustre – which reinforces their view of their own importance.
How the Champion can improve
The Champion needs to recognise that their success lies in what their team achieves, not in what they do themselves. Craving recognition will diminish the respect that they get from a good team. A great leader recognises the latent talents of subordinates, pushes them to succeed and then basks in the reflected glory.
How to deal with the Champion
Recognise that they crave your approval. If you give them a little of the attention they crave, hopefully they’ll leave you alone.
2. The Olympic Flame – The leader who never goes out
The Olympic Flame shares a characteristic with the sacred flame of the ancient Greeks: they never go out. Olympic Flame managers tend to be found in senior positions – they are directors, contracts managers or client project managers – and feel that they have so much to do that they can’t possibly venture out of their office.
They adeptly practise what might be termed MBNWA – Management By Never Walking Around. Sure, the office is where the big meetings happen, but if you’re divorced from the action on site there’s a limit to how effective those meetings can be. And the Olympic Flame’s people miss out, too, on the motivation that comes from feeling valued by the boss.
How the Olympic Flame can improve
Take an interest in your people and engage with them on a personal level. Regularly schedule time for “being out there”, and don’t cancel unless there’s a genuine crisis.
How to deal with the Olympic Flame
Recognise that the Flame does have a lot on their plate. It’s frustrating being ignored, but try not to take it personally.
3. The Goldfish – The visual leader
Goldfish are believed to have a three-second memory, forgetting what they were looking at almost as soon as they turn away. Goldfish managers are not quite that bad, but they tend to manage only what they see as they carry out their core duties. This is a trap that many general foremen or site managers fall into, as one urgent issue is quickly replaced by another. If an issue is clearly visible as they walk around site or can be seen from their office window, then they’ll deal with it. Otherwise it’s a case of out of sight, out of mind.
How the Goldfish can improve
Adopt simple systems to focus on the main tasks and actions, such as priority lists and schedules. As a Goldfish myself sometimes, I become frustrated when key actions are forgotten as the minutes of one meeting are replaced by the minutes of the next. A separate rolling schedule, from which actions are only removed when complete, ensures that I don’t need to rely too much on my fishy memory.
How to deal with the Goldfish
The Goldfish really just needs to get organised. Help them by being organised yourself.
4. The Bulldozer – The leader who rolls over everything
A Bulldozer is good at getting things done because they only see the task ahead and don’t notice who gets run over on the way. This is how many contracts managers and site managers operate – listen out for tell-tale phrases such as “you can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs” or “no pain, no gain”. A Bulldozer is great when what’s required is relentless focus, but you’ll probably need a clean-up squad to repair the damage afterwards.
How the Bulldozer can improve
Bulldozers are either unaware of the impact they have on other people or, more problematically, don’t care. The best kinds of Bulldozer can empathise with others when a situation demands, but know that there are times when pushing hard is the best thing to do. If you’re a Bulldozer, investing time in human issues will make you even more effective.
How to deal with the Bulldozer
Try not to be oversensitive when they run over you. It’s not personal, you were just in the way.
5. The Pressure Cooker – The leader who’s constantly stressed
The Pressure Cooker keeps everything inside. They tend to suffer from a distorted perception of the scale of the challenges they face and tend to focus on the smallest details instead of the bigger picture. Even though he or she may well be a competent administrator – often a foreman or site manager – the Pressure Cooker becomes bogged down in the stress of having the problems rather than actually solving them.
How the Pressure Cooker can improve
Most of our worries are our own inventions, and the real underlying issue is often a desire for social acceptance, or a fear of failure or the loss of self-esteem. As Mark Twain said: “I’ve had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened.” Taking a step back allows us to look objectively at the challenges we face. When the pressure is at its greatest, this is the time that you most need to stop, take a break, go for a walk, think about something else. When you return, you will be in much better shape to address the problem at hand. If you are waking up regularly in the middle of the night and worrying about problems at work, this a warning of real stress. It is time to seek some professional help or change your lifestyle.
How to deal with the Pressure Cooker
Accept that you will have to deal with the fall-out of their stress. Choose your moment to approach them with fresh problems – you’ll get a more positive response if you can find a time when they’re not under so much pressure.
6. The Atlas – The leader who carries everything alone
In Greek myths, Atlas was the titan punished with the duty of holding up the terrestrial sphere – literally carrying the world on his shoulders. Atlas managers act like that’s their role, too. They struggle to share the load and are reluctant to delegate to others, believing that “if you want it done right, you have to do it yourself”. It’s not only site managers and foremen who can be reluctant to let go – architects can be Atlases too, with even senior partners unable to leave the slightest design tweak to an underling. Unfortunately, this means that they become a bottleneck to action, hindering rather than helping productivity.
How the Atlas can improve
Recognise that your task is to manage. This is not the same as abdicating responsibility – you need to set aside time to coach your team and support them to learn new skills. Yes, it might take longer to teach them than to do it yourself, but what about the next time? Invest time today to make your life easier tomorrow.
How to deal with the Atlas
However frustrated you feel, don’t try to hide things from the Atlas or carve out your own territory – it will only make the problem worse. Focus on building his or her trust.
7. The Dreamer – The leader who’s bursting with ideas
The Dreamer has amazing ideas but struggles to make them reality. This may be because they don’t have the tools or the pragmatism to convert them into workable solutions, or because they find implementation dull, or because they simply lack the judgment to tell a good idea from a bad one.
In construction, they’re often architects with grand, impractical proposals, or consulting engineers whose ingenious solution might stand up but sounds so implausible that no client, QS or contractor would ever take a chance on it. Dreamers are seen as either an invaluable resource or a waste of time, but the difference is usually less to do with them and more about their team and how it is managed.
How the Dreamer can improve
If you are expected to deliver, then don’t surround yourself with other Dreamers. Hire grounded people who can adopt a systematic approach to sift out the time-wasting ideas and make the necessary practical and economic choices to get things done. You may not like Bulldozers, but you probably need a couple around …
How to deal with the Dreamer
The Dreamer is frustrating in a different way from the Atlas. If you’re on the Dreamer’s team, your role is to help them choose the best ideas, ground them in reality and deliver it for them.
8. The Prince – Beware the Machiavellian leader
In the 16th century, Niccolò Machiavelli’s book The Prince earned notoriety by proposing that the ends justify the means. Ever since, Machiavellian leaders have prospered in many fields – in construction, they are likely to be company directors or quantity surveyors. The Prince can seem charming, but don’t be deceived: he or she can behave in an unscrupulous way. Princes believe that people are out to get them, so they get their retaliation in first. This makes them cautious and calculating and undermines the confidence and trust of others.
How the Prince can improve
This is a tough one, because it requires a complete shift in worldview. But you could start by going out of your way to be straight in the small things – eventually people will trust you on the bigger ones.
How to deal with the Prince
There’s no point trying to beat them at their own game, as it will only reinforce their suspicion that the world is against them. Like the Atlas, the best way is to build their trust – if you can convince them you’re on their side, they will often back you all the way.
9. The Jack-in-the-Box – The leader who interferes then disappears
The Jack-in-the-Box is an over-promoted Atlas, who has reached director, contracts manager or site manager level. They still struggle with delegation, but now have far more to do and a much larger team.
As a result, the Jack-in-the-Box pops up when people are trying to get on with things – you’ll suddenly turn round to find them peering at your screen – set uninformed goals and disappear onto the next thing as quickly as they arrived, leaving everyone in a state of confusion.
How the Jack-in-the-Box can improve
You need to master the art of delegation. Change your thought process from “what do I have to do?” to “what is the maximum that each team member can do with my help?” This way, you will have the time to investigate what is happening and coach the team properly.
How to deal with the Jack-in-the-Box
Learn to tell the useful advice from the not-so-useful, and just get on with the job as best you can.
10. The Entertainer – All craic and no action
The Entertainer is a wonderful, warm person, always focusing on the needs of their team and is well-liked as a result. Many general foremen like to think of themselves as Entertainers. However, their own boss is not usually so positive because they often duck issues rather than addressing them and are reluctant to take necessary but unpopular decisions. An awful lot of managers suffer to some extent from the Entertainer’s malaise, subliminally equating good people management with “being nice”. But if being nice to people means avoiding the truth on poor performance, then it brings consequences that are not nice at all.
How the Entertainer can improve
Good leadership means being sensitive to people’s feelings while never compromising on performance issues. The Entertainer who learns this will transform the performance of their team – and earn genuine respect from not only their subordinates but their boss as well.
How to deal with the Entertainer
It’s the Entertainer’s fear of being unpopular that prevents them from doing what they should. Reassure them that they have your respect, even when times are tough, and they’ll find it easier to act.
Staffan Engström is an independent strategic development consultant. He was speaking to Katie Puckett
www.staffanengstrom.co.uk
