How To Be a Good Construction Superintendent: 12 Traits and Qualities of Effective Superintendents
A construction superintendent plays a vital role in any construction job.
How well they do their job and how efficiently they do it can be the key to success in all parts of the project, including:
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Timelines
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Budget
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Team dynamics
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Communication
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And more
Whether you’re the general contractor or a team member answering to the superintendent, you know how important it is to have the right person in that position.
What qualities should a successful construction superintendent possess?
If you’re considering being a construction superintendent or are looking to hire the right person for the job, we’ve compiled a list of the top qualities to look for in a superintendent.
- CM Fusion: Making It Easier To Be a Good Construction Superintendent
- 12 Characteristics of a Successful Construction Superintendent
- CM Fusion: Project Management Software for Construction Superintendents
CM Fusion: Making It Easier To Be a Good Construction Superintendent
One of the key responsibilities of a construction superintendent is document control, which can be a huge task given the numerous documents used in a typical construction project. A superintendent needs to keep track of documents and manage the documents that may be altered at any time.
Managing documents and the many other duties that come with being a construction superintendent can be challenging if they don’t have the right tools.
A good construction superintendent will use a project management system to its fullest potential, taking advantage of the system’s varied capabilities.
CM Fusion is cloud-based construction management software successfully used by both construction superintendents and general contractors to keep the entire team connected and on the same page.
With features for …
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Document tracking
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Scheduling
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Project tasks
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Cost tracking
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Change orders
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And more
… construction superintendents will be equipped with the tools to do their job efficiently and effectively.
With affordable and flexible plans and pricing, CM Fusion works for construction businesses of all sizes.
CM Fusion offers their software plans without:
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Commitments
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Contracts
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Set up fees; or
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Training fees
And with a free 30-day trial, you have nothing to use. Try CM Fusion today and add this construction management software tool to your superintendent’s tool belt.
12 Characteristics of a Successful Construction Superintendent
A construction superintendent’s job is complex and varied.
Overseeing the details of an entire construction project requires honed skills in:
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Communication
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Critical thinking
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Problem-solving
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Management
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Organization
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Technology
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Working under pressure
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And more
Maybe you are already working as a construction superintendent and want to know how to do your job even better. Look at the following list to see where you might sharpen some of your supervisory and leadership skills.
The superintendent’s job may not be for everyone, but if you possess the following skills, this may be the position for you.
#1: Educated and/or Experienced
Education and experience can go hand-in-hand when it comes to a construction superintendent position.
Some construction managers may look for a superintendent with a degree in:
Having a bachelor’s degree strengthens your resume and shows that you have the tenacity and discipline to do what it takes to achieve a goal.
Though a bachelor’s degree may not be necessary, receiving some sort of construction education can be helpful in preparing a superintendent for the various aspects of a construction project. An associate’s degree or trade school degree can also give a leg up when seeking out a superintendent position.
Whether you have a degree or not, experience is crucial to the success of a construction superintendent.
Because a superintendent oversees countless details and aspects of a job, having work experience in those different areas is crucial to effective oversight.
And that kind of experience doesn’t happen overnight — it usually takes years to gain the kind of experience to equip the best construction superintendents.
Other than working on job sites in various capacities, potential superintendents can gain valuable experience through internships and mentorships. Watching a successful superintendent in action can help potential superintendents know what qualities they need to develop in their current construction position.
Experience and education help instill confidence in team members and stakeholders, and whether it’s through college or on-the-job training (or a mixture of both), good superintendents possess the knowledge to oversee a project from start to finish.
#2: Effective Communication Skills
Construction superintendents must keep tabs on all aspects of the job, which means speaking with nearly everyone on the project, including:
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Contractors
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Site foreman
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Permits officers
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Stakeholders
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Clients
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And more
A superintendent skilled in communication can effectively communicate with anyone on the team to keep everyone in the loop. This includes:
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Explaining duties and expectations
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Informing team members of protocols
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Providing assistance when needed
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Understanding industry lingo and technical terms
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Checking in and evaluating progress
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Providing accountability
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Accepting feedback from team members
With clear and regular communication, everyone on the team is able to do their job better.
And though it may not be expressly required, speaking multiple languages can be incredibly valuable in this culturally diverse field.
#3: Practical Problem-Solving Skills
It’s inevitable that problems will arise in a construction project.
When those problems come, it’s important to have a superintendent who can survey the situation and devise a timely solution.
For example, if a client is creating lots of change orders, or if a subcontractor is falling behind, the superintendent needs to think of some solutions that can keep the project on time and within budget.
A superintendent can also be positioned to handle potential problems by developing contingency plans, so they are ready to act rather than react when things don’t go as planned.
#4: Excellent Project Management Skills
Project management is multi-faceted, and holding all the pieces together takes a person who is familiar with all the facets of the job and how they fit together.
From documentation to scheduling to timelines to budgets, superintendents need to know the ins and outs of every detail of the job.
The best superintendents know they can’t manage every aspect of the project without the necessary resources.
Construction management software like CM Fusion puts the best project management tools at the superintendent’s fingertips. With mobile-ready software that’s easy to use, construction superintendents can manage projects of all sizes from anywhere.
#5: Committed to Research and Planning
Great construction supervisors don’t take things at face value when taking on a job. They do their homework by researching and planning before ever visiting the job site.
After getting the set of plans for the project, a superintendent will look at them in great detail, researching other pertinent details to have as much information at hand as possible.
Before the project officially begins, supervisors should:
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Visit the site.
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Look for potential risks and problems.
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Secure necessary permits.
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Provide safety training for workers.
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Hold a pre-construction meeting.
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Answer questions from team members.
#6: Interpersonal Skills
Let’s face it — dealing with people can be difficult.
Great construction supervisors know how to work professionally with all team members, even the most challenging ones.
Keeping those relationships professional and conflict-free takes interpersonal skills like:
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Listening
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Respect
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Tolerance
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Empathy
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Awareness
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Reading body language
Superintendents that do the job well are skilled at setting the tone for the whole team. When relationships are positive and conflicts are minimal, workers can be more productive and the project can stay on schedule.
#7: Trustworthy
The safety of the job site and the well-being of each team member should be the first priority of any construction superintendent.
They can accomplish this best when:
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Workers have been adequately trained
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Team members have what they need to do their jobs
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Protocols are clear and repeated often
Superintendents exude trustworthiness when they practice what they preach by following the protocols they’ve asked their team members to follow.
All of this results in a safe workplace with fewer injuries and greater compliance.
#8: Highly-Organized
With so many details and tasks to keep straight in a construction project, things can go downhill quickly if the superintendent isn’t able to keep it all organized.
The best way for a superintendent to get and stay organized is to use construction management software that automates many of the administrative processes.
CM Fusion helps keep superintendents organized, whether they are dealing with document tracking, photo management, scheduling, or a plethora of other tasks. In addition to being highly organized, automating many of these processes makes them more efficient, freeing them up for other tasks that may be more pressing.
#9: Great Attention to Detail
Details are crucial. Overlooking important details can be costly, derailing a project and causing unnecessary conflicts.
Superintendents can avoid many of these negative effects by:
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Being well-acquainted with the client’s expectations
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Carefully reviewing plans with engineers, architects, and contractors
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Setting clear expectations for contractors
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Being clear when delegating tasks
#10: Tech Savvy
Technology is constantly changing in construction, and superintendents should strive to keep up with the newest technologies.
It’s not enough to simply know what the newest technologies are; the best superintendents are also skilled in using them.
Here are some of the latest construction technologies that superintendents should be familiar with:
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Drones
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Building Information Modeling (BIM) software
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Virtual reality and wearables
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3D printing
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Construction robots
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Artificial intelligence
#11: Professionalism
Superintendents relate to everyone on a project, from stakeholders to subcontractors and everyone in between. Exceptional superintendents know that each person is important to the success of the job, and each person deserves to be treated with respect and professionalism.
No matter the issues at hand or the challenges in interpersonal relationships, superintendents can set the tone by prioritizing professionalism as an essential work ethic by:
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Being approachable
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Remaining calm in trying situations
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Initiate improvements
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Take responsibility for setbacks instead of blame-shifting
Professionalism not only instills trust but also demands mutual respect.
#12: Works Well Under Pressure
With so much on the line at a construction site, it’s no surprise that it is a high-pressure zone.
Issues like …
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Equipment failures
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Accidents
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Change orders
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Permit delays
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Weather surprises; and
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Conflicts with the client or team members
… can threaten the overall productivity and efficiency of a project.
When the pressure’s on, construction superintendents need to be able to remain calm and create a game plan on the fly.
If you thrive under pressure, the construction superintendent role may be a great fit for you.
CM Fusion: Project Management Software for Construction Superintendents
We understand the construction industry and the responsibility that construction superintendents carry. That’s why we’ve created the best software tools to make your job easier and more streamlined.
If you’ve tried construction management software before and found it to be complex and difficult to use, you should give CM Fusion a try.
Our software is simple and easy to use.
You don’t need any special training, and you can have it up and running in minutes. But f you ever find yourself needing a little help, you can call or email our support team for assistance.
Wish you could give it a try before you commit? You can.
Try CM Fusion free for 30 days.
When you love it as much as we think you will, simply choose from two plans and avoid contracts, commitments, and set-up fees.
Smart construction superintendents know how to take advantage of the best construction management tools.
CM Fusion has you covered. Request a demo today.
Try CM Fusion, risk free for 30 Days – Your first project is FREE!
If you are trying to figure out where to look now, our company CM Fusion offers a free version of Construction Project Management Software. Not to mention, our customers brag about it’s ease of use, so you should be able to sign up and start managing your projects in minutes.