Susan Young's
Amplify Blog

 

 

 

When Projects Derail, Communication is Often the Culprit

Nearly 75 percent of construction delays are due to poor communication and collaboration among teams.

The research comes from Procore, a software company serving the A/E/C industry.

That's a tough number to digest.

😮Materials, weather, and budgets aren't always to blame when projects go off the rails.

It ultimately comes down to effective communication and team coordination.

It's easy to assume breakdowns only happen at the top.

But the chain is only as strong as its weakest communicator.

That includes younger project managers, superintendents, and estimators throughout the industry.

✅They have impressive technical skills.

Yet, their leadership voices are still developing.

Emerging leaders often hesitate to ask for clarification, share bad news, or speak up in meetings.

Then, we see ripple effects, such as:

🚩Wrong assumptions

🚩Missed deadlines

🚩Frustration with crews and clients

Project difficulties aren't just a "people problem."

Communication and collaboration directl...

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A/E/C Leadership Communication Gap: Are Your Teams Afraid to Say "The Thing?"

Communication tip: 

If your team is hesitating to say what everyone is privately thinking, you have a communication gap.

You may—or may not realize it.

👉Avoiding uncomfortable truths—with internal staff or prospects—doesn’t help your firm's credibility.

It erodes trust, performance, and your bottom line.

This isn’t about publicly calling someone out or embarrassing them.

It’s about creating a culture with psychological safety to calmly address real issues with professionalism and respect.

➡️Here’s a common example in A/E/C: 

You have a charismatic project leader or superintendent who dominates conversations and shortlisted interviews. 

They’re likable… outgoing… the “life of the party.”

But here’s what no one’s saying to their face:

📈Their long-winded stories and off-topic comments derail important discussions—especially with prospects.

What feels like small talk to them feels like wasted time to others. 😮

The challenge is that this individual doesn't know how to read the room and reel themselves i...

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The Training Gap Smart A/E/C Leaders Don't Ignore

What if you saw training differently?

Successful A/E/C firms that capture pursuits face and embrace workplace training data. 📈

They don't make excuses about budgets, limited time, or keeping training in-house: 

  • Nearly 50 percent of managers with 10 or more years of experience report having received a total of only nine hours of training.
  • Almost 45 percent of managers who have been in their role for less than a year haven't had any training.

Research from Lorman shows that internal programs may save your firm money in the short term, but the benefits are limited.

🎯Most employees crave fresh perspectives and innovative problem-solving strategies.

To scale and narrow talent gaps, proactive firms are willing to invest in external training.

A/E/C executives must be open-minded and know that scalability is intertwined with today's business development and communication skills.

How does your team measure up against competitors? 

Savvy leaders recognize the return on investment i...

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Your Secret Sauce to Beating Competitors

Reading body language and other nonverbal communication skills is key to capturing more pursuits.

When you connect Human-to-Human (H2H) using this technique, you'll have clients and referrals for life.

🧨These little-known nuances blow away the A/E/C pros I coach, and they use this knowledge for years to come.

It's intriguing, high-level communication, and it's fun!

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