CATEGORY | Lessons Learned

10 Things To Exclude From A Construction Bid, Proposal Or Contract
Construction Documents & Templates

10 Things To Exclude From Construction Bids, Proposals & Contracts

All construction projects begin on paper. Tied with drawings, the most important pieces of paper on a construction project are those included in the legal documents. Legal terms are found most defined in the final contract executed between a client and contractor, but even the terms and conditions submitted as part of a construction bid or proposal are critical and carry legal implications, too. This is why it’s essential that contractors understand what to exclude from a construction bid, proposal or contract. In this article, we’ll cover 10 must-know things to exclude in your next construction project.

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Working At A Large Company Vs. Small Company - The Pros & Cons
Career Planning

Working At A Large Company Vs. Small Company: The Pros & Cons

Companies come in all shapes and sizes. Plenty of businesses click on year after year with just a couple of employees, maybe only one! Meanwhile, giant corporations can employ hundreds of thousands of people – that’s like employing a couple hundred small towns. As you can imagine, the employees working at small businesses have a vastly different experience than ones working at a huge corporation. In this article, we’ll be discussing the pros & cons of working at a large company vs. a small company. Let’s get into it!

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Putting A Project On Hold - When Project Managers Should Hit Pause
Construction Management

Putting A Project On Hold: When Project Managers Should Hit Pause

In the field of project management, we rarely hear of the words ‘slowing down’. In fact, those words often echo in infamy. Clients want their project completed as quickly as it can be. They’re more likely to request additional resources, more hours and accelerated timelines – slowing down or stopping isn’t something clients want to hear. Unfortunately, slowing down or hitting pause is the right thing to do for the Project Manager, despite what the client and even our own management may say. In this article, we’re discussing putting a project on hold and when P.M.s should hit that pause button!

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Inexperienced Project Manager? The Do's & Don'ts For Young P.M.s
Project Management

Inexperienced Project Manager? The Do’s & Don’ts For Young P.M.s

Ah, the early stages of a Project Manager’s career – everything’s so new and the possibilities are endless. Cherish these stages, because soon you’ll be an experienced, jaded Project Manager with a steel gaze! Half kidding. When a P.M. gets assigned their first project, they’ll likely feel many emotions at once – excitement, nerves, pride, anxiety, intimidation, disorientation and more. Like most promotions, becoming a Project Manager is a big deal, which requires a boost in performance and responsibilities. Is an inexperienced Project Manager truly ready? By following the list below, young Project Managers can maximize their experience on their new project while protecting themselves from the downsides! Let’s jump in.

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Why Are Lessons Learned Important In Project Management?
Construction Process

Why Are Lessons Learned Important In Project Management? Here’s Why

When a project is finally complete, most people want to enjoy the result and then move on, even when the project goes well. Although the idea of new projects becomes alluring at this point, it’s the perfect time to reflect back on the finished project with 20/20 vision. Even on successful projects, there are things that could’ve gone smoother. There are also portions of it that go much better than expected. So why are lessons learned important in project management? Here are a few benefits of this.

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Our Comprehensive List Of 25 Ways Contractors Lose Money
Construction Management

Our Comprehensive List Of 25 Ways Contractors Lose Money

Construction is a high risk, high reward business. While working on a job site is high risk from a safety perspective, the industry as a whole carries a high financial risk for contractors. With this risk comes the chance to make large profits when successfully completing projects, but the chance to lose a tremendous amount of money, too! Many contractors declare bankruptcy each year, while others barely cover their costs with little left to show for it. Other contractors do exceptionally well. So why do some contractors run into financial issues? This article will be solely focused on a comprehensive list of ways contractors lose money!

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Common Weaknesses Of Project Managers
Project Management

Common Weaknesses Of Project Managers: Overcoming My 6 Main Flaws

Are Project Managers born, or made? Most likely, it’s a combination of both. Whether our specific discipline is in Engineering, Software Development, Architecture, Construction Management, Business Management or none of the above, we decided to pursue our fields in part because of our natural passion and inclination for the craft. In this way at a minimum, Project Managers can be born. In the vast majority of cases, though, people within these fields need to get several years of experience on the job before being promoted to ‘Project Manager‘. These several years include valuable work experience, training and continual development. In

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Project Management Lessons From The Emergency Room
Project Management

Project Management Lessons From The Emergency Room

Project management is a discipline that requires many skills. A project manager must have knowledge and experience relating to budgeting and planning, as well as people skills and the ability to make decisions under pressure. The former can be learned in the classroom or through lessons. The latter, however, is learned on the job in real-world scenarios. When it comes to making decisions under pressure and getting things done quickly, what better place to get project managements lessons than from the emergency room?

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Making A Mistake At Work - Solutions & Steps
Project Management Experiences

Making A Mistake At Work: Causes & Solutions

These four areas are the root cause of making mistakes at work. Since I did all four of them in this one example situation, I promise that this article is not written with any judgement or holier-than-thou attitude. Let’s take a look at these four things that contribute to you making a mistake at work!

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Project Management Lessons From Air Travel
Project Management

Lessons From Air Travel On The 5 Project Management Steps

Project management relies on executing a series of steps well. It requires that certain standards be upheld at all times. Projects also require that milestones and timeframes are maintained throughout a series of complex, coordinated steps. All things considered, few industries operate like this on such a consistent basis as the airline industry. While flight was thought impossible about a century ago, it’s now become so routine that you can go online, buy a ticket and be anywhere in the world tomorrow, all in relative comfort as well! Perhaps project managers can learn a few things from this process. Let’s explore some project management steps in action by observing the commercial airline industry!

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