5 Books Every Construction Project Manager Should Have
Streamline your construction project management
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Construction project management is a constantly evolving field. In order to be the best possible project manager, remain competitive and stay on top of the latest trends, you will need to have a solid understanding of everything from construction fundamentals to leadership and mastering project management.
Are you ready to have a leg up on the competition and have a toolbox full of vital resources to help pave your path to success in the construction realm? Keep reading to find out some of the best construction project management books to order today.
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Construction Management Jumpstart: The Best First Step Toward A Career In Construction Management
By Barbara J. Jackson
If you are just getting started in construction management, this is a must-have. Not only will you learn the fundamentals of the industry but this well-organized guide provides a step by step walk-through of all stages of project management including project costs, administering contracts, monitoring performances and safety and more. Think of this as your A-Z guide for project management from estimating, scheduling, to new technology and safety.
You will learn fundamental principles that motivate the industry as well as familiarize yourself with technological advancements such as the Building Information Modeling (BIM) system and how it’s changing the profession. You will also familiarize yourself with how to evaluate project performance and assess risks.
Based on the fact that it was written from the perspective of Barbara J. Jackson, Director of the California Center for Construction Education and a Professor of Construction Management at California Polytechnic State University, an experienced construction management specialist. Knowledge coming from someone in the field will always be invaluable, and that is especially true in construction management. Barbara has decades of working both as a licensed contractor and design-builder as well as advising individuals in their careers.
Construction Project Manager’s Pocket Book By Duncan Cartlidge
You can’t go wrong having this handy, straightforward guide by Duncan Cartlidge who is an experienced expert, former member of the RICS Quantity Surveying and Construction UK World Regional Professional Group Board, and a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. This handbook goes through every activity relevant to a construction project manager and will help you build the skills necessary for the field.
Following a realistic order of projects, this guide starts with pre-construction activities and continues to show you how to execute procedures and projects in construction management. It also includes tips for improving communication, being environmentally friendly, negotiation, and recommends document formats for best business practice.
Even though the book is designed for a UK reader, it is organized according to the procedures you will need to follow under the RIBA Plan of Work and the OGC Gateway process and the book has much to offer. From leadership skills and team building to technical expertise, this book discusses everything you need to know to be the best construction manager ever.
Running a Successful Construction Company (For Pros, By Pros) By David Gerstel
The title pretty much tells you everything you should expect to find inside this book. It was written by a self-taught project manager, David Gerstel, who developed and applied all of his own methods and techniques to climb the ladder to success in the construction industry. David is a well-respected leader in the business world and you’ll find his first-hand experience invaluable. In the field of construction, you will be faced with many challenges, and this guide helps breaks down what those challenges are and how to come out on top.
Construction project managers are considered experts in the arts of construction and planning, however, not in the areas required to run their own business such as accounting or law. While you don’t need an MBA to create and run a thriving construction business, you will need a tight grip on the fundamentals of construction management and business organization. Gerstel shares his methods and techniques on how to succeed in running your own construction company.
David shows you how to create accurate estimates, set up an office, shop for insurance, keep the books, how to find the right jobs, figure costs, make bids, write strong contracts and handle change orders. He also sheds light on business information technology and how the increasing complexity in construction technology has changed the way construction companies are organized.
Whether you are starting your own contracting business or you already own your own company, Gerstel’s book will help you maintain low overhead without drowning in paperwork and give you the information you need to have solid control of your operation.
Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity By David Allen
The next pick on our list is a book that applies to anyone and everyone in the construction industry. Working in the construction industry is a high-pressure job, and project managers especially need to be experts in handling stressful situations. Allen’s book addresses how to do your job well even under immense pressure and stress.
In Getting Things Done, Allen shows you how to:
- Apply the “do it, delegate it, defer it, drop it” rule to get your in-box to empty
- Reassess goals and stay focused in changing situations
- Plan projects as well as get them unstuck
- Overcome feelings of confusion, anxiety, and being overwhelmed
- Feel fine about what you’re not doing
From core principles to proven techniques, the art of stress-free productivity is designed to transform the way you work by showing you how to pick up the pace without wearing yourself down. Allen’s message is simple: our productivity is directly proportional to our ability to relax and only when our minds are clear and our thoughts are organized can we achieve effective productivity and unleash our creative potential.
The Checklist Manifesto: How To Get Things Right By Dr. Atul Gawande
We live in a world of great and increasing complexity, where even the most expert construction professionals struggle to master the tasks they face. Even though we train longer, specialize more, use ever-advancing technologies — still, we fail. Dr. Atul Gawande shows what the simple idea of the checklist reveals about the complexity of our lives and how we can deal with it.
In relatable stories, he reveals what checklists can do, what they can’t, and how they could bring about staggering improvements in a variety of fields, from medicine to disaster recovery to professions and businesses of all kinds, even the construction industry.
Check out this interview with Dr. Atul Gawande.
In this article, Atul Gawande explains how checklists solve Architecture, Engineering, Construction (AEC) industry complexity and how checklists can provide efficiency.
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