Construction Fails : How Project Managers Fail?

In this blog, I will walk you through a comprehensive “how-to” guide on failing as a project manager. By following these steps, you will not only undermine your projects but also ensure a lack of support for your team, damaging both your professional and personal life. So, if this is what you’re aiming for, you’ve come to the right place!

Why You’d Want to Be an Incompetent Project Manager

The first key to being a terrible project manager is to be easily distracted. You can blame everyone around you for your failures, including the superintendents, owners, and teams. Use the excuse of being overwhelmed with tasks, projects, and meetings to never rise to the occasion and tackle real challenges. After all, why would you want to step out of your comfort zone? The beauty of being “busy” is that it gives you every excuse not to focus on what truly matters. You can keep your head down in countless meetings, avoid planning, and manage your time in such a way that the day ends before any real work begins.

Manage the Project by Budget Cuts

Want to fail at your job? Focus solely on the budget, and make sure you cut everything possible. Cut the budget for training, planning, and resources for the workers. Slash funding for things like lunchrooms, clean bathrooms, or even safety measures—because why would anyone need those, right? The more you can cut, the more you can manage by numbers alone without having to actually care about people or outcomes. By managing the project purely through financials, you avoid taking responsibility for real issues. When things inevitably fall apart, you’ll have an excuse ready and blame others for not managing resources better.

Avoid the Field at All Costs

If you really want to ensure your project’s failure, make sure you stay behind your computer all day. Never visit the site or check in with the team. The more disconnected you are, the less you’ll have to deal with actual project challenges or the people who know what’s really going on.

Disconnect from Your Team

Building a relationship with your team, especially superintendents, will make it harder for you to blame them later. So, it’s best to stay distant. The last thing you want is to develop any emotional connection or understanding of their needs. If they’re suffering, that’s not your problem. Make it a point to keep everyone at arm’s length. Avoid conversations, come into the office late, and spend as much time as possible hobnobbing with upper management instead of engaging with the people actually doing the work.

Pit Team Members Against Each Other

To maintain control and reinforce your ego, don’t build a cohesive team. Instead, create divisions and conflicts among them. By fostering a “soap opera” environment, you can keep everyone loyal to you while stifling productivity.

Neglect Planning and Blame Others

A major part of being an incompetent project manager is to avoid proper planning. Don’t bother with real project timelines or resource allocation. When things go wrong, blame it on the tradespeople, the foremen, or anyone else you can find.

Ignore Safety

Never get involved with safety measures on-site. If someone gets hurt, you’ll need to pin the blame on someone else, and if you’re too involved, it could make you look bad. Avoid anything that requires commitment or real oversight, especially when it comes to safety protocols.

Conclusion: How to Solidify Your Role as a Failure

By following these steps, you will effectively ruin your projects, strain relationships with your team, and blame others for the fallout. If this sounds appealing, you’re on the right track to becoming the worst project manager possible.