Making a General Manager

Every construction company, at one time or another, looks to hire a general manager. This manager must be engaged in leading and directing the project from beginning to end, but also must be able to motivate all workers. It is often difficult for hiring managers to find the right general manager, therefore, you may want to know how to make one.

Many construction companies do not realize that the perfect general manager is working with you right now. You just need to recognize the person, and start molding the general manager you want. Here is how:

Once you have identified the person you want to mold into a general manager, make a list of his or her current skill set. Once you have that, you can then determine what skills need to be taught. With this list, you can then make a schedule of how you will teach and give this person the skills and experience needed.
Remember to take the time necessary to cultivate this person into a general manager. This will include gradually introducing this person to the “circle of contacts” for the company. From vendors to customers, start including this person in multiple interactions.
While it may seem difficult to remove this person from production, it is critical that they spend the appropriate amount of time in the office. They will need to understand your computer systems, ordering methods, and more. Allow them the appropriate time to understand how a project flows from beginning to end.
Meet with your general manager trainee often. Make sure that goals and expectations are clear, and discuss how things are moving along.

It is often said that the best general managers are those that are “breed” internally. Instead of trying to find the perfect candidate, perhaps you need to look inside your current staff!