By John Kenney, Cotney Consulting Group.
In part one, we covered the first two skills that your safety managers, project managers and on-site supervising personnel need to develop and implement safety strategies successfully. In part two, we cover the final two skills to ensure your safety strategies are not aligned at the project level but also with your company's overall safety culture and goals.
This skill is the ability to understand others at work and to use that knowledge to influence them to act in ways that enhance your personal and organizational objectives. Politically skilled managers expect to experience resistance to their attempts to get things done but keep taking the initiative. They carefully select their endeavors in ways that eventually produce the results they desire.
Political skill consists of four components; social astuteness, interpersonal influence, networking ability and sincerity.
Project management personnel must demonstrate a genuine interest in safety by utilizing their political skill. This will influence project team members to recognize the importance of safety in the project and convince them to consider safety equally important as the other project objectives. Furthermore, project crew members may sometimes be unwilling to offer their help and support on safety unless they feel it is in their interests. Project management personnel must use political skills to cultivate relationships and make the necessary deals to improve safety. The political skill also enables them to adapt their behavior and influence tactics to suit others to compel them to implement safety strategies for accomplishing and maintaining a safe work environment.
This skill is the job-specific knowledge and techniques required to perform specific tasks proficiently. It involves specialized knowledge, the analytical ability within that specialty, and facility in using the tools and techniques of the specific discipline.
There are six components to be mastered within technical skills:
Regarding safety management, your project management personnel must exercise technical skills to ensure that all site activities are safely performed. For example, you need the risk management skill to identify, evaluate and manage safety risks. Combined risk management, budgeting and scheduling skills make your management personnel realize the severe impacts of an accident on their project. Using procurement skills, project management personnel can evaluate bid submissions and award work packages to subcontractors with accurate pricing and good safety records. Document and contract administration skills are essential to ensure that all safety-related documents, permits, audits, procedures, daily reports and policies are processed and distributed on time to all involved parties.
Safety managers, project managers and on-site supervising personnel are imperative in developing, implementing and evaluating safety management strategies in roofing projects. We discussed four essential skills and the components your management team needs to execute their safety roles successfully in your company.
Managers, both at the organizational and project levels, should be aware of the influence of these skills on safety management. Working with your human resource department in developing a hiring and training program to assess and prioritize this skill development will enable your management team to lead and implement winning safety strategies.
Furthermore, your management personnel should understand their strengths and weaknesses to tailor their skill development process to their needs and existing skill sets.
Learn more about Cotney Consulting Group in their directory or visit www.cotneyconsulting.com.
About John Kenney
John Kenney is the Chief Executive Officer at Cotney Consulting Group. Prior to starting Cotney, John had 45 years of experience in the construction industry. John began his career by working as a roofing apprentice at a family business in the Northeast. Because of his skill and hard work, he progressed from roofing laborer to foreman, estimator, chief estimator, Vice President, and Chief Operating Officer with his various companies. John has worked for multiple Top 100 Roofing Contractors and is intimately familiar with all aspects of roofing production, estimating, and operations. In his last role, John was responsible for the daily operations and performance of a large commercial roofing contractor. During his tenure, John ran business units associated with delivering excellent workmanship and unparalleled customer service while ensuring healthy net profits for his company.
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