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- Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
- Kategorie: Fachliteratur
- Sprache: Englisch
An incisive guide to navigating the construction industry and dealing with the people who work in it
In the newly revised second edition of The Human Side of Construction: How to Ensure a Successful, Sustainable, and Profitable Career as an AEC Professional, renowned construction professional Angelo Suntres delivers an insightful discussion of the root cause of many of the issues plaguing the construction industry today—the lack of human connection. Suntres explains that, in an industry undergoing dramatic changes driven by technology, innovation, and new ways of working, construction professionals will need to make a fundamental shift in the way they think and operate.
The book walks you through how to connect and collaborate with others in the industry and how to address the most common challenges you’ll face every day in construction. You’ll find:
- A thorough introduction to relationship building and effective communication with construction industry personnel
- Comprehensive explorations of what the construction industry is really like, including real-world examples and techniques to advance your career
- Practical discussions of how to find a job that you’ll thrive in and how to stand out from the crowd
- In-depth treatments of sustainability, diversity, equity, and inclusion in the construction industry
Perfect for construction industry professionals, including project managers, contractors, and engineers, The Human Side of Construction will also benefit property owners and managers who regularly deal with people involved in construction.
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Seitenzahl: 289
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2024
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Table of Contents
Cover
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication Page
About the Author
Introduction
1 Human Connection – The Key to Influence
Relationships Will Determine Your Success
This Will Improve Your Life
How It Worked for Me
How It Can Change the World
2 Your Network is Your Net Worth
Develop Your Support System or Perish
How to Engage with People Effectively
Do You Really Need a Mentor?
How to Diversify for Sustainable Success
3 Basic Human Connection Skills
Trust – The Foundation
Communication – The Glue
Empathy – The Ultimate Connector
Humor – The Icing on Top
4 Your Career Arsenal
Education Versus Experience
How to Leverage Everything You Have
Learn From Other’s Mistakes
5 We Are All Salespeople
Find Your Value Proposition
How to Sell Yourself
6 Where Has the Trust Gone?
Why There is Low Trust in Construction
How to Get It Back
7 Dealing with Toxicity
Workplace Warning Signs
Personal Traits to Avoid
8 Critical Traits to Embrace
Care for People and They Will Care for You
Change is Constant – Adapt and Overcome
9 Key Skills for Success
Don’t Just Network – Connect
How to Do More with Less
Conflict Resolution – Seek Win‐Win
10 Provide Solutions to Big Problems
Design Problem
Worker Problem
Generational Problem
11 The Special Sauce
Know the Basics Really Well
Focus on People, Not Things
12 Smash Limiting Beliefs
Failure Is Not the End
Mistakes Make You Better
13 Big Picture Mindset
Keep the End in Mind
Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff
14 Fair Treatment for All
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
How to Change the Industry
Sustainability: Beyond Design Principles
Reducing Inequalities
15 Great People Ask Great Questions
Questions Bring Immense Value
When to Probe and When to Back Off
16 Barriers to Human Connection
Technology Is Divisive
Integrity Is Hard to Find
Time is Spent Ineffectively
Ignorance Is Not Bliss
17 Dealing with Adversity
You Will Get Knocked Down
Dealing with Job Loss and Unemployment
18 Conclusion
Appendix A Find Your Calling
Appendix B Find Your Place
Appendix C Let’s Get Real
Index
End User License Agreement
Guide
Cover Page
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication Page
About the Author
Introduction
Begin Reading
Appendix A Find Your Calling
Appendix B Find Your Place
Appendix C Let’s Get Real
Index
WILEY END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT
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The Human Side of Construction
How to Ensure a Successful, Sustainable, and Profitable Career as an AEC Professional
Second Edition
Angelo Suntres
Copyright © 2025 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved, including rights for text and data mining and training of artificial intelligence technologies or similar technologies.
Edition HistoryAngelo Suntres (1e, 2023)
Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey.Published simultaneously in Canada.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per‐copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750‐8400, fax (978) 750‐4470, or on the web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, (201) 748‐6011, fax (201) 748‐6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permission.
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Cover Design: WileyCover Image: © PT STOCK/Getty Images
To the love of my life, JA, for never‐ending support through the ups and the downs.
To my parents for making me believe that I can achieve anything.
And to anyone who has helped to shape my experience, positive or negative, thank you.
About the Author
Angelo Suntres is a passionate leader in the construction industry with 20 years of experience in designing and building in all sectors. He has represented both contractors and owners and understands the struggles from both sides of the contract. He believes that focusing on the human principles of connection including effective communication and fostering healthy relationships is a critical part to ensuring a successful and inclusive future for the construction industry.
Introduction
The construction industry is undergoing major changes driven by technology, innovation, and a new way of working including different aspirations and motivations for younger workers. These factors present challenges, which are not adequately addressed by traditional tools, methods, and processes. It will take a fundamental shift in the way we think and operate to ensure a successful, sustainable, and profitable future. This future must be focused on leadership guided by the human principles of connection including effective communication and fostering healthy interpersonal relationships.
These principles have seemingly slipped by the wayside as the industry has become increasingly combative, transactional, and litigious. Projects are becoming more complex, schedules are being compressed, reliance on technology is increasing, and contracts are becoming more onerous. And yet, it seems that as humans, we keep getting further and further apart. Adding on the complexities posed by the current talent shortage, imminent retirement of the experienced “baby boomer” generation, and the mountain of work we are all facing, the key to success in the future will be doing more with less.
With the deterioration of human connection and communication, we can observe the following issues with the industry as it is today:
Severe lack of trust and collaboration between:
Owners and contractors
Contractors and subcontractors
Subcontractors and vendors
Employers and employees
Prioritization of immediate financial goals over relationships and organizational resiliency
Immense rework needed due to miscommunication or improper data
Time wasted on nonproductive tasks like collecting project information, conflict resolution, and mistakes
Decreased productivity due to poor site logistics and coordination
Many more
Nevertheless, construction remains booming and vibrant propelled by population growth and the advancement of society with a cost projection of an estimated $14.4 trillion globally by 2030 compared to $7.28 trillion in 2021. As the demand and cost of construction rise, so too do the effects of widespread issues stemming from poor leadership and communication increasing strain on the industry and the people in it. This will only perpetuate talent acquisition issues, lost profit, and employee burnout if not properly addressed.
The need for human connection and effective leadership at all levels of organizations has never been greater; the time is now.
This book was created to solve these problems, overcoming barriers through personal development skills that provide a positive professional impact for individuals, organizations, and the entire industry. It is for people who have a passion for leadership and want to further their careers while adding value to those around them, not tearing them down. It is written with the understanding that we are all leaders in our own right within our circles of influence, irrespective of title or rank.
By learning and putting into use the principles and values covered in this book, you will improve your relationships, stand out from the crowd, and excel in your career.
The construction industry will face huge challenges in the coming years, but these same challenges will create opportunities for the leaders, who want to put in the work to solve the problems and their success will depend on their ability to connect and collaborate with others.
If you are reading this book, then you are one of these leaders. So, congratulations! Let’s get going, there is a lot to do.
1Human Connection – The Key to Influence
Relationships Will Determine Your Success
Relationships are fundamental to every interaction and transaction in your life and are the key to unlocking your potential for a successful future. This is true for both your construction career and your personal life. Regardless of situations you have encountered in the past or decisions you have made, it is never too late to start improving your relationships. It takes conscious effort, but you can do it starting right now. The fact that you are reading this book shows that you care enough to invest the time and effort to improve your life and I am honored that you have selected this book to be part of your journey.
Before two or more people are able to effectively operate with high technical function and collaboration (e.g. business, romantic, or otherwise), they must first make a fundamental human connection based on three key components: mutual respect, trust, and care. The word “mutual” means the feelings and attributes of the relationship are two‐way and dynamic. Whether or not you are conscious of this, these connections start forming quickly after initially meeting someone. This is your first impression. How many times have you met someone and instantly felt connected? An inexplicable feeling that you were going to get along based on no prior interactions or information other than their name and occupation. The opposite is also true. Have you ever met someone for the first time and felt that something was off about them based on little or no information? Our brains have been hardwired to make snap judgments that were previously used to determine our ultimate survival but have since been dulled to just give us “feelings.” While the topics of psychology, evolution, and the subconscious are important parts of building and maintaining healthy relationships, I am not an expert in any of those fields. As such, this book focuses on high‐level principles to make the right connections and leverage them for success. However, you are encouraged to investigate these areas yourself for extra points!
I want to clarify that the intent of expressing and applying the skills in this book is to genuinely connect with people and provide mutual value for anyone and everyone that you cross paths with. It is not meant to use and manipulate people to get ahead. Similar principles can apply in either situation but you will not experience long‐term happiness and success by manipulating or treating people like resources. It just makes you a bad person, so please don’t do it.
Behind every personal achievement is a community of supportive people and connections that made it happen. There are few things in life that we can do alone and professional success is no exception. As you read through the following chapters, keep in mind that relationships can make or break your career and personal life. You can leave these decisions up to chance, or you can take an active role in prioritizing, planning and executing relationship management to increase your chances of success on site, in the boardroom, or at home.
While the principles and techniques described in this book can be applied universally, chances are you are reading this book because you are keen on accelerating your career in the construction industry. You may be asking yourself, “What do all these feelings and relationships have to do with a rough and tough industry like construction?” Well, that is a great question. Simply put, over the last decades the construction industry has evolved into a very transactional environment with little to no focus on enhancing “people” skills and the human experience. It is predominantly, “Here’s your schedule, here’s your budget, get it done.” As a result, we have an industry of very technically strong people – brilliant architects, engineers, skilled trades people – people who have spent years honing their crafts based on concrete, quantifiable methods and principles but what academic course or professional training covers the topic of everyday life including interpersonal relationships, conflict management, and dealing with difficult people? All job descriptions and postings emphasize interpersonal skills as important for the role. Construction is rooted in working with people, lots of them, with many different backgrounds, training, and levels of experience. Yet, people skills are largely left to the individual to take on as part of their personal development.
What’s funny is that if you ask anyone in the construction industry – project managers, estimators, superintendents, foremen, journeymen, and apprentices – what they spend at least half of their time doing every day, they will tell you that it is “dealing with people.” Half the day is likely a conservative estimate. Depending on your role you may spend your entire day dealing with people and their problems. Why, then, are we not equipping ourselves and our teams with the tools needed to properly conduct our work in a psychologically safe manner? That is why topics like these are so important to learn. We will cover more on this in the next chapter.
The position we are in today poses a lot of opportunity for people like you who are willing to invest their time into building connections and improving the industry. This will be a huge distinguishing factor for you and will help you immensely to stand out and attract the right kind of attention. There has never been a more important time for the people of the construction industry to stop and think about how we treat each other and its direct impact on factors like productivity, profitability, and overall job/life satisfaction. It is time for a change!
This Will Improve Your Life
The main reason I wrote this book is to share what I have learned over the years to help you improve your current career situation and overall life. In this section, I will explain how learning and applying these principles will help you in your career. We will walk through some situations that you may identify with, and learn how leveraging relationships can benefit you and the people around you.
As an employee in a traditional company with a large organizational structure (more than four levels), you will have many types of relationships with many types of people – coworkers, peers, managers and friends – that you can nurture to maximize your potential for success. This is the most common situation and what you likely identify with. Whether you are an entry‐level employee, senior leadership or anywhere in between, there are three types of relationships that you need to be aware of: they are up, down and around you. These three types of relationships are equally important and serve different purposes for your success and can be illustrated as the three legs of a stool. Some relationships appear to provide more value as they connect you to higher power and authority but if any one of the relationships (the three legs) is compromised, the stool will topple and you will fall. Keep this concept in mind as we elaborate on the details below.
In large organizations, regardless of how big or fancy your title is, you will probably always have a boss. Even presidents are held accountable by boards of directors or shareholders. So, you must always be cognizant of “managing up.” Establishing and nurturing upward relationships are the most critical in pursuing future roles and responsibilities because these are the ones that will have the most impact on your career. Because managers have the ability to make decisions regarding directly hiring/firing, promotions, and incentives, it is important to identify these relationships early and focus on strengthening them often as it takes time a repetition to form a meaningful connection and bond. In short, if your boss likes, respects, and trusts you, the probability of you advancing and succeeding increases.
While connecting with managers/leaders is critical and is the most effective way to set yourself up for future success, these are not the only relationships you need to reach your goals. Connection with your peers – or those of similar experience/status – will have the largest impact on your day‐to‐day enjoyment and job satisfaction because you spend most of your day working with and around them. These relationships are extremely important. Gaining trust and respect in your coworkers will not only make for a happier, more enjoyable work experience but it will also increase productivity and effectiveness in your team. All of these results will eventually make their way back to your boss as well, thereby strengthening that relationship. The key takeaway here is that how you treat your coworkers will have a direct impact on your future success. This is also where you may have the biggest challenge and run into the most adversity as there are a lot of different personalities, especially on large teams. Some team members will even have different or questionable agendas; we will learn more about these situations in a later chapter.
The third and final relationship type in a larger organization is your connection with junior employees. These could be direct reports, new hires, or just those with less experience with whom you have some amount of responsibility or mentorship. While these relationships will have the smallest bearing on your personal career compared to the other two types, I genuinely believe that this is the most critical relationship from a leadership standpoint. As leaders, we have the responsibility to ensure the people in our fold are given the tools and environment to reach their full potential, to the extent that they are willing to receive the value you can provide to them. Focusing on this relationship also shows integrity – doing the right thing even when your boss is not looking – a quality that many leaders possess and look for in others.
If any of the relationships mentioned above are compromised or neglected, people will detect misalignment in your character and this will limit how far you go in your career. So, be mindful of all relationships, no matter how insignificant they may seem.
Another situation to consider is if you are a contractor or solo entrepreneur – you are the boss, the one and only. Well, guess what? Your customer base and anyone that you need to hire to scale your business or achieve work/life balance will rely on your ability to interact with people. While you may have little or no relationships required within your business, the business itself will rely on how you build and maintain your relationships with customers, suppliers, and subcontractors, so the same rules apply!
In summary, people conduct business with people they know, like, and respect. This goes for coworkers who enjoy working with you, external customers who choose to give you their money, and even your management team who truly hold the key to your future.
How you treat people is the biggest reflection of you as a person and will ultimately determine your success.
Now that we have covered how building and maintaining healthy relationships and focusing on how the human elements of construction can benefit you personally, let us talk about how it will help the industry. Imagine a world where project designs are always 100% complete, estimates are always perfect, all procurement comes in below target, and construction is always completed on time and within budget. Okay, that is never going to happen, but allow me to explain how improving our relationships can help us get closer to this utopian dream.
Let us face it: the construction industry is struggling for a lot of different reasons that we will not cover in this book. Possibly, the largest challenge right now is that there seems to be a lack of trust at all levels in the industry. Owners don’t always trust contractors, even in some collaborative delivery models (it is ironic but true). Gone are the days of making deals based on handshakes and owners having blind faith that contractors have others’ interests in mind, and not just their own profits. This has been spoiled by a few bad apples who may have taken advantage of certain situations like change orders and contract loopholes. There also seems to be a lack of trust between contractors and subcontractors resulting in constant fights about money and scope. The bottom line is that there are challenges and conflicts that we face daily with little to no tools or resources on how to deal with them.
Faced with difficult situations, many people are elevated to a state of “fight or flight,” reacting as if they have been threatened or attacked, and most of us in the industry choose the former. If you reflect on your most recent heated meeting or conversation (I hope you have not had many, but they are common), what was the cause? Usually, a comment is taken personally and triggers an elevated emotional state. This adds a layer of complexity to the original problem, which likely could have been solved easily without the added drama. In my experience, problems are easy to solve, but people make them difficult because everyone carries around their own agenda, experience, and baggage, which adds “stuff” to deal with. Most of this is subconscious but if you take time to understand and appreciate where people are coming from before reacting, you can avoid wasted time, effort, and embarrassment.
Diverse types of people are involved at every step of the project lifecycle from project planning, conceptual design, procurement, and detailed design all the way to execution, commissioning, and handover. All types of people, old and young, technical and commercial, leaders and followers are required to coexist and collaborate. The success of every project from start to finish is contingent on how well the people work, communicate, plan, and execute as a team. On a larger scale, the success of a group of projects over time across different companies and clients advances the collective industry. Therefore, it is reasonable to believe that if we can improve how everyone treats each other – their relationships – day in and day out, across all companies, clients, and projects, the industry will naturally improve as well.
It may be a stretch but I believe it is possible, and it starts with you.
How It Worked for Me
My career in construction began in 2007 after graduating from the University of Western Ontario with an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering. During the later years of my studies, I specialized in HVAC design and after graduating was determined to be the best mechanical engineer the world had ever seen. When it came to finding a job though, the economy was just coming out of a recession and opportunities were scarce. I ended up in a situation where I just needed to start making some money, so I started applying for positions outside of the engineering consultant sphere. Call it coincidence, luck or whatever you want to but I ended up landing my first full‐time role at a mechanical and electrical construction company. I originally took the job out of desperation but, looking back now, I could not picture myself doing anything different today and am eternally grateful to whatever force placed me in the industry. My first role included a mix of estimating design and project coordination, which was a fantastic opportunity to transition into the workplace, apply the knowledge that I had learned in my studies, and see the real‐world impact while collecting a paycheck! It also gave me great exposure to the worlds of estimating and project management and allowed me to develop a basic understanding and appreciation for both ends of the project lifecycle.
The first 10 years of my career were focused on honing the technical side of my craft. I spent a lot of time learning about the basics of construction including logistics of sites, how to apply the science that I learned while studying engineering, and how to manage budgets and schedules. I quickly learned that construction is a highly technical field and there is a lot to learn. It was at this point I also realized that there was an enormous amount of coordination involved, which is where my desire and love for leadership and communication were born. I found that there were many gaps in how things were communicated and this really got me thinking. I started to notice that a lot of issues we encountered – on site, in the trailer, or in the boardroom – were a result of communication challenges. I also noticed that a lot of people were mistreated by weak leaders in the industry and wondered why.
While transitioning into my first management role as Chief Estimator, I really started to focus on the interpersonal side of the business, taking interest in what motivates people to achieve their best and how they work optimally in a team setting. I was later promoted to Manager of Estimating and Pursuits where I oversaw a total of over $700 million worth of mechanical and electrical pursuits. This was invaluable experience where I was able to nurture existing relationships with clients, suppliers, and coworkers as well as build some new ones in the process. Utilizing the principles shared in this book helped me succeed. In my current role. I work for a prominent general contractor where we design and build some of the biggest, most complex projects in Canada.
From a young age, helping people was a passion of mine; it brought me immense joy. In this book, I have condensed all the tips, skills, and techniques as well as successes and failures that I have experienced in my years in construction. It covers the good stuff that worked and the bad stuff that did not in hopes that it will save you time, effort, and energy in achieving your goals. I have personally experienced huge successes in both my personal and professional life and I have also seen the dark side of the human experience. I have been hired, promoted, laid off, and fired. So, wherever you are in your journey, I understand and acknowledge you and I know it can and will get better. I have experienced the challenges of trying to find work early in a career, managing external stresses like family and other relationships, pivoting mid‐career through a pandemic, and transitioning into management roles. I do not share this information to brag, or to get pity, or to seem like I know more than anyone else. I am simply here to share my experiences in hopes that it can improve your life the way it has improved mine.
I am confident this book will bring happiness to everyone who reads it, but if by writing it, I manage to help even one person, I consider it a success.
Of course, everyone is free to make their own choices and have their own opinions. The information I share in this book will not harm you in any way. If applied correctly, it will provide huge personal, professional, and financial success. At the very least, it will make you think long and hard about what experiences you have had in the past, how you can use them to attain experiences you want in the future, and the skills and behaviors required to accomplish your goals.
In short, you do not have to listen to me but if you do your life, your career, and our industry will be a better place! Plus, if you are reading this, you have already purchased the book. So, you might as well keep going.
How It Can Change the World
The principles of human connection, effective communication, and relationship building are not confined to the construction industry. They are universal, transcending industries, and cultures, and have the potential to bring about significant change in the world regardless of the sector you work in, whether it is architecture, engineering, or ownership, and beyond. In a world increasingly driven (and divided) by technology and automation, the human element often gets overlooked. Yet, it is this very element that forms the foundation of our connections to others and the underlying fabric of society. The principles discussed in this book, if applied beyond the construction industry, will lead to a more connected, empathetic, and understanding world at a time when everyone needs it.
Effective communication can bridge the gap between different cultures, fostering a sense of unity and mutual respect. These are the key elements to team building regardless of your industry. It can also help resolve conflicts, paving the way for peaceful collaboration, not defensive and divisive arguments as is the default mechanism to deal with conflict in a lot of workplaces usually driven by ego. In the corporate world, it can lead to more inclusive workplaces, boosting employee morale and productivity, resulting in happier people and better team performance.
Relationship building, on the other hand, can lead to stronger communities. It can foster a sense of belonging, reducing feelings of isolation, which, especially as we are still feeling the effects of the COVID‐19 pandemic, are critical to achieving harmony and balance in our personal lives. In business, it can lead to stronger partnerships, driving innovation and growth and facilitating better communication as outlined above.
Moreover, these principles can play a crucial role in addressing one of the most pressing and widely discussed issues of our time, social inequality. At its core, the Human Side of Construction is about mutual respect and inclusivity regardless of background, age, or place of origin. It is about treating others as you would like to be treated, a simple notion that has seemed to be forgotten by many in the anonymity of the internet and faceless names of large populations. By fostering a culture of collaboration and open communication, we can come together as a global community to find solutions and make the world a better place.
In essence, the principles of human connection, communication, and relationship building have the power to transform not just the construction industry, but the world at large. They can help us build not just physical structures but also bridges of understanding and cooperation in all sectors and all corners of the globe.
As we navigate through the complexities of the 21st century, let us remember that our success, both as individuals and as a society, will depend on our ability to connect, communicate, and collaborate. The time to embrace these principles is now. The world is waiting.
2Your Network is Your Net Worth
Develop Your Support System or Perish
If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.
African Proverb
