How Dynamic Construction Management Training Boosts Confidence
Project managers & superintendents react to new skill development program
Article Summary
Mortenson team members share how the company’s new Project Manager and Superintendent Skill Development Program is improving their confidence and overall construction management approach. Business leaders also provide perspective on the curriculum and how the program is impacting the Mortenson business.
Key Takeaways
- New Project Manager and Superintendent Skill Development Program creates high-impact learning in a fresh, dynamic approach involving business leaders facilitating the curriculum and guiding collaboration as team members solve real-world construction project challenges.
- The program focuses on the importance of how Project Managers (PMs) and Superintendents (Supts) collaborate, communicate and work together and align entire project teams toward a common goal.
- Participants appreciate the dynamic, scenario-based learning and the opportunity to work with and learn alongside peers from other business segments across the company.
- Participants provide honest feedback on how the program has helped build confidence, navigate tough conversations, and complete day-to-day responsibilities.
- 99% of participants shared that their work performance has improved since returning to the job site.
Setting PMs & Supts up for success
Construction Superintendents and Project Managers have tough jobs.
The success and dynamic on a project often starts with the relationship between these two vital team members. Yet, they often look at project challenges differently.
“A good relationship with a Superintendent and a Project Manager is where we can have an open conversation,” said Emily Harrie, Senior Project Manager at Mortenson. “We’re taking time to understand each other’s perspective and ultimately make the best decision for the project.”
For this relationship to be effective, the best PMs and Supts often rely on experience and a honed set of construction management skills to stay calm and identify solutions that keep today’s complex construction projects on schedule and on budget.
Scenario-based, hands-on learning
Recognizing the importance of these skills, Mortenson invested in developing an internal skills training program pilot in early 2025. Since then, the pilot has blossomed into a comprehensive, 8-week Project Manager & Superintendent Skill Development Program, built for both experienced project leaders and those newer to the PM and Supt career path.
The final curriculum immerses participants in a variety of real project scenarios and involves established company leaders as subject matter experts, coaches and facilitators to provide direct feedback and guidance in the moment.
“A goal for the program is to increase alignment of role expectations across the company,” said Brett Sisco, Project Executive and 35+ year career veteran at Mortenson. “We’re getting everyone's expertise and knowledge across all areas of the business, so people gain that common understanding.”
Construction Management Super Skills
Mortenson’s unique Project Manager & Superintendent Skill Development Program involves hands-on learning activities that are tied into collaborative deliverables that focus on enhancing a select group of “Super Skills”:
- Planning & Scheduling
- Preconstruction
- Scope & Contract Management
- Financial Management
- Project Operations
- Safety, Quality & Lean
- Indispensable Partnerships
- Issue Resolution
“One of the many program highlights is showing what ‘good’ looks like relative to the importance on how the PM and Supt need to collaborate and communicate,” said Brian Boe, General Superintendent and program business leader facilitator. “To put it plainly, how important it is to work together by aligning the entire team towards a common goal.”
Skills training that makes a difference
With 12+ program classes completed, initial feedback shows the curriculum and approach is resonating with participants. In fact, over 99% of participants stated their work performance would improve by a “modest, moderate, or significant amount” after completing the program.
“It's a big commitment to leave the workplace and focus on yourself along with others in a similar position,” said Cullen Crochet, Mortenson Project Manager. “But all the thought and intention that went into the training made it really welcoming and it has had a huge impact on me.”
“There’s a ton of great information and existing content we may not have known about that can really help with more technical aspects of the roles,” said Harrie. “Pairing that with a leader who's got a lot of experience to provide examples and to respond to our questions made all the difference.”
Building confidence in daily responsibilities
A consistent theme in participant feedback is feeling more prepared and empowered when they return to their respective project roles. Working through the curriculum with their fellow participants helped many realize they aren’t alone in their level of understanding and experience – especially when dealing with certain scenarios.
“It's really nice to be prepared and be okay with the uncomfortable, because that's a lot of what being a PM is.”
While some needed to enhance their technical abilities, the program also provides a better grasp for how Mortenson has typically engaged with customers and outside partners during a project. Some situations covered in the program include:
- How is a schedule delay best handled when working with trade partners?
- What is the best approach to address an issue when working directly with a customer on-site?
- What are the most effective ways to use margin plans and fragnets to support effective job planning?
Success depends on a solid Supt and PM partnership that enables productive conflict resolution and navigating difficult conversations. Participants learn the value of reflection and intentionality while being encouraged to pause and frame issues using multiple perspectives before acting.
“Everybody comes in a little guarded and unsure where they stack up,” said Sisco. “Within the first day or two, we quickly break down the barriers to facilitate collaborative, open discussions as they start working together on these challenging problems.”
“At first, it definitely was intimidating with some of the project leaders and other team members involved,” said Cody Moran, Project Manager at Mortenson. “But when we started doing group activities, I quickly realized that we all have room to grow and nobody has all the answers.”
Working through actual scenarios – with business leader facilitators pushing back and providing valuable historical perspective – helps solidify how a positive project outcome is realized. Participants also experienced the value of preserving, and often enhancing, each relationship when handing issue resolution properly.
“I’ve had previous participants tell me that this is unlike any other training that they have been a part of,” said Boe. “From my perspective, I think the participants appreciate the opportunity to be stretched and step outside their comfort zone.”
“For me, the issue resolution work and getting put into those slightly uncomfortable situations was really impactful,” said Austin Erdman, Project Manager at Mortenson. “You know they're going to happen and it's really nice to be prepared and be okay with the uncomfortable, because that's a lot of what being a PM is.”
Discovering new perspectives
While the program involves both PM and Supt roles, it also offers the opportunity to interact with team members from different business segments in the company. Many participants found they looked at problems differently from some of their peers which helped broaden their understanding and be more open-minded when problem solving.
“What I really enjoyed was how engaging it was breaking out into smaller groups with a mix of Supts and PMs from across the company,” said Kamal Ahmed, Project Manager at Mortenson. "A solution that might work on Solar project might not work on a Commercial building project. It was really interesting to see different kinds of feedback and inputs.”
“Getting to work with people from around our company, taking in their insights and their perspectives was extremely valuable.” said Crochet. “I think that the biggest realization was that we're not alone…and we can all lean on each other if we need to.”
“Working in Solar my entire time at the company, some of the scenarios were very commercial based so I found it super challenging,” said Erdman. “It was a lot of fun stepping into a world I wasn’t familiar with. We often had different perspectives, but we were still applying many of the same skills that were being enhanced throughout the program.”
“The way the participants are receiving the program has exceeded my expectations,” said Sisco. “They all have great stories, and the program has given the opportunity for those stories to come out and for people to learn from one another.”
Gaining mutual appreciation
Even as they’re working in their own lane and doing separate tasks, Supts and PMs must work together often. The level of coordination between the two roles is critical, especially when tackling tough challenges within the schedule to address issues or working through pre-construction conversations.
“My biggest struggle coming to Mortenson was that PMs and Supts here are kind of set as equals,” said Lucas Cannon, Project Manager at Mortenson. “At past jobs, the PMs were seen as the head of the horse and everything transpired from there.”
The program allowed the participants to hear and appreciate the different aspects of each role. Through roundtable discussions, they often learned the other’s perspective was often very different from what they were going through.
“Everybody throwing in ideas showed the different sides of what a PM thinks and what a Superintendent thinks,” said Christian Calloway, Superintendent at Mortenson. “It just was very beneficial and opened your eyes. So, when I came back to my project, I asked my PM more questions and I asked more questions to leadership where I could fully understand what was going on with the bigger picture, not just what I'm doing.”
Reinforcing a culture of support
While the program includes participants at various levels in their respective roles, the program has played a major role in helping those new to the company understand how to conduct business “The Mortenson Way.” The same culture-building approach covered in Redefining Construction Leadership: How Mortenson Superintendents Build Culture & Inspire Teams.
In addition to a nomination process to participate in the program, all new hires and those recently promoted into key roles will go through the program within the first 3-9 months, a foundational step on the construction management career path covered in more depth in Building a Strong Foundation for a Career in Construction. As anticipated, teaching newer Supts and PMs how Mortenson prefers to operate has been essential while seeing alignment across the company has helped build and strengthen the unique business culture.
“It’s fun to see when the light bulb comes on, especially with the newer team members when they recognize the value of having a PM and a Supt in sync, collaborating, communicating well and leading the team as co-leaders, said Sisco. “That's what we really try to teach them.”
“I've been with Mortenson for roughly 9 months and I participated in the first training session about four months after getting hired,” said Cannon. “It was really good timing for me because it helped me understand the specific processes we have here.”
“I've been with Mortenson for about a year and there was definitely a learning curve,” said Calloway. “But I learned a lot and it really opened my eyes to my PM's side. And they get to see what I go through every day managing the self-perform work.”
“Getting to work with people from around our company, taking in their insights and their perspectives was extremely valuable,” said Crochet. “I think that the biggest realization our group had was that we're not alone and we can all lean on each other if we need to.”
Investing in the construction career path
Supporting the construction management career path of team members has always been a focus at Mortenson and the Project Manager & Superintendent Skill Development Program is the latest example of this commitment from the senior leadership team.
The program leaders are also committed to reevaluating the curriculum so it stays fresh and impactful. Some current areas of improvement include:
- Adding more Supt-focused content, skills, and SMEs
- Enhancing Preconstruction, Project Operations and Indispensable Partnerships content
- Developing additional project scenarios/examples from Energy & Infrastructure teams
- Expanding group activities during virtual meetings
“I think this training will definitely improve alignment of roles, tasks, and expectations,” said Boe. “Sharing the knowledge from other operating groups, leveraging that knowledge to try new things, and providing another way for our team members to network outside of their immediate teams will have a positive impact on our business.”