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December 7-December 20, 2016 — COLORADO REAL ESTATE JOURNAL — Page 45
T he success of a project is
often measured by cost and
schedule. Projects live and
die by the budget at which
they are set. No bank funds a
bottomless project and no corpora-
tion embarks on a project without a
well-vetted business plan; one that
has taken into account the budget-
ary considerations of all the major
parts. While we see the financial
and scheduling aspects as undeni-
ably important, we want to discuss
the value realized when a true team
is engaged. A powerful roadmap
to success is created when there
is a focus on people, relationships,
understanding, collaboration, flex-
ibility, trust and respect.
In order to realize greater suc-
cess, we must begin by establishing
a solid foundation. This founda-
tion begins when we ask what we
are trying to accomplish internally
and externally and why. We ask
ourselves the following questions:
Can we get our team moving in the
same direction? Can we construct
in an active campus and minimize
impacts to daily operations? Work-
ing in a health care facility, can
we positively affect patient safety,
cleanliness and quality? Can we
work respectfully, maintain collec-
tive responsibility and maximize
effort? Our focus must move outside
of our walls and our specific tasks
and pushes the team farther. We
push father by asking ourselves still
more questions: What is the goal
of the facility? Where is it located?
What is it adjacent to? How does it
enhance their programs and help
their community?
How does it affect
existing systems?
How does it affect
daily operations?
Perhaps most
important of these
is, “How do we
connect with the
owner and archi-
tect?”
We live in a world
of perceptions,
especially those of
our clients. Clients
often feel that they
must choose between their architect
and their contractor. The percep-
tion is often that the contractor and
the architect or designer are in an
adversarial relationship. In reality,
this can and should be no further
from the truth. The best projects
are those where a strong team is
formed between the owner, the con-
tractor and the architect. Nowhere is
it more critical than in the world of
architecture and construction that
the two responsible for the creation
of the owner’s vision come together
and function in harmony.
Recently, there have been several
projects where we have worked
with an architect on the front-end
program, design and cost model-
ing. In these scenarios, the architect
consulted the facility to determine
the best path to meet the end
goal. Based upon requirements for
replacement of equipment and the
sequence needed to keep the facility
in operation, a plan was developed.
The architect had in-depth knowl-
edge of the spe-
cialty equipment,
code analysis and
functionality of the
department. Cata-
mount was brought
in early to validate
logistics, infection
prevention and
cost analysis of
the options. To do
this, the architect
and Catamount
both set aside their
individual focus
for the greater pur-
pose of finding the
right solution for the facility. With
both entities working in concert to
provide guidance, with ego and indi-
vidual bias taken out of the process,
a greater level of achievement was
met.
A strong relationship is not imme-
diate. Trust is built over time. In
construction, which comes with
inherent conflict and stereotypical
roles, it may take even longer. Our
business is set up with barriers. The
relationship between the contrac-
tor and architect has checks and
balances, but this does not mean
it has to be adversarial. Teams do
need, however, to take ownership
of their roles and responsibilities.
We succeed when these roles are
well defined. Despite these defined
relationships, conflict always can
be resolved between two people if
there is a relationship of trust. Ulti-
mately, any facility we work with
benefits from a strong relationship
between the design team and con-
tractor. The facility reaps an even
greater reward when they are part
of the trusting team.
The key to a successful team
starts with a mindset of wanting
more, of trying to understand the
people on the team. You must get
beyond the project, the schedule
and the solution, and move beyond
black and white to see the value in
the shades of grey. Set priorities,
provide guidance and listen. Hold
one another accountable and, at the
same time, hold each other up.
In a recent meeting at a facility,
the question was asked about why
an existing condition that was not
piped correctly was left in place
without review. We discussed the
mentality of hard bidding projects,
quick schedules and working with
blinders. It illuminated a failure in
teamwork and an understanding of
the greater goal of looking out for
one another. It was a missed oppor-
tunity. What followed, however,
began to build the next level in our
relationship as a team. It was agreed
upon to get in a room with the
design team, contractor and facil-
ity, setting egos aside, to review the
scenario and how we could work
better going forward. While this
may sound like a simple step, there
was a moment of understanding,
a moment of trust and a moment
of knowing that going forward our
team would be better.
The ability to truly use the team
to their best capacities in a project
comes with trust over time. Take the
time. True success comes when it’s
all about the team.s
Chad Cleveland
Project executive,
Catamount
Constructors Inc.,
Denver
John Menno
Nap, AIA,
LEED AP
Principal, Path21
Architecture,
Denver
Health Care & Senior Housing Spotlight