I like architecture. A lot. I’m passionate about stepping into well-thought-out spaces and trying to understand what makes them special.
I’m equally fascinated by how airports work. I’ve always imagined it being like a huge ant’s nest, where every soldier knows exactly what they are supposed to be doing.
I’ve been working in airport architecture for twenty-five years. And I’ve been lucky enough to meet many of the best architects and engineers in the industry and to visit some impressive buildings. And the more I try to understand how they work and what makes these buildings so good, the more I realise that the one and only answer is: Laura, José, Felipe, María, Rocío, Javier, Alonso or Francisco.
In airport projects, there’s no point in (only) focusing on complex analyses if you fail to take the time to truly listen to the people carrying them out.
At AERTEC, we design beams to withstand bending moments, compressive forces and torsion. We are experts in this field, we know how to design them very well….but it is the engineers who design them – the real experts – who actually relieve the tension.
And, much like reinforced beams are unable to transmit forces greater than those for which they are designed, no matter how well built they may be, the engineers who design them cannot – and should not – bear more stress than is reasonable in that process.
Placing value on that process, the technology and the maths, but not to the people behind it who are able to put it into practice, is as senseless as idolising a musical instrument and not the performer who plays it.
Each performer is different. Each individual – each person behind the drafting of a project – is unique, and their motivations, interests, quirks and fears are also unique. And we understand that very well in this company.
Naturally, having high-quality people is essential. There is no point pampering and motivating a would-be violinist who holds the bow in their left hand. An engineer must have a modicum of knowledge and skill to help make a symphony sound good.
But beyond that, for a work group to truly become a team, the person leading them has to be able to get the best out of each member of their team.
So what makes a good project manager? What qualities should a good leader have and how should they use them?
Go to Google, type in “leader” and you’re likely to find countless entries that repeat what I’m saying here. I’m not doing this because it’s not already widely known. It is because time and again, especially in highly technical work like designing an airport, many companies forget all of this, preferring to shield themselves behind regulations, the convoluted contract clauses or so-called best practices, behind which there lies a very clear danger.
Our company follows the opposite approach, building open, transparent, honest and trusting relationships. Relationships based on two qualities that we regard as essential for our project managers:
Communication,
…but properly understood communication. In other words, two-way, but especially in the direction of the listener.
A good leader is willing to listen to ideas that differ from their own, to different opinions. They accept criticism and/or feedback, as long as it is constructive. Wishing to improve means listening to things you wouldn’t normally like to hear, giving your colleagues the confidence to express their ideas.
They are also able to clearly articulate their vision and the shared objectives they are seeking to achieve. Clearly conveying what is expected of each team member is essential.
Sometimes the leader is in no doubt about they want to achieve or what a particular client expects from the organisation. And yet, they are unable to clearly share that insight with the rest of the team.
Of course, it is even worse if they are not even sure what they want, making it impossible for each member of the team to understand their role or what their work is meant to accomplish.
Communicating in a simple, clear and direct way, always asking for feedback from the other person, is crucial to avoid misunderstandings. Situations like these tend to lead to a waste of resources, which is unacceptable for almost any organisation.
Emotional intelligence.
There’s a guy called Daniel Goleman whose talks, articles, interviews, etc. I often recommend, because I find him especially compelling.
According to this American psychologist, emotional intelligence – which he defines as the ability to recognise your own and other people’s feelings and to be able to manage them – is the most important factor for achieving success in your life.
I repeat: the most important factor for achieving success in your life. In every aspect of it.
According to Goleman, an emotionally intelligent person can self-motivate, regulate their moods and control their impulses, be grateful for the things that happen to them and, above all, empathise with and trust others.
This is like gold when applied to relationships within teams.
When we empathise with our colleagues, listening closely to what they tell us, we understand their concerns, their needs and how we can support them. If we do this in a genuine and sincere way, a relationship of absolute trust will usually develop, resulting in a truly remarkable working environment.
When we know what’s happening to us and can control it, we tend to make more rational, objective and balanced decisions. This is especially important when it comes to resolving the many conflicts that we face on a day-to-day basis. No work relationship is more toxic than one that is ruled by irrationality and a lack of rigour.
And recognising the strengths and areas that require improvement within our team enables us to help them grow and, above all, fulfil their personal and professional development goals. Put simply, we are nothing without them.
On occasion I’ve heard “brilliant” professionals dismiss these virtues, downplaying them by saying that a good professional already knows what they must do. If they’re good, no one needs to tell them how to do their job.
At AERTEC, we believe that, for a senior engineer – let’s say, with over 10 years of experience – to be considered a “complete” professional, a “valuable and exemplary” leader, it takes more than precise and detailed calculations.
There’s no point in (only) focusing on complex analyses while overlooking something as simple as truly listening to the people carrying them out.
For sure, nothing I have said here is extraordinary or ground-breaking. I’m simply writing this because, when we leave our offices, the thing that is truly extraordinary and rare is seeing this being put into practice.
If you ever see someone doing this, even if they’re not the most brilliant engineer you’ve ever worked with, do everything possible to keep them…or hire them!
