In trades, the terms 'project management' and 'project manager' have become somewhat watered-down. The unfortunate truth is that in our industry most project managers are actually just professional firefighters.

That isn’t to say our PMs are doing their absolute best, but what they're missing are the fundamentals that make the science of project management what it is in other industries.

If you look at manufacturing, automotive, or oil and gas you'll see their PMs are following a set of guiding principles and best practices that allow them to complete projects of unimaginable scope and still come in on time and on budget.

So this gap is something that our guest on the show today, Paul Atherton, helps address within the companies he coaches for Breakthrough Academy.

Prior to becoming a BTA coach 5 years ago, Paul was a professional engineer and project manager for a decade. He has project managed super large construction projects in various countries around the world.

Since joining breakthrough Academy Paul has worked with over a hundred contractors helping them achieve significant growth and success and one of the cornerstones of his coaching philosophy is the implementation of world-class project management systems.

In this episode, Paul shares some highly applicable insights including:

- 2 examples of what great project management looks like

- 3 Questions to ask a P.M. that allow you to determine their level of control over a project

- 5 Systems you can implement with your team that will allow you to hit or beat project deadlines

- The 3 personality traits to look for that make a great project manager

- Common mistakes contractors make when they hire and onboard project managers

- How to leverage a great project management system to set yourself apart from your competition

PCA Overdrive is free for members.