Who Is Really Running Your Projects

The Challenge

One of the most overlooked problems in construction is confusion over who is actually in charge of the project. In smaller companies and on smaller projects, it often falls on the superintendent. They have the field experience, are respected by the crews, and drive the work forward, while the project manager plays a more supporting role. That structure works when the projects are small, but as the company grows and the projects become larger, the cracks start to show.

Clients expect the project manager to lead. They want answers on budgets, schedules, and commitments. The word “manager” in the title makes them assume that the person has the authority, and in my years of experience, they should. Meanwhile, the superintendent’s value is in driving the day-to-day in the field and keeping production moving. When the lines between the two are not redefined as a company grows, tension builds. Superintendents who have always “run the job” struggle to let go. Project managers who have always supported now need to step into leadership. The lack of clarity creates a tug of war inside the company.

The Impact

This tug of war rarely stays invisible. It shows up in slow decisions, missed details, and project teams that feel stuck. Jobs begin to drift, and profit begins to slip. Foremen lose direction. Crews wait for answers. Field issues pile up without resolution. The client grows frustrated because they do not know who to call. Leadership erodes and confidence drops, and soon the client is tracking you instead of you tracking the project.

The company culture also suffers. Superintendents feel boxed out. Project managers hesitate to step up. The overlap creates friction that leads to turnover among good people. Recruiting gets harder because word spreads that leadership is unclear. Owners feel the stress because, despite working harder, the company is not reaching its potential. These are the hidden costs of unclear project leadership, and they quietly drain growth year after year.

The Shift

Companies that scale with confidence do not rely on assumptions. They make the roles of superintendent and project manager unmistakably clear. The superintendent must own the field, focusing on daily production, safety, quality, and foremen alignment. The project manager must own the plan, leading client communication, budgets, schedules, and risk. When those roles are clearly defined and consistently supported, accountability flows and performance improves.

A quick exercise you can run today is to sit down with your superintendent and project manager separately and ask each of them to list what they believe their top five responsibilities are. When you compare those lists, pay close attention to where they overlap. There will be some grey areas, like in scheduling and cost control, but if both claim “FULL” responsibility for multiple items, it is a warning sign of confusion, finger-pointing, and wasted effort.

Important Note: Some responsibilities will be shared, such as scheduling mentioned above, BUT the PM should be fully responsible for coordinating and submitting. If both employees are sharing the duties, it usually means neither is fully accountable, and that is when cracks appear. Once you identify the overlaps, clarify immediately who owns what. Then reinforce that clarity by making sure both parties understand and agree to the division of responsibilities.

It is also important to recognize one of the most common realities in construction: many superintendents resist being told what to do by a project manager who may have less experience in the field. This is where culture either strengthens or breaks down. The superintendent must communicate effectively with the project manager, and the project manager must respect the superintendent’s field knowledge. However, no company should ever tolerate the two roles failing to communicate or disregarding one another. These positions are among the closest working roles on any project, and a culture of respect and alignment between them is non-negotiable.

This simple step removes the gray areas, speeds up decisions, and eliminates the friction that slows jobs down. Start here and keep building.

The Closing

Ask yourself today if the roles within your company are obvious or if a tug of war is happening beneath the surface. Companies that address this reality position themselves for growth. Companies that ignore it often stay stuck in the grind. The good news is that this is a fixable problem. When leadership roles are defined, teams align, clients gain trust, and owners finally feel in control again. The shift may feel uncomfortable at first, but the impact on project performance and company growth is massive.

If this is a challenge in your business, reach out to me at jerry@pro-accel.com. Through Executive Coaching, Peer Group, Operational Assessment, or Strategic Development Planning, Pro-Accel helps owners eliminate bottlenecks and create clarity that drives lasting results.

Jerry Aliberti

Pro-Accel, Owner

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