Projecting a Safe and Successful 2020!

BY: CAROL HOLLAND, PE, CCM, DEWBERRY

Welcome 2020!

Here we are again in that annual time of reflection and projection that hits every January as the holidays wind down and we start asking ourselves, "What next?" In the early days of this bright new year, you may find yourself making or breaking (or seriously rethinking) your resolutions for 2020. As you ponder your options for what you personally want to work on this coming year, you are already in a great mindset to evaluate your professional goals as a Construction Management practitioner.

First and foremost, what are your safety goals for 2020? Safety is a continual improvement process, and CMAA has long advocated a collaborative approach to safety management for protection of our employees, workers and the public. We don't ever reach a point at which our project sites are "safe" and our work is done. Winter, when our business tends to be slower, is a great time to review our safety programs, identify our greatest risks, and fill in any gaps in employee training. It's also a great time to get up to speed on evolving technologies and trends in construction safety and to share that information with our clients.

Speaking of clients...our membership regularly seeks input from the Chapter regarding how we can better serve our clients. After all, Construction Management is a service industry. Do you have a goal in 2020 to improve your product or be more responsive to your client's needs? Would you like to hear from your clients about their organizational priorities and challenges? If so, stay tuned for some exciting, upcoming opportunities to collaborate with our Owner membership. And by the way, now is a great time to review the CMAA Code of Ethics, in which Client Service is a primary focus.

Maybe 2020 is the year that you have finally committed to obtaining your CCM or CMIT certification. Did you know that the National Capital Chapter has 282 Certified Construction Managers, 84 Construction-Managers-in-Training, and 31 additional members working on certification? That means that over 30% of our membership has or is working toward a certification. It also means that there are about 400 professionals in our immediate area who can help you through this process. With so many certified CM professionals providing excellence to our local clients, there will be an even greater push for CCM qualifications on CM contracts in 2020. So stay competitive and stay relevant!

As for the Chapter...one of our goals for 2020 is to reach out to membership to learn how we can help you fulfill your resolutions. This year, we'll be taking an agile approach to membership communication, where we will focus on engagement in lieu of broadcasting. So even if we haven't talked in a while, expect to hear from us in 2020. And if you haven't already, start identifying those 2020 goals and start communicating your needs with Chapter leadership! We are projecting a great year for the CM profession!