Interview with Simon Greygoose
After six years working overseas, Simon Greygoose has returned to the UK and joined Greenway Associates as a Project Manager. With experience across Quantity Surveying, commercial management and project delivery, we caught up with Simon to find out more about his career, international experience and what he's looking forward to at GA.
Simon Greygoose has recently joined Greenway Associates as a Project Manager
GA: Welcome to GA Simon! What excites you most about joining Greenway Associates?
Simon: Thank you! It’s great to be part of the team. I’m really excited about the collaboration opportunities within this family-feel team, being able to share and contribute from my experience in the construction industry while continuing to learn and be challenged by some interesting and complex projects.
GA: What first attracted you to project management and the construction industry?
Simon: I sort of fell into it. As a child I was always fascinated with the practical and technical side of how things worked and connected. This curiosity developed into technical drawing and carpentry hobbies as a teenager, which later naturally drew me into the construction side of things.
GA: Your background spans Quantity Surveying, commercial management and project management. How has your QS background influenced the way you approach project management?
Simon: As the majority of projects revolve around balancing time and money while maximising the quality of the final product, I feel that my QS background has helped me to be more objective when making commercial and project management decisions. Looking through this lens helps to take the emotion out of situations and allows you to communicate from another angle.
GA: Having worked with clients, contractors and multidisciplinary teams, what do you think makes a really effective project team?
Simon: For me, the keys to success are:
Developing trust through honesty and respect for all team members and their roles.
Good communication: Share what you know and keep everyone in the loop.
Being solution-focused: There will always be problems, but be willing to collaborate to find a solution.
Being open to new ideas: Construction is always evolving, so it's important to embrace new approaches.
GA: Construction projects rarely go completely to plan. What's one lesson you've learnt from a project that has changed the way you manage projects today?
Simon: Regardless of the challenges that arise, take the emotion out of the situation, look for the best solution and manage expectations at all levels by being realistic about the impact.
GA: You've worked in some very different environments and with different teams and cultures. Has that changed the way you communicate or manage people?
Simon: Yes, it has. Even communication between cultures that speak the same language can fail because of differences in ways of thinking and priorities. Understanding the cultural make-up of the various teams involved is essential to understanding how they think, negotiate and approach problem-solving. It has taught me to "read the air", looking and listening for what is often left unsaid but implied. I also try to keep my language simple and find different ways to express the same thing so that my audience understands.
GA: What's your essential fuel for a busy day on a project: coffee, tea or something else entirely?
Simon: A good breakfast and a coffee is key to success as you never know what the day will throw at you.
GA: What do you think makes a really successful project manager?
Simon: Keeping the key objectives of any situation clearly in mind and ensuring that everyone in the team feels you have their back.
GA: And outside of construction, what do you do to unwind?
Simon: I enjoy being outdoors and spending time with friends and family.
GA: Lastly, we have to ask, has having the surname Greygoose ever earned you a free drink, or at least a few jokes?
Simon: Plenty of jokes at school, but no freebies I’m afraid!! Still working on trying to find my family connection to the vodka!