iPM Archetype #5 - The Attorney

The Art of Navigating Risk and Contracts.

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Today’s Overview:

• Welcome to Part 5 of a 7 part series covering the (7) Archetypes of the Influential Project Manager. Today, we’re going to dive deep into the 5th archetype - The Attorney.

• An archetype is a typical example, pattern, or model that helps people understand each other. These archetypes provide a way to better understand different styles of project management, as they represent universal patterns or roles that project managers often embody in their work.

• The construction industry is generally considered one of the more high-risk sectors in terms of both financial and physical risks. Embodying the Attorney archetype as a project manager entails mastering one fundamental concept: managing risk.

• In this article, we'll cover the characteristics of the Attorney archetype, how to manage and track project risks, and understanding essential contract sections.

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iPM Archetype #5 - The Attorney

Welcome to the fifth part of our seven-part series on the archetypes of the Influential Project Manager. Today, we'll dive into the "Attorney" archetype.

If you’re not a subscriber yet, here are the first 4 posts in the series you missed:

• iPM Archetype #1 - The Communicator - 9 communication strategies that will pay off for the rest of your career. How to be well understood by everyone.

• iPM Archetype #2 - The Accountability Partner - A fresh approach that delivers radical results for individuals & teams. How to drive a high-performance culture.

• iPM Archetype #3 - The Builder - Essential Traits & Skills to Transform Your Project Management Prowess and Earn Respect.

• iPM Archetype #4 - The Leader - The key traits to lead your team and project to success.

Imagine someone who naturally fights for justice, protects others, and smoothly handles tricky legal matters. That's the Attorney archetype for you. They're known for their problem-solving, strong ethics, convincing nature, attention to detail, and powerful negotiation skills.

By adopting these traits, project managers can better manage risks, safeguard their projects, and drive towards success.

The Attorney archetype is like a navigator, expertly guiding their team through complex situations and resolving conflicts. They're an advocate for their projects or teams, communicating convincingly and effectively.

In a nutshell, an Attorney is someone who safeguards the best interests of their project or organization, while keeping good relationships with everyone involved.

In this article, we'll discuss further about the characteristics of the Attorney archetype, how to manage and track project risks, and understanding essential contract sections. Enjoy!

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Part 1 - Characteristics of The Attorney Archetype

The construction industry is generally considered one of the more high-risk sectors in terms of both financial and physical risks.

Financial Risks:

• Market volatility

• Client stability

• Cost Overruns

• Project delays

• Unforeseen conditions

Physical Risks:

• Slips, Trips, Falls

• Struck by objects

• Electrocutions

• Caught in/between incidents

Embodying the Attorney archetype as a project manager entails mastering one fundamental concept: managing risk.

This shows up not only in their written and verbal communication but also in how they design their processes and systems. All of it points back to managing the risk and maintaining good legal standing.

Here's how this archetype manifests itself in project management and leadership roles: