Leadership

Mykola Pulnyev, PQS, MRICS, PMP, GSC

Iam breaking down the 2023 series of YQS Corner articles into four major areas of focus: Leadership, YQS Engagement, Mental Health and Interview with a Quantity Surveyor.

Leadership is within us – that’s why I wanted to start the 2023 YQS Corner with this central focus. I grew up in Toronto, and rapper Drake’s song “Started at the Bottom” resonates with me all the time. I began my professional career as Junior Estimator with a small general contractor and moved positions and roles across general contractors/construction managers, consultants and owner organizations. The skills required for each role were very different, but very much transferable. In each role, on different sides of the table, I learned the main points and challenges of each stakeholder in the construction industry. I have become not a subject matter expert (SME), but someone who knows enough that I can hold an intelligent conversation with all the stakeholders in construction, which provides me with a unique edge. I recommend that young quantity surveyors make this choice early in their careers. Ask yourself, do you want to grow and develop in a narrow specialty and become an SME, or do you want to be a generalist? Either is great, but it’s extremely difficult to be both.

On this note, I wanted to share key principles I learned and acquired on my professional journey up until now. Throughout my career I learned to:

● Stay humble, receive and give feedback.

● Don’t complain about challenges; come up with possible solutions.

● Become a good citizen of the world.

● Surround yourself with like-minded people.

● Find your idol to follow.

● Seek mentorship and give back.

● Go to conferences and meet people; learn and share!

The CIQS congress in Calgary is coming up – register now! Try to have the cost of your congress attendance budgeted for and pre-approved by your current employer. Most companies have training and development budgets that will cover the cost. Help your organization plan for this expense and take advantage of the event.

On the other side, preparing for a conference is super important. To derive the most from it, carefully study the program and choose the sessions that spark the most interest. Network and get to know other professionals and take notes. Feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions about what I mentioned above. See you soon.

Mykola’s deep understanding of the construction world comes from working for both public and private clients in property, transportation, food manufacturing, defence and clean energy sectors. These diverse experiences have resulted in a balance of knowledge and creativity that drives the desire to advocate and promote the quantity surveying profession and practice best industry standards.

Mykola’s true desire is to guide clients toward a predictable and successful outcome. In time off from projects, he can often be found sitting on industry panels, speaking at industry events, working out at the gym, downhill skiing or paddling on a kayak. Mykola holds an advanced diploma in Construction Engineering Technology Management from George Brown College and a bachelor’s degree in Applied Science in Technology Management from Bemidji State University.