Stop Rushing Into Walls: Why Roadblock Removal Matters More Than Tracking PPC
In this blog, I want to talk about something I see too often in our industry: the obsession with tracking Percent Plan Complete (PPC) instead of focusing on the one thing that truly drives progress removing roadblocks.
Let me give it to you straight. Too many teams are taught to rush forward, push the work, and track what percentage they completed. But what happens when they hit a wall? We log the failure, analyze it, call it a root cause, and move on… only to hit another wall. Again and again.
That’s madness.
The Concrete Analogy
We’ve adopted a weird habit in construction of calling everything a “constraint.” That came from manufacturing (Theory of Constraints), but in construction, it’s become sloppy. Calling everything a constraint is like saying “there’s too much concrete in the concrete.” It blurs critical distinctions.
Just like in mix design, you need specific terms: fly ash, cement, sand, water. Why? Because when you name it, you can adjust it.
It’s the same with roadblocks and constraints. A roadblock is an operational problem something in the way of work today. A constraint is part of system design something upstream that must be planned around. When we lump everything into one vague category, we lose focus and power.
The Wall Analogy
Here’s the analogy that really brings this home:
Tracking PPC without clearing roadblocks first is like telling workers to run full speed into a wall and then logging the type of wall they hit.
That’s what PPC tracking often becomes: “What kind of wall did we hit today?”
How about we don’t hit the wall in the first place?
Instead of focusing on how many times we failed (and why), we need to shift the focus to identifying and removing the wall before we get there.
That’s real planning. That’s leadership. That’s flow.
My Challenge to the Industry
Yes, you can track PPC. Yes, you can do root cause analysis.
But only if your number one priority is roadblock removal before work starts.
And for that, we need to use our terms correctly. Stop calling everything a constraint. Bring clarity to your visuals, your meetings, and your culture.
Because running into walls isn’t a strategy.
Avoiding them is.
Key Takeaway:
In construction, the goal isn’t to track how many times we failed it’s to remove what causes failure in the first place. Stop rushing blindly into walls. Start clearing the road ahead.
If you want to learn more we have:
-Takt Virtual Training: (Click here)
-Check out our Youtube channel for more info: (Click here)
-Listen to the Elevate Construction podcast: (Click here)
-Check out our training programs and certifications: (Click here)
-The Takt Book: (Click here)
Discover Jason’s Expertise:
Meet Jason Schroeder, the driving force behind Elevate Construction IST. As the company’s owner and principal consultant, he’s dedicated to taking construction to new heights. With a wealth of industry experience, he’s crafted the Field Engineer Boot Camp and Superintendent Boot Camp – intensive training programs engineered to cultivate top-tier leaders capable of steering their teams towards success. Jason’s vision? To expand his training initiatives across the nation, empowering construction firms to soar to unprecedented levels of excellence.
On we go
