When You Can’t Do It, Say No

This morning I’m sitting here on a quiet Sunday, reflecting on the week and the experiences from our most recent boot camp. It has been an incredible season, filled with clients I truly enjoy working with, the progress of the new book, and some exciting opportunities to speak at upcoming events. Life feels full, and even the Halloween decorations at home remind me how important it is to find balance and joy outside of the work.

In the boot camp, I had one of those moments that sticks with you. We were talking about project planning and the necessity of setting projects up for success before they ever begin. Some participants looked at me with frustration in their eyes. They told me their companies send them to projects without any planning, with unrealistic schedules, or with the expectation to go fix jobs that are already failing.

I could see the exhaustion. I could feel the weight on them. And finally, I had to say it as plainly as possible: if your company does not allow you to preplan, if they refuse to provide the right resources, if they will not let you implement lean or Takt, it is wrong. It is not how projects are supposed to be run. Without planning, people get burned out, trade partners lose money, families suffer, and jobs turn into chaos.

I told them the truth as I’ve lived it. I have quit three times in my career when companies would not respect these principles. Not because I wanted to, but because there comes a point where you have to say no. At one company, they tried to keep my pay and stock low while giving me the responsibility of others who were valued much higher. At another, they wanted me to abandon preplanning, manipulate schedules, and push subcontractors unfairly. At the third, they used the very systems I had helped implement but in ways that disrespected people and created unsafe environments. Every time, I chose to walk away rather than compromise what I knew was right.

And here is the hard truth: recovering broken projects is not a badge of honor. Anyone can swoop in, push people harder, and look busy enough to “finish” the job. But that is not excellence. That is not leadership. A good superintendent is not one who fixes disasters. A good superintendent is one who prevents the disaster in the first place by ensuring the project is planned properly, people are respected, and flow is maintained.

So when someone in the boot camp asked me, “What should I do if my company keeps sending me to fix broken projects?” My answer was simple. You can say yes once more if you need to, but after that, you must decide that enough is enough. You must tell them, I will not do this anymore. If they refuse to let you plan properly, then it is time to leave.

I know that sounds strong, but it is the truth. We must stop tolerating abuse in this industry. We must stop letting fear control us. Fear that you will lose your job, fear that trade partners will leave, fear that you cannot provide for your family if you stand your ground. I do not believe those fears are real. Companies are desperate for capable superintendents, and opportunities exist everywhere for those who do the right thing.

The only way to change this industry is to start saying no. No to unrealistic expectations. No to unsafe practices. No to skipping preplanning. No to systems that burn people out. When you choose to stand up for what is right, not only will you protect yourself and your family, but you will also help push this industry toward the change it so badly needs.

Takt is the way we plan. Flow is the way we succeed. Respect for people is the foundation. Everything else is noise.

Takeaway

If your company refuses to let you plan, refuses to support proper resources, or keeps sending you to fix broken projects, it is time to draw a line. You will not suffer negative consequences for standing up for what is right. Say no, and take your skills to a place that values them.