The Biggest Roadblocks Holding Construction Back
Fear is one of the most powerful constraints in our industry. It often keeps leaders and teams from doing the right thing even when they know better. Fear of getting sued, fear of not getting paid, fear of trying a new system, fear of holding people accountable, fear of telling an owner “no.”
But here’s the truth: fear is a roadblock that leads to inaction, wrong action, and failure. Projects don’t fall apart because of bold, informed decisions. They fail when fear drives people to compromise standards, rush work, or accept flawed systems like CPM (Critical Path Method) as “the only way.”
On every project I’ve led, I’ve refused to let fear dictate the path forward. I don’t allow projects to start without proper planning, I don’t accept undercut durations, I don’t panic under pressure, and I don’t let outdated requirements prevent me from building the right way. As a result, none of those projects have failed.
Why CPM Falls Short
The Critical Path Method has long been the default scheduling system in construction, but it works against productivity at every level. It was created without alignment to production theory, and when stacked up against principles like Little’s Law, leveling work, small batch sizes, and flow, CPM consistently fails.
Instead of creating clarity, CPM hides problems. It produces overly complex schedules that no one can truly understand, let alone verify. It looks legitimate because it’s complicated, but complexity does not equal accuracy. Worse, it shifts accountability away from fixing systems and onto overburdened trade partners who are forced to absorb inefficiencies with overtime and extra manpower.
The system’s flaws don’t stop there:
- CPM hides problems instead of revealing them.
- It overburdens trades by defaulting to rushing, pushing, and stacking.
- It creates unevenness because start and finish dates shift constantly.
- It’s based on the wrong science, focusing on “critical paths” instead of actual system constraints that limit flow.
CPM has become a bureaucratic tool great for claims, disputes, and legal maneuvering, but terrible for building real projects. It may tell you a project is behind, but it offers no useful corrective action that doesn’t hurt productivity.
The Path Forward
Construction needs visual, team driven systems like Takt planning that empower people to see the plan, identify problems early, and keep work flowing at the right pace. True planning is a human activity it should bring the team together, not hide the strategy in a wall of text or a complex database.
The future of construction won’t be built on fear or outdated systems. It will be built on courage, accountability, and lean methods that put people and flow at the center of production.
Key Takeaway
Fear is the biggest roadblock in construction, often leading teams to accept flawed systems like CPM that hide problems, overburden trades, and create unevenness. Success comes from rejecting fear driven decisions, embracing lean principles, and using visual systems like Takt that align with production science and empower teams to plan, see, and execute work effectively.
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
