Playing the Hand You’re Dealt in Pre-construction

Welcome, everyone. In this blog, I’m continuing our deep dive into Elevating Pre-construction Planning and the First Planner System. Today, we’re talking about a truth we all have to face in construction: sometimes, the deck is stacked against us and we have to play the hand we’re dealt.

The Hard Truth About Owners and Systems

Let me say this upfront: I’m not against owners. But the reality is that owners (and sometimes designers) can make it extremely difficult, if not impossible to implement lean systems successfully.

I believe in protecting workers and foremen with lean practices. But to do that, we must acknowledge the obstacles early and develop a strategy to offset them.

Here are four areas I evaluate right away:

1. Paradigms – Do stakeholders respect people, support stability, and encourage flow? Or are they pushing people and cutting costs at the expense of the team?
2. Mindset – Is “respect for people” a top priority? If leaders are quick to add overtime, weekends, or more crews instead of solving root problems, morale and safety will suffer.
3. Goals of the System – Is the goal to finish on time with a happy team, or is it about ego, politics, and old-school firefighting?
4. Structure & Rules – Is the delivery method set up for lean success? Or are outdated requirements—like mandatory CPM schedules, setting the team up to fail?

Owning the Problem

I hear it all the time:

• “No one wants to work anymore.”
• “This new generation is lazy.”
• “Subs are horrible.”

Even if these things were true (and I don’t believe they are), saying them doesn’t help. If we keep blaming others, we become helpless victims in our own projects.

Here’s the reality:

Workers and foremen are the ones finishing our projects, in spite of our poor planning and systems.

We, as managers, designers, and owners, are often the problem. Accepting that fact is the first step toward becoming the solution.

Extreme Ownership

Jocko Willink says it best:

“Leaders must own everything in their world. There is no one else to blame.”

So instead of blaming workers, I ask:

• Who can fix this? (Managers, designers, owners, learning centers, government)
• Who will suffer if we don’t? (Everyone, workers, foremen, managers, designers)

When we take full ownership, we can finally make the changes needed for success.

The Cake Analogy

In the book, I use a baking analogy to explain the First Planner System:

• What to make – The production system.
• Who it’s for – The trade partners and team.
• How to make it – Preconstruction planning.

I’m a huge fan of The Great British Baking Show. I love the creativity, the dedication, and yes, the failures. The cake analogy works because, just like baking, construction requires following a recipe, using the right ingredients, and preparing in the right order.

An Ounce of Prevention

We often start preconstruction just before the notice to proceed and then we’re surprised when we miss deadlines.

The solution?

• Start earlier.
• Use a one-third, two-thirds ratio, spend one-third of the total project time planning, and two-thirds executing.

I’ve even said: however long your project is, divide it in half that’s how much time you should have planned.

The Cost of Poor Planning: A Tale of Two Projects

From How Big Things Get Done:

• California Bullet Train – Due to poor planning, it will be 10+ years late, cost $67 billion more than planned, and cover only half the intended route.
• Empire State Building – Finished early, under budget, and world-famous because the team planned well, understood the build, and maintained flow.

What changed? Not technology. Not complexity. Just where the emphasis was placed, on planning first.

Think Slow, Act Fast

Our industry too often:

• Plans poorly
• Builds reactively
• Finishes “okay”

We need to flip that:

1. Plan First – Reference past projects, assess risks, iterate, and include the builders.
2. Build Right – Follow the plan, monitor costs/schedule, collaborate with trades.
3. Finish As You Go – Meet quality expectations, commission systems, and demobilize cleanly.

Key Takeaway:

Pre-construction isn’t a formality, it’s where over 60% of your project’s success is determined. Play the hand you’re dealt, but plan so well that the house doesn’t always win.