Don’t Start Until You Know You Can Win
I just got back from some incredible boot camps, and I want to share a few lessons that really stood out. These all come back to one theme: preparation. If we want to build projects that flow smoothly, we can’t just dive in and hope things work out. We must prepare properly, plan intentionally, and never start until we know we can win.
One lesson came out of a Takt simulation we ran. Teams were pushing, fumbling, and losing time. Instead of letting them fail, I told them to stop, practice, and rehearse until they could consistently hit the target. Once they did that, they crushed the time goal. The insight? Don’t begin the work until you’ve proven you’re ready. Preparation beats pushing every single time.
This also connects to how we run huddles. Morning huddles sound good in theory, but in reality they create shallow conversations because there’s no time to change much. Afternoon huddles are far more effective. They let teams solve problems, remove roadblocks, coordinate handoffs, and prepare for the next day with real planning. That’s when you stop reacting and start building flow.
Another key point:
People often believe that pushing harder gets you there faster. The opposite is true. Pushing creates chaos, idle crews, poor quality, and wasted effort. When teams learn to slow down, follow rhythm, and stick to tact, they suddenly start winning. True productivity comes from preparation, rhythm, and discipline, not frantic speed.
Finally, I realized again that you can’t make work ready if you don’t know how to build. A broker who just moves resources around but doesn’t understand layout, quality, safety, or preparation can’t set the field up for success. Builders prepare work. Brokers just push. If we want projects to flow, we must be builders.
These insights all tie into one simple principle: don’t start until you know you can win. Plan, prepare, and line everything up before you begin. That’s the difference between chaos and flow.
Key Takeaway
Preparation is everything. You cannot push your way to success. Projects only win when leaders slow down, plan properly, and refuse to start until they know the team can deliver with quality and flow.
If you want to learn more we have:
-Takt Virtual Training: (Click here)
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-Listen to the Elevate Construction podcast: (Click here)
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-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
