Bill Walsh - Planning the First 25 Plays

Construction success depends on both the ability to rigorously plan as well as the ability to quickly react to changing field conditions.

D. Brown Management Profile Picture
Share

This is similar to sports and a lot can be learned from the disciplines of great coaches.  What keeps most project teams from planning in more detail?

Quote: If you want to sleep at night before the game, have your first 25 plays established in your own mind the night before that. Bill Walsh.

If we know that conditions are going to change once we start then why waste all this time planning?

  • Bill Walsh describes this as the ability to see patterns once the game begins that allow you to make quick changes.  
  • Dwight (Ike) D. Eisenhower described it perfectly “In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless but planning is indispensable.”   The process of planning; if done correctly by the right facilitator will prepare the team for variables when they start. 
  • Every great coach, military and business leader focuses their teams on a relentless practice of the basics so that those are committed to habit.  This also lets them react extremely quickly to changes in condition.
  • When a team has a shared mental model of the project and the plan in their minds then they will always be reacting in a way that moves the whole team closer to the original plan.  

All teams can benefit from having an experienced and unbiased 3rd party training them on good planning practices. 

Schedule a call to learn more about how we help construction teams improve




Cash Flow - 18 Tips to Improve Cash Flow Scoreboard
Construction contractors can use these 18 specific tips to improve their cash flow scoreboard.
Executive Briefing - Understanding Industry Trends
The construction industry is changing at an unprecedented rate. The challenges for contractors are compounded by the shortage of talent at all levels, including craft, management, and technical experts.
Changes and Cash Flow Improvement
Construction is a cash-intensive business and change orders are often one of the root causes of poor cash flow. A 30-day improvement to change management workflow can generate over $400K in additional cash flow for a $50M contractor.