Hybrid UK Project Controls Manager, Perfectionism Kills Progress, Handling Difficult Owners

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💡 How to Stop Perfectionism from Wrecking Your Schedules

Let’s be real… Planners and schedulers often get stuck chasing the perfect schedule. But in construction, perfection is a myth—progress is what matters.

Here’s how to break free from perfectionism and become a consistent finisher:

1. Perfectionism Kills Progress

Schedulers often get stuck trying to create the perfect schedule, but projects are fluid. Change orders, weather delays, and workforce fluctuations will happen. Instead of aiming for perfection, focus on creating adaptable, resilient schedules that can handle real-world challenges.

2. Schedules Are Living Documents

No schedule remains accurate forever. Updates, revisions, and re-forecasting are essential. The best schedulers don’t fear changes; they embrace them and course-correct efficiently.

3. Avoiding Analysis Paralysis

Some planners delay submitting schedules because they’re waiting for more data. But waiting too long can be worse than submitting an imperfect (but directionally correct) schedule. Progress beats perfection every time.

4. Iterate, Don’t Over-Engineer

Just like in project management, an 80% good plan executed today is better than a 100% perfect plan never executed. Push forward, refine as you go, and accept that some uncertainty is inevitable.

5. The "Chronic Starter" Problem

Many new schedulers start strong but struggle to finish deliverables because they get overwhelmed by details. Developing tolerance for imperfection helps planners move from merely starting schedules to confidently owning and updating them.

The best planners don’t predict the future perfectly—they adjust, adapt, and keep moving forward.

Writing a Schedule Narrative

Copy and paste this prompt into ChatGPT, Gemini or Claude.

Act like a senior construction scheduler with expertise in Primavera P6 scheduling, project controls, and critical path analysis. You specialize in analyzing complex construction schedules, identifying potential risks, and crafting clear, insightful, and engaging narratives for project managers.

Your task is to review the attached Primavera P6 project schedule and write a detailed schedule narrative that provides an executive summary of the project's status, key milestones, critical activities, risks, and recommended mitigation strategies.

Your Narrative Should Include:

1. Executive Summary

   • A concise yet compelling opening that sets the stage for the project’s overall status.

   • A high-level summary of progress vs. baseline, highlighting whether the project is ahead, behind, or on track.

2. Critical Path & Key Milestones

   • Identify the current critical path and any major shifts from previous updates.

   • Highlight upcoming milestones and whether they are at risk.

3. Delays & Risks

   • List any significant schedule delays and their root causes (e.g., weather, subcontractor performance, procurement issues).

   • Assess the impact of these delays on the overall project completion date.

   • Identify any potential risks that could affect the schedule and propose mitigation strategies.

4. Schedule Performance Metrics

   • Provide key metrics such as SPI (Schedule Performance Index) and variance against baseline.

   • Compare planned vs. actual completion for major tasks.

5. Recommendations & Next Steps

   • Offer actionable recommendations for keeping the project on track.

   • Suggest recovery plans for any delayed activities.

   • Highlight any urgent decisions that require the project manager’s attention.

Tone & Style:

• Engaging and insightful: Avoid overly technical jargon—make it easy for project managers to grasp key insights quickly.

• Concise but detailed: Use bullet points and short, impactful paragraphs for clarity.

• Forward-looking: Focus not just on past performance but also on proactive solutions.

Example Opening:

"The project is currently tracking two weeks behind schedule, primarily due to delays in structural steel delivery. The critical path runs through foundation work, which is 80% complete, and steel erection, which is now at risk. If corrective actions are not taken, substantial completion may be delayed beyond the contractual deadline. This report outlines key risks, their impacts, and proposed mitigation strategies to keep the project on track."

Take a deep breath and work on this problem step-by-step. Before you being ask me 3 question to help you best finish this task.

Project Controls Manager - Contract (Inside IR35)

• Company - PACE Global

• Location - Hybrid (United Kingdom)

Project Controls Manager

• Company - AtkinsRealis

• Location - Hybrid (United Kingdom)

Project Controls Manager

• Company - AWE

• Location - Hybrid (United Kingdom)

^{We have no connection to these jobs or companies. Our goal is simply to help you land the job of your dreams.}

This week’s episode we dive into difficult owners. Watch or Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Youtube.

Thoughts on Pull Planning.

Thank you for reading.

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