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We only prepare after people die
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Last weekend, New Zealand was hit by another cyclone. If you’re still sceptical about climate change…just look at the statistics. Or your insurance premium. But that’s for another day. This time, the damage was limited. Much less than the previous cyclones. And here it comes… “They exaggerated.” “It wasn’t that bad.” “We overprepared.” The usual. Short-term memory. Short-term thinking. The same people who forget that not long ago we had: warnings that were too soft impacts that were worse than expected lack of preparation people who paid the price Because we weren’t ready. This is not new. It’s a pattern. Underestimate. Criticise. React too late. Repeat. You see it everywhere. Including in infrastructure. Rushed processes. “Business as usual” assumptions. Massive overcorrections… after things go wrong. Disasters create pain. But they also create clarity, even geniality. The two projects in the courses below have both: Moments of failure. And moments of brilliance. The difference? Preparation. Decision-making under pressure. Understanding what really matters. If you want to think like that. And avoiding learning the hard way… You know what to do. ​15 Lessons that Made a Project Successful​ ​15 Lessons that made a Project a Nightmare​ PD 1: If you liked this email, don't keep it in secret and forward it to a friend. They will thank you enormously one day. PD 2: If somebody has sent you this email and you want to receive emails like this yourself, visit vicentevalencia.com PD 3: If you want unsubscribe, click the link below. |
Vicente Valencia
I talk about Personal Growth, Management, Infrastructure and More | 👇JOIN +2k readers 👇
Selling used stuff online is hard work. A lottery. A candy box. I tried it once. In less than 5 minutes, I got a message. 30 seconds later, I knew it was a scam. Emoticons. Broken grammar. Asking for my number immediately… when the platform literally tells you not to. Block the user. Close the chat. And then do what a good SPV CEO does… Subcontract. Pass it to someone who knows better. Create the right incentives. Supervise. Manage issues. Etc. Life is just another PPP. Your standards say a...
The pattern... Different country. Different name. Same movie. A “strategic” project. Big announcements. Strong political backing. Aggressive bids. Beautiful financial models. Everyone smiling at financial close. And then… After bonuses paid and elections won… Reality. Costs go up. Time disappears. Risks… yes, those that were “managed” and “transferred to the party better able to deal with”, start showing up. Suddenly: - contracts are “reinterpreted” - assumptions were “too optimistic” -...
When people talk about successful projects, these are the usual suspects: The deal was clear from day one Risks were allocated… not hidden The wrong bidders didn’t show up Time was respected Decisions were made early The contract was readable Banks believed the story Equity had skin in the game The public side knew what it wanted Advisors added value (for once) Construction was not “optimistic” Problems were solved fast Ego was controlled Operations were considered from day one Someone owned...