Ego vs execution war story

Published 11 months ago • 1 min read

Dear project managers and executives
You are not paid to referee ego wars.
You are paid to protect outcomes.

I have seen this many times.

And doubts and concerns freeze you like a bunny looking at the two lights of the car moving to you.

Look.

If you're witnessing a standoff between two inflated egos, do everyone a favor:
Remove them both—or at least the one you can control.

Will it feel disruptive? Yes.
Expensive? Maybe.
Unfair? Possibly.

But trust me... it’s a bargain compared to the cost of keeping them around.

I've seen projects lose millions because someone had to be right.
I’ve seen teams break, timelines collapse, and reputations tank—
Not because of risk or complexity...
But because no one had the guts to pull the ego out of the room.

Leadership is about subtraction.

Sometimes, the best move is cutting the wrong person at the right time.

More wisdom? Check below.

$99.90

The 15 Top Lessons of a PPP Project Nightmare

Learn about:
The number 1 killer of Projects
Why this was not going to be just "another construction project, mate"... Read more

Get those lessons now

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.

You're too expensive... now.

I once said that Preferred Bidder is the most dangerous moment in a PPP. It’s like the moment that the shark attacks in Jaws… just when you expect it less… Everyone relaxes. Champagne glasses appear. LinkedIn posts multiply. “Proud to be part of the winning consortium.” Then reality walks into the room. Let’s talk about the Malaysia–Singapore High Speed Rail. A mega rail PPP. 350 km. High-speed trains. Two countries connected. Estimated cost: $15-20 billion. The type of project ministers...

about 9 hours ago • 1 min read

Capital Cities Build PPP Disasters. Small Towns Build Infrastructure.

Some of the worst PPPs in the world come from capital cities trying to look impressive. Huge buildings. Architectural statements. Politicians cutting ribbons. And budgets exploding. But some of the best PPPs? They come from places nobody talks about. Take Ferguson Place Recreation Centre PPP. It sits in Fort St. John, Canada… Oh Canada! Population: about 21,000 people. Not exactly Tokyo. The city needed something simple: A recreation centre. Swimming pools. Ice rinks. Fitness facilities....

1 day ago • 1 min read

A Berlusconi PPP horror movie

A toll road. In one of the richest regions of Europe. Northern Italy. Lombardy. Industrial powerhouse. Traffic everywhere. What could possibly go wrong? The project was called the Autostrada Pedemontana Lombarda. A massive motorway designed to connect cities north of Milan and relieve congestion around the region. On paper, it looked like a dream. Economic powerhouse region. Millions of inhabitants. Constant truck traffic. Banks were queuing to through their money to the asphalt plant. Making...