Ego vs execution war story


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

​

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

Weekly insights on how to perform when it matters | High-stakes decisions. Real situations. No BS. | 👇JOIN +2k readers 👇

Read more from Vicente Valencia

I’m a PPP freak. You know… I heard in the news that Ghana will keep 70% of the toll revenue. Excellent. Seventy per cent is a very impressive number. Particularly before anyone asks: Seventy per cent of what? Ghana’s Parliament recently approved a 20-year PPP to introduce electronic tolling across 66 locations. The Government receives 70% of gross toll revenue. The concessionaire receives 30%. Great for a press release, some pictures and ceremonial pats in the back. Percentages are seductive....

1993. Argentina, the losers of the last World Cup. They are pros in Economics. This is why they signed a 30-year PPP with a nine-year business plan. What can get wrong? Nobody knew it was nine years. That was the problem. Or at least, one of them. The project was Aguas Argentinas. At the time, it was the largest water concession in the world. You know… Argentinos tend to exaggerate… a little bit… specially in front of the referee… More than eight million customers. Thirty years. Serious...

Governments love competitive tension. They spend 18 months creating it. Market soundings. RFQs. RFPs. Best and Final Offers… or Optimization Phase in some places… Lawyers, financial models, technical advisers, probity officers… and 143 versions of a contract called FINAL. I love this game! Then they select the preferred bidder. Sign the contract. Open the champagne. Take a photograph wearing hard hats. Book holidays to Fiji. And kill the competition. Because the first auction is over. The...