|
PPP = Prolonged, Painful, and Pointless. But not this time. Somehow, against all odds, cultures, and acronyms… The New Royal Adelaide Hospital in South Australia didn’t just avoid disaster — it delivered. Let me break it down for you:
The predictions? “Too complex.” But guess what? They finished it. And not just finished — they pulled off a clinical-grade, digitally-integrated, energy-efficient mega-hospital that actually works. The secret sauce?
Crazy, right? How couldn’t I have thought about it? A PPP that respected scope, handled conflict like grown-ups, and even came out functional on the other side. How could it be possible… Anyway. Some still say it was luck. I say it was proof that PPPs can work… if you don’t staff them with saboteurs. Do you want some blood? Take a look to the lessons below?
​
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. |
Weekly insights on how to perform when it matters | High-stakes decisions. Real situations. No BS. | 👇JOIN +2k readers 👇
I continue in China. And looking at Chinese infrastructure, I came across a lovely reminder for our industry. The Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge. More specifically, its immersed tunnel. A standard tunnel segment weighed approximately 80,000 tonnes. They precast the segments on Guishan Island, then used tugboats to transport them into position. If you like megaprojects, this is a must see. The project used extensive off-site manufacturing to help control quality and reduce disturbance to marine...
I’m writing this from China… I’m here for a trade fair… well… two. Tiles. Kitchens. Bathrooms. Doors. Windows. As you know, I’m building my real estate empire on the side. Which means moving my @ss, meeting suppliers, asking questions and starting from zero somewhere nobody particularly cares what I did before. Former CEO? Lovely. Board experience? Wonderful. Twenty years in infrastructure? Very impressive, sir. Now, how many toilets would you like? Fair enough. Look. There’s a lesson here...
Any project in the world has a meeting like this. The most senior person says: “I think this is an excellent opportunity.” Suddenly, everyone discovers they think so too. Extraordinary. Twenty minutes earlier, the project looked like a hostage note. Now it’s “a compelling investment proposition.” The spreadsheet hasn’t changed. The boss has spoken. 1961 During the planning of the Bay of Pigs invasion Presidential adviser Arthur Schlesinger had serious reservations. He put objections in...