The perfect plan always looks great on paper—until reality kicks in when the project starts.
Resilience must be a critical element of any system or plan. While we can’t predict the future, we can build in flexibility by allocating buffer resources—whether that’s budget, time, or materials—to make necessary adjustments and stay on track.
However, these reserves must be protected. Work has a tendency to expand to fit the timeline, so buffer resources should only be used when absolutely necessary, not as an excuse for inefficiency.
As executives and sponsors, don’t get stuck chasing the illusion of a perfect plan—focus on creating a resilient plan that can adapt and deliver real results.
