Goals Are Great, But Systems Protect the Margin
Let’s get something straight right out of the gate, I love a good challenge. Sometimes too much. Beat the schedule. Open early. Finish under budget. Swing for the fences and see what happens.
But let’s be real, industry vets know that despite all the plucky optimism you might attempt to muster, it will never be enough. You simply don’t succeed because you aimed high, you succeed because your systems didn’t let you fall.
In fact, author James Clear said it best in Atomic Habits:
“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”
And in construction? That fall happens fast.
Last week in a Construction Yeti blog, I wrote, “Most projects (and margin) are won and lost at the starting line, not the finish line.” While I stand by that as a promotion for preconstruction, it actually goes much deeper than that. No matter how bold your bid or how inspiring your kickoff meeting, if your processes are duct-taped together and powered by “we’ll figure it out,” you’re already behind across the board.
The Myth of Goals as Strategy
Many of you know my background, but for those that don’t, systems were drilled into me from the very beginning. As I was coming up through the ranks at Kiewit, systems weren’t just some back-office checklist. They were the way. Processes were documented, reviewed, refined and enforced with the kind of discipline most teams dream about. You didn’t just estimate a job, you followed a system. You didn’t just close out a project, you followed a system. Heck, we had systems to make sure the systems stayed updated.
You think I’m kidding, but I’m not.
But the more time I spend with folks across the industry, it seems that systems are not as widely adopted as originally thought. In many cases it feels more like partially organized chaos. Estimators finish a budget but throw it over the fence half-baked. Project Managers shooting from the hip on RFIs. Change orders managed by email, smoke signals and “uh-oh” moments.
Look, I’m all for the hustle. But if you’re hoping hustle will outrun a broken process, you’re likely in for a rude awakening.
Slow Is Smooth, Smooth Is Fast
The Navy SEALs have a saying:
“Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.”
But it’s not about being slow. It’s about being intentional. Disciplined. Repeatable. Because when your process is smooth (or when your systems are tight) speed takes care of itself.
Want to finish in ten months instead of twelve? Great. But don’t just “try harder” or “throw more people at it.” Build smoother. And smoother doesn’t happen by accident. It happens through systems.
SOPs: The Underdog of Construction Efficiency
Let’s talk about the unsung hero of protecting margin: the good ol’ Standard Operating Procedure.
SOPs get a bad rap in construction. People think they’re for the big guys, or for bureaucrats, or for when you finally have time to “clean things up.” But talk to any industry vet that is finishing on time and under budget and they’ll tell you: SOPs are the difference between controlled chaos and just plain chaos.
If your team is figuring out submittal workflows from scratch on every job, that’s not flexibility, it’s inefficiency. If your estimating team has three different ways to hand off a job to ops, you’re not adaptable, you’re inconsistent. Inefficiency and inconsistency shred your margin.
Want to see a field team roll their eyes faster than ever? Hand them three different versions of the same budget labeled “final.”
(Extra points if one of them is named “FINAL_final_UseTHISone.xls”)
Where Systems Show Up (or Don’t)
The trouble is good systems aren’t flashy. They take time to build and you don’t always see them in action. But you absolutely notice when they’re missing.
For example, these are just a few ways systems really show their value:
Estimating to Execution Handoff: Is there a standardized package? A kickoff meeting? Or does every PM just get “the folder” and figure it out?
RFIs and Submittals: Do you have a clean workflow? Is it automated? Or is it more of a “whoever yells loudest” situation?
Change Management: Are there clear thresholds and approvals? Is it integrated? Or is every CO a political negotiation?
These aren’t “nice to haves.” These are the kinds of things that protect margin. They reduce rework, keep clients aligned and cut down on costly “let me check on that” delays.
Talent Can’t Outrun a Broken System
I know what you’re thinking, you hire the best people. And you hire the best so you don’t have to worry about this stuff. But back to the hustle that I am absolutely all for, even the best people will fail in a bad system.
Rockstar superintendents, brilliant estimators and seasoned PMs all become undone by clunky tools, unclear processes and misaligned teams. I’ve seen it happen to some of my best of friends., The worst part? They blame themselves. The truth is though, the system failed them.
Good systems unlock great people, exponentially. They remove the friction. They reduce the noise. They let talent shine. Chaotic is no longer normal as the system carries the load. From there, the people make it excellent.
Build Systems Like You Build Projects
Here’s the good news: you don’t need to roll out a 300-page SOP manual tomorrow.
Start with the stuff that hurts the most. The repeatable pain points.
Can’t ever find the right drawing? Build a drawing control process.
Closeout is always a disaster? Standardize your punchlist workflow.
Sub invoicing buried in emails? Create a shared log and an actual approval flow.
Systems don’t need to be complex. They just need to be clear. They should work like a good set of plans: easy to follow, no guesswork required.
And once they’re in place? Train on them. Evolve them. Own them. Execute them.
Final Thought: The Margin Lives in the Middle
So back to that original thought, how most projects (and margin) are won and lost at the starting line, not the finish. While everyone focuses on the start of the job and the end of the job, the margin lives in the middle.
It lives in the meetings, the workflows, the submittal reviews, the change orders and the decisions made at 6 a.m. on a Tuesday when you’re behind schedule and trying to keep calm. It lives in the systems and the systems are what get you paid.
But they must be in place from the start.
So yes, keep aiming high. Set the goals. Paint the vision. But then… build the systems that keep the wheels on when reality hits.
Because in construction (and in life) “slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.”
Construction is cool, tell your friends!