E506: Ask Coach – Dealing With Delays
If you are having scheduling issues deal with them head on.
Q: The Prime Contractor is giving me a hard time about delaying the project. It’s not all my fault. How should I handle this.
A: Protect yourself at all times. Give notice when anything is delaying your progress, no matter how minor it seems.
- We try to avoid it, but delays can happen
- We plan to avoid them but sometimes things go wrong
- Supplier ships the wrong materials or misses a delivery date
- Prior sub does something incorrect that causes more work for you
- Communication is key, your fault or not – be sure to let everyone know
- Let you client know when something will impact the schedule
- Don’t be a hero
- Indicate possible impacts on all RFIs, Changes, Proposals, etc.
- Correct course
- If the delay is your fault do what you can to fix it
- Keep progress moving forward, work with others to coordinate
- Put in the extra effort to correct the schedule