I am not afraid to dream big.
In September 2024, I was tasked to coordinate a building renovation project for the new program we are building for the school. Our team had grand dreams of building something that could serve our community for years. But we learned that dreams have to be grounded in reality.
Here are 5 lessons I learned from a multimillion dollar project.
Lesson #1: Start with Big Dreams: "Dream big, do big things. dream small, do small things." Big dreams create excitement and make the team want to go for the reach goal. It fuels the conversation and creates momentum.
Lesson #2: Gather multi-perspective input early: A building renovation is an extremely complicated project with multiple areas to consider. Gathering input allows everyone whose lives will be changed by the building to have a voice in building this dream together. This includes teachers, department heads, architects, contractors, and community members.
Lesson #3: Align with the budget and timeline: At some point in the project, we had to face reality. The 2 biggest constraints are budget and time. We have a specific moving date in mind and the amount of dollars we have to complete the project. We had these two elements from the beginning of the project, which allowed us to move quickly and prioritize correctly.
Lesson #4: Prepare to lose 20% of time and budget to code and real-world tradeoffs: The hardest lesson I learned is how much we had to give up once the permitting process started. Meeting city regulations, complying with building codes, or adjustment for unforseen construction challenges, you will lose about 20% of your dream. It was great to have a big dream to start, so even at 80%, it is still impressive. Be prepared for these trade-offs and stay flexible
Lesson #5: Keep the mission in sight, always: It is easy to get lost in the details. From flooring options to door handles. It's important to remember why you are doing the project in the first place. The mission is to open the building and serve the students we are welcoming in the Fall. The mission puts the obstacle in perspective.