Achievement unlocked! 150/150 projects delivered on time - what's our secret?

We often get asked what makes us so effective in delivering projects not only with high quality but also on time. It’s more than having a team of high-calibre engineers or the latest tools. Essentially, it’s about the consistent practises and habits we’ve cultivated. Here’s how we’ve built a framework that ensures each project crosses the finish line when it’s supposed to.

The essentials: practises and habits

The hallmark of our success isn’t merely the technical brilliance of our team members but the set of habits and routines we’ve integrated into our daily workflows. While having an empowering culture and leadership support contribute to excellence, our actionable, ground-level practises genuinely set us apart.

Our five pillars

1. Proactive risk assessment technique: Timely decision-making ensures a project remains on track. Instead of learning from our mistakes post-failure, we’ve adopted an aggressive experience-based risk assessment technique. We envision a future where the project goes differently than planned and then work backwards to identify what could go wrong. By doing this, we can formulate a proactive action plan that significantly minimises project risks, thereby increasing our chances for on-time delivery.

2. Shared responsibility and the implementer’s prerogative: We believe that every voice matters, but know that when it comes to execution, a streamlined decision-making process is crucial. We practise “Shared responsibility and the implementer’s prerogative.” Team members offer their insights and concerns, but the implementer of a particular task or project gets the final say. This balance ensures that we benefit from collective wisdom without hampering the timeliness of our projects.

3. An open and honest feedback culture: Timely feedback loops are essential for any project’s on-time completion. Our high-performing teams embrace a culture of ‘radical candour,’ where constructive criticism is offered and sought. This dynamic ensures that minor issues are addressed promptly before they escalate into significant blockers, streamlining the project timeline.

4. Navigating through high agency: One of the driving forces behind our on-time project completion is a principle we call ‘high agency.’ Team members take proactive measures to find or create solutions rather than waiting for ideal conditions. This self-starting approach serves us particularly well when navigating the uncertainties that are part and parcel of complex projects.

5. The learning imperative: Learning and adaptation are in the DNA of San. We treat every challenge as an opportunity for skill enhancement. This ethos helps us tackle new problems effectively and prepares us for unforeseen challenges, contributing to the punctuality of our project deliveries.

In summary

At San, it’s about more than having extraordinary talent. We owe our track record of on-time project deliveries to well-defined practises. These include proactive risk assessment, a harmonious balance of shared responsibility with the implementer’s prerogative, a culture of open feedback, a high-agency approach to problem-solving, and an unwavering commitment to continuous learning. Maintaining this multi-faceted approach ensures that every project we undertake is set up for timely success. We don’t waste time in meetings either, but I will save that for another blog post!

I’m extremely proud of the team and what we’ve achieved together. Here’s to the next 150!