Risk management is at the core of all complex projects, even more so in engineering and construction. Our approach is to take a broader view: how might we turn project risks into opportunities? How well does the team and you as the leader cope when the risks become reality? How quickly can you transform the issues into opportunities? Here’s a little story:
“I found myself standing at the front of the chapel, reading the eulogy, when the lights went out. Not metaphorically — the actual lights. The sound system too. There I was, in front of 100 mourners, holding the silence.”
That moment, simple, stark, and unsettling, holds a lesson. One we rarely plan for but always remember: things will go wrong. Lights cut out. Systems fail. Plans unravel. But the silence? That’s the space where something new begins, where we decide who we are and what we do next.
This is the kind of alchemy we aim for when upskilling project professionals: helping them nurture the ability to turn risks into opportunities and setbacks into stories of resilience. This mindset lies at the heart of effective project management and, indeed, successful business ownership. Because let’s face it: no plan ever survives the real world without a few dents.
Every project becomes a story
We often treat projects like a checklist — initiate, plan, execute, close. But reality is messier. The terrain shifts. People stumble. Tools break. The magic isn’t in having a perfect plan — it’s all about how we adapt when the plan meets reality. That’s why we see each project not just as a set of milestones, but as a story in motion. One that starts with ambition, meets adversity and hinges on choice: freeze, abandon, or adapt.
In the Pixar storytelling model, it goes something like this:
Once upon a time… you set your quarterly milestones.
Every day… you worked towards them.
One day… life happened!
Because of that… you adjusted the plan.
Because of that… you got back on track.
Finally… it’s the end of the project and…?
The blank at the end isn’t just a summary — it’s a verdict.
Did you write a story of control, or did chaos write it for you?
Project risks, reality and response
In project language, we talk about risks, issues and change management. All of the things we need to document and add to the system which helps us to deliver.
Risks are the obstacles we expect.
Issues are the ones we don’t.
Change is how we respond to both.
However, when you have a lot of project management experience, you shift your mindset to think: how can those issues be turned into opportunities? The illusion of the “perfect plan” can be dangerous. It invites us to wait, polish, or freeze — to delay action until everything aligns. But as Mike Tyson famously put it, “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.”
In business, the punch comes in many forms: a key staff member leaves, the market shifts, funding stalls, a tech glitch derails a launch. In that moment, the only thing that matters is how fast and how well you adapt.
Three default reactions to disruption
When the unexpected hits, most people fall into one of three reactions:
- Freeze — You pause, paralysed by uncertainty.
- Abandon — You throw away the plan entirely.
- Adapt — You adjust the course and keep moving.
At Coron Projects, we focus on building your capacity for the third. Because adaptation isn’t improvisation — it’s informed adjustment. It’s course correction, not chaos.
Just as a hiker uses a map and compass but still checks the sky and the terrain, successful businesses don’t just follow plans, they monitor and control them. Weekly check-ins. Honest reviews. Open conversations. Mid-journey recalibrations. Making these part of the team’s habits enables you to turn floundering sprints into focused climbs.
So, how do we prepare for the unpredictable? With tools, yes and also with mindset.
Our toolkit for handling change includes some essentials:
Communication – keep your key people up to date throughout the journey.
Organisation – plan ahead, stay grounded when issues arise.
Resources – find the right people and adapt their roles without drama.
Opportunities – make changes, think fresh to turn risks into wins.
Navigation – stay on course and be active not reactive.
Preparation doesn’t mean predicting every twist. It means being ready to respond when they come. And when they do come — because they always do — those who adapt quickly are the ones who still reach the summit.
Progress over perfection
One of the most powerful shifts we teach project managers is to drop perfection and aim for progress. Waiting for the “perfect” moment is just another way of standing still. Every small step, every adjustment, every decision to keep going — that’s where real momentum builds. Over a long-term project, it’s not the flawless start that defines the outcome. It’s the mid-hike pivots. The late-stage grit. The ability to look back from the summit and say, “We didn’t just endure — we adapted, improved and moved forward.”
At Coron Projects, we believe every project is a story waiting to be written. A story not of perfect execution, but of courageous course correction. Not of flawless conditions, but of resilience in the storm. As you start your next project, ask yourself: when the lights go out — literally or metaphorically — will you freeze, abandon, or adapt? The silence at the front of the chapel wasn’t the end of the story. It was the moment of choice. And in business, as in life, that moment is where alchemy begins.
Arrange a call if you’d like this training or support for your team. Or find out more about Base Camp.
