Barry Jentz on Coordinating Large Projects

Predict-Plan-Preclude (PPP)

How to Move from Adversarial Relationships to Teamwork On Large Project Teams [1]                                                                                                       

For a period in his long and distinguished career as an educational leader, Barry Jentz was asked to organize the interface of all the contractors in projects that were underway to build giant high-rise buildings in Manhattan. Dozens of contractors, architects and clients were involved in incredibly complex work where PERT charts would cover all four walls of enormous conference rooms. Into this milieu stepped Barry who developed a system for anticipating obstacles and creating communication patterns that greatly accelerated progress and quality outcomes. 

Carrying out a complex plan like that outlined in the Chapter 18 brings together multiple players who tend to operate independently in silos.  There is a need for joint commitment of the players and knowledge of what others are doing in a way not usually called for in school districts.  

As we reflected together on the multi-year plans implied by Chapter 18, It occurred to me that his methodology would be wonderful, even necessary in school districts to "stick to the knitting" and achieve the results that were possible. This is not a methodology for making a strategic plan -- it's a methodology for making it work!


About the author: 

Barry Jentz is an Owner and Partner at Learning & Leadership, Inc., and an innovator, author and practitioner in the area of leadership, team and organizational intervention. His career spans more than 40 years. Barry holds a BA in English from Kenyon College and a MA from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Barry’s experience spans a range of industries and sectors including: newspaper publishing, media, finance, nuclear power, architectural design, construction, real estate development, international management consulting, engineering, and high-tech startups; as well as private schools and universities, community colleges, town governments, state education organizations, school boards/committees, public school professional organizations, non-profits, law firms, and doctors associations. He is the author of “Talk Sense: Communicating to Lead and Learn,” of “The Entry Plan Approach: How to Start a Leadership Position Successfully,” and “Leadership and Learning: Personal Change in a Professional Setting.” He has also pioneered a number of consulting and coaching methodologies. His book, Talk Sense, is available for purchase on the RBT website at https://www.rbteach.com/shop/products/20.


Learn more about Leadership and Learning at https://www.entrybook.com.

Barry can be reached at bjentz@entrybook.com


[1] The original idea to innovate the process of design/construction came from Bob Fox, currently of Cook Plus Fox, NY, NY, and he convinced his clients to try the PPP methodology, in particular Bausch and Lomb and the Durst Organization.  The opportunity to develop the work came from the Durst Organization, in particular Douglas and Jody Durst, and from David Area, then at Morgan Stanley and now Grub and Ellis.