Q&A: Klaus Lemke, Midion
Background: Klaus Lemke started his career as a structural engineer before moving into construction management on heavy industrial projects like oil refineries and processing plants. That’s where he first worked as part of an integrated team, including the owner, designers and contractors. In this environment, he had great project experiences where collaboration felt almost effortless, and this shaped his view of what construction could be. Later, he moved into the GC world in Wisconsin, working his way from project manager to VP of Operations. During that time, he experimented with lean construction practices and built a relationship with Greg Howell. That connection formed Klaus’ views on putting people first in construction, and eventually led him into consulting with LeanProject. For the past 13 years, he’s been with Midion (formerly LeanProject) as Managing Principal, enjoying the opportunity to work across many types of projects and perspectives.
What was your familiarity with managing complex projects prior to Midion?
In my earlier roles as a PM, I was working in a very traditional environment. There wasn’t much lean thinking or collaboration—it was mostly about protecting the GC and making sure you covered yourself. I got good at operating within that system, but it never felt right. I kept thinking back to those early experiences where collaboration just worked so naturally. While I was earning my MBA, I researched how lean operations could apply to construction, which led me to Greg Howell. Discovering LeanProject felt like such a relief—I wasn’t alone in thinking there had to be abetter way. I got involved in LCI, engaged LeanProject to help on a couple projects and I really got serious about learning what makes project teams effective.
What do you feel are the limits of traditional construction management?
Traditional construction management is all about dividing up the pie and making sure you get your share. But the problem is, the pie doesn’t get any bigger. Success comes from protecting your slice, not asking if there’s a different way to share or even expand the pie. It’s a closed system that doesn’t encourage new approaches—it just manages what’s already there.
How have you seen human dynamics used (or not used) as a tool in construction management? How is Midion different?
In my view, successful projects come down to the network of commitments between people. On small projects, you might get away with a weaker network and still finish the job. But as projects grow in size and complexity, that network becomes the only way to truly manage the work—it’s the only scalable approach. Too often, I see superintendents and PMs trying to run massive projects the same way they’ve always done, and it just doesn’t hold up.
At Midion, our focus is on people—their skills, the structure around them, and the dynamics of how they work together. We help teams build those networks so they can manage complexity effectively. People are the most flexible and powerful resource we have. That’s where collaboration, innovation, and new possibilities emerge. It’s not a “soft” element—it’s the core of making big projects successful.
What advice do you have for others looking to manage successful mission-critical projects?
The big thing is, don’t try to run a mega-project using the same methods that worked on large projects. There’s a tipping point where you need a different approach to make the team effective.
You have to empower cross-functional teams close to the work to make decisions and manage their parts of the job—otherwise bureaucracy slows everything down. That’s the only way to move quickly with a large team. At the same time, you need to be intentional about how those autonomous teams are connected. Make sure they’re aligned to a shared purpose and have ways to communicate both with each other and with leadership. That’s what keeps a big, complex effort moving in the right direction.
Background: Klaus Lemke started his career as a structural engineer before moving into construction management on heavy industrial projects like oil refineries and processing plants. That’s where he first worked as part of an integrated team, including the owner, designers and contractors. In this environment, he had great project experiences where collaboration felt almost effortless, and this shaped his view of what construction could be. Later, he moved into the GC world in Wisconsin, working his way from project manager to VP of Operations. During that time, he experimented with lean construction practices and built a relationship with Greg Howell. That connection formed Klaus’ views on putting people first in construction, and eventually led him into consulting with LeanProject. For the past 13 years, he’s been with Midion (formerly LeanProject) as Managing Principal, enjoying the opportunity to work across many types of projects and perspectives.
What was your familiarity with managing complex projects prior to Midion?
In my earlier roles as a PM, I was working in a very traditional environment. There wasn’t much lean thinking or collaboration—it was mostly about protecting the GC and making sure you covered yourself. I got good at operating within that system, but it never felt right. I kept thinking back to those early experiences where collaboration just worked so naturally. While I was earning my MBA, I researched how lean operations could apply to construction, which led me to Greg Howell. Discovering LeanProject felt like such a relief—I wasn’t alone in thinking there had to be abetter way. I got involved in LCI, engaged LeanProject to help on a couple projects and I really got serious about learning what makes project teams effective.
What do you feel are the limits of traditional construction management?
Traditional construction management is all about dividing up the pie and making sure you get your share. But the problem is, the pie doesn’t get any bigger. Success comes from protecting your slice, not asking if there’s a different way to share or even expand the pie. It’s a closed system that doesn’t encourage new approaches—it just manages what’s already there.
How have you seen human dynamics used (or not used) as a tool in construction management? How is Midion different?
In my view, successful projects come down to the network of commitments between people. On small projects, you might get away with a weaker network and still finish the job. But as projects grow in size and complexity, that network becomes the only way to truly manage the work—it’s the only scalable approach. Too often, I see superintendents and PMs trying to run massive projects the same way they’ve always done, and it just doesn’t hold up.
At Midion, our focus is on people—their skills, the structure around them, and the dynamics of how they work together. We help teams build those networks so they can manage complexity effectively. People are the most flexible and powerful resource we have. That’s where collaboration, innovation, and new possibilities emerge. It’s not a “soft” element—it’s the core of making big projects successful.
What advice do you have for others looking to manage successful mission-critical projects?
The big thing is, don’t try to run a mega-project using the same methods that worked on large projects. There’s a tipping point where you need a different approach to make the team effective.
You have to empower cross-functional teams close to the work to make decisions and manage their parts of the job—otherwise bureaucracy slows everything down. That’s the only way to move quickly with a large team. At the same time, you need to be intentional about how those autonomous teams are connected. Make sure they’re aligned to a shared purpose and have ways to communicate both with each other and with leadership. That’s what keeps a big, complex effort moving in the right direction.
Background: Klaus Lemke started his career as a structural engineer before moving into construction management on heavy industrial projects like oil refineries and processing plants. That’s where he first worked as part of an integrated team, including the owner, designers and contractors. In this environment, he had great project experiences where collaboration felt almost effortless, and this shaped his view of what construction could be. Later, he moved into the GC world in Wisconsin, working his way from project manager to VP of Operations. During that time, he experimented with lean construction practices and built a relationship with Greg Howell. That connection formed Klaus’ views on putting people first in construction, and eventually led him into consulting with LeanProject. For the past 13 years, he’s been with Midion (formerly LeanProject) as Managing Principal, enjoying the opportunity to work across many types of projects and perspectives.
What was your familiarity with managing complex projects prior to Midion?
In my earlier roles as a PM, I was working in a very traditional environment. There wasn’t much lean thinking or collaboration—it was mostly about protecting the GC and making sure you covered yourself. I got good at operating within that system, but it never felt right. I kept thinking back to those early experiences where collaboration just worked so naturally. While I was earning my MBA, I researched how lean operations could apply to construction, which led me to Greg Howell. Discovering LeanProject felt like such a relief—I wasn’t alone in thinking there had to be abetter way. I got involved in LCI, engaged LeanProject to help on a couple projects and I really got serious about learning what makes project teams effective.
What do you feel are the limits of traditional construction management?
Traditional construction management is all about dividing up the pie and making sure you get your share. But the problem is, the pie doesn’t get any bigger. Success comes from protecting your slice, not asking if there’s a different way to share or even expand the pie. It’s a closed system that doesn’t encourage new approaches—it just manages what’s already there.
How have you seen human dynamics used (or not used) as a tool in construction management? How is Midion different?
In my view, successful projects come down to the network of commitments between people. On small projects, you might get away with a weaker network and still finish the job. But as projects grow in size and complexity, that network becomes the only way to truly manage the work—it’s the only scalable approach. Too often, I see superintendents and PMs trying to run massive projects the same way they’ve always done, and it just doesn’t hold up.
At Midion, our focus is on people—their skills, the structure around them, and the dynamics of how they work together. We help teams build those networks so they can manage complexity effectively. People are the most flexible and powerful resource we have. That’s where collaboration, innovation, and new possibilities emerge. It’s not a “soft” element—it’s the core of making big projects successful.
What advice do you have for others looking to manage successful mission-critical projects?
The big thing is, don’t try to run a mega-project using the same methods that worked on large projects. There’s a tipping point where you need a different approach to make the team effective.
You have to empower cross-functional teams close to the work to make decisions and manage their parts of the job—otherwise bureaucracy slows everything down. That’s the only way to move quickly with a large team. At the same time, you need to be intentional about how those autonomous teams are connected. Make sure they’re aligned to a shared purpose and have ways to communicate both with each other and with leadership. That’s what keeps a big, complex effort moving in the right direction.
Background: Klaus Lemke started his career as a structural engineer before moving into construction management on heavy industrial projects like oil refineries and processing plants. That’s where he first worked as part of an integrated team, including the owner, designers and contractors. In this environment, he had great project experiences where collaboration felt almost effortless, and this shaped his view of what construction could be. Later, he moved into the GC world in Wisconsin, working his way from project manager to VP of Operations. During that time, he experimented with lean construction practices and built a relationship with Greg Howell. That connection formed Klaus’ views on putting people first in construction, and eventually led him into consulting with LeanProject. For the past 13 years, he’s been with Midion (formerly LeanProject) as Managing Principal, enjoying the opportunity to work across many types of projects and perspectives.
What was your familiarity with managing complex projects prior to Midion?
In my earlier roles as a PM, I was working in a very traditional environment. There wasn’t much lean thinking or collaboration—it was mostly about protecting the GC and making sure you covered yourself. I got good at operating within that system, but it never felt right. I kept thinking back to those early experiences where collaboration just worked so naturally. While I was earning my MBA, I researched how lean operations could apply to construction, which led me to Greg Howell. Discovering LeanProject felt like such a relief—I wasn’t alone in thinking there had to be abetter way. I got involved in LCI, engaged LeanProject to help on a couple projects and I really got serious about learning what makes project teams effective.
What do you feel are the limits of traditional construction management?
Traditional construction management is all about dividing up the pie and making sure you get your share. But the problem is, the pie doesn’t get any bigger. Success comes from protecting your slice, not asking if there’s a different way to share or even expand the pie. It’s a closed system that doesn’t encourage new approaches—it just manages what’s already there.
How have you seen human dynamics used (or not used) as a tool in construction management? How is Midion different?
In my view, successful projects come down to the network of commitments between people. On small projects, you might get away with a weaker network and still finish the job. But as projects grow in size and complexity, that network becomes the only way to truly manage the work—it’s the only scalable approach. Too often, I see superintendents and PMs trying to run massive projects the same way they’ve always done, and it just doesn’t hold up.
At Midion, our focus is on people—their skills, the structure around them, and the dynamics of how they work together. We help teams build those networks so they can manage complexity effectively. People are the most flexible and powerful resource we have. That’s where collaboration, innovation, and new possibilities emerge. It’s not a “soft” element—it’s the core of making big projects successful.
What advice do you have for others looking to manage successful mission-critical projects?
The big thing is, don’t try to run a mega-project using the same methods that worked on large projects. There’s a tipping point where you need a different approach to make the team effective.
You have to empower cross-functional teams close to the work to make decisions and manage their parts of the job—otherwise bureaucracy slows everything down. That’s the only way to move quickly with a large team. At the same time, you need to be intentional about how those autonomous teams are connected. Make sure they’re aligned to a shared purpose and have ways to communicate both with each other and with leadership. That’s what keeps a big, complex effort moving in the right direction.
Q&A: Klaus Lemke, Midion
Background: Klaus Lemke started his career as a structural engineer before moving into construction management on heavy industrial projects like oil refineries and processing plants. That’s where he first worked as part of an integrated team, including the owner, designers and contractors. In this environment, he had great project experiences where collaboration felt almost effortless, and this shaped his view of what construction could be. Later, he moved into the GC world in Wisconsin, working his way from project manager to VP of Operations. During that time, he experimented with lean construction practices and built a relationship with Greg Howell. That connection formed Klaus’ views on putting people first in construction, and eventually led him into consulting with LeanProject. For the past 13 years, he’s been with Midion (formerly LeanProject) as Managing Principal, enjoying the opportunity to work across many types of projects and perspectives.
What was your familiarity with managing complex projects prior to Midion?
In my earlier roles as a PM, I was working in a very traditional environment. There wasn’t much lean thinking or collaboration—it was mostly about protecting the GC and making sure you covered yourself. I got good at operating within that system, but it never felt right. I kept thinking back to those early experiences where collaboration just worked so naturally. While I was earning my MBA, I researched how lean operations could apply to construction, which led me to Greg Howell. Discovering LeanProject felt like such a relief—I wasn’t alone in thinking there had to be abetter way. I got involved in LCI, engaged LeanProject to help on a couple projects and I really got serious about learning what makes project teams effective.
What do you feel are the limits of traditional construction management?
Traditional construction management is all about dividing up the pie and making sure you get your share. But the problem is, the pie doesn’t get any bigger. Success comes from protecting your slice, not asking if there’s a different way to share or even expand the pie. It’s a closed system that doesn’t encourage new approaches—it just manages what’s already there.
How have you seen human dynamics used (or not used) as a tool in construction management? How is Midion different?
In my view, successful projects come down to the network of commitments between people. On small projects, you might get away with a weaker network and still finish the job. But as projects grow in size and complexity, that network becomes the only way to truly manage the work—it’s the only scalable approach. Too often, I see superintendents and PMs trying to run massive projects the same way they’ve always done, and it just doesn’t hold up.
At Midion, our focus is on people—their skills, the structure around them, and the dynamics of how they work together. We help teams build those networks so they can manage complexity effectively. People are the most flexible and powerful resource we have. That’s where collaboration, innovation, and new possibilities emerge. It’s not a “soft” element—it’s the core of making big projects successful.
What advice do you have for others looking to manage successful mission-critical projects?
The big thing is, don’t try to run a mega-project using the same methods that worked on large projects. There’s a tipping point where you need a different approach to make the team effective.
You have to empower cross-functional teams close to the work to make decisions and manage their parts of the job—otherwise bureaucracy slows everything down. That’s the only way to move quickly with a large team. At the same time, you need to be intentional about how those autonomous teams are connected. Make sure they’re aligned to a shared purpose and have ways to communicate both with each other and with leadership. That’s what keeps a big, complex effort moving in the right direction.
Q&A: Klaus Lemke, Midion
Background: Klaus Lemke started his career as a structural engineer before moving into construction management on heavy industrial projects like oil refineries and processing plants. That’s where he first worked as part of an integrated team, including the owner, designers and contractors. In this environment, he had great project experiences where collaboration felt almost effortless, and this shaped his view of what construction could be. Later, he moved into the GC world in Wisconsin, working his way from project manager to VP of Operations. During that time, he experimented with lean construction practices and built a relationship with Greg Howell. That connection formed Klaus’ views on putting people first in construction, and eventually led him into consulting with LeanProject. For the past 13 years, he’s been with Midion (formerly LeanProject) as Managing Principal, enjoying the opportunity to work across many types of projects and perspectives.
What was your familiarity with managing complex projects prior to Midion?
In my earlier roles as a PM, I was working in a very traditional environment. There wasn’t much lean thinking or collaboration—it was mostly about protecting the GC and making sure you covered yourself. I got good at operating within that system, but it never felt right. I kept thinking back to those early experiences where collaboration just worked so naturally. While I was earning my MBA, I researched how lean operations could apply to construction, which led me to Greg Howell. Discovering LeanProject felt like such a relief—I wasn’t alone in thinking there had to be abetter way. I got involved in LCI, engaged LeanProject to help on a couple projects and I really got serious about learning what makes project teams effective.
What do you feel are the limits of traditional construction management?
Traditional construction management is all about dividing up the pie and making sure you get your share. But the problem is, the pie doesn’t get any bigger. Success comes from protecting your slice, not asking if there’s a different way to share or even expand the pie. It’s a closed system that doesn’t encourage new approaches—it just manages what’s already there.
How have you seen human dynamics used (or not used) as a tool in construction management? How is Midion different?
In my view, successful projects come down to the network of commitments between people. On small projects, you might get away with a weaker network and still finish the job. But as projects grow in size and complexity, that network becomes the only way to truly manage the work—it’s the only scalable approach. Too often, I see superintendents and PMs trying to run massive projects the same way they’ve always done, and it just doesn’t hold up.
At Midion, our focus is on people—their skills, the structure around them, and the dynamics of how they work together. We help teams build those networks so they can manage complexity effectively. People are the most flexible and powerful resource we have. That’s where collaboration, innovation, and new possibilities emerge. It’s not a “soft” element—it’s the core of making big projects successful.
What advice do you have for others looking to manage successful mission-critical projects?
The big thing is, don’t try to run a mega-project using the same methods that worked on large projects. There’s a tipping point where you need a different approach to make the team effective.
You have to empower cross-functional teams close to the work to make decisions and manage their parts of the job—otherwise bureaucracy slows everything down. That’s the only way to move quickly with a large team. At the same time, you need to be intentional about how those autonomous teams are connected. Make sure they’re aligned to a shared purpose and have ways to communicate both with each other and with leadership. That’s what keeps a big, complex effort moving in the right direction.
Background: Klaus Lemke started his career as a structural engineer before moving into construction management on heavy industrial projects like oil refineries and processing plants. That’s where he first worked as part of an integrated team, including the owner, designers and contractors. In this environment, he had great project experiences where collaboration felt almost effortless, and this shaped his view of what construction could be. Later, he moved into the GC world in Wisconsin, working his way from project manager to VP of Operations. During that time, he experimented with lean construction practices and built a relationship with Greg Howell. That connection formed Klaus’ views on putting people first in construction, and eventually led him into consulting with LeanProject. For the past 13 years, he’s been with Midion (formerly LeanProject) as Managing Principal, enjoying the opportunity to work across many types of projects and perspectives.
What was your familiarity with managing complex projects prior to Midion?
In my earlier roles as a PM, I was working in a very traditional environment. There wasn’t much lean thinking or collaboration—it was mostly about protecting the GC and making sure you covered yourself. I got good at operating within that system, but it never felt right. I kept thinking back to those early experiences where collaboration just worked so naturally. While I was earning my MBA, I researched how lean operations could apply to construction, which led me to Greg Howell. Discovering LeanProject felt like such a relief—I wasn’t alone in thinking there had to be abetter way. I got involved in LCI, engaged LeanProject to help on a couple projects and I really got serious about learning what makes project teams effective.
What do you feel are the limits of traditional construction management?
Traditional construction management is all about dividing up the pie and making sure you get your share. But the problem is, the pie doesn’t get any bigger. Success comes from protecting your slice, not asking if there’s a different way to share or even expand the pie. It’s a closed system that doesn’t encourage new approaches—it just manages what’s already there.
How have you seen human dynamics used (or not used) as a tool in construction management? How is Midion different?
In my view, successful projects come down to the network of commitments between people. On small projects, you might get away with a weaker network and still finish the job. But as projects grow in size and complexity, that network becomes the only way to truly manage the work—it’s the only scalable approach. Too often, I see superintendents and PMs trying to run massive projects the same way they’ve always done, and it just doesn’t hold up.
At Midion, our focus is on people—their skills, the structure around them, and the dynamics of how they work together. We help teams build those networks so they can manage complexity effectively. People are the most flexible and powerful resource we have. That’s where collaboration, innovation, and new possibilities emerge. It’s not a “soft” element—it’s the core of making big projects successful.
What advice do you have for others looking to manage successful mission-critical projects?
The big thing is, don’t try to run a mega-project using the same methods that worked on large projects. There’s a tipping point where you need a different approach to make the team effective.
You have to empower cross-functional teams close to the work to make decisions and manage their parts of the job—otherwise bureaucracy slows everything down. That’s the only way to move quickly with a large team. At the same time, you need to be intentional about how those autonomous teams are connected. Make sure they’re aligned to a shared purpose and have ways to communicate both with each other and with leadership. That’s what keeps a big, complex effort moving in the right direction.
Background: Klaus Lemke started his career as a structural engineer before moving into construction management on heavy industrial projects like oil refineries and processing plants. That’s where he first worked as part of an integrated team, including the owner, designers and contractors. In this environment, he had great project experiences where collaboration felt almost effortless, and this shaped his view of what construction could be. Later, he moved into the GC world in Wisconsin, working his way from project manager to VP of Operations. During that time, he experimented with lean construction practices and built a relationship with Greg Howell. That connection formed Klaus’ views on putting people first in construction, and eventually led him into consulting with LeanProject. For the past 13 years, he’s been with Midion (formerly LeanProject) as Managing Principal, enjoying the opportunity to work across many types of projects and perspectives.
What was your familiarity with managing complex projects prior to Midion?
In my earlier roles as a PM, I was working in a very traditional environment. There wasn’t much lean thinking or collaboration—it was mostly about protecting the GC and making sure you covered yourself. I got good at operating within that system, but it never felt right. I kept thinking back to those early experiences where collaboration just worked so naturally. While I was earning my MBA, I researched how lean operations could apply to construction, which led me to Greg Howell. Discovering LeanProject felt like such a relief—I wasn’t alone in thinking there had to be abetter way. I got involved in LCI, engaged LeanProject to help on a couple projects and I really got serious about learning what makes project teams effective.
What do you feel are the limits of traditional construction management?
Traditional construction management is all about dividing up the pie and making sure you get your share. But the problem is, the pie doesn’t get any bigger. Success comes from protecting your slice, not asking if there’s a different way to share or even expand the pie. It’s a closed system that doesn’t encourage new approaches—it just manages what’s already there.
How have you seen human dynamics used (or not used) as a tool in construction management? How is Midion different?
In my view, successful projects come down to the network of commitments between people. On small projects, you might get away with a weaker network and still finish the job. But as projects grow in size and complexity, that network becomes the only way to truly manage the work—it’s the only scalable approach. Too often, I see superintendents and PMs trying to run massive projects the same way they’ve always done, and it just doesn’t hold up.
At Midion, our focus is on people—their skills, the structure around them, and the dynamics of how they work together. We help teams build those networks so they can manage complexity effectively. People are the most flexible and powerful resource we have. That’s where collaboration, innovation, and new possibilities emerge. It’s not a “soft” element—it’s the core of making big projects successful.
What advice do you have for others looking to manage successful mission-critical projects?
The big thing is, don’t try to run a mega-project using the same methods that worked on large projects. There’s a tipping point where you need a different approach to make the team effective.
You have to empower cross-functional teams close to the work to make decisions and manage their parts of the job—otherwise bureaucracy slows everything down. That’s the only way to move quickly with a large team. At the same time, you need to be intentional about how those autonomous teams are connected. Make sure they’re aligned to a shared purpose and have ways to communicate both with each other and with leadership. That’s what keeps a big, complex effort moving in the right direction.
Background: Klaus Lemke started his career as a structural engineer before moving into construction management on heavy industrial projects like oil refineries and processing plants. That’s where he first worked as part of an integrated team, including the owner, designers and contractors. In this environment, he had great project experiences where collaboration felt almost effortless, and this shaped his view of what construction could be. Later, he moved into the GC world in Wisconsin, working his way from project manager to VP of Operations. During that time, he experimented with lean construction practices and built a relationship with Greg Howell. That connection formed Klaus’ views on putting people first in construction, and eventually led him into consulting with LeanProject. For the past 13 years, he’s been with Midion (formerly LeanProject) as Managing Principal, enjoying the opportunity to work across many types of projects and perspectives.
What was your familiarity with managing complex projects prior to Midion?
In my earlier roles as a PM, I was working in a very traditional environment. There wasn’t much lean thinking or collaboration—it was mostly about protecting the GC and making sure you covered yourself. I got good at operating within that system, but it never felt right. I kept thinking back to those early experiences where collaboration just worked so naturally. While I was earning my MBA, I researched how lean operations could apply to construction, which led me to Greg Howell. Discovering LeanProject felt like such a relief—I wasn’t alone in thinking there had to be abetter way. I got involved in LCI, engaged LeanProject to help on a couple projects and I really got serious about learning what makes project teams effective.
What do you feel are the limits of traditional construction management?
Traditional construction management is all about dividing up the pie and making sure you get your share. But the problem is, the pie doesn’t get any bigger. Success comes from protecting your slice, not asking if there’s a different way to share or even expand the pie. It’s a closed system that doesn’t encourage new approaches—it just manages what’s already there.
How have you seen human dynamics used (or not used) as a tool in construction management? How is Midion different?
In my view, successful projects come down to the network of commitments between people. On small projects, you might get away with a weaker network and still finish the job. But as projects grow in size and complexity, that network becomes the only way to truly manage the work—it’s the only scalable approach. Too often, I see superintendents and PMs trying to run massive projects the same way they’ve always done, and it just doesn’t hold up.
At Midion, our focus is on people—their skills, the structure around them, and the dynamics of how they work together. We help teams build those networks so they can manage complexity effectively. People are the most flexible and powerful resource we have. That’s where collaboration, innovation, and new possibilities emerge. It’s not a “soft” element—it’s the core of making big projects successful.
What advice do you have for others looking to manage successful mission-critical projects?
The big thing is, don’t try to run a mega-project using the same methods that worked on large projects. There’s a tipping point where you need a different approach to make the team effective.
You have to empower cross-functional teams close to the work to make decisions and manage their parts of the job—otherwise bureaucracy slows everything down. That’s the only way to move quickly with a large team. At the same time, you need to be intentional about how those autonomous teams are connected. Make sure they’re aligned to a shared purpose and have ways to communicate both with each other and with leadership. That’s what keeps a big, complex effort moving in the right direction.
