PECO

What is my favourite question in a project meeting? “Why are we doing it like that?” Not to be difficult. Not to slow things down. But from my experience the biggest value you can bring to a project is challenging something before it becomes a problem on site. I’ve seen small changes early on massively improve how a job runs later. Changing an access route to reduce disruption to residents. Adjusting sequencing to avoid multiple trades working on top of each other. Spotting environmental impacts earlier instead of firefighting them halfway through delivery. Even changing a construction approach completely because experience from a previous project told us there was a better way. The kind of operational input which only properly works when conversations happen early enough. Once dates are committed, programmes are fixed and expectations have been set, projects naturally become more reactive. And the result is site teams end up carrying pressure that could’ve been reduced much earlier. I think there’s a misconception sometimes that contractors only add value once works start. I know some of the best value comes before we are on the ground. It comes from practical lived experience. Lessons learned previously Understanding potential risks Being confident enough to challenge things constructively It’s one of the key benefits of long-term partnerships over transactional relationships. There’s a different level of trust, in the who, the how and the why. The best projects I’ve worked on are the ones where people communicate openly early on, share knowledge, and work together to find the best route to delivery. J FROST CIVILS LTD jamie frost MCIOB Www.jfrostcivils.co.uk

I might not be able to moonwalk MJ style, but we definitely aim to be smooth operators. Project delivery isn’t that different. What looks smooth in the moment usually comes from a huge amount of work beforehand that nobody really sees. And those jobs start the same way. People communicating early. Programmes built around realistic delivery, not best-case scenarios. Concerns are raised before teams are standing on site waiting for answers. Aligned understanding of the end goal This environment doesn’t happen by accident. It comes from creating a culture where people feel comfortable speaking up early, operational teams are listened to, and problems can be challenged before they become expensive issues on site. Not us and them or working in separate silos A genuine one-team approach where people are working towards the same outcome. The result when a project is aligned properly. Problems still happen, but people solve them together instead of creating blame around them. Smooth delivery rarely depends on what happens once work starts on site. It usually depends on the decisions, conversations and relationships built much earlier. J FROST CIVILS LTD jamie frost MCIOB Www.jfrostcivils.co.uk

It was great to have our strong PECO presence at April 16th Society of Gas Operators meeting at The Union League of Philadelphia and wonderful turnout as well to hear valuable insight from Brian Ritz and Mike Minton of South Jersey Gas of their Automated Metering Technology Deployment. #Exelon

What an honor it is for me to receive this award for work that has transpired across boundaries and borders. Thank you to my colleagues for their support and recognition!

What a pleasure to collaborate with Taiwo O. Soetan, Ph.D., MBA, PMP® , Oluwarotimi Odeh, MBA, Ph.D , and Dr. Omonigho Umukoro on this publication!

That’s a wrap! Thanks to all the wonderful people at PECO who made the last 26 years rewarding, memorable, and harder to leave than I let on (but not so hard I’m staying). I’m ready for retirement!!