Challenging Owners: Turning Conflict into Collaboration with Scott Carrico

Watch on YouTube, Spotify or Apple Podcasts

The Challenge

Imagine this: You're deep into a project when the owner hands full planning and scheduling oversight to a third-party consultant. Suddenly, you're facing schedule reviews, DCMA checks, and an endless back-and-forth. The owner trusts the consultant’s opinion more than your expertise, and every update turns into a battle. How do you turn that conflict into collaboration without losing control of your schedule?

We're joined this week by Scott Carrico, PSP .

Key Takeaways

1. Know Who You're Dealing With: Understand whether you’re working with the owner directly or their consultant. Their expertise—or lack thereof—shapes how you approach conversations and resolve issues.
2. Float Isn’t the Enemy: Excessive total float often signals gaps in design, workarounds, or sequencing, not poor scheduling. Educate the consultant and owner on why the float exists instead of just accepting a checklist failure.
3. Milestones, Not Metrics: Owners care about outcomes, not metrics. Frame your conversations around milestone predictability, not start-to-start relationships or float percentages.
4. Lead with Solutions, Not Problems: When owners withhold information or delay decisions, don’t stall. Bring a plan to the table. It shows leadership and shifts the conversation from blame to progress.
5. Ask “Why?” Until It Makes Sense: When the consultant flags an issue, keep asking why it matters. High float on a booster pump? If it doesn’t impact turnover, it's a non-issue.
6. Early Warning Signs Exist: You can spot a challenging owner early. If the specs demand DCMA checks without context or milestone-based reviews, prepare for a consultant-driven process that may prioritize form over function.

Tactical Takeaway

Next time a third-party consultant challenges your schedule, resist the urge to defend. Instead, ask this simple question: “What risk are you trying to uncover by flagging this issue?” It forces the conversation back to project outcomes rather than checklist metrics, keeping everyone focused on what really matters—getting the job done.

Critical Path Career

Impactful Strategies for Advancing Your Construction Career

Available on Amazon.

Are you ready to transform your career in construction planning and scheduling? Whether you’re starting out or are an experienced professional, "The Critical Path Career: How to Advance in Construction Planning and Scheduling" is your essential guide to achieving success and earning more in your field.

What You’ll Discover Inside

• Specific Career Advancement Steps: Navigate through the distinct stages of career progression, including getting a raise, securing a promotion, and finding a higher-paying job.
• 26 Interview Questions with Sample Answers: Prepare for your next big interview with confidence using expertly crafted questions and answers designed specifically for planners and schedulers.
• 34 Impact Ideas: Implement practical ideas to make a significant impact in your role, enhancing your value and visibility within your organization.
• Become a Top 1% Planner or Scheduler: Learn how the very best differentiate themselves from the crowd.

Why This Book?

Unlike other guides, "The Critical Path Career" is tailored specifically for the construction planning and scheduling community. This book provides the tools and knowledge you need to increase your salary, advance your position, or simply become more effective in your current role.

Available on Amazon.