Sometimes, "Plan B" is the Real Win

In 2004, I was hired as a government liaison for water infrastructure projects in Puerto Rico. My main focus was improving water systems in the metropolitan area, but one particular project in Condado, near Old San Juan, would test everything I thought I knew about problem-solving, leadership, and flexibility. This project had been stalled for over four years. My job? Figure out what went wrong and find a way to get it moving again.

A Stalled Dream in Condado

The original plan was ambitious: to replace a failing water pumping station with a new gravity-fed pipeline to supply the upscale neighborhoods of Santurce, especially Miramar. On paper, it looked perfect. In reality, it was stuck in political, environmental, and logistical gridlock.

The site was near the beautiful Condado Lagoon, surrounded by hotels, apartments, and community spaces. Local residents had strong environmental concerns, and to make things worse, the pipes, sourced from a Brazilian supplier, hadn’t even arrived after years of delays.

As I started digging deeper, two simple but powerful questions came to mind:

• Can we find a local supplier?
• Have we talked to the community?

The answer to both was no.

Challenging the Status Quo

There was a strong commitment to sticking with the Brazilian supplier, but I couldn’t ignore the risks. With my supervisor’s support, I pushed for exploring local options.

After some research, I found a Puerto Rican supplier with a product that met all the required standards. It was lighter, which meant we’d need extra anchoring, but it was available immediately, a potential game changer.

I presented the idea to the designer, construction managers, and the water authority. At first, there was resistance. But I didn’t back down. I asked the local manufacturer to prepare a comprehensive plan covering:

• Anchoring solutions
• Surveying and monitoring
• Logistics for pumping water
• Addressing the phreatic level challenges

It wasn’t just about swapping materials—it was about reimagining the approach entirely.

Winning the Community’s Trust

I also knew we couldn’t succeed without community support. So, we organized a meeting with a local priest who helped us connect with residents. Our Director of Engineering, who had deep ties to the area, joined us to explain our strategy.

We were honest: we wanted to minimize environmental impact, save as many trees as possible, and deliver the project responsibly. That transparency changed everything.

The community backed us.

The Turning Point

With community support and a reliable local supplier, we got the green light. Construction resumed, and the project finally moved forward, after years of stagnation. It became a successful example of collaboration, flexibility, and trust-building.

And that’s when I realized something that has shaped my entire career:

• Sometimes, the “perfect” plan isn’t the right plan.
• Being open to alternatives—Plan B, Plan C, or even Plan Z—can unlock solutions you never considered.

The Leadership Lesson

This experience reinforced a few truths I carry into every role:

• Flexibility creates opportunities. Stubbornness stalls progress.
• Communication builds bridges. Bringing stakeholders together transforms resistance into collaboration.
• Local solutions can be powerful. Sometimes the answer is right in your own backyard.
• Success isn’t always about sticking to the plan; it’s about adapting when the plan doesn’t work.

So, when faced with obstacles, remember: Sometimes, Plan B isn’t just a backup—it’s the real win. Go for it!