In this brutally honest debrief episode of Resilient Foundations, Rebecca and colleague, Doug Hall revisit a project (Project Jaguar) that looked promising on paper, but turned into a lesson in leadership, requirements, and reality. If you've ever thought "just plug it in" is a solution, this one's for you.

Despite best intentions, a rockstar team, and intense executive oversight, the final result didn't meet business needs. Why? From misplaced assumptions to missing requirements and underestimating internal politics, they dissect the pain points that turned a promising upgrade into a cautionary tale. Along the way, they discuss the dangers of adopting off-the-shelf software without proper due diligence, the perils of "it's just a tech project" thinking, and the irreplaceable value of honest leadership, humor, and team trust. Whether you're in tech, project management, or executive leadership, this episode is a "what not to do" and how to lead through it anyway.

#resilientfoundations #leadership #decisionmaking #corporateleadership

00:00 Introduction to Resilient Foundations

00:36 Project Jaguar Overview

01:38 Challenges and Low Points

02:25 Top Three Issues

05:27 Vendor and Customization Issues

07:02 Leadership and Change Management

16:49 Lessons in Transparency and Integrity

23:58 Balancing Scope, Cost, and Quality

24:26 Creating a Collaborative Team Environment

26:29 Consensus Building and Negotiation

27:59 The Importance of Adaptability in Technology Projects

29:35 Lessons from Project Failures

35:23 The Buy vs. Build Dilemma

38:45 The Value of Asking Questions

41:29 The Role of Humor in High-Stress Projects

Website – resilientfoundations.com

LinkedIn – www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccaplantz/

TikTok – resilientfoundations

More Info

View Email: rebeccaplantz@gmail.com

Channel: www.youtube.com/@ResilientFoundations

Rebecca Plantz is a seasoned executive leader with more than 25 years of experience leading a variety of high-stakes crises and enterprise initiatives to achieve business transformation. Her experience in leading large, cross-functional teams to deliver innovative technology, AI-enabled platforms and operations, risk management programs, information security programs, and operational resilience resulted in a wealth of expertise and toolsets that will be shared.

Tough times create great leaders. Having led executives and front-line teams to survive more than 750 crises, Rebecca has honed what it takes to prepare for and lead in circumstances that require Olympic-level skills and readiness.

When teams stall, argue, or miss deadlines, it's rarely about talent, it's about unclear roles. In this episode OF Resilient Foundations, Rebecca unpacks the underestimated power of role clarity and how it transforms teams from reactive to resilient, especially when the stakes are high.

From everyday operations to high-pressure crises, a lack of clarity around "who owns what" can stall momentum, fuel blame, and drain trust. Rebecca breaks down the three levels of role clarity: macro, operational, and crisis, and shows how leaders can diagnose confusion, streamline decision-making, and build frameworks that reduce friction and elevate accountability. With practical tools like the DACI model, stand-up strategies, and role audits, this episode equips you to lead with precision and build teams that thrive under pressure.

#resilientfoundations #leadership #decisionmaking #corporateleadership

00:00 Introduction to Role Clarity in Leadership

00:19 The Importance of Role Clarity

02:31 Identifying Role Clarity Issues

03:47 Types of Role Clarity

09:03 Implementing Role Clarity Frameworks

12:48 Daily and Weekly Role Clarity Practices

15:35 Conclusion

Website – resilientfoundations.com

LinkedIn – www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccaplantz/

TikTok – resilientfoundations

More Info

View Email: rebeccaplantz@gmail.com

Channel: www.youtube.com/@ResilientFoundations

Rebecca Plantz is a seasoned executive leader with more than 25 years of experience leading a variety of high-stakes crises and enterprise initiatives to achieve business transformation. Her experience in leading large, cross-functional teams to deliver innovative technology, AI-enabled platforms and operations, risk management programs, information security programs, and operational resilience resulted in a wealth of expertise and toolsets that will be shared.

Tough times create great leaders. Having led executives and front-line teams to survive more than 750 crises, Rebecca has honed what it takes to prepare for and lead in circumstances that require Olympic-level skills and readiness.

The 5 Stages Every Leader Must Master to Build High-Performing Teams

Are you leading a team stuck in tension or just coasting in the norm? Learn how to consciously move your team through proven stages of growth toward high performance, where trust thrives and results soar.

In this episode of Resilient Foundations, Rebecca breaks down the powerful and timeless Tuckman's model of team development, a framework she's successfully applied to engineering teams, crisis teams, sports teams, and more. She walks you through the five essential stages, Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing, and Adjourning, explaining how to recognize each one and lead your team through it with clarity, courage, and emotional intelligence.

#resilientfoundations #leadership #decisionmaking #corporateleadership

01:52 Stage 1: Forming - Creating Clarity

04:49 Stage 2: Storming - Managing Resistance

10:27 Stage 3: Norming - Building Consistency

13:44 Stage 4: Performing - Achieving High Performance

18:09 Stage 5: Adjourning - Reflecting and Celebrating

Website – resilientfoundations.com

LinkedIn – www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccaplantz/

TikTok – resilientfoundations

More Info

View Email: rebeccaplantz@gmail.com

Channel: www.youtube.com/@ResilientFoundations

Rebecca Plantz is a seasoned executive leader with more than 25 years of experience leading a variety of high-stakes crises and enterprise initiatives to achieve business transformation. Her experience in leading large, cross-functional teams to deliver innovative technology, AI-enabled platforms and operations, risk management programs, information security programs, and operational resilience resulted in a wealth of expertise and toolsets that will be shared.

Tough times create great leaders. Having led executives and front-line teams to survive more than 750 crises, Rebecca has honed what it takes to prepare for and lead in circumstances that require Olympic-level skills and readiness.