Lessons from Yoda on Construction Management

In my day job, as a civil engineer, I fill the role of a Construction Manager.  It occurred to me that many of the lessons in Star Wars regarding the nature of the light and dark side of the Force actually makes a pretty powerful metaphor for how a Construction Contract is used to guide a Project to successful completion.

So, I took a few scenes from The Empire Strikes Back with the most appropriate of Yoda's wisdom about The Force and applied it loosely to The Contract.



If you haven't memorized the Star Wars movies, as I have here is the scene for reference:

Check it out:

Scene 1: (Is he ready to begin his journey?)

LUKE: How far away is Yoda? Will it take us long to get there?

CREATURE: Not far. Yoda, not far.  Patience. Soon you will be with him.

(tasting food from the pot) Rootleaf, I cook. Why wish you become a Construction Manager? Hmm?

LUKE: Mostly because of my father, I guess.

CREATURE: Ah, your father. Powerful Construction Manager was he, powerful Construction Manager, mmm.

LUKE: (a little angry) Oh, come on. How could you know my father? You don't even know who I am.

(fed up and beginning to shout) Oh, I don't even know what I'm doing here! We're wasting our time!

The creature turns away from Luke and speaks to a third party.

CREATURE: (irritated) I cannot teach him. The boy has no patience.

Luke's head spins in the direction the creature faces. But there is no one there. The boy is bewildered, but it gradually dawns on him that the little creature is Yoda, the Certified Construction Manager, and that he is speaking with Ben.

BEN'S VOICE: He will learn patience.

YODA: Hmmm. Much anger in him…like his father.

BEN'S VOICE: Was I any different when you taught me?

YODA: Hah. He is not ready.

LUKE: Yoda! I am ready. I...Ben! I can be a Construction Manager. Ben, tell him I'm ready!

Trying to see Ben, Luke starts to get up but hits his head on the low ceiling.

YODA: Ready, are you? What know you of ready? For eight hundred years have I trained Construction Managers. My own counsel will I keep on who is to be trained! A Construction Manager must have the deepest commitment, the most serious mind.

(to the invisible Ben, indicating Luke) This one a long time have I watched. Never his mind on where he was. Hmm? What he was doing. Hmph. Adventure. Heh! Excitement. Heh! A Construction Manager craves not these things.

(turning to Luke) You are reckless!

Luke looks down. He knows it is true.

BEN'S VOICE: So was I, if you'll remember.

YODA: He is too old. Yes, too old to begin the training.

Luke thinks he detects a subtle softening in Yoda's voice.

LUKE: But I've learned so much.

Yoda turns his piercing gaze on Luke, as though the Certified Construction Manager's huge eyes could somehow determine how much the boy had learned. After a long moment, the little Certified Construction Manager turns toward where he alone sees Ben.

YODA: (sighs) Will he finished what he begins?

LUKE: I won't fail you -- I'm not afraid.

YODA: (turns slowly toward him) Oh, you will be. You will be.

*******************************************  

Scene 2 (Training Begins):

With Yoda strapped to his back, Luke climbs up one of the many thick vines that grow in the swamp. Panting heavily, he continues his course -- climbing, flipping through the air, jumping over roots, and racing in and out of the heavy ground fog.

YODA: Run! Yes. A Construction Manager's strength flows from the Contract. But beware of the dark side. Anger...fear...aggression. The dark side of the Contract are they. Easily they flow, quick to join you in a fight. If once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny.  Consume you it will, as it did Obi-Wan's apprentice.

LUKE: Vader. Is the dark side stronger?

YODA: No...no...no. Quicker, easier, more seductive.

LUKE: But how am I to know the good side from the bad?

YODA: You will know. When you are calm, at peace. Passive. A Construction Manager uses the Contract for knowledge and defense, never for attack.

LUKE: But tell me why I can't...

YODA: (interrupting) No, no, there is no why. Nothing more will I teach you today. Clear your mind of questions. Mmm. Mmmmmm.

Scene 3 (The Perils of the Aggressive Negotiation):

Luke turns to see a huge, dead, black tree, its base surrounded by a few feet of water. Giant, twisted roots form a dark and sinister cave on one side. Luke stares at the tree, trembling.

LUKE: There's something not right here.

Yoda sits on a large root, poking his Gimer Stick into the dirt.

LUKE: I feel cold, death.

YODA: That place...is strong with the dark side of the Force. A domain of negotiation it is. In you must go. 

LUKE: What's in there?

YODA: Only what you take with you.

Luke looks warily between the tree and Yoda. He starts to strap on his weapon belt.

YODA: Your weapons...you will not need them.

Luke gives the tree a long look, than shakes his head "no."

Yoda shrugs. Luke reaches up to brush aside some hanging vines and enters the tree.

INTERIOR: DAGOBAH -- TREE CAVE (NEGOTIATION ROOM)

Luke moves into the almost total darkness of the wet and slimy cave. The youth can barely make out the edge of the passage. Holding his lit saber before him, he sees a lizard crawling up the side of the cave and a snake wrapped around the branches of a tree. Luke draws a deep breath, then pushes deeper into the cave.

The space widens around him, but he feels that rather than sees it. His sword casts the only light as he peers into the darkness. It is very quiet here.

Then, a loud hiss! Darth Vader appears across the blackness, illuminated by his own just-ignited laser sword.

Immediately, he charges Luke, saber held high. He is upon the youth in seconds, but Luke sidesteps perfectly and slashes at Vader with his sword.

Vader is decapitated. His helmet-encased head flies from his shoulders as his body disappears into the darkness. The metallic banging of the helmet fills the cave as Vader's head spins and bounces, smashes on the floor, and finally stops.

For an instant it rests on the floor, then it cracks vertically. The black helmet and breath mask fall away to reveal...Luke's head.

Across the space, the standing Luke gasps at the sight, wide-eyed in terror.
The decapitated head fades away, as in a vision.

Scene 4 (Do.  Or do not.  There is no try.):

Luke rushes to the water's edge. The Project has sunk, and only the tip of its nose shows above the Schedule and Budget.

LUKE: Oh, no. We'll never get it out now.

Yoda stamps his foot in irritation.

YODA: So certain are you. Always with you it cannot be done. Hear you nothing that I say?

Luke looks uncertainly out at the Project.

LUKE: Master, moving stones around is one thing. This is totally different.

YODA: No! No different! Only different in your mind. You must unlearn what you have learned.

LUKE: (focusing, quietly) All right, I'll give it a try.

YODA: No! Try not. Do. Or do not. There is no try.

Luke closes his eyes and concentrates on thinking the Project out.

Slowly, the Project's nose begins to rise above the schedule and budget. It hovers for a moment and then slides back, disappearing once again.

LUKE: (panting heavily) I can't. It's too big.

YODA: Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you? Hm? Mmmm.

Luke shakes his head.

YODA: And well you should not. For my ally in the Contract. And a powerful ally it is. Life creates it, makes it grow. It's energy surrounds us and binds us. Luminous beings are we...(Yoda pinches Luke's shoulder)...not this crude matter.

(a sweeping gesture) You must feel the Contract around you. (gesturing) Here, between you...me...the tree...the rock...everywhere! Yes, even between this schedule and budget and that Project!

LUKE: (discouraged) You want the impossible.

Quietly Yoda turns toward the Project. With his eyes closed and his head bowed, he raises his arm and points at the ship.  He reaches out with the Contract.

Soon, the Project rises above the schedule and budget and moves forward as Artoo beeps in terror and scoots away.

The entire Project moves majestically, surely, toward the shore. Yoda stands on a tree root and guides the Project carefully down toward the beach.

Luke stares in astonishment as the fighter settles down onto the shore. He walks toward Yoda.

LUKE: I don't...I don't believe it.

YODA: That is why you fail.

Scene 5 (Mind what you have learned):

YODA: Luke! You must complete the training.

LUKE: I can't keep the vision out of my head. They're my friends. I've got to help them.

YODA: You must not go!

LUKE: But Han and Leia will die if I don't.

BEN'S VOICE: You don't know that.

Luke looks toward the voice in amazement. Ben has materialized as a real, slightly shimmering image near Yoda. The power of his presence stops Luke.

BEN: Even Yoda cannot see their fate.

LUKE: But I can help them! I feel the Contract!

BEN: But you cannot control it. This is a dangerous time for you, when you will be tempted by the dark side of the Force.

YODA: Yes, yes. To Obi-Wan you listen. The cave. Remember your failure at the cave!

LUKE: But I've learned so much since then. Master Yoda, I promise to return and finish what I've begun. You have my word.

BEN: It is you and your abilities the Contractor wants.  That is why your friends are made to suffer.

LUKE: And that is why I have to go.

BEN: Luke, I don't want to lose you to the Contractor the way I lost Vader.

LUKE: You won't.

YODA: Stopped they must be. On this depends. Only a fully trained Construction Manager
with the Contract as his ally will conquer Vader and his Contractor. If you end your training now, if you choose the quick and easy path, as Vader did, you will become an agent of evil.

BEN: Patience.

LUKE: And sacrifice Han and Leia?

YODA: If you honor what they fight for...yes!

Luke is in great anguish. He struggles with the dilemma, a battle raging in his mind.

BEN: If you choose to face Vader, you will do it alone. I cannot interfere.

LUKE: I understand. (he moves to his Project) Artoo, fire up the converters.

Artoo whistles a happy reply.

BEN: Luke, don't give in to hate -- that leads to the dark side.

Luke nods and climbs into his ship.

YODA: Strong is Vader. Mind what you have learned. Save you it can!

LUKE: I will. And I'll return. I promise.