Week one: site set-up, services confirmed, programme issued, first client meeting, snagging and variation processes briefed. Week two: progress against programme reviewed, first variation order issued and approved (there always is one), client questions logged. Week three: first valuation produced. Week four: first monthly report.

If those rhythms are established in the first month, the rest of the project tends to run them by default. If they aren’t, the project tends to run on whatever crisis is loudest that day.

A PM’s job in the first 30 days is to set the rhythms and then enforce them.