Becker Business Podcast — Episode Summary

Episode: Building Project Plans Ready for the Unexpected with Liz Hutson of EGH, LLC
Host: Chanel Bunger (filling in for Scott Becker)
Guest: Liz Hutson, Principal Consultant and Owner, EGH, LLC
Date: February 21, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode delves into how to create project plans robust enough to withstand the unexpected. Liz Hutson, an experienced consultant in healthcare and private equity, shares her practical framework for project planning that doesn’t just aim for perfection but is “ready for anything.” The discussion centers around building plans with the right people, conducting thorough risk planning, and mastering communication to manage expectations and outcomes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction to Liz Hutson and EGH, LLC

• [01:26-01:42]
  • Liz introduces herself as the founder and principal consultant of EGH, a firm focused on healthcare product and service change management, especially in the private equity space.

2. Effective Project Planning: Planning for the Worst While Aiming for the Best

• [01:48-04:27]
  • Liz emphasizes that excitement and clear outcomes at the onset often get disrupted by unforeseen events.
  • The true skill of a project manager is not just in making the “perfect plan,” but in prepping for unpredictable challenges.

Notable Quote:

“If something unexpected is going to happen, it’s when is that unexpected thing going to happen?”
— Liz Hutson [02:11]

Building Plans with the Right People

• Get both a “top down” (strategy, deadlines, priorities) and a “bottoms up” (execution detail) perspective.
• Involve cross-functional teams and subject matter experts early to avoid unrealistic expectations or timelines.

Example:

• Leadership may want a project done by a certain date, but subject experts (like microbiologists) have non-negotiable requirements—e.g., “the bugs need 10 days to grow”—that must be factored into the plan.
  [03:13]

Notable Quote:

“If you don’t include those experts really early on, you’re going to start to build unrealistic timelines that fall apart later.”
— Liz Hutson [03:29]

3. Conducting Thorough Risk Planning Sessions

• [04:33-06:12]
  • Risk planning shouldn’t be a checkbox at project initiation; it must be an ongoing, iterative process.
  • Let the team “imagine wildly” about what could go wrong—identify risks, assess how likely and severe they are, and develop mitigation plans.
  • Actively build buffers and practice contingency plan activation.

Notable Quote:

“A lot of times… we secretly hold, we assume everything’s going to go perfectly. But I can’t think of a single thing where something goes perfectly—it almost never does.”
— Liz Hutson [05:35]

• Teams that plan for risks “look calm in a crisis” because they’ve already rehearsed what to do.
  [06:01]

4. Managing Communication: Buffering the Message

• [06:23-08:41]
  • Separate your audience:
    • The internal team is focused on execution and knows all the contingency details.
    • Stakeholders/external leadership need a message with built-in buffer (not sandbagging, but not assuming perfection).
  • “Under commit, over deliver” is the axiom—don’t set expectations at the optimistic extreme; add realistic buffer to timelines and deliverables.

Notable Quote:

“You know, it’s not if, it’s when something unexpected is going to happen. You just don’t know what that thing is.”
— Liz Hutson [07:49]

• Over-promising and under-delivering risks credibility, but the reverse (“under commit, over deliver”) builds trust and reputation.

5. Key Takeaways & Liz’s Final Advice

• [08:48-09:21]
  • Three essentials for planning:
    1. Involve the right (cross-functional) team.
    2. Plan for the unplanned—build in cushion/buffer.
    3. Communicate with the right level of buffer—focus on under committing and over delivering.

Notable Quote:

“I don’t think that’s being pessimistic… I think that’s leadership.”
— Liz Hutson [09:19]

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• “We always want to create very thoughtful, very meticulous plans, but surprises are going to happen—not if, but when.”
  — Liz Hutson [08:54]

• “No one’s going to complain if you’re done early, right? And you’re building credibility.”
  — Liz Hutson [08:13]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:26] — Liz Hutson’s background and EGH focus
• [01:48] — Intro to effective project planning
• [03:13] — Example: Timeline conflict between leadership and subject experts
• [04:33] — The role of risk planning in project management
• [06:23] — Managing communications and stakeholder expectations
• [08:48] — Summary of Liz’s project planning philosophy

Conclusion

Liz Hutson offers clear, actionable advice for creating resilient project plans in any business, focusing on inclusive planning, realistic risk assessment, and savvy communication. Her practical examples and memorable maxims make this episode a valuable listen for anyone managing complex projects or leading cross-functional teams.