“By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail”. The planning phase is the most important phase for any project. Thorough planning takes into account the possibility of staff leaving or not being available. There will always be something that can go wrong and a project manager that allots for this during the planning phase is preparing for a smoother ride. This is the time to consider everything that can slow down the project. Once a project has begun, going back to initial stages can mean lost resources and wasted time. Once again communication is key in making sure the planning phase is productive. Employees should notify of vacation days, or other major tasks that they are working on.