I've been called into more failing projects than I care to count. Payroll systems stuck in endless testing loops. Manufacturing expansions hemorrhaging budget. Wireless deployments that somehow missed more deadlines, the more resources were added.
The pattern is always the same: smart people, good intentions, broken processes. And almost always, the same misguided recovery approach.
The Standard Recovery Playbook (That Makes Everything Worse)
When projects go sideways, most organizations default to the same playbook:
- Bring in more senior resources
- Add detailed tracking and reporting
- Increase meeting frequency
- Demand better project plans
- Threaten consequences for missed deadlines
This approach treats project failure as a competence problem. But here's what I've learned: failing projects rarely fail because people don't know how to do their jobs.
The Real Problem: Trust Collapse
Last year, I walked into a payroll implementation where the project sponsor and business analysts hadn't had a productive conversation in weeks. Technical issues had become personal conflicts. Every status meeting turned into a blame session.
The project plan was fine. The technology was proven. The timeline was reasonable. But trust was gone, and without trust, even simple decisions became impossible.
What Actually Works: Energy Before Process
Step 1: Acknowledge the breakdown without relitigating how it happened. "We're here because something isn't working. Let's focus on moving forward."
Step 2: Create immediate, visible momentum. I implemented simple progress tracking that everyone could see updating in real time. Suddenly, daily wins became possible again.
Step 3: Shift conversations from problems to solutions. Instead of "Why is this behind schedule?" we asked "What do we need to finish this week?"
Step 4: Celebrate small victories publicly. When the team completed their first successful test cycle, I made sure leadership knew about it immediately.
The Momentum Principle
Perfect project plans don't save failing projects. Momentum does.
Within three weeks, the same team that couldn't agree on test scenarios was completing integration work ahead of schedule. Same constraints, same technology, same people. Different energy.
The breakthrough moment came when someone said, "I think we can actually finish this thing on time." Not because we'd solved every technical challenge, but because we'd proven that progress was possible.
Three Questions for Your Own Recovery Situations:
- Are you solving a planning problem or a people problem?
- What's the smallest meaningful progress you could demonstrate this week?
- How can you make that progress visible to everyone who's lost faith?
Most projects don't fail because they're technically impossible. They fail because people stop believing they're possible.
The best recovery tool isn't better planning. It's rebuilt confidence.
What's been your experience with project recovery? Have you seen how changing team energy can transform outcomes?
