Dirty Little Secrets of Project Management
You have a dirty little secret... don’t you?
It’s okay.
We’ve all been there.
Work that should have been wrapped up last year is still lingering like a bad cold, rolling into the new year with no clear end in sight.
Here’s the kicker: you’re not alone.
Many teams start the year with ambitious goals only to find themselves stuck in a cycle of unfinished work.
But 2025 can be different.
Let’s talk about how to evaluate the mess, set up the right processes, and leverage project management and change management to make your goals a reality this year.
Why Projects Fall Off Track (and Why It’s Not Just You)
The truth is, the world of work is unpredictable.
Deadlines get pushed, priorities shift, and that shiny new initiative from January often looks a lot less exciting by March.
According to the Project Management Institute (PMI), poor project planning and lack of change management are among the top reasons projects fail.
Sound familiar?
Before diving into the nitty-gritty of fixing things, let’s pause and ask a critical question: Why didn’t things get done last year?
Step 1: Evaluate the Situation 📋
First, take a hard look at the backlog:
What went wrong? Was it poor planning, unrealistic goals, or a lack of resources?
What changed? Did priorities shift mid-project, or were external factors at play?
Is it still the right thing to do? Sometimes, the most productive decision is to cut your losses on a project that no longer aligns with your goals.
Bring your stakeholders into the conversation.
Their input is crucial to understanding the full scope of what happened and making tough decisions about what stays and what goes.
This process might feel uncomfortable, but it’s the first step toward turning chaos into clarity.
Step 2: Get the Right Process in Place ✅
Here’s where the magic happens.
There is an art and a science to Getting Sh!t Done, especially when it comes to big projects and organizational change.
Ask yourself:
Do you have a process for moving large-scale work through successfully?
Is it working? If not, what needs to change?
Project management frameworks like Agile or Kanban can provide structure, while tools like Asana or Trello help keep teams aligned.
But processes are only as good as the people using them, which brings us to the importance of change management.
Change management ensures that your team not only understands the process but also adopts it. It’s about making sure everyone is on the same page and moving in the same direction.
Why Annual Planning Alone Doesn’t Cut It
“New year, new you” might sound motivating, but let’s be real: there’s nothing magical about January.
Planning for an entire year at once is often counterproductive because things change too quickly. Instead, adopt a more flexible approach.
Quarterly Planning: Break the year into manageable chunks. Set priorities for the next three months, evaluate progress, and adjust as needed.
Weekly Reviews: Keep momentum going with regular check-ins. What’s working? What’s not? What needs to change?
By combining long-term vision with short-term agility, you can create a roadmap that adapts to the unpredictable nature of work.
Final Thoughts
The start of a new year is an opportunity to reset, but real change doesn’t come from making resolutions or planning the perfect year.
It comes from taking deliberate steps to evaluate, adapt, and improve.
If you’re staring down a pile of unfinished work from last year, don’t panic.
Start by evaluating the situation:
What went wrong?
What changed?
Is it still the right thing to do?
Then, focus on getting the right process in place.
There is an art and a science to project management and change management, and adopting the right frameworks can transform how your team works.
At Short Solutions, we specialize in helping companies design workflows that move big projects through successfully. From stakeholder alignment to guiding teams through transitions, we ensure everyone is on board and set up for success. Ready to do things differently in 2025? Let’s chat and make this the year you finally Get the Right Sh!t Done!
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