Too Many Projects

If "the essence of strategy is choosing what not to do," as Michael Porter famously wrote, then the essence of execution is truly not doing it. That may sound simple, but most organizations struggle to kill initiatives, even those that no longer support their strategy. Unaware of the cumulative impact or unwilling to part with pet projects or both, senior leaders pile on more and more, expecting teams to absorb it all. Productivity, engagement, performance, and retention tend to suffer as a result. In their consulting work the authors have observed several root causes of initiative overload, including impact blindness, multiplier effects, political logrolling, unfunded mandates, cost myopia, and inertia. Understanding those causes can help leaders diagnose the risks in their organizations and make smarter decisions about what to keep and what to kill. A step-by-step process can guide them. Leaders should: 1. Get a true count of the current initiatives across the enterprise; 2. Assess each one, identifying the business need, the required budget, the head count allocation, and the business impact; 3. Get senior leaders working together to establish priorities, in a discussion driven by the top leadership team and informed by candid feedback from below; 4. Establish a "sunset" clause for each initiative; 5. In yearly planning, require each initiative to reapply for funding and other resources; 6. Strongly communicate that stopping an initiative isn't a sign of failure. Organizations that learn how to wisely cut back can accomplish more in the areas that really matter.

• Decision making
• Personal productivity
• Project evaluation
• Strategic planning