Fix a Broken Project in 3 Field-Tested Steps

Do You Know How to Fix a Broken Project?
Effective project leaders instinctively recognize a struggling project and know the right intervention — whether it requires a strategic jump start, a comprehensive turnaround, or a decisive shutdown.

The More Complex a Project the Faster You Must Act
In complex, mission-critical projects, there’s no luxury of waiting to see how things unfold. Project leaders and their teams must act decisively — bringing everyone together for a mid-term project postmortem, identifying the next critical steps, and realigning priorities to recover momentum and get both the project and the team back on track.

Three Verified Tips to Fix a Broken Project
Here are three verified tips on how to fix a broken project when the bottom has fallen out…

1. Be Straightforward
   As a project leader, it’s far better to confront and acknowledge the worst-case realities yourself than to let others fill in the gaps. Clearly present the current situation, outline the challenges at hand, and be unflinchingly honest about the consequences of missing budget, quality, or schedule targets.
2. Be Transparent
   Share the news transparently with the entire project team, inviting questions, reflection, and constructive debate. Focus on uncovering solutions and identifying improvement opportunities rather than assigning blame, keeping recommendations aligned with your team’s norms and organizational culture. Ensuring timely, clear communication to all is critical for managing stakeholders expectations and maintaining momentum.
3. Be Inclusive
   In any effective brainstorming or continuous improvement session, actively solicit ideas from all project team members and stakeholders — not just the most vocal voices. Perspectives from every level, function, and role are essential. A fully collaborative, all-hands approach is the most powerful way to recover and redirect a struggling project.

The Bottom Line
Too many projects fail to meet original expectations or success criteria.  As soon as any project warning signs appear, be straightforward, be transparent. and include key stakeholders in proactively turning your project around.

Want to learn more about how to fix a broken project? Download the Top 10 Project Management Mistakes and How to Prevent Them from Destroying Your Next Project