Project Failure Files: Not Prioritizing Workloads

In Episode 71 of the Project Failure Files weekly webcast, our focus was “Trying to Do Everything All at Once,” in which Sharon and I discuss how when everything is labeled “top priority,” teams don’t speed up—they spin out. Sharon and I attempt to unpack the real cost of trying to do everything at once: context switching, diluted focus, and the slow leak of quality that eventually shows up as missed deadlines and burnout. We start with the uncomfortable truth that “multitasking” is mostly theater, then move into why leaders struggle to say no (or even “not yet”) when every stakeholder swears their work is urgent.

From there, we get practical. We talk through building a simple portfolio view—what’s on the plate, who owns it, when it’s due, and how it ladders up to company goals. We also cover how to make trade-offs with data (capacity maps, dependencies, impact vs. effort), and how to communicate those trade-offs so they feel fair, not political. The litmus test becomes clear: if a project can’t show how it moves the mission forward, it’s a distraction—defer it, drop it, or redesign it.

Finally, we share tactics you can implement this week. Use a “snowball” or “swarm” approach: finish the top item with concentrated focus, then roll the team onto the next. Keep a public “stop doing” list and celebrate pruned work as a strategic win. And when a new request arrives, respond with, “Yes—if we remove or delay X.” Fewer parallel priorities, more meaningful progress, and a team that ends the week satisfied instead of scorched.

Enjoy the episode!

Be sure to tune in next Monday, January 5th at 9am Pacific for the latest episode in our weekly series. Hope you can join us on our NEW YouTube channel (please subscribe!), or find us on LinkedIn.