Playbook
I inherited a failing project
You’re asked to rescue something already in trouble.
First 24 hours
- Listen for a week before changing things.
- Find the truth: scope, money, date, morale.
- Ask the sponsor what success means now.
Then
- Publish an honest baseline.
- Stop what isn’t needed.
- Secure a quick win.
- Propose a new plan, or recommend stopping.
Message you can adapt
After a week’s review: forecast is 3 months late and €60k over, and the team is sound. I’d like to reset the plan around the three outcomes that matter. Details are attached.
Avoid
Don’t inherit old promises without testing them.
Tools for this
Last reviewed 2026-11-02 · Practitioner review pending