Why So Many Projects and Managers Fail — And How to Fix It

Lighthouse Leadership

Welcome to the first episode of the Lighthouse Leadership Podcast! In this powerful kickoff, Evan Hickok shares the personal journey that inspired the creation of this podcast—a failed team turnaround that left him wondering: What makes some teams thrive while others fall apart?

Diving into eye-opening statistics, Evan highlights the staggering failure rates of projects and managers and reveals a critical, yet often overlooked, connection between them. He introduces the core framework of the podcast, focusing on the mindset shifts, foundational definitions, and four key principles that can turn any team into a high-performing one.

💡 Key Takeaways

1. The Shocking Stats Behind Team and Project Failures:
   
   • Only 8.5% of projects finish on time and on budget (How Big Things Get Done by Bent Flyvbjerg).
   • A mere 0.5% of projects deliver on time, on budget, and on promised benefits.
   • 60% of managers fail within their first 24 months (Forbes).
   • A staggering 86% of managers never receive foundational leadership training, becoming "accidental managers" (People Management Magazine).
2. The Correlation No One Talks About:
   These statistics aren't isolated—they're deeply connected. A lack of foundational leadership training directly impacts project success rates.
3. The Four Hidden Causes of Poor Team Performance (The Iceberg Effect):
   • Misalignment: Teams working without a shared vision or clear destination.
   • Broken or Missing Processes: Inefficient workflows that prevent focus and execution.
   • Psychological Danger: A culture where people fear speaking up or sharing ideas.
   • Lack of Cohesion: Weak relationships that lead to blame and finger-pointing instead of collaboration.
4. The Antidote — Four Pillars of High-Performing Teams:
   • Aligned Goals: Teams unified around a clear, shared objective.
   • Transparent Processes: Systems that make work visible and enable focus.
   • Psychological Safety: A space where team members feel safe sharing bold or unconventional ideas.
   • Cohesion: Strong relationships that foster trust and collaboration.
5. Leaders Are Made, Not Born:
   Leadership isn't innate—it's developed. No matter where you are in your journey, there's time to grow into the leader your team needs.

⚡ TL;DR

Most teams and managers fail because they lack foundational training, leading to misalignment, poor processes, psychological danger, and weak cohesion. But there’s hope: with the right mindset shift and by focusing on alignment, transparency, psychological safety, and cohesion, any leader can turn a struggling team into a high-performing one.

💬 Listener Engagement Question

What's the biggest challenge you've faced as a manager or team member—misalignment, broken processes, psychological danger, or lack of cohesion?
Share your experience and how you addressed it (or are still working through it) by tagging #LighthouseLeadership on LinkedIn!

📚 Resources & Mentions

• Books:
  • How Big Things Get Done — Bent Flyvbjerg
  • High Output Management — Andy Grove
• Articles:
  
  • The Tough Work of Turning Around a Team — Bill Parcells (Harvard Business Review)