Adding People to the Problem?

Think adding people to a late project is the solution? Think again.

When a project is running late, one of the most common reactions is to bring in more people to help catch up. But here’s the hard truth: simply adding people often creates more challenges than it solves.

Here’s why.

Every time you introduce new team members, it adds complexity—more meetings, more coordination, more onboarding. These new additions slow things down just when you’re trying to speed up. Instead of solving the issue, you end up managing more people and more moving parts, which can actually lead to further delays.

Here’s what truly drives successful projects:

1. People over processes:
↳ Instead of just adding more team members, focus on improving your current team’s efficiency and collaboration.

2. Clarity over chaos:
↳ Keep teams lean and communication streamlined to avoid confusion and misalignment.

3. Quality over quantity:
↳ Scaling back the project scope can sometimes be more effective than adding more resources.

Effective project leaders know this:
↳ Onboarding new team members can be time-consuming and disrupt established workflows.

Communication overhead increases with team size:
↳ More people means more coordination, which can slow down progress.

Address root causes:
↳ Tackling the reasons behind delays leads to long-term success, not just short-term fixes.

Because delivering projects successfully isn’t about throwing more resources at the problem—it’s about:

1. Empowering your team:
↳ Strengthen the skills and efficiency of your existing team members.

2. Optimising communication:
↳ Streamline your communication channels to keep everyone on the same page.

3. Making strategic choices:
↳ Be selective about scope and resources to drive better outcomes.

Remember, sometimes less is more.

Successful projects aren’t about throwing resources at the problem. They’re about getting to the root of the issue. Focus on simplifying communication and empowering your current team. Less chaos, more clarity.

More people or smarter strategies—which will you choose?