Why Scaling Back Your Project List Can Accelerate Growth

Why trimming your project list might be the smartest growth strategy your leadership team makes this year

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In almost every organization I’ve advised, one issue consistently emerges: too many projects competing for attention, and not enough that truly shape the future of the business. The result is a diluted strategy where resources are spread thin, employees are juggling conflicting priorities, and deadlines are constantly in jeopardy.

A 2024 McKinsey study found that companies attempting more than five major initiatives at once were 45% less likely to complete them on time and on budget. Instead of producing more results, these organizations experienced decision fatigue, stalled innovation, and missed opportunities.

The Hidden Cost of “Project Creep”

Too many initiatives create what management scholars refer to as initiative overload. Leaders often mistake quantity for ambition, assuming that more projects automatically translate to more impact. But research from the Harvard Business Review shows that narrowing your focus often improves execution quality and team engagement.

When resources are divided across a dozen “critical” priorities, none of them receive the attention required to succeed. As Jim Collins famously put it, “If you have more than three priorities, you have none.”

Choosing Which Projects Deserve Attention

A practical method for narrowing your focus is to run each initiative through a strategic filter:

1. Alignment with core strategy – Does this directly support your long-term objectives?

2. Impact potential – Will this project create measurable results that matter?

3. Resource feasibility – Do you have the people, budget, and time to do it well?

The Balanced Scorecard approach is a proven tool to evaluate which initiatives deserve top billing.

The Data Behind Doing Less

Leaders are understandably hesitant to shelve projects. But the data is clear:

• Companies that focused on three to five strategic initiatives achieved a 62% higher ROI on project investments.

• Teams working on fewer projects report 31% higher job satisfaction.

• Project completion rates improve by 44% when organizations reduce competing priorities.

How to Reduce Without Losing Momentum

• Consolidate overlapping efforts – Merge similar projects into a single, more impactful initiative.

• Kill “pet projects” early – If it doesn’t meet the strategic filter, let it go.

• Communicate clearly – Explain to teams why certain projects remain and others don’t. Transparency preserves morale.

Project portfolio management tools can help visualize capacity, track active work, and flag resource conflicts before they derail progress.

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