Why do projects fail so often, even when the tools, processes, and reporting all seem to be in place? In this episode, we unpack the five most evidence-backed reasons projects fail: unclear objectives, poor requirements and scope control, weak sponsorship and stakeholder alignment, unrealistic planning driven by optimism bias, and weak communication across interfaces. The episode explains how these issues build slowly, often long before a project is visibly in trouble, and why failure is usually the result of tolerated drift rather than one dramatic mistake. Using a real-world style example, it also explores what leaders can do differently to reduce failure risk and improve delivery outcomes.

Key references:

• PMI — Pulse of the Profession 2017: Success Rates Rise: Transforming the High Cost of Low Performance
• Association for Project Management (APM) — Overcoming the barriers to successful project delivery
• Bent Flyvbjerg — What You Should Know About Megaprojects and Why: An Overview
• McKinsey — Capital investment is about to surge: Are your operations ready?