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Taking Over a Broken Project? Here’s What Smart Leaders Do First
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You know the moment…
You’re minding your own business, working on your tasks, staying in your lane, when suddenly someone says:
“Hey, quick thing. We need you to take over this project.”
No big explanation.
No proper handover.
Congratulations, you’re now the project manager of… something.
What they don’t tell you is that this project is already a mess. Deadlines were missed.
People disagree on what “done” even means. No one’s really in charge, but somehow it’s now your responsibility.
And because you’re a good professional, you feel it.
That pressure to prove yourself. You want to show you can fix it. You want to be “that person” who turns it around.
But at the same time, that little voice in your head goes, “I have no idea what is going on here.”
Let me tell you right now: You don’t have to fix everything on day one.
Actually, you shouldn’t even try.
