Real Transformation Starts with Fewer ProjectsSKIP TO CONTENTHarvard Business Review LogoHarvard Business Review LogoProject management|Real Transformation Starts with Fewer ProjectsSubscribeSign InLatestMagazineTopicsPodcastsStoreReading ListsData & VisualsCase SelectionsHBR ExecutiveSearch hbr.orgSubscribeLatestPodcastsThe MagazineStoreWebinarsNewslettersAll TopicsReading ListsData & VisualsCase SelectionsHBR ExecutiveMy LibraryAccount SettingsSign InExplore HBRLatestThe MagazinePodcastsStoreWebinarsNewslettersPopular TopicsManaging YourselfLeadershipStrategyManaging TeamsGenderInnovationWork-life BalanceAll TopicsFor SubscribersReading ListsData & VisualsCase SelectionsHBR ExecutiveSubscribeMy AccountMy LibraryTopic FeedsOrdersAccount SettingsEmail PreferencesSign InHarvard Business Review LogoProject managementReal Transformation Starts with Fewer ProjectsAn HBR Executive Masterclass with Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez.January 21, 2026Summary.   Leer en españolLer em portuguêsPostPostShareSavePrintFor senior leaders, transformation often feels like a race: new initiatives, new priorities, new projects launched in rapid succession. But according to Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez, CEO of Projects & Company and author of Powered by Projects, that instinct is precisely what slows organizations down.Read more on Project management or related topics Digital transformation, Organizational culture, Organizational development, Organizational transformation, Process management, Leadership and managing people, Management styles, Management philosophy, Change management, Decision making and problem solving and Strategy executionPostPostShareSavePrintRead more on Project management or related topics Digital transformation, Organizational culture, Organizational development, Organizational transformation, Process management, Leadership and managing people, Management styles, Management philosophy, Change management, Decision making and problem solving and Strategy executionPartner CenterStart my subscription!Explore HBRThe LatestAll TopicsMagazine ArchiveReading ListsCase SelectionsHBR ExecutivePodcastsWebinarsData & VisualsMy LibraryNewslettersHBR PressHBR StoreArticle ReprintsBooksCasesCollectionsMagazine IssuesHBR Guide SeriesHBR 20-Minute ManagersHBR Emotional Intelligence SeriesHBR Must ReadsToolsAbout HBRContact UsAdvertise with UsInformation for Booksellers/RetailersMastheadGlobal EditionsMedia InquiriesGuidelines for AuthorsHBR Analytic ServicesCopyright PermissionsAccessibilityDigital AccessibilityManage My AccountMy LibraryTopic FeedsOrdersAccount SettingsEmail PreferencesHelp CenterContact Customer ServiceExplore HBRThe LatestAll TopicsMagazine ArchiveReading ListsCase SelectionsHBR ExecutivePodcastsWebinarsData & VisualsMy LibraryNewslettersHBR PressHBR StoreArticle ReprintsBooksCasesCollectionsMagazine IssuesHBR Guide SeriesHBR 20-Minute ManagersHBR Emotional Intelligence SeriesHBR Must ReadsToolsAbout HBRContact UsAdvertise with UsInformation for Booksellers/RetailersMastheadGlobal EditionsMedia InquiriesGuidelines for AuthorsHBR Analytic ServicesCopyright PermissionsAccessibilityDigital AccessibilityManage My AccountMy LibraryTopic FeedsOrdersAccount SettingsEmail PreferencesHelp CenterContact Customer ServiceFollow HBRFacebookX Corp.LinkedInInstagramYour NewsreaderHarvard Business Review LogoAbout UsCareersPrivacy PolicyCookie PolicyCopyright InformationTrademark PolicyTerms of UseHarvard Business Publishing:Higher EducationCorporate LearningHarvard Business ReviewHarvard Business SchoolCopyright ©2026 Harvard Business School Publishing. All rights reserved. Harvard Business Publishing is an affiliate of Harvard Business School.

According to Antonio Nieto-Rodriguez, CEO of Projects & Company, a prevalent characteristic of organizational transformation is the tendency among senior leadership to approach change through a series of rapidly initiated projects. This approach, Rodriguez argues, is fundamentally counterproductive, acting as a significant impediment to genuine and sustained transformation. The central thesis of the article posits that the proliferation of projects, rather than driving change, actually slows it down by creating a state of perpetual activity and distraction. Rodriguez’s perspective is rooted in a deep understanding of how organizations operate and how people respond to change, suggesting that a focused, streamlined effort, rather than a scattered array of projects, is a more effective and efficient path toward achieving transformative goals. The article doesn't explicitly detail the mechanisms through which this occurs, but it implicitly suggests that the cognitive burden of managing multiple, competing projects diverts attention and resources away from the core objectives of the transformation. Furthermore, a constant influx of new projects can dilute the focus of the organization, making it difficult to establish momentum and achieve lasting results. The emphasis, as presented by Rodriguez, is on prioritizing a strategic, cohesive approach, reducing the number of projects to a manageable level, and directing all available resources towards a clearly defined and well-supported initiative. The article’s core message is not to dismiss the importance of projects, but rather to advocate for a deliberate and strategic selection of projects designed to support a larger, overarching transformation, in order to avoid the pitfalls of a project-saturated environment. It stresses the need for careful planning, resource allocation, and a clear understanding of the interconnectedness of individual projects within the broader transformation strategy. The article, as described, offers a practical recommendation for leaders seeking to drive change effectively, urging a shift away from a reactive, project-driven approach towards a more focused and strategically aligned methodology.