Project Management Key Takeways:
70% of all projects fail, and nearly 4 in 10 collapse due to a lack of clear goals, according to TeamStage.
But project failure doesn’t always look dramatic. Sometimes it’s just silence, missed check-ins, and teams hoping someone else has a plan.
In episode No. 99 of the DesignRush Podcast, Chris Croft, UK-based management trainer and one of LinkedIn Learning’s most-watched instructors, shares what he deems his 'jokey' motto:
“Never do nothing and hope.”
Instead of relying on chance or broken timelines, Chris teaches leaders to start fresh by implementing:
Structure — clearly mapped Gantt charts with roles and timing (Yes, even in 2025!)
Clarity — visual plans that reveal priorities and bottlenecks
Shared ownership — collaborative planning that drives buy-in
These are the levers that rebuild trust, unblock teams, and reestablish control.
Listen to the full episode now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube to learn how to stop the chaos and rebuild with confidence.
Episode Chapter Summary
- 00:00 — Intro to the DesignRush Podcast & Chris Croft’s Background
- 01:20 —The Future of Projects: Why Leadership Still Wins
- 09:15 — Fixing Failing Projects with Gantt Charts
- 21:21 — Why Most Projects Fail (And How to Prevent It)
- 46:09 — How to Keep Projects On Time, On Budget, and Aligned
1. Start From Now, Ditch the Original Plan
The most common mistake in project recovery? Trying to fix the original plan.
Chris urges teams to let go of what “should have happened” and instead rebuild the timeline from the present moment.
“Get the team in a room, put the tasks on sticky notes, estimate how long things take — and then just draw it to scale. That’s your Gantt chart,” Chris explains.
This visual, collaborative approach creates immediate clarity and shared ownership.
“When you plan with people, they own the plan. And when people own the plan, they deliver it,” Chris says.
2. Use Gantt Charts to Create Shared Clarity
Chris makes a bold case for the humble Gantt chart, especially for teams managing client work, deadlines, or cross-functional dependencies.
“The Gantt chart is just drawn out to scale — that’s all it is,” he says.
He teaches teams to use simple project management tools like Excel and Post-its to visualize timelines, assign ownership, and surface bottlenecks early.
The method is low-tech, fast to implement, and doesn’t rely on everyone being a certified project manager.
“I’d rather go through a sausage machine than hear, ‘every project is different.’”
In his experience, most failed projects didn’t lack creativity; they lacked structure.
3. Build Trust Through Visible Structure
Beyond timelines and task lists, project clarity plays a deeper role: it builds trust.
Chris shares how agency-client relationships break down when expectations aren’t aligned, and how good planning earns confidence faster than any pitch deck.
“If you want to fix a failing project, you need to plan it from now — not from what it should have been,” he says.
This applies internally, too. Leaders can’t just assign work; they need to help teams see the plan, understand their role, and know how progress is tracked.
“A lot of these things actually seem to be more about confidence… They just go, ‘I’m going to be a project manager,’” Chris adds.
4. Let AI Support, Not Replace, Your Team
Chris recently co-developed a course on using AI for project planning with author and creative strategist Dave Birss. His verdict?
AI can generate ideas, draft checklists, even plan complex scenarios, but it can’t think critically or motivate teams.
“AI is like an intern. It’s like an assistant who never gets tired. And every time you say, ‘Give me another list of 10,’ it just goes, ‘Okay.’”
Chris emphasizes that while AI tools like ChatGPT can accelerate the planning phase, they should never replace team involvement, ownership, or sanity checks.
5. Boost Confidence by Involving People in the Plan
Chris’s courses have been taken by millions, yet what he hears most often from learners isn’t about tactics or frameworks. It’s about self-belief.
“I get messages… saying, ‘I’ve realized I can do it and you’ve given me the confidence to do it,’” Chris shares.
For him, that’s the ultimate goal of project training: not just delivering work, but helping people feel capable and in control.
“To know and not do is to not know.”
About the Guest
Chris Croft is a UK-based management speaker, author, and one of the world’s most-watched online business instructors. He has trained thousands in project management, time management, negotiation, and leadership, combining humor, clarity, and deeply practical tools. He’s also the co-creator of the World Happiness Project and has authored The Quick Start Guide to Project Management, available on Amazon.
Simple Plans. Shared Ownership. Real Results.
Project chaos doesn’t need complex software or new jargon. It needs shared clarity, and someone willing to say: “Let’s start from here.”
From Gantt charts to AI to sticky notes, Chris Croft’s approach reminds us that getting things done isn’t magic. It’s structure, trust, and thoughtful leadership — one timeline at a time.
