“Leadership is not about knowing all the answers, but about guiding others through the questions.”
Inspired by Peter Senge
A change in project leadership is rarely without any problems. Even when anticipated, it can create uncertainty — a slight change in direction that can unsettle the project team, disrupt confidence, and expose areas that have relied too heavily on individual knowledge or style.
The incoming project manager inherits a unique and complex environment — with many moving parts, competing priorities, and expectations already in motion. Even in well-managed projects, small gaps can emerge – not every decision may be fully documented, and context can be lost over time. The result is a period of uncertainty and adjustment as the new leadership assumes control, promotes understanding, and rebuilds stakeholder confidence.
Recovery depends on how leadership responds. Sponsors and governance boards play a critical role in re-establishing order — reaffirming scope, budget, and purpose; ensuring clear communication; and critically, providing the new project manager with both the authority and support to lead. Strong systems — decision logs, risk registers, structured reporting, and transparent communication — become anchors, allowing the team to regain rhythm and rebuild trust.
Doubt, when managed well, can become a moment of renewal. It highlights the value of process, the importance of clarity, and the need for resilient systems that extend beyond any one individual. The measure of leadership lies not in avoiding these moments, but in recognising them early, addressing them with discipline, and setting the project back on course — stronger and more assured for the experience.
Next time on The Pieces Fit:
When confidence wavers, purpose becomes the anchor. In the next post, we explore why every project – and every leader – needs a clear Why to stay the course..
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