Ben Webb on Project Management: Why Most Projects Don’t Fail — They Drift

 

Projects rarely explode.
They don’t collapse in a single moment of chaos.

They drift.

I’m Ben Webb, an Australian project manager who has delivered complex infrastructure, tourism and public-facing projects under intense scrutiny — including Sydney Zoo, ICC Sydney and Sydney Harbour BridgeClimb.

What I’ve seen repeatedly is this:
Projects don’t fail because people don’t care.
They fail because no one forces decisions early enough.



Drift is the most expensive risk in projects

Drift shows up quietly:

  • Decisions deferred “until the next meeting”

  • Risks acknowledged but not owned

  • Interfaces assumed instead of resolved

  • Governance present on paper, absent in reality

Schedules still exist.
Reports still get written.
But control slowly disappears.

By the time leadership reacts, the cost isn’t time — it’s credibility.

Planning doesn’t stop drift. Decisions do.

Most teams respond to uncertainty by adding process:

  • More reporting

  • More reviews

  • More layers of approval

None of that creates momentum.

What moves projects forward is simple and uncomfortable:

  • Naming who decides

  • Setting decision deadlines

  • Accepting imperfect information

  • Locking direction and moving

Projects that drift are usually well-documented.
They’re just under-led.

What experienced project managers do differently

On complex projects, I’ve learned that control comes from:

  • Early alignment on non-negotiables

  • Clear escalation pathways

  • Visible ownership of risk

  • Decisions made once, not revisited endlessly

This isn’t about being aggressive.
It’s about being deliberate.

The best project environments aren’t calm — they’re decisive.

Final thought

If your project feels “busy but slow”, it’s probably drifting.

And drift, left unchecked, always turns into delay, claims, or reputational damage.

About the author
Ben Webb is an award-winning Australian Project Manager, named AIPM Project Manager of the Year. He has delivered complex infrastructure, tourism and major public projects where risk, visibility and accountability matter most.
Website: https://benwebb.au
Blog: https://benwebb.blog


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