Let's find the real problem, and leave with one clear first move. What's weighing on you?
We keep missing deadlines, and two of my most experienced people have gone quiet — they used to drive things, now they barely speak up.
I'm hearing two separate things: (1) deadlines keep slipping, and (2) two of your most experienced people have pulled back. They might be linked, but they're worth one at a time. Which do you want to start with?
Start with the deadlines.
Good — deadlines first. Missed dates are usually a symptom, not the cause: from what you've shared, the team is carrying more parallel work than it can finish, so everything inches forward and nothing lands. I've pinned that as the likely cause above.
Your move — Pick the two priorities that matter this week and pause the rest.
Why — When everything is active, attention splits and even simple work drags. Capping what's in progress is the fastest way to make things land again.
Activity · Set a work-in-progress limit
- 1List everything the team has in flight right now.
- 2Choose the two that matter most this week.
- 3Tell the team what's paused — and that paused isn't dropped.