Learning to juggle

How do the world’s best leaders juggle multiple projects?

Historically, I’ve been a self-confessed single tasker. Give me one task and I’ll do it well—exceptionally well. But give me multiple tasks and I’d often struggle.

I admire people who can seamlessly juggle multiple programmes, projects and work streams. Leaders who exceed expectations—on multiple fronts. But how do they do it?

I believe it starts by mastering one project at a time, then standardise the methodology. Before adding one more project, then refining the process. Rinse and repeat.

If you’re working on multiple projects, each with a different methodology, nomenclature and structure, then you’re always going to struggle. Cognitive switching costs run high. Mistakes will be made. Stakeholder expections are not aligned.

Before your next project, ask yourself what can be simplified, reduced or removed from the process.