The "Maintenance Trap" and the Project-Driven Future
Stop drowning in "internal maintenance." 7/10 employees provide zero new value because they’re stuck in the maintenance trap. Learn why the project-driven model is the future of marketing and business growth.
Between a 6:00 AM diaper change and a 9:00 AM strategy call with a client in Brussels, I caught the latest HBR IdeaCast. It struck a nerve—not the kind that hurts, but the kind that vibrates because it’s a truth you’ve been shouting into the void for years.
The episode discussed shifting from traditional, rigid hierarchies to a project-driven model.
Here is the cold, hard truth I see in my work as a fractional executive: In most organizations, 7 out of 10 people are doing work that adds zero external value.
They are trapped in the "Maintenance Cycle." They are communicating internally about what happened yesterday, attending meetings to plan the next meeting, or performing tasks that a basic automation script could handle in its sleep.
The Disconnect
Most companies have a wall. On one side, you have "Business Development" or "Innovation"—the project-based hunters. On the other, you have the "Core Team"—the gardeners keeping the lights on.
The problem? The gardeners are so busy watering plastic plants (internal bureaucracy) that the organization loses its ability to be nimble. We talk about being "agile," but our calendars say we’re "ossified."
Why Projects Win
In my house, life is a series of projects.
- Project 1: Get the toddler to eat broccoli.
- Project 2: Launch a global brand campaign.
Both require a specific team, a clear goal, constant evaluation, and—this is the key—disbanding once the goal is met. If we applied the "Maintenance Model" to my kids, I’d still be burping my four-year-old just because "that’s how we’ve always done it."
My Takeaway
I’ve been pushing my clients toward this fluid state for a long time. We shouldn't hire for a "role" that stays static for five years; we should assemble "strike teams" for strategic outcomes.
- Identify the goal.
- Assemble the talent.
- Execute ruthlessly.
- Automate the repetitive.
- Dissolve and pivot.
AI is finally making the "Maintenance Trap" visible. If your job is just to report on what’s happening, a dashboard is coming for your seat. But if your job is to drive a project that creates new value, you’re indispensable.
The future belongs to the nimble. The rest are just keeping the lights on in an empty room.
FAQ: Making the Shift to Project-Driven Work
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