HBR IdeaCast: The Case For Becoming a Project-Based Org

Date: January 27, 2026
Host: Alison Beard, Adi Ignatius
Guest: Antonio Nieto Rodriguez, CEO of Projects and Company, HBR author and transformation expert

Episode Overview

This episode focuses on the growing imperative for organizations to shift from traditional, operations-centric structures toward project-driven models. Host Alison Beard speaks with Antonio Nieto Rodriguez, a global authority on project management, about what it takes to become a "project-based organization," why this shift is necessary in the age of rapid technological disruption, and how leaders and teams can navigate both the challenges and the substantial benefits of this transformation.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Urgency of Project-Driven Transformation

• Rapid Change Requires Agility:
  Organizations must respond more quickly to change and capitalize on new opportunities. Traditional models built around ongoing operations are increasingly insufficient.
  • "The rapid pace of new technology, the rapid pace of new disruptions... Most of the operational work... that used to have the majority of humans working on that, that's going to disappear. So the future of work is project-based." (Antonio Nieto Rodriguez, 07:41)
• From Operations to Projects as Core Value:
  In a project-driven organization, project work becomes the main value driver, while operations become commoditized and often automated.
• Operational Work is Shrinking:
  AI and automation will soon handle most operational, repetitive tasks. The challenge is redeploying and upskilling people for innovation and transformation.

Why Projects Fail (Leadership’s Role)

• Senior Leadership Engagement is Lacking:
  Failure often stems from leaders not understanding or fulfilling their key roles:
  1. Ruthless Prioritization: Deciding which projects to pursue, which to halt.
  2. Active Involvement: Committing time and attention to driving cross-functional projects rather than delegating transformation work.
  • "A big part of projects fail because the leadership doesn't know what their role is..." (Antonio, 04:00)

Evolution Beyond Agile

• Agile Was Just a Start:
  Agile methodologies introduced customer focus and iterative teamwork, disrupting strict hierarchies, but don’t address whole-organization transformation at scale.
  • "Agile... brings a different way of working, but that's not enough to bring an organization to feel comfortable with change..." (Antonio, 06:00)
• Project-Driven at Scale:
  Brings agile principles to the entire company, with teams forming, dissolving, and re-forming project-by-project, enabling ongoing transformation.

Laying the Groundwork: Three Buckets

Nieto Rodriguez outlines three essential domains for shifting to a project-driven model:

1. Organizational Redesign

• Culture:
  Foster a culture where risk-taking and failure are accepted, and thinking is exponential rather than incremental.
  • "Allowing people to take risks... projects allow you to think exponentially." (Antonio, 04:58)
• Structure:
  Breaking down the hierarchy is most challenging, especially for top leaders reluctant to cede power.
  • "The structure is the worst thing that can happen if you want to lead projects transversally..." (Antonio, 10:51)
  • Start Small: Pilot new, empowered project teams and let results drive broader appetite for change.
• Governance:
  Move from rigid, scheduled progress meetings to more fluid tracking and support for project progress.
  • "Governance... has to be much more flexible." (Antonio, 10:51)

2. Leadership Redefined

• Shift from Operations to Transformation:
  Leaders (including CEOs) must leave their operational “comfort zone” and dedicate a substantial portion of time to transformation and project work.
  • "80% of the senior leaders were spending less than half a day in transformation work." (Antonio, 13:24)
  • "At least half of your time, if not more, you need to spend in that zone... where every day is different." (Antonio, 13:24)
• Ruthless Prioritization:
  Leaders must clearly rank initiatives and be willing to say “no” to non-core projects.
  • "We need to be more strong on the priorities. I call it ruthless prioritization." (Antonio, 15:22)
• Strategic Fluidity:
  Leadership must get comfortable with adjusting strategy based on project outcomes, requiring high trust and long-term focus.
  • "There's much more uncertainty and you need much more trust... Boards, shareholders, they need to be more patient." (Antonio, 15:49)

3. Value Creation Models

• Operations Become Modular:
  Maintain necessary operational capability, but make it flexible—consider insourcing/outscoring as needed. Not the main focus.
• Faster, Iterative Execution:
  Introduce AI and new methods to accelerate project delivery. Emphasize six-month project horizons to adapt to rapid change.
  • "You should never have projects longer than six months because the world changes so fast." (Antonio, 24:40)
• Build Internal Transformation Muscles:
  Avoid over-dependence on consultants; transformation needs to be a core, learnable skill for all employees.
  • "If there's one big thing leaders need to know... it's build those transformation capabilities... within their people." (Antonio, 22:57)

Memorable Quotes & Notable Moments

• On the New Role for Operations:
  “In this project-based organization, the projects become your core value drivers. Your operations become more like a commodity... it should not be the core focus.” (Antonio, 06:00)
• On Employee Experience:
  "We can give more meaning to people’s work when they're working on something that has impact… that's for me the really positive side." (Antonio, 09:17)
• On Letting Projects Go:
  "I always say that today I can go to any organization and we could cancel 80% of the projects and nothing will happen." (Antonio, 18:29)
• On Building Internal Skills, Not Outsourcing Transformation:
  "Companies and leaders need to build their transformation muscles urgently. Otherwise they will struggle for sure." (Antonio, 22:57)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:25] - Introduction to project-driven organizations and the changing nature of work.
• [03:46] - Why lack of leadership involvement causes project failures.
• [06:00] - Moving beyond Agile to a truly project-based model.
• [07:41] - Impact of automation and AI on operational jobs.
• [10:32]–[11:49] - Redesigning org culture, structure, governance.
• [13:24] - The leadership time allocation and “comfort zone” problem.
• [15:22]–[15:49] - Ruthless prioritization and strategic fluidity explained.
• [18:10]–[20:10] - How to decide which projects to start and stop.
• [20:46] - Employee experience: Navigating the discomfort and finding new meaning.
• [22:42]–[22:57] - Why internal capabilities matter more than hiring consultants.
• [24:29]–[26:41] - Value creation shifts and project management discipline.
• [26:41]–[28:09] - Business results: Haier, Bayer, SpaceX, and employee engagement.
• [28:09]–[29:27] - Biggest challenges and the need for patience, sponsorship, and cultural clarity.
• [29:34]–[30:55] - Starting small within a function or region as a path to change.

Practical Takeaways

• Don’t rip out the hierarchy overnight. Start with empowered pilots and let success build momentum.
• Leaders must change first. Significant time and focus must shift from steady-state operations to dynamic projects.
• Tie projects to purpose. Use company purpose as a touchstone for prioritization and project selection.
• Prioritize ruthlessly; stop often. Only launch new projects if others wrap up.
• Support your people through the transition. Training and encouragement help overcome discomfort as roles evolve.
• Build, don’t buy, your change skills. Cultivate internal capabilities rather than relying on consultants.

Closing Thoughts

Antonio Nieto Rodriguez makes a compelling case for why—and how—organizations should pivot to project-based work. It’s not just a response to technology and competition, but a way to inject new meaning and engagement into people’s jobs. The shift won’t be easy, but the potential rewards—for profit, innovation, and employee satisfaction—are clear.

• “We can make change happen in the organization.” (Antonio, 30:55)