Zombies are the walking dead. They are unresponsive, lifeless, and apathetic. Zombie project managers simply go through the motions. They follow the rules and practices but are otherwise unengaged.
Zombie project management infects all project types. No one is immune—project managers, scrum masters, and development leads—can all become Zombies. We lead our projects without understanding “why” we are doing something or questioning if it is effective.
This article describes the symptoms of Zombie project management and offers the antidote to the problem. Project management must move from ritualized compliance to thoughtful, intentional practices.
Finding the Zombies
Contents
Finding the Zombies is easy. Examine yourself, your colleagues, and your organization. Do you suffer from any of the following symptoms?
- The organization treats standards as check-the-box activities rather than as opportunities for thoughtful review and meaningful discussion.
- Teams follow prescribed methodologies without tailoring them and then mindlessly executing, thus failing to achieve the intended value.
- Continuing to execute processes that are ineffective without questioning.
Zombies infected traditional projects after they fell victim to the misconception that adherence to a process guaranteed success. This stems from the belief that projects can be managed like a factory. The rise of Computer-Assisted Software Engineering (CASE) tools in the 1990s marked the peak of this movement. Unfortunately, projects are unique and depend on people, neither of which promotes predictability and stability.
Agile was infected when teams ignored the first value statement, “Individuals and interactions over processes and tools.” Implementing Agile practices without changing the way of working is the path to failure. Sprints that look like mini-falls, hour-long daily stand-ups, command-and-control management practices, or non-dedicated teams are common Agile anti-patterns.
It will only be a matter of time before Hybrid is infected as well. Teams will fail to establish sufficient structure and practices, and their work will be executed aimlessly. Succeeding in the middle ground between Predictive and Agile requires intentional planning. The processes and practices must be clearly defined; otherwise, chaos will ensue.
AI is already being overrun by Zombies. “AI workslop” describes low-quality AI-generated content. Examples include emails that do not make sense, charts with incorrect or fictitious data, or completely absurd ideas. The time savings from using AI are offset by the rework required. While AI can automate many tasks, there are many things it cannot do—such as dealing with people.
Killing the Zombies
Stopping the Zombies will be difficult. It will require overcoming inertia and breaking ingrained habits. Methodologies and frameworks were designed to establish standard practices that make projects less chaotic and more predictable—a laudable goal. The unintended consequence is passivity. Instead of actively engaging, we became captive to the process.
To break the pattern, intentionality must be incorporated as a core skill and routine. The PMBOK® 8th Edition includes the principle of “Adopting a holistic approach,” which requires proactive engagement throughout the entire project lifecycle. Systems thinking and critical analysis should be constant companions. Recognizing even unseen dependencies and relationships helps us “look around corners.” Understanding the “why” behind the project and our practices enables us to grasp the intent and remain focused on the “right” things.
Engaging the Thinking Brain
Zombies infected a large federal contractor. Project managers complained about the prescribed standards, stage-gate, and periodic performance reviews. Teams spent countless hours creating slide decks and preparing. However, the meetings were formulaic, with predictable dialogue and outcomes. Little value or insight was gained.
Interviews with the organization’s leaders revealed a different story. Materials in the slide deck were recommended but not required. Project and program managers should feel empowered to challenge reviewers to provide meaningful insight and recommendations.
Complacency Zombies infected the teams and the reviewers. Disengagement was the problem, not the processes or standards. It was easier to go through the motions rather than dig deep and ask the difficult questions. The cure was simple. Less material but more actionable information. Shifting the conversation from what went wrong to what could be done better.
Engaging the thinking brain requires effort. It requires asking tough, open-ended, and probing questions, scrutinizing assumptions, and probing for cognitive biases. Expect this to be uncomfortable.
Establishing the Approach
Many projects are doomed before they even begin. The approach and lifecycle choices are often made mindlessly—default options that ignore the project’s specific needs. This can set the project on the wrong trajectory and lead to practices that are incongruent with the operating environment.
The CIO of a large financial services company declared that 75% of projects will be agile by the end of the year, which may have been a great aspirational goal, but was a Zombie management decision. To comply, rational managers became Zombies and implemented so-called agile practices across all projects. The result was disastrous. Many of the older applications were behemoths that were physically unable to move quickly.
Disciplined Agile embraces the values of context counts, choice is good, and pragmatism. Every organization, project team, and project is unique. Project managers face numerous decisions about how to lead, manage, and execute the project. These decisions should be informed by the context, project needs, and the available options.
Avoid falling into Maslow’s Hammer cognitive bias: “If the only tool you have is a hammer, it is tempting to treat everything as if it were a nail.” Make informed decisions. Tailor the project management plan and required development guidelines. Push back, avoid the path of least resistance.
Managing the Project
During the long project execution phase, the immune system is suppressed, making it vulnerable to infection. Even the best-run projects have problems and must deviate from the initial plan. There are delays, unforeseeable events, conflicts, and, of course, more work than expected. Risks, issues, and action items start falling through the cracks. Slipping into Zombie-autopilot mode is a natural response.
Resisting the Zombie instinct is essential. Fight back. Stay engaged. Engage the thinking brain. Adopt and adapt. Avoid knee-jerk solutions.
The construction of an office building was several months behind schedule. During a site visit, an executive declared the solution was to expedite the delivery of building materials. The project manager knew better but had no choice but comply. Fast-tracking deliveries overwhelmed the loading zone, delaying more critical shipments. Some of the pre-positioned materials were damaged due to insufficient storage space.
When the going gets tough, it’s time to pause, think, and be deliberate. Uncover the root cause(s) of the problems. Engage in critical thinking. Interrogate beliefs and assumptions. Make thoughtful adjustments. Then, review the changes to ensure they had the desired effect.
“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
While this phrase is often attributed to Einstein, it is not. Check your facts. Do not be a Zombie.
© 2026, Alan Zucker; Project Management Essentials, LLC
See related articles:
- Create a Learning Environment: Profit from Your Mistakes
- Don’t Blame Agile for Bad Agile
- Intentional Project Management
- Project Frameworks: Understand the Choices
- Reports of Agile’s Death are Exaggerated
To learn more about our training and consulting services or subscribe to our newsletter, visit our website: http://www.pmessentials.us/.