Stop Avoiding the Word “Project”: Why Under-Labeling Work Is Hurting Your Organization
In some organizations, the real challenge isn’t that everything gets labeled a project — it’s that major initiatives deliberately avoid that label altogether. People skirt the word “project” because they know what comes with it: more approvals, more structure, more visibility, and more questions from leadership. For some teams, it feels easier to operate informally, keep things out of the PMO’s line of sight, and move fast without the burden of documentation or governance. But that instinct, while understandable, often creates the very delays and risks they were trying to avoid.
The truth is that plenty of significant efforts get shoved into operational backlogs or disguised as enhancements simply because someone doesn’t want to deal with the structure of a formal project. And ironically, those are the efforts that eventually end up in crisis mode — landing on the project manager’s desk late in the game, usually with missing context, unclear scope, and a sponsor who’s already frustrated. By that point the question isn't, “Should this have been a project?” It’s, “Why wasn’t this managed as one from the start?
Why Teams Avoid Calling Work a Project
People don’t usually dodge the project label because they’re trying to be difficult; they dodge it because of perception. Governance can feel heavy when a team is already pressed for time, and it’s easy to believe that skipping structure will make things go faster. Some leaders prefer informal handling because it gives them flexibility — they can pivot scope quickly, they don’t have to answer detailed questions yet, and they feel like they retain more control. And most organizations have an enhancement pipeline that becomes a convenient place to stash bigger work that no longer feels “small,” but also doesn’t feel politically convenient to elevate.
All of this creates a culture where staying informal becomes the default, even when the work has grown far beyond “enhancement” territory. But avoiding structure doesn’t remove complexity — it just hides it until it becomes unmanageable.
The Risks of Under-Labeling Work
When substantial initiatives aren’t treated like projects, problems tend to pile up quietly before anyone realizes how far off track things have drifted. Ownership becomes murky because no one clearly steps up to lead. Scope slowly expands since no one defined boundaries or expectations. Teams run into dependencies that weren’t identified early, which leads to blockers, escalations, and last-minute surprises. Work drifts because it isn’t being monitored against a plan. Risks go unmanaged because no one formally assessed them. And then, eventually, an executive gets blindsided — not because the work was inherently difficult, but because it was handled like a minor change instead of the large initiative it really was.
Once a “hidden project” hits leadership radar, the organization suddenly scrambles to reclassify, rebuild structure, and get a project manager involved — often months later than they should have. Recovery mode costs far more time and money than simply treating the effort as a project from the beginning.
What Actually Makes Something a Project?
A project isn’t defined by how many tasks it contains or how many hours it takes. It’s defined by the impact it has on the business. If the work significantly changes a process, system, experience, or operational outcome in a meaningful way, you’re no longer dealing with routine activity. If multiple teams must coordinate, or if the work introduces risk, cost, or regulatory implications, it falls squarely into project territory. And if the outcome is uncertain — meaning there’s no guaranteed path from beginning to end — that’s another hallmark of something that should be a project.
The simplest way to frame it is this: if failure would be escalated, then the work deserves the attention of a project.
When You Truly Need a Project Manager
Not every initiative needs a project manager, but many efforts fail because the need for a PM was recognized far too late. Cross-functional work almost always benefits from having someone dedicated to coordination. If a sponsor expects updates, outcomes, or accountability, a project manager brings structure that keeps things moving. Sequencing becomes critical when multiple teams are involved, and PMs know how to manage those dependencies. Vendor interactions, contract timelines, SLAs, and external deliverables introduce complexity that shouldn’t be handled casually. And when business impact is high — whether operational, financial, or customer-facing — a project manager isn’t overhead; they’re insurance against chaos.
When You Don’t Need a Project Manager
There are absolutely times when work should stay within business-as-usual operations. Single-team enhancements, quick configuration updates, documentation refreshes, and routine training or reporting tasks don’t require the structure of a formal project. These types of work benefit more from clear ownership within the functional team than from governance or PM oversight. This is why a good intake process doesn’t just elevate work — it also protects the PMO and the business from over-processing the small stuff.
How the PMO Can Fix “Project Avoidance”
If your organization struggles with under-labeling work, it’s almost always because definitions and intake aren’t clear. A PMO can turn this around by establishing simple, transparent criteria for what qualifies as a project and ensuring everyone understands the rationale behind it. Intake should be quick but firm — a short set of questions that clarifies scope, impact, dependencies, and risk. The goal isn’t bureaucracy; it’s reducing surprises.
Equally important is education. Many teams avoid the PMO because they associate governance with slow progress. When the PMO builds trust and shows how structure actually accelerates delivery by preventing rework and uncertainty, people stop trying to stay under the radar. Clear definitions bring consistency. Good intake brings visibility. And a trusted PMO brings confidence that the effort will actually get across the finish line.
