The Mid-Project Pivot Is Not a Failure 

There’s a moment in almost every project where the ground shifts a little.

Sometimes it’s a small crack: a tool that’s clunkier than expected, a teammate who quietly says, “This isn’t working.” Other times it’s a total curveball. A new insight. A goal that no longer fits. A sharp left turn you didn’t see coming.

I used to treat these moments like red flags. A pivot felt like admitting failure, like we hadn’t planned well enough, defined clearly enough, or seen far enough ahead.

But here’s what I’ve come to believe: a good pivot isn’t a failure. It’s a sign that we’re paying attention.

Why We Resist Change (Even When It’s the Smart Move)

We’re taught to equate sticking to the plan with professionalism. But most plans are just our best guess at the start. In nonprofit work especially, where we’re solving new problems with limited resources, rigid planning can shut down the very learning we need.

Some of the resistance comes from:

• Wanting to look like we have it all together
• Fear that changing course will seem indecisive
  Plain old exhaustion … pivots mean more conversations, more decisions, more explaining

But not changing when the situation clearly calls for it? That’s the real risk.

Signs It’s Time to Pivot

Here’s how I’ve learned to spot when it’s time to shift:

• You’re spending more time defending the plan than executing it
• The team is confused, but no one wants to say it
• New data, feedback, or context has changed what success should look like
• The original idea still technically works … but only if you ignore what’s clearly not working

These aren’t signs of failure. These are invitations to get smarter.

What a Healthy Pivot Looks Like

At Amplify, we’ve already done the from-scratch building…the client delivery systems, internal processes, and even how we define growth. In those early days, we tried things that didn’t work. We restructured in the middle of projects. We let go of ideas when better ones showed up. That season taught us to hold plans loosely and learning tightly.

Now, we’re in a phase of refinement. We’ve built the core…and we’re focused on making it better, sharper, more sustainable. But the posture remains the same: stay curious, stay clear, and adjust when the data — or the team — tells you something needs to shift.

What’s helped us navigate those pivots well is giving ourselves the freedom to step back. Literally. Walk away from the screen. Get out of the weeds. Talk with someone who sees it differently. Shift from solving the problem to understanding it again.

Sometimes the breakthrough comes from a teammate who’s not even “in” the project. Sometimes it comes from just remembering the bigger picture…what we’re actually trying to accomplish, not just what we planned to do.

And when something doesn’t work, we name it. Not with shame or spin, but with transparency. In my experience, that builds trust more than getting it right on the first try ever could. When people know you’ll speak up, ask for help, and own your part of the outcome…they’ll respect you more, not less.

How to Pivot With Integrity

Some simple guardrails I’ve found helpful:

• Communicate early, even if the next steps aren’t fully formed
• Explain the why, not just the what
• Invite feedback, especially from the people closest to the change
• Step back when you’re stuck … perspective is often the real unlock
• Write it down — even if it’s just in shared notes — so the learning sticks

Build What Works, Not What Was Planned

We don’t need more perfectly executed plans. We need more people willing to build what actually works … even if that means letting go of what we thought it would look like.

That’s not failure.

That’s leadership.