Watch chef Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares and you'll see a pattern. The
menus at failing restaurants offer too many dishes. The owners think making every dish
under the sun will broaden the appeal of the restaurant. Instead it makes for crappy food
(and creates inventory headaches).
That's why Ramsay's first step is nearly always to trim the menu, usually from
thirty-plus dishes to around ten. Think about that. Improving the current menu doesn't
come first. Trimming it down comes first. Then he polishes what's left.
When things aren't working, the natural inclination is to throw more at the
problem. More people, time, and money. All that ends up doing is making the problem
bigger. The right way to go is the opposite direction: Cut back.
So do less. Your project won't suffer nearly as much as you fear. In fact, there's a
good chance it'll end up even better. You'll be forced to make tough calls and sort out
what truly matters.