The 90% Syndrome

The 90% syndrome is a pattern seen in big projects where everything seems to be going well for the majority of the project timeline, but as the finish line approaches, significant problems arise, causing delays and setbacks. This phenomenon was studied by colleagues at MIT, who discovered that teams often engage in deceptive behavior to hide their lateness, leading to a 'Liars Club' culture. The main person individuals lie to about their progress is themselves, and overcoming this deceptive behavior can give a significant competitive advantage in project management.