Stress is a common factor in project management (PM), ignoring it’s presence poses a lot of risk to both managers and team members as well. The project environment is naturally stressful, since you are expected to simultaneously deal with different factors – ranging from tight deadlines, human behavior, unstable official priorities, etc.
So, to an average project manager and project management offices (PMOs), stress is almost impossible to completely avoid, hence the need to curtail it. Managing stress in project management is just like every other stress management solution.
And in this piece, we will be discussing why stress management matters in project leadership, common sources of stress for project management leaders, and some of the major elements of resilience for PMs and PMOs.
Why Does Stress Management Matter in Project Leadership?
For the record, the ability of PMs to manage stress is not a “soft skill.” It’s a major aspect of project leadership, and must be taken seriously. When a strenuous situation surfaces, PMs are expected to make clear decisions, and this can only happen when stress is successfully managed.
As we already know, when stress is poorly managed, it disrupts the individual’s cognitive functions. This will lead to many discrepancies in the organization’s operations, talk of reactive communication, unresolved conflict resolution, poor cognitive functions that leads to poor judgment, and lot more. This, in turn, destroys stakeholder relationships with the company and lowers the trust they have in the rest of the team.
Organizations that invest in stress management do it to guarantee results. Since the job of a PM goes beyond team management, organizations with a strong stress culture have been seen to experience more delays in completing tasks. This further justifies their investment in this direction.
Major Sources of Stress for PM Leaders
To understand the key sources of stress for PMs means that one will have to spot their triggers. Some of the major sources include (but are not limited to):
1. Shifting Project Scope
Constantly changing the scope of the project leads to unclear goals, which most times metamorphose into frustration. A practical example is a manager making multiple requests that contradict the original purpose of the team’s task.
2. Challenging Stakeholder Demands
It’s no news that stakeholders can be difficult sometimes, but wisdom demands that every PM reacts to their demands with caution – or get stressed by it. Also, managing difficult issues raised by stakeholders can trigger stress hormones in an average PM. This is why it’s important to streamline every topic or response before every stakeholder meeting.
3. Shortage of Resources
This is often seen in fund allocation and budget appropriation. This is where situations like delivering more with less come up. This often leads to task overload, which over time metamorphoses into fatigue among team members, which in turn leads to stress.
Major Elements of Resilience for PMs and PMOs
Resilience in project management comes in multiple forms, and PM must prioritize each and every one of them. They include (but are not limited to):
- Psychological Resilience: This is also known as emotional resilience. It’s the ability to maintain calmness amid chaos and setbacks. This will help you remain composed and confident during challenging moments.
- Cognitive Resilience: Since no problem is solved under pressure, initiating cognitive resilience is a way to go. It helps PMs think clearly in the face of confusion and creatively solve problems while under pressure.
- Social Resilience: Human beings are social animals, so are PMs and PMOs. They are advised to form a strong networking group, both within and outside the organization. Such a group can come in the form of a peer group, sponsors, or a mentor group.
Conclusion
While the job of the PM and PMOs can be demanding, a situation that may extend to their psychological health, they are strongly advised to take their health seriously. They must not take any outcome to heart and must endeavor to seek help whenever they feel overwhelmed with tasks.
PMs and PMOs must, as a matter of precaution, deploy useful stress management strategies like cognitive, social, and psychological resilience methods to curb the destructive effect of stress in the management space.